Lancet Comment Examines Connection Between Climate Change, Health

Ahead of the U.N. Climate Change conference in Copenhagen next week, a Lancet comment examines the health consequences associated with climate change and the case for linking climate and health goals. “The issue now is not whether climate change is occurring, but how we can respond most effectively. … Responding to climate change is not a distraction from the business of protecting health: it is part of the same agenda,” the author writes (Chan, 12/5).

Lancet Perspectives Examines History Of Antimalarial Campaigns In Tropical Africa

A Lancet perspectives piece examines antimalarial campaigns in tropical Africa, to provide context for current efforts. “Although the past is an imperfect guide to the future, policy makers would do well to take a fuller account of the historical record,” the author writes. “The historical epidemiology of African malaria has cautionary lessons to convey about past experiences with malarial ecologies and the consequences of time-limited commitments to malaria control” (Webb, 12/5).

Kaiser Family Foundation Issues Policy Brief, Chartpack On U.S. Global Health Initiative

A Kaiser Family Foundation policy brief and chartpack provide an overview of the projected U.S. budget for the Global Health Initiative that was announced in May 2009. The materials also examine the programs that would fall under the proposed six-year, $63 billion initiative (12/2).

Blog: To Better Fight HIV/AIDS, Integrate With Reproductive Health Services

In a blog post on RH Reality Check, Jeffrey Sturchio, president and CEO of the Global Health Council, looks at how coordinating HIV/AIDS programs with family planning programs could affect the fight against HIV/AIDS around the world. “Until we have a safe and effective vaccine, integrating sexual and reproductive health services remains one of the strongest – and as yet underutilized – tools to prevent further HIV infection,” he writes (12/2). 

Blog: U.S. Conference Includes Larger Focus On NTDs

“Speaking of Medicine” reports on the themes of this year’s meeting of the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene. “Considering diseases more collectively, the neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) as a whole was a predominant theme this year. With the meeting located in Washington, D.C., it was natural and relevant to discuss the recently announced U.S. Global Health Initiative (GHI), which will include a NTD component,” according to the blog (Yun, 12/2).

Blog: PEPFAR Treatment Target Comes Up Short

The Infectious Diseases Center for Global Health Policy’s “Science Speaks” blog examines the new five-year PEPFAR strategy. The “treatment target of 4 million is well short of what HIV experts and advocates called for earlier this year in a memo to Ambassador Eric Goosby,” which “called on PEPFAR to reach 6 million people with lifesaving antiretroviral treatment by 2013 and 7 million by 2014,” according to the blog (Shesgreen, 12/1).

NTD Funding Is Disproportionate To Respective Disease Burdens, Study Says

A recent International Health paper examines the amounts of official development assistance budgeted for health to determine the share of funds neglected tropical diseases receive. “On average, only 0.6% of total annual health (ODA) was dedicated to the fight against NTDs while the average share of control projects for HIV/AIDS was 36.3%, for malaria 3.6%, and for tuberculosis 2.2%. This allocation of health ODA does not reflect the diseases’ respective health burdens. Furthermore, the availability of cost-efficient treatments for NTDs supports the call for an increase in funds dedicated to the control of NTDs” (Liese/Schubert, 12/09).

amfAR Policy Brief Examines Impact Of Global AIDS Programming On Global Health

A policy brief issued by amfAR examines the impact U.S. funding for global AIDS programming has had on global health and calls for an increase in the investment towards such programs. The brief concludes: “As the Obama administration and Congress develop and implement a new Global Health Initiative, it will be essential to determine the most strategic approaches and best opportunities for achieving broad global health goals across a range of diseases and conditions” (12/09).

Clinical Infectious Diseases Examines Debate Over Cost-Effectiveness Of PEPFAR

A Clinical Infectious Diseases viewpoints piece examines the debate over whether it would be more cost-effective to invest in maternal and child health than expanding PEPFAR. “The perception that PEPFAR is at odds with dedicated efforts toward maternal and child health ignores the massive direct and indirect benefits PEPFAR has achieved already for mothers and children,” the authors write. “It may be that PEPFAR – by providing health infrastructure, HIV prevention, parental survival, and the opportunity to sustain economic growth – is the most generous gift the United States can provide to future generations of those countries most in need” (Walensky/Kuritzkes, 11/30).

Blog: Goosby On 2012 IAC

In a White House blog post marking World AIDS Day, U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator Ambassador Eric Goosby writes about the recent decision to hold the 2012 International AIDS Conference in Washington, D.C. “By 2012, the U.S. will have a National HIV/AIDS Strategy in place for the first time in our nation’s history. … In addition, the conference will allow us to spotlight our ongoing and continued commitment to [PEPFAR] and the President’s Global Health Initiative,” he writes (11/30).

Blog: Ideology Has No Place In HIV/AIDS Fight

“Although huge strides have been made over the past two decades, we are, in many respects, continuing to lose ground as new infections outpace our ability to deliver treatment,” Josh Ruxin, a public health expert, writes in a Huffington Post blog post reflecting on the fight against HIV/AIDS worldwide. He makes some recommendations for the incoming USAID administrator, including funding for condoms. “Ideology can’t have a place in lifesaving programs on any scale,” Ruxin writes (11/27).

PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases Editorial Says NTD Interventions Can Improve Reproductive Health

Interventions aimed at controlling and eliminating neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) would help to improve the reproductive health of women and girls worldwide, according to a PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases editorial that outlines the global impact of NTDs on women’s health. The editorial includes details about efforts underway to ensure women are included in large-scale interventions for NTDs (Hotez, 11/24).

Paper Examines How Global Health Challenges Affect Women

A CSIS Commission on Smart Global Health Policy paper looks at how certain global health challenges disproportionately affect women and girls. “Many key global health priorities revolve in fundamental ways around the gender-related barriers that women and girls face in accessing health-related information, services, and resources, all of which increase their vulnerability to ill health. For success and sustainability, the United States should anchor its global health strategy in a firm commitment to address the gender disparities that affect global health outcomes” (Fleischman, 11/09).