NAIROBI, Jan 2 2009 (IPS) – Significant new investments in the fight against the AIDS pandemic could have positive impacts on broader health systems in Africa if governments handle them right.
A study of six countries Argentina, Brazil, Dominican Republic, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Uganda by the International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC), titled Missing the Target 6 The HIV/AIDS Response and Health Systems indicates that new investment in AIDS services has exposed existing fragilities in health systems. In some cases it has placed increasing burdens on these systems by expanding demand and stretchied already overextended human resources.
The report, which provides some of the first on-the-ground research documenting the impacts of the AIDS service scale up, shows that …
Thalif Deen
UNITED NATIONS, Mar 24 2009 (IPS) – The battle to contain the growing political and military turmoil in Afghanistan may be temporarily overshadowed by an impending threat to millions of people in that strife-torn country: food shortages and starvation.
The most severe drought in a decade is fueling a grave food crisis that threatens millions of people, Marvin Parvez, the Asia-Pacific coordinator for Church World Service (CWS), told IPS.
He said the food crisis remains a serious issue. Although immediate food needs are met to a great extent, it is only a short-term solution to prolonged food security in Afghanistan.
Since the focus has been primarily on the spreading insurgency and the rise in suicide bombings, the drought and food shortages have …
Diego Cevallos
MEXICO CITY, Apr 27 2009 (IPS) – The deadly new influenza strain that originated in Mexico has led to the closure of schools, universities, museums, libraries, cinemas, theatres and churches here, while it continues to spread to other countries.
So far there is insufficient data to predict when the outbreak will ease or whether the measures adopted to fight its spread will be effective, experts say.
By Monday, four days after a health emergency was declared in Mexico, the number of people killed by the virus had climbed to 149, out of a total of around 2,600 cases, mainly in the capital.
The government of President Felipe Calderón expanded the closure of schools, which was only in effect in the capital and the states of Mexico and San Luis Poto…
Danielle Kurtzleben
WASHINGTON, May 24 2009 (IPS) – Environmentalists are expressing discontent over recently introduced legislation regarding the U.S. s exporting of electronic waste, or e-waste .
The new legislation was introduced on Thursday with the title of To restrict certain exports of electronic waste . Proponents of the bill say that it provides safeguards against the export of toxic e-waste to developing nations.
E-waste has been a rapidly growing problem over the past decade, as people are increasingly discarding accumulated electronics equipment that is obsolete or broken.
Despite the creation of takeback programmes at electronics companies, as well as recycling initiatives, e-waste recycling remains far from the norm in the U.S. The U.S. Environme…
Peter Richards
PORT OF SPAIN, Jun 17 2009 (IPS) – Wayne Kublalsingh could hardly contain himself. Minutes after Trinidad s High Court issued a ruling Tuesday temporarily halting construction of a controversial smelter plant, Kublalsingh ripped open his shirt, revealing a jersey emblazoned with the words: No Smelter .
Activist Dr. Peter Vine, who was arrested two weeks ago protesting outside the plant in the southwest peninsula village of La Brea, shared his elation, telling reporters, No smelter, no problem.
Finally, we got a square deal and a not a raw deal, said Abigail Modeste, who had also protested the construction and the government s plans to relocate her community.
Before, I was annoyed, angry, worried, she said. Today, victory is ours. We know this…
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, Jul 29 2009 (IPS) – While Kerala, in southwest India, enjoys enviable indices when it comes to health and human development, the state seems unable to shake off high chronic morbidity rates among its women.
Women s ward in a Kerala hospital: three-fifths of females suffer from illness Credit: K.S. Harikrishnan/IPS
A study on the health status of people in Kerala by A. Ashok, lecturer at Kanhanged Nehru college under the Kannur Universit…
KARACHI, Pakistan, Aug 19 2009 (IPS) – Dr Saleem Azam cannot get MN and FM off his mind. These two died recently in two of Karachi s government-run hospitals, unable to get timely medical treatment and denied the compassionate attention that they desperately needed.
Injecting drug users in Pakistan comprise a huge number of individuals with HIV/AIDS. Credit: Fahim Siddiqi/IPS
MN and FM, who were both under Azam s care, were injecting drug user…
Ntandoyenkosi Ncube and Kristin Palitza
PRETORIA, Sep 23 2009 (IPS) – Shortages in supply of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs are caused by lack of political will and bad supply management, not by the global economic crisis, health experts say.
Blaming drug shortages on the financial crisis is just an excuse, declared Dr Hugo Tempelman, chief executive officer of community health development organisation Ndlovu Care Group, noting that finance to deal with HIV/AIDS is definitely lacking, but it s because of lack of political will in Africa.
While African governments manage to set aside budgets for projects that are high on their priority list and create international prestige such as the construction of several, costly, high-profile stadiums for the 2010 Soccer World Cup in…
Stephanie Nieuwoudt
CAPE TOWN, Oct 6 2009 (IPS) – There was an audible gasp when Kirsten McIntyre told the audience that e-waste is the third fastest growing waste stream in the world, with between 40 and 50 million tons of computers, TVs and washing machines being thrown away each year.
Phumlani Silwana: I save most of my salary so that I can study computer technology. Credit: JustPCs
The event was the Life Cycle Management Conference, which took place las…
KARACHI, Nov 12 2009 (IPS) – As militant attacks in Pakistan continue unabated, there are increasing calls for the government to rethink its strategy—and look deep within.
What is happening in Pakistan today is an unprecedented situation and the government’s lack of planning and imagination left it with no alternative, said I.A. Rehman, director of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).
Noted peace activist Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy called the government authorities irresponsible for creating paranoia among the people. They constantly accuse external powers for the present spate of terrorism.
October has seen the worst violence in Pakistan this year as a result of a string of attacks that preceded the army offensive against the militants in South Waziristan o…