The American Red Cross has delivered the first of 5,000 cots to Haiti to support the medical response to the outbreak of cholera in that country.
In response to a request from the government's Ministry of Health, the American Red Cross sent an initial shipment of 2,268 cots from the US that arrived at Port-au-Prince's international airport on Wednesday, October 27. Another shipment of the same size will arrive today, with the balance of cots due to arrive over the weekend. The cots will be delivered to hospitals and clinics treating and preparing to treat cholera victims.
"Recognizing the importance of a rapid response to this health crisis, the American Red Cross has mobilized scores of personnel and urgently needed supplies in recent days," said David Meltzer, senior vice president of International Services at the American Red Cross. "At the request of the Government of Haiti, we are shipping these cots to provide additional capacity to hospitals and clinics that have been overwhelmed with cholera patients. The ability of the Red Cross to source and deliver cots quickly is a testament to our ongoing commitment to Haiti."
As of October 27th, the government had confirmed 303 deaths and 4,722 cases of cholera, virtually all of which occurred in the Artibonite and Central regions north and northwest of Port-au-Prince. Five cases were confirmed in Port-au-Prince, where hundreds of thousands of Haitians left homeless by the January 12th earthquake are living under tarps and tents, but all five were contracted in the Artibonite River valley area. There are suspected cases in other parts of the country.
The cots, which are from a Red Cross warehouse in Atlanta, Georgia, were transported via Miami and on to Port-au-Prince courtesy of FedEx. As a member of the annual Disaster Giving Program of the American Red Cross, FedEx provides financial and shipping assistance to enable the Red Cross to respond quickly to the needs of individuals and families impacted by disaster.
The cots will be distributed under the direction of the Ministry of Health in Port-au-Prince, as well as other regions of the country.
The American Red Cross has been actively involved in a rapid and coordinated response to the cholera outbreak by the global Red Cross network, which began on October 21 as soon as early cases were reported. The response has involved sending urgently needed medical supplies and clean water to the affected areas, providing key personnel to coordinate health and water and sanitation activities, and launching a vast communications effort that has involved sending radio and SMS text messages twice a day to 350,000 cell phone users in Port-au-Prince and another 30,000 in the Artibonite River valley. In addition, the American Red Cross has approximately 200 health promoters working seven days a week, going tent-to-tent in Port-au-Prince in order to teach people about good hygiene practices to prevent the spread of cholera and other diseases.
In addition, the global Red Cross network plans to open one of five cholera treatment centers in the capital. The center will provide additional medical capacity and help to spread of illness by isolating cholera patients.
The American Red Cross currently has 97 trained health promoters working in and around Port-au-Prince, and that number will increase to more than 200 in coming days. The teams of Haitian Red Cross volunteers are going tent-by-tent to talk about cholera prevention, symptoms and treatment. These are supplemented by health promoters working with other members of the Red Cross network.
Source:
American Red Cross
четверг, 14 апреля 2011 г.
Kenya's Dependency On Donor Funding Affecting Fight Against HIV/AIDS, NGO Consortium Head Says
Kenya's dependency on donor funding is hindering the country's efforts to fight HIV/AIDS, Allan Ragi, executive director of the Kenya AIDS NGOs Consortium, said recently, the East African Standard reports. According to KANCO, donor funding accounts for 98% of the resources needed to run HIV/AIDS initiatives in Kenya. "The fact that Kenya largely depends on donor funding to fight HIV/AIDS raises questions of sustainability and highlights the need for the government to increase its contribution to the national response," Ragi said. According to the Standard, some civil society groups have questioned the government's commitment to meet targets set at a 2001 summit in Abuja, Nigeria, that call on countries to place HIV/AIDS at the center of development plans and provide leadership in the response to the disease. Although Kenya has made some progress toward meeting these targets, some groups have raised concerns over the country's dependency on donor funding, the Standard reports.
In addition, some groups have called on political parties in Kenya to clearly state their commitment to the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. "We need a framework to hold governments accountable," Ragi said. He added, "We can then lobby for action and hold the government accountable for the international agreements it has ratified" (Anyangu, East African Standard, 12/13).
Reprinted with kind permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation© 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
In addition, some groups have called on political parties in Kenya to clearly state their commitment to the fight against HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. "We need a framework to hold governments accountable," Ragi said. He added, "We can then lobby for action and hold the government accountable for the international agreements it has ratified" (Anyangu, East African Standard, 12/13).
Reprinted with kind permission from kaisernetwork. You can view the entire Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery at kaisernetwork/dailyreports/healthpolicy. The Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report is published for kaisernetwork, a free service of The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation© 2005 Advisory Board Company and Kaiser Family Foundation. All rights reserved.
