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Health & Medicine
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RETURNED TO RISK: DEPORTATION OF HIV-POSITIVE MIGRANTS.
Human Rights Watch. September 23, 2009.
Full Text: [PDF format, 32 pages]
The report describes cases in South Korea, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, South Africa, and the United States in which HIV-positive migrants were deported, and describes the need to develop policies guaranteeing uninterrupted treatment for this population.
[Note: contains copyrighted material]
RISK COMMUNICATION IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THE H1N1 (SWINE FLU) ALERT.
RAND Corporation. August 13, 2009.
Full Text: [PDF format, 3 pages]
The fact sheet resents an assessment of how effectively state and local health departments communicated information regarding the April 2009 H1N1 virus (swine flu) outbreak via the Web to their constituents.
[Note: contains copyrighted material]
INFLUENZA A (H1N1) AND PANDEMIC PREPAREDNESS UNDER THE RULE OF INTERNATIONAL LAW.
O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law Scholarship, Georgetown University. Lawrence O. Gostin. August 2009.
Full Text: [PDF format, 6 pages]
The paper analyzes World Health Organization (WHO) powers and resources including the pandemic alert system and the International Health Regulations (IHR), as well as the powers and resources of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). He finds that although the response to H1N1 has been strong, the WHO and CDC need more authority and resources to deal with pandemic threats under the rule of international law.
[Note: contains copyrighted material]
INFLUENZA PANDEMIC: GAPS IN PANDEMIC PLANNING AND PREPAREDNESS NEED TO BE ADDRESSED.
Statement of Bernice Steinhardt Director, Strategic Issues. United States Government Accountability Office (GAO-09-909T) July 29, 2009
Full Text: [PDF Format, 30 pages]
According to the report GAO's work points out that while a number of actions have been taken to plan for a pandemic, including developing a national strategy and implementation plan, many gaps in pandemic planning and preparedness still remain. This statement covers six thematic areas: (1) leadership, authority, and coordination; (2) detecting threats and managing risks; (3) planning, training, and exercising; (4) capacity to respond and recover; (5) information sharing and communication; and (6) performance and accountability.
PROGRESS TOWARD MEASLES CONTROL - AFRICAN REGION, 2001-2008.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. September 25, 2009.
Full Text: [HTML format, various paging]
In 2001, the countries of the World Health Organization (WHO) African Region (AFR) became part of a global initiative with a goal of reducing the number of measles deaths by 50% by 2005, compared with 1999. The report summarizes the progress made during 2001-2008 toward improving measles control in AFR. During 2001-2008 estimated MCV1 coverage increased from 57% to 73%, SIAs vaccinated approximately 398 million children, and reported measles cases decreased by 93%, from 492,116 in 2001 to 32,278 in 2008.
POST-CONFLICT HEALTH RECONSTRUCTION: NEW FOUNDATIONS FOR U.S. POLICY.
U.S. Institute of Peace. Leonard S. Rubenstein. September 24, 2009.
Full Text: [PDF format, 62 pages]
The report examines how improving health systems in post-conflict countries can help promote peace and prevent renewed violence in those nations, and the implications of health reconstruction for U.S. policy. Rubenstein looks at the impact of armed conflict on health indicators in various hotspots around the world, and the underlying connection between health and U.S. policy towards countries in and emerging from conflict.
[Note: contains copyrighted material]
THE HEALTH CARE STATUS QUO: HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM WILL BENEFIT ALL AMERICANS.
HealthReform.gov. August 7, 2009.
Full Text: [HTML format with links to each state]
The reports outline how health insurance reform will improve health care for all Americans. "These reports show how health insurance reform will help Americans save money, get better care, strengthen their insurance if they already have it, and afford insurance if they don't," said Sebelius, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary. "Every American will benefit when we pass health insurance reform.