Ebola Outbreak Could Contribute To Increase In Maternal, Child Mortality October 9, 2014 News Summary IRIN: Ebola effect reverses gains in maternal, child mortality “Maternal and infant deaths in Liberia and Sierra Leone are set to rise above their current alarming rates as fear of Ebola keeps pregnant women away from hospitals and makes already-scarce health workers reluctant to deliver babies…” (10/8).
Ecuador Eliminates River Blindness October 9, 2014 News Summary Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases’ “End the Neglect”: Ecuador Becomes Second Country in the World to Eliminate River Blindness Angad Dhindsa of the Global Network highlights Ecuador’s elimination of onchocerciasis, also known as river blindness (10/8).
Haiti Water, Sanitation Challenges To Be Discussed At Donor Meeting In Washington October 9, 2014 News Summary Miami Herald: Haiti’s sanitation needs to be focus of meeting in capitol “Four years after cholera arrived in Haiti, the country still is trying to curb the epidemic, even as it sees significant drops in the numbers of people succumbing to the deadly waterborne disease. Still, more than 30 people…
Aid Workers Increasingly At Risk In Unstable Regions, Conflict Zones October 9, 2014 News Summary Devex: A risky business: Aid workers in danger “…Kidnapping and violence against foreign aid workers has gone from a rare horror story to an all-too-familiar refrain from those working in the world’s most dangerous locales. Even as security has improved for many aid organizations in recent years, deepening political crises…
Better Antenatal Care Could Avoid Unnecessary Maternal Deaths In South Africa, Report Says October 9, 2014 News Summary News outlets report on a recently released Amnesty International report on maternal health in South Africa. The Guardian: HIV stigma causing avoidable maternal deaths in South Africa, says Amnesty “Hundreds of pregnant women and girls are dying needlessly in South Africa, partly because of well-founded fears that their HIV status…
UNICEF, WHO Bolstering Efforts To Prevent Marburg Fever’s Spread In Uganda October 9, 2014 News Summary Xinhua/GlobalPost: U.N. agencies beef up efforts to battle deadly Marburg fever “To avoid the rapid spread of deadly Marburg hemorrhagic fever in Uganda, U.N. agencies are beefing up the country’s efforts to fight the virulent disease that has so far left one person dead and over 109 others under close…
Uganda’s Drive To Lower HIV Incidence Through Male Circumcision Faces Logistical, Cultural Challenges October 9, 2014 News Summary IRIN: Uganda’s flagging male circumcision drive “Limited funding and personnel, as well as misconceptions and cultural beliefs, are some of the challenges hindering Uganda’s goal of circumcising at least 4.2 million men by 2015 in a bid to lower the country’s HIV/AIDS incidence…” (10/8).
Gambian Summit Aims To Empower Youth To End FGM October 9, 2014 News Summary The Guardian: Gambian youth come together for conference to tackle FGM “…Spearheaded by Gambian-born Jaha Dukureh, the face of a Guardian-backed campaign to combat FGM in the U.S., the youth summit has brought 100 Gambians between the ages of 17 and 25 together to teach campaigning and social media skills…
Pregnant Women Among IDPs In Need Of Urgent Care In Pakistan October 9, 2014 News Summary Inter Press Service: Displacement Spells Danger for Pregnant Women in Pakistan “…In northern Pakistan, a military campaign aimed at ridding the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Taliban militants has led to a humanitarian crisis for hundreds of thousands of civilians. … With thousands of women now clamoring for care,…