Gambian President Announces Immediate FGM Ban November 30, 2015 News Summary The Guardian: The Gambia bans female genital mutilation “The Gambia has announced it will ban female genital mutilation (FGM) after The Guardian launched a global campaign to end the practice. The president, Yahya Jammeh, said [November 23] that the controversial surgical intervention would be outlawed. He said the ban would…
U.N. Marks International Day For The Elimination Of Violence Against Women November 30, 2015 News Summary News outlets report on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, recognized on November 25. U.N. News Centre: U.N. urges ‘zero tolerance at the highest levels of leadership’ to end violence against women and girls “Ending gender-based violence is a top priority for achieving the United Nations…
Devex Examines USAID’s Integration Of Climate Change Risk Screenings Into New Strategies November 30, 2015 News Summary Devex: A look at USAID’s climate change policy integration “The U.S. Agency for International Development is in the midst of a climate change transformation in response to an executive order from U.S. President Barack Obama in 2014. The order requires the agency to integrate climate change risk screenings in any…
Extreme Weather Events Increasingly Impacting Food Security Worldwide, FAO Study Shows November 30, 2015 News Summary News outlets report on a study by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization examining the links between climate and food security. Reuters: Extreme weather poses growing threat to food security — U.N.’s FAO “Drought, floods, and other extremes of weather have become more frequent and severe in the past 30…
TB Research Funding Falls Short Of Global Targets, TAG Report Shows November 30, 2015 News Summary Thomson Reuters Foundation: Tuberculosis funding gap threatens elimination goals “Funding for tuberculosis research fell $1.3 billion short of global targets last year, threatening worldwide goals to eliminate the disease between 2030 and 2035, researchers said on Monday. The Treatment Action Group (TAG), an independent think tank, said the $674 million…
Zika Viral Infection Linked To Birth Defects In Brazilian Infants, Health Officials Say November 30, 2015 News Summary Associated Press: Brazil links dengue-like virus to birth defects in babies “The dengue-like Zika virus has been linked for the first time to cases of babies being born with small heads, or microcephaly, Brazil’s government said. … Researchers with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are coming soon…
Editorials, Opinion Piece Discuss Reforms To Strengthen WHO’s Responses To Ebola, Other Disease Outbreaks November 30, 2015 News Summary The Lancet: Ebola: lessons for future pandemics Editorial Board “…[A report from the Harvard-London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Independent Panel on the Global Response to Ebola] endorses 10 recommendations across four themes: preventing major outbreaks, responding to outbreaks, research, and governing a global health system that has overall…
Becker’s Hospital Review Outlines Facts In Kaiser Family Foundation Issue Brief On U.S. Ebola Spending November 24, 2015 News Summary Becker’s Hospital Review: The U.S. Ebola price tag: 5 things to know This industry publication summarizes the Kaiser Family Foundation’s recently released issue brief on the U.S. response to the Ebola epidemic, including U.S. Ebola funding (Rappleye, 11/23).
State Department Taking Steps Against Microbial Resistance November 24, 2015 News Summary U.S. Department of State’s “DipNote”: Raising Awareness About #AntibioticResistance Judith Garber, the acting assistant secretary of state for the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES), discusses antibiotic resistance, steps individuals can take to help prevent drug resistance, and actions the State Department is taking to work…