Kansas City's Integral Life Foundation Leads Medical Team Treats Several Hundred Haitian Orphans
Brad Gautney, medical operations executive for the Integral Life Foundation (ILF), returned from a medical trip to Haiti, where he and a team of four other medical professionals treated approximately 400 Haitian orphans and vulnerable children in the town of Gonaives. Dan Tasset, founder of ILF also returned from a separate mission the week before, providing food and supplies to the areas devastated by Hurricanes Hanna and Ike.
ILF is an organization based in Leawood, Kan. that builds medical clinics and provides staff to deliver primary and surgical care to Haitian orphans and others in the community. ILF partners with C3 Missions International in this endeavor. C3 Missions is an organization that addresses housing, healthcare, education, economic and spiritual needs for Haiti's orphans. This was ILF's third trip to Haiti since July to treat Haitian orphans.
"The fact that there are hundreds of orphan children left homeless - many of whom are seriously ill or injured - without food, water, or parents to care for them is a travesty," said Dan Tasset. "We challenge others around the world to follow our example. And we challenge medical professionals to join us as we bring much-needed healthcare to these children."
Gautney, a nurse practitioner who lived in Haiti prior to moving to the Kansas City area, and four medical personnel from Baltimore, Md. took a large supply of medicine and medical supplies to utilize in caring for the children most adversely affected by the recent devastation.
"We assessed close to 700 children, but concentrated on treating those who were acutely ill with such diseases as pneumonia, malaria, dehydration, lacerations and an array of other illnesses," said Gautney. "It is absolutely devastating to witness the extreme conditions the majority of the people in Gonaives are living in with such limited international response. However, it is comforting to know that many of the children in the C3 orphanage had shelter and food supplied by our airlifts the prior week."
Providing medical care for hundreds of orphans was only one challenge the ILF team faced. Flooded conditions, closed roadways, delayed flights due to weather and obtaining clearances from local government officials slowed the process of getting food, water and medical supplies to the children. "Although there were several extreme barriers to reaching many of the orphanages, we managed to achieve our goal of visiting all of the sites as planned," said Gautney.
More than 1,400 Haitian orphans are currently in the care of C3 Missions and ILF. ILF is the vision of Dan Tasset, chairman of Nueterra Healthcare, to provide basic medical care to the world's orphaned children. For more information, visit integrallifefoundation/.
Integral Life Foundation
ILF is an organization based in Leawood, Kan. that builds medical clinics and provides staff to deliver primary and surgical care to Haitian orphans and others in the community. ILF partners with C3 Missions International in this endeavor. C3 Missions is an organization that addresses housing, healthcare, education, economic and spiritual needs for Haiti's orphans. This was ILF's third trip to Haiti since July to treat Haitian orphans.
"The fact that there are hundreds of orphan children left homeless - many of whom are seriously ill or injured - without food, water, or parents to care for them is a travesty," said Dan Tasset. "We challenge others around the world to follow our example. And we challenge medical professionals to join us as we bring much-needed healthcare to these children."
Gautney, a nurse practitioner who lived in Haiti prior to moving to the Kansas City area, and four medical personnel from Baltimore, Md. took a large supply of medicine and medical supplies to utilize in caring for the children most adversely affected by the recent devastation.
"We assessed close to 700 children, but concentrated on treating those who were acutely ill with such diseases as pneumonia, malaria, dehydration, lacerations and an array of other illnesses," said Gautney. "It is absolutely devastating to witness the extreme conditions the majority of the people in Gonaives are living in with such limited international response. However, it is comforting to know that many of the children in the C3 orphanage had shelter and food supplied by our airlifts the prior week."
Providing medical care for hundreds of orphans was only one challenge the ILF team faced. Flooded conditions, closed roadways, delayed flights due to weather and obtaining clearances from local government officials slowed the process of getting food, water and medical supplies to the children. "Although there were several extreme barriers to reaching many of the orphanages, we managed to achieve our goal of visiting all of the sites as planned," said Gautney.
More than 1,400 Haitian orphans are currently in the care of C3 Missions and ILF. ILF is the vision of Dan Tasset, chairman of Nueterra Healthcare, to provide basic medical care to the world's orphaned children. For more information, visit integrallifefoundation/.
Integral Life Foundation
Bayer pledges US$ 2 million for flood victims
In light of the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina along the Gulf Coast of the United States, Bayer has pledged US$ 2 million to the U.S. Red Cross in the form of financial contributions and product donations to aid victims of the flooding. As part of this effort, the company's employees in the United States are being encouraged to make personal donations to the relief effort and Bayer will match these contributions dollar for dollar.
"The images and reporting of the suffering and distress in the United States have touched us deeply," said Werner Wenning, Management Board Chairman of Bayer AG. "We feel for everyone who has been hit so hard by this disaster. It goes without saying that we as a global corporation will move quickly to help in this situation. Our sympathy goes to all residents of the Gulf region who have lost family members or been made homeless and need help."
Bayer employs more than 15,000 people in the United States. Fortunately there have so far been no reports that any of them have been affected by the hurricane. There has also been no damage to the company's facilities.
Forward-looking statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in our public reports filed with the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (including our Form 20-F). The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.
press.bayer
"The images and reporting of the suffering and distress in the United States have touched us deeply," said Werner Wenning, Management Board Chairman of Bayer AG. "We feel for everyone who has been hit so hard by this disaster. It goes without saying that we as a global corporation will move quickly to help in this situation. Our sympathy goes to all residents of the Gulf region who have lost family members or been made homeless and need help."
Bayer employs more than 15,000 people in the United States. Fortunately there have so far been no reports that any of them have been affected by the hurricane. There has also been no damage to the company's facilities.
Forward-looking statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in our public reports filed with the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (including our Form 20-F). The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.
press.bayer
OneWorld Health Sends Delegates To The UK To Discuss The Control And Treatment Of Diarrheal Diseases In The Developing World
The Institute for OneWorld Health (iOWH), the US-based non-profit pharmaceutical company that develops drugs for people with infectious diseases in the developing world, announced that a delegation of US experts in diarrheal disease is meeting in the UK from October 6-9, 2008. The meeting, organized by the British Consulate General in San Francisco, will include specialists from the UK government, such as the Department for International Development, research organizations and funding bodies. They will meet with the US delegation to discuss the problems of diarrheal disease around the world and explore potential joint initiatives and collaborations to combat the problem. Diarrheal diseases kill approximately two million children under the age of five in developing countries each year, which is more than the combined pediatric death toll due to AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
Julie Cheng, Esq, and David Brown, Ph.D., will be attending on behalf of the Institute for OneWorld Health. Ms. Cheng, General Counsel and VP Business Development for iOWH, oversees all of One World Health's legal matters and is responsible for business development, setting up key partnerships among OneWorld Health, academia and pharmaceutical companies in different disease areas. Dr. Brown is a Senior Advisor and Head of OneWorld Health's drug discovery program and has over 30 years experience in the pharmaceutical industry, both in research and in senior executive roles.
OneWorld Health's diarrheal disease program is currently focused on developing an anti-secretory drug that will help alleviate dehydration due to diarrheal disease, and is supported by Roche and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. "This is a great opportunity for stakeholders in both the US and the UK to collaborate and attack one of the leading causes of death for the world's children." says James Hickman, Vice President of External Affairs for OneWorld Health.
About the Institute for OneWorld Health
The Institute for OneWorld Health, the first US nonprofit pharmaceutical company, develops safe, effective and affordable medicines for people with neglected diseases of the developing world. The Institute for OneWorld Health, headquartered in San Francisco, California, USA, is a tax-exempt 501 (c) (3) US corporation. (oneworldhealth/).
Institute for OneWorld Health
Julie Cheng, Esq, and David Brown, Ph.D., will be attending on behalf of the Institute for OneWorld Health. Ms. Cheng, General Counsel and VP Business Development for iOWH, oversees all of One World Health's legal matters and is responsible for business development, setting up key partnerships among OneWorld Health, academia and pharmaceutical companies in different disease areas. Dr. Brown is a Senior Advisor and Head of OneWorld Health's drug discovery program and has over 30 years experience in the pharmaceutical industry, both in research and in senior executive roles.
OneWorld Health's diarrheal disease program is currently focused on developing an anti-secretory drug that will help alleviate dehydration due to diarrheal disease, and is supported by Roche and funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. "This is a great opportunity for stakeholders in both the US and the UK to collaborate and attack one of the leading causes of death for the world's children." says James Hickman, Vice President of External Affairs for OneWorld Health.
About the Institute for OneWorld Health
The Institute for OneWorld Health, the first US nonprofit pharmaceutical company, develops safe, effective and affordable medicines for people with neglected diseases of the developing world. The Institute for OneWorld Health, headquartered in San Francisco, California, USA, is a tax-exempt 501 (c) (3) US corporation. (oneworldhealth/).
Institute for OneWorld Health
World Food Programme Calls For Urgent Action On Global Hunger And Humanitarian Needs
The Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme
(WFP), Josette Sheeran, has urged G8 Development Ministers meeting today
in
Italy, to remember the needs of the world's hungriest people and continue
to support WFP, which depends entirely on voluntary donations.
"We must not forget the urgent hunger needs around the world, or cut back
on support for hungry people. The world's most vulnerable are being hit
by
the combined effects of the global financial downturn and stubbornly high
food prices in many developing world markets. Hunger can lead to
dangerous
destabilisation, and impact global peace and security."
"With one in six people going hungry, one child dying every six seconds,
and 80 per cent of Sub-Saharan African countries facing higher food prices than a year ago, the poor and the hungry are facing one of the biggest
crises in our lifetimes. It is critical for the world to remember that
hunger will have a permanent impact on children and we may lose a
generation unless they have adequate access to nutrition during this
crisis."
"We support the efforts of the United Nations Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO), and the International Fund for Agricultural
Development
(IFAD) to double global food production by 2050. At the same time we must
remember, as the Nobel laureate and eminent economist, Amartya Sen has
said, famine is an issue of food access for individuals. Without food,
people revolt, migrate, or die. None of these are acceptable options."
"After the Great Depression, the world created institutions, including
World Food Programme, which should expand - not contract - when times are
bad. Global food aid is at a 20 year low and we must meet urgent needs to
avoid an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. At this moment of
dramatically growing need, it would be wrong to cut our funding. We have
proven our ability to scale up when the world calls on us and equips us
with the means to do so. We have also shown that we can do this in a way
that supports recipient nations' own long term development strategies to
tackle hunger."
Source
World Food Programme
(WFP), Josette Sheeran, has urged G8 Development Ministers meeting today
in
Italy, to remember the needs of the world's hungriest people and continue
to support WFP, which depends entirely on voluntary donations.
"We must not forget the urgent hunger needs around the world, or cut back
on support for hungry people. The world's most vulnerable are being hit
by
the combined effects of the global financial downturn and stubbornly high
food prices in many developing world markets. Hunger can lead to
dangerous
destabilisation, and impact global peace and security."
"With one in six people going hungry, one child dying every six seconds,
and 80 per cent of Sub-Saharan African countries facing higher food prices than a year ago, the poor and the hungry are facing one of the biggest
crises in our lifetimes. It is critical for the world to remember that
hunger will have a permanent impact on children and we may lose a
generation unless they have adequate access to nutrition during this
crisis."
"We support the efforts of the United Nations Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO), and the International Fund for Agricultural
Development
(IFAD) to double global food production by 2050. At the same time we must
remember, as the Nobel laureate and eminent economist, Amartya Sen has
said, famine is an issue of food access for individuals. Without food,
people revolt, migrate, or die. None of these are acceptable options."
"After the Great Depression, the world created institutions, including
World Food Programme, which should expand - not contract - when times are
bad. Global food aid is at a 20 year low and we must meet urgent needs to
avoid an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. At this moment of
dramatically growing need, it would be wrong to cut our funding. We have
proven our ability to scale up when the world calls on us and equips us
with the means to do so. We have also shown that we can do this in a way
that supports recipient nations' own long term development strategies to
tackle hunger."
Source
World Food Programme
UNICEF Laments Loss Of Children In Iraq
UNICEF today mourned the reported deaths of children killed in Iraq by a bomb blast while playing soccer.
Roger Wright, UNICEF Representative for Iraq, said the loss of so many innocent children is unacceptable.
"Iraq's recreational areas, as well as its schools, must be respected and protected as safe havens where children can play and learn without fear," he said.
He stressed that children's lives, health and psychological well-being are increasingly suffering as a result of Iraq's ongoing conflict and displacement, and called for urgent priority attention to their needs.
"Protecting and supporting Iraqi children must be the first responsibility of everyone, no matter what the circumstances," he said.
About UNICEF
UNICEF is on the ground in 155 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.
unicef
Roger Wright, UNICEF Representative for Iraq, said the loss of so many innocent children is unacceptable.
"Iraq's recreational areas, as well as its schools, must be respected and protected as safe havens where children can play and learn without fear," he said.
He stressed that children's lives, health and psychological well-being are increasingly suffering as a result of Iraq's ongoing conflict and displacement, and called for urgent priority attention to their needs.
"Protecting and supporting Iraqi children must be the first responsibility of everyone, no matter what the circumstances," he said.
About UNICEF
UNICEF is on the ground in 155 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world's largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments.
unicef
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