(Photo Credit: International Foundation of the Red Cross)

This week saw the continued striking of Nigerian doctors as well as  empty promises of stretched health ministries and US food aid. Our blog hosted a bright discussion on HIV/AIDS in South Africa highlighting the issues of Gender Based Violence and the use of pornography to influence health behaviors and education. Please let us know what you think in the comments, we’d love to start a conversation! If you are interested in submitting a guest post – submit here.

Sierra Leone: Unfulfilled Promises of Free Maternal Health Care for Mothers

Marie Musa, 37, is devastated. After the mother of four gave premature birth, her baby boy died a few hours later – because the hospital did not have enough incubators to rescue the infant. In August, the same month that Musa’s baby died in hospital, James Bamie Davies, commissioner of the customs and excise department of Sierra Leone’s National Revenue Authority (NRA), announced in a government gazette an auction of medical appliances, including eight incubators. Only the public outcry that followed the announcement of the auction in the gazette, did the Ministry of Health and Sanitation spring into action and recover the goods.

Uganda: Nine Million Face Hunger

As Uganda joins the word to mark World Food Day today, Isaac Khisa looks at Uganda’s strides in ensuring that every citizen has at least a meal a day Uganda today joins the rest of the world in celebrating World Food Day but with millions of its population still malnourished. According to United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisations, nine million Ugandans are still facing hunger with many affording only one meal a day. Uganda population is now estimated at 31 million, meaning that about 30 per cent of Ugandans can hardly find something to eat.

Zimbabwe: Diarrhea claims 4000 yearly

About 4 000 children die from diarrhoea in Zimbabwe each year due to poor hygiene and unsafe drinking water, a United Nations senior official said last week. In a speech read on his behalf at the annual commemorations of the Global Hand-Washing Day held in Mutoko last week, Unicef country representative Dr Peter Salama said hand-washing is the single most effective and inexpensive way to prevent diarrhoea.

Benin: Disease Spreads as Floods Continue

Two-thirds of the African nation of Benin is underwater, with at least 43 people killed and nearly 100,000 made homeless. Heavy rain began falling at the start of October, and the Rivers Oueme and Mono soon overflowed. Thousands of hectares of land, mostly used for growing rice and other vegetables are now underwater. “Here, the water isn’t going away. We have it up to our knees and now it’s as high as our thighs,” said one resident. “The water, it’s everywhere, and it’s very difficult for people to escape.

South Africa: The Real Health Deal

Health minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi will today sign the “real deal” with nine provincial health MECs and eight ministers, giving South Africans a shot at “a long and healthy life”. The Negotiated Service Delivery Agreement (NSDA) gives a frank, but brutal assessment of South Africa’s healthcare system and at the same time commits “not to keep doing things as usual” in finding solutions.

(Photo credit: Dominic Chavez/ WHO)

This week comes with controversy and numerous calls for the eradication of various diseases by the WHO. Health workers in go on strike in another African country after South Africa’s months long strike. Liberian doctors said they would only treat “critical” patients. Tuberculosis is becoming more resistant among young people and HIV positive individuals, but more effort is being put into research.

WHO sees end to TB

Last week TB was discussed as a “forgotten disease for forgotten people,” but now it seems that the WHO has released a plan that identifies gaps in research to create faster treatment regimes. “There is an urgent need to scale up action against TB – 10 million people, including 4 million women and children, will lose their lives unnecessarily between now and 2015 if we fail,” Dr. Margaret Chan, the WHO director-general, said.

Its Time to End the Double-Standard of Food Aid

Tido von Schoen-Angerer, Executive Director of Doctors Without Border’s “Access to Essential Medicines Campaign” wrote on Huffington Post about how the US government continues to send sub-standard food supplies to areas in need. The United States, the world’s biggest food aid donor, continues to send the corn-soy flours that do not address childhood malnutrition. You would be hard pressed to find these foods in American grocery stores, because it’s food we would never feed our own children.

