Welcome to the Health and Media blog site - we welcome your comments and/or articles on health issues.


May 22, 2007

Avian Flu Communication Resources [website]

This online resource centre for pandemic avian influenza communication resources is a joint initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), World Food Programme (WFP) and World Health Organization (WHO). The website provides access to communication products, tools, and resources to help users access information on how to prevent, contain, and respond to avian flu outbreaks. Communication resources available as part of the resource centre include: creative products, source materials, planning/training documents, links, and contacts. http://www.comminit.com/materials/ma2007/materials-3206.html

Join Health and Development discussion [online]

"Non-Material" Resources in Health and Development Communication

The Health e Communication website - http://www.comminit.com/healthecomm/ - is hosting a discussion with Dr. Benjamin Lozare (Associate Director, Center for Communication Programs, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University) beginning June 4 2007.

Nobel Prize winner Robert Fogel argues that inequality in the distribution of "non-material" resources such as vision of opportunity and work ethic is more severe and profound than the inequality of "material" resources. Drawing on these insights, Dr. Lozare asks whether health and development communication should focus more on the development of "non-material" and "spiritual" resources.

Join this Health e Communication discussion, as we explore the importance of "non-material" resources for development, ask why this is a neglected area, and exchange ideas about how health communicators can nurture and harness this important resource more effectively.

To register for this discussion go to:

http://forums.comminit.com/index.php?uber=5 and follow the instructions for registering to a forum.

Please note: if you are already registered to The CI forums, simply sign in using your CI Forums username and password, Edit your Profile, and click on the "Non-Material" Resources in Health and Development Communication Discussion to request participation from the moderators.

We hope you'll be able to join Dr. Lozare starting June 4th for this new Health e Communication discussion.

Communication in Malaria Control [paper]

Why Does It Matter? by Alison Dunn

This paper explores how community-level communication can engage the most vulnerable people - such as children under 5 years of age and women in the economically poorest communities in Africa - in strategies to prevent and treat malaria. It is based on the premise that current malaria control strategies rely predominantly on individuals and communities to take action to protect and treat themselves, such as by hanging insecticide-treated bed nets and (as is sometimes the case) impregnating them at timely intervals, often at the user's expense. Such strategies will only succeed, the author argues, if there is effective, contextual communication and genuine understanding around the causes, symptoms, and means of preventing and treating malaria. Communication approaches to malaria control that engage with local communities in participatory ways go beyond message delivery and social marketing and move toward a genuine exchange of understanding between agencies and local people as to what will work best in the local context. Dunn stresses that communication needs to be included in the process of malaria control from the initiation of activities, not as an afterthought or add-on. This means thinking strategically about communication from the planning stages through to implementation and evaluation.http://www.comminit.com/strategicthinking/st2006/thinking-1898.html

Latest Health News

(source: the Global Health Council)

World AIDS Vaccine Day, May 18th

Friday, May 18th, is "World AIDS Vaccine Day."

Experimental HIV Drug Delays Viral Onset

The most promising of the many experimental HIV vaccines in development will offer only limited immunity against the deadly virus, US government scientists said on Wednesday ahead of world HIV Vaccine Awareness Day. http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=143187442&u=1373184

Zimbabwe: Reduce Maternal, Child Mortality

The shortage of nurses and midwives is threatening Zimbabwe and Africa's capacity to improve midwifery practice and attain the goal of reducing maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=143187442&u=1373185

Get Real and Save Indian Youth from AIDS:

Official Banning sex education on the grounds that it offends Indian sensibilities puts young lives at risk and jeopardizes the fight against AIDS, a top official said. http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=143187442&u=1373186

Ghana: March to Raise Awareness of Women's Health and Reproductive Rights

Takes Off in Accra Today Human Rights Initiative (CHRI), the African Commission on Human Rights (ACHPR), and the Ministry of Justice, are organising the "March to Raise Awareness of Women's Health and Reproductive Rights in Africa." http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=143187442&u=1373187

Europeans Harden Opposition to Wolfowitz

European countries signaled on Wednesday they would resist any U.S. bid to keep World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz in place as the bank's board considered whether to endorse a report that found he broke bank rules. http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=143187442&u=1373188

Vaccine Grant to Protect Millions from Yellow Fever

More than 48 million people in West Africa will be immunized for yellow fever over the next four years under a new vaccine programme announced on Wednesday by the public-private GAVI Alliance. http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=143187442&u=1373189

Mosquito Bacteria Identified in Malaria Battle

Scientists in Italy say they have identified a potential weapon against malaria living inside the blood-sucking mosquitoes that spread the disease -- their internal bacteria. http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=143187442&u=1373193

WHO Tackles Bird Flu, Global Warming

The World Health Organisation is due to unveil new guidelines to protect people from the effects of climate change when its executive body, the World Health Assembly, holds its 60th annual meeting starting Monday. http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=143187442&u=1373194

Africa Still Lacks Safe Water Despite Strong Growth

Access to safe drinking water has not improved in Africa, especially the sub-Saharan region, despite several years of strong economic growth, the African Development Bank said on Sunday. http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=143187442&u=1373196

Sex Education Creates Storm in AIDS-Stricken India

Moves to bring sex out of the closet in largely conservative India have kicked up a morality debate between educators who say sex education will reduce HIV rates, and critics who fear it will corrupt young minds. http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=143187442&u=1373197

Asia to Test Injectable Drug for Bird, Human Flu

A new anti-viral drug to treat both bird and human flu, developed by U.S.-based BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, will be tested across Asia next month, the pharmacist involved in the trial in Hong Kong said on Monday. http://ent.groundspring.org/EmailNow/pub.php?module=URLTracker&cmd=track&j=143187442&u=1373198

May 21, 2007

Botswawa HIV update

Unu Lebakwe, Botswana Television

Thanks for your efforts of keeping me update with the latest issues pertaining to HIV/AIDS and other related health issues.

To share with you on how Botswana is doing with regard to HIV/AIDS issues; president Festus has last week told the ruling BDP women's congress that the government is proud to announce that more than 80-thousand people have enrolled in the ARVs roll out programme manned by government. The ARVs in Botswana are given out free.

Still on issues related to the scourge the research on HIV prevention vaccines, 1200 volunteers to participate on the programme.

Gambia TB situation alarming

Yusupha Bojang, Gambia


TB is one of the illness spreading due to the number of patients visiting the health center in the BRIKAMA REGION according to the TB officer in the region. The situation is alarming.

May 07, 2007

Lesotho to reduce HIV in children

by Teboho Senthebane, South Africa

The Lesotho government has launched a four-year plan to reduce new HIV infections among children by 50 percent and ensure that all HIV-infected children have access to life-prolonging antiretroviral (ARV) treatment.

Mother-to-child transmission is the leading cause of HIV infection in children. Lesotho introduced prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT) services in 2003. WHO and UNICEF are partnering with Lesotho's Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to implement a new plan that includes establishing universal access to PMTCT services and reducing the risk of mother-to-child transmission by 80 percent by 2011.