What 2006 Means for 2007 in Global Health
12/26/06
Five big stories from 2006, and perhaps one that didn't get many headlines, stand out as harbingers of what's ahead in 2007.
3 comments
Global Health Policy
Iodine, Intelligence and Authoritarianism in Central Asia
12/19/06
In the latest in a series of articles on diseases on the brink of eradication, the New York Times recently examined Kazakhstan's success in reducing mental retardation and childhood stunting through salt iodization programs and social marketing activities.
Flu Vaccine Woes
12/18/06
Once again, volatile demand for flu vaccine is giving everyone a headache. A mere two years ago supply fell badly short of demand, turning US seniors into "immunization tourists" to Canada, and putting President Bush on the defensive during the 2004 campaign. This year, demand is way off, and suppliers can barely give the vaccine away; they face the prospect of wasting valuable doses because the vaccine is developed specifically for this year's strain.
Getting Real on Health Financing and the Global Aid Quagmire
12/11/06
In the latest issue of Finance & Development, George Schieber, Lisa Fleisher and Pablo Gottret argue - correctly, in my view - that low government spending is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to financing basic health services and social protection in low-income countries: it's not just a question of "how much money," but also of who pays and how it's spent.
Do Mosquito Bites Cause AIDS?
12/11/06
The real world just refuses to cooperate with earmarks. That's the conclusion to be drawn from the article in the latest Economist highlighting the links between the natural histories of AIDS and malaria. The article drew attention to a study published in Science, by Laith Abu-Raddad and colleagues, estimating the impact on AIDS of malaria infection, and vice versa.
Finding Pneumo
12/5/06
Today's New York Times features efforts to introduce pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in developing countries, where it has the potential to combat life-threatening respiratory disease.
GAVI Commits to Funding for Pneumococcal & Rotavirus Vaccines
12/4/06
At its latest meeting, the GAVI Alliance board committed $200 million to support the introduction of new vaccines against rotavirus and pneumococcal disease in developing countries; the Washington Post subsequently ran an editorial in support of the decision.
GAVI Commits to Funding for Pneumococcal & Rotavirus Vaccines
12/4/06
At its latest meeting, the GAVI Alliance board committed $200 million to support the introduction of new vaccines against rotavirus and pneumococcal disease in developing countries; the Washington Post subsequently ran an editorial in support of the decision.