More: Can the story on US food aid get any worse from Aid Watch posting Financial Times

“Paradigm” Shift Needed in Health Care, Experts Say

In Africa there needs to be a greater focus on prevention and treatment of noncommunicable diseases like diabetes and hypertension and not just infectious diseases like HIV/AIDS, health experts told the 2010 U.S.-Africa Private Sector Health Conference October 6. “Health is as critical as institutions, infrastructure and education for Africa’s economic competitiveness and growth. It is a prerequisite for human energy, entrepreneurship, dynamic markets and a productive society,” said Haskell Ward, vice-president of Seacom Corporation and chairman of the Global Health Strategic and Advisory Committee of the American Cancer Society.

Ending Africa’s Hunger Means Listening to Farmers

Africa is hungry – 240 million people are undernourished. Now, for the first-time, small African farmers have been properly consulted on how to solve the problem of feeding sub-Saharan Africa. Their answers appear to directly repudiate a massive international effort to launch an African Green Revolution funded in large part by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. “Food and agriculture policy and research tend to ignore the values, needs, knowledge and concerns of the very people who provide the food we all eat – and often serve instead powerful commercial interests such as multinational seed and food retailing companies,” said Michel Pimbert of the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), a non-profit research institute based in London.

African cholera outbreak kills 2000

A preventable disease that is linked to the need for clean water sources has continued to kill people in a number of countries. WHO officials report that, as of October 3, there have been 40,468 reported cases of cholera and 1,879 reported cholera deaths in four countries, including Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Nigeria. The outbreaks started a few months ago, officials said.

Obesity: an underestimated “silent killer”

There is a new “silent killer” in town. It joins the ranks of malnutrition, malaria, hypertension, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, etc. It is obesity. “We are eating our way to the grave’’ and “obesity is rising in rural areas.’’ Adults are overweight or obese, while children are malnourished – a paradox. In the men still look at a potbelly as a badge of pride and success.” The World Health Organization reports that more than one-third of African women and a quarter of African men are estimated to be overweight, and predicted that it will rise to 41 percent and 30 percent respectively in by 2016. Once considered a problem only in high income countries, overweight and obesity are now dramatically on the rise in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in urban settings.

Army Takes Over, Access to HIV Treatment Halted by Strikes in South Africa

As South Africa’s health system is crippled by strikes the Government warns health workers of contributing to murder. HIV/AIDS treatment access has also been halted as the health system ceases to function. Strikers are demanding increased pay due to their insubstantial compensation. Should they be paid more?

Army Medical Teams Move into Strike-Bound Hospitals

Health Minister Warns of Murder as Staff Strike at Hospitals

Strike Jeopardizes HIV Treatment

Government Threatens Action Against Health, Security Strikers

National Public Sector Strike Hits HIV Treatment

Nation Becomes a Victim of its ARV Treatment Success

Public Health Strained by Nurses Strike

Botswana: Acquiring a Taste for Recycled Water

The Water Utilities Corporation in Botswana is breaking ground on a facility to treat waste water in order to supply a water source for the country. Many citizens have expressed disgust at the thought of drinking waste water, but the program holds great potential as water scarcity increases across the continent and around the world.

Hillary’s “new approach” to Global Health

David Rieff takes on the US Secretary of State’s approach to global health and development calling it naive, contradictory and muddled.

Donor Fatigue New Threat to HIV/AIDS Fight

Doctors Without Borders has raised the alarm that this is, “No time to quit! The HIV crisis is far from over.” As economic recession hits, many countries around the world  are decreasing their aid funding for HIV/AIDS treatments. The Obama Administration has come under fire for their cuts to HIV/ AIDS and PEPFAR funding.

• Is Obama Failing on AIDS?
• Optimism as U.S.  HIV Program Lifts Funding Caps

Mozambique: Maputo Central Hospital Bans Use of U.S. Dollars

Patients in Mozambique will no longer be forced to use U.S. Dollars to pay for treatments. This is an important move to increase access to health care in the country.

Cholera Outbreak Grips Nigeria

The need for clean water is demonstrated as cholera rapidly spreads across Nigeria and neighboring countries. As a common disease and treatable disease, the recent cholera outbreak calls for greater access to clean water sources for impoverished communities.

Cholera claims 352 lives

Cholera Outbreak Highlights Vulnerability of Children, Mothers

Cholera Outbreak – FG Moves Drugs, Officials to Bauchi, Borno

Cholera, Measles claim more lives

Cholera Outbreak hits 3,000 in Three Nations