IGIHE

Category: Health

  • Philippine Court Halts Contraceptives Law

    {{The Philippine Supreme Court temporarily halted the implementation of a law that provides state funding for contraceptives, legislation opposed by the dominant Roman Catholic Church but supported by reproductive health activists}}.

    The Responsible Parenthood Law was passed by lawmakers late last year despite the church’s opposition but petitioners questioned its legality on several grounds, saying it offends religious beliefs and fosters abortion, which remains illegal in the country.

    Voting 15-5 in favor of 10 separate petitions Tuesday, the justices stopped the implementation of the law until June 18, when both sides will argue their cases before the court, said Theodore Te, spokesman for the Supreme Court.

    Catholic leaders consider the law an attack on the church’s core values and say it promotes promiscuity and destroys life. The government says it helps the poor manage the number of children they have and provides for maternal health care.

    Nearly half of all pregnancies in the Philippines are unwanted, according to the U.N. Population Fund, and a third of those end up aborted in back-alley clinics.

    The Philippines has a population of 94 million and one of Asia’s highest birth rates.

    Edwin Lacierda, spokesman for President Benigno Aquino III, said that the government was confident it will be able to defend the merits of the law.

    Aquino risked the clash with the church and church-backed politicians to sponsor the law and lobby for its passage.

    Aquino signed the law in December, and the Department of Health last week drafted and approved its implementing rules, setting it into motion.

    The law mandates government health centers to provide universal and free access to nearly all contraceptives to everyone, particularly the country’s poorest, who make up a third of the population.

    So far, such access has been patchy, expensive, and hinged on the political will of local governments.

    In the past, for instance, some mayors banned free distribution of condoms in their areas.

    The law also makes sexual education compulsory in public schools.
    The government made some concessions in deference to the church, according to Mellisa Upreti, regional director for Asia at the U.S.-based Center for Reproductive Rights.

    It failed to legalize all contraceptives, including emergency contraception, and the law contains a measure that allows private and religious-affiliated hospitals to deny reproductive health services based on their moral and theological objections, Upreti wrote in Tuesday’s Guardian newspaper.

    Private-run Catholic hospitals are among the leading providers of health care in the Philippines.

    {Associated Press}

  • 28% South African School Girls HIV Positive

    {{As many as 28 percent of South African schoolgirls are HIV positive, according to figures from the country’s health minister reported by local media on Thursday.}}

    Unveiling statistics that minister Aaron Motsoaledi admitted “destroyed my soul,” he added that four percent of schoolboys have the virus.

    “It is clear that it is not young boys who are sleeping with these girls. It is old men,” the Sowetan newspaper quoted Motsoaledi as saying.

    “We can no longer live like that,” he said.

    Motsoaledi called for an end to the trend of young girls becoming involved with “sugar daddies.”

    Motsoaledi also revealed that 94,000 South African schoolgirls fell pregnant in 2011, some aged as young as 10.

    South Africa has one of the world’s highest HIV/AIDS infection rates, although the number of cases resulting in death is in sharp decline.

    Official figures show that South Africa has six million people living with HIV, in a population of 50 million.

    The country has the largest anti-retroviral programme in the world, serving 1.7 million.

    The health department recently introduced measures to curb the spread of HIV among school children, introducing voluntary testing and suggesting condom distribution at schools.

    (AFP)

  • U.S. Surgeons at Gitwe Hospital for Specialised Operations

    {{A team of 16 American surgeons is providing free operation to Rwandans suffering from various diseases considered locally difficult to treat including the goiter illness.}}

    Such free operation, which is provided twice a year, is being conducted at Gitwe Hospital located in Southern Province at a cost of US$ 25 million for the 36 patients.

    The 16 American surgeons came from different U.S. states including California, Texas, New York and others.

    They come in the context of cooperation with the Pedagogical Institute and Gitwe Hospital.

    Dr. Emile Tuyishime, director of Gitwe Hospital found that people who have goiter have unprecedented chance to see it disappear without spending a penny.

    “In other circumstances, a patient who had goiter surgery must pay one million and seven hundred thousand Rwandan francs ($2700),” he told IGIHE.

    For Dr. John H. Streit who leads the team of the specialists, their stay in Rwanda is made possible by the good relations between Rwanda and the USA.

    He added that the team is in the process of designing a project to launch a medical school in Rwanda to help increase the number and quality of physicians in the country.

    The American doctors have maintained cooperation with Gitwe hospital since 2005.

  • Death toll From new SARS-like virus climbs to 9

    {{There has been another confirmed case of a mysterious new SARS-like virus.}}

    The Saudi health ministry informed the World Health Organization that a 39-year-old man was hospitalized with the novel coronavirus on February 28 and died two days later.

    So far, WHO has recorded 15 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, including nine deaths, since the fall.

    The Saudi patient did not appear to have had any contact with anyone who was already infected. As a result, WHO is investigating other potential exposure sources.

    {{Symptoms}}

    The novel coronavirus is in the same family as SARS.

    SARS, or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, virus sickened 8,000 people and killed 774 between 2002 and 2003.

    Symptoms of the novel coronavirus include an acute respiratory infection, fever and a cough. And it could lead potentially to pneumononia and kidney failure.

    The first cases were found to have occurred in an Amman, Jordan, hospital, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    {{Cases}}

    Most of the people who’ve caught the virus have been in the Middle East.

    But there have been cases reported in the United Kingdom as well.
    One of the U.K. patients had traveled to Saudi Arabia. Upon return, he infected two other family members.

    “Once it gets you, it’s a very serious infection,” said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville.

    Fortunately, he added, the virus is “very difficult to acquire.”

    While the SARS epidemic was going on, many of those caring for patients were infected too.

    The fact that this hasn’t been seen with these cases so far is a good sign, Schaffer said.

    {{Origin}}

    It’s suspected that, like SARS, the virus originated in animals.

    A study published in November found that genetically, the new coronavirus was most closely related to viruses found in bats.

    While no cases have popped up in the United States, doctors say they won’t be shocked if it did.

    “It could happen,” said Dr. Susan Gerber, a medical epidemiologist in the CDC’s Division of Viral Diseases.

    “That’s why the CDC is working closely with the World Health Organization and other international partners.”

    {{Spread}}

    WHO has asked member states to keep an eye out for severe acute respiratory infections and review them for unusual patterns.

    It did not recommend travel or trade restrictions for countries where the virus has been found.

    Dr. Susan Gerber, a medical epidemiologist in the CDC’s Division of Viral Diseases, agrees.

    There’s no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission, she said, “where you see a chain of many cases going person to person to person.”

    “People shouldn’t freak out,” she added. “There’s no evidence that this virus is easily spread, say, across a room.”

    {Cablenews}

  • Cerebrospinal Meningitis Kills 4 in Nigeria

    {{The Nigerian National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) Sunday confirmed 32 cases of cerebrospinal meningitis in which 4 people died.}}

    Meanwhile, Nigeria is still with the highest number of Wild Polio Virus (WPV) cases in 2013, recording three so far, compared to two in Pakistan and one in Afghanistan.

    These revelations came as some Islamic scholars called for urgent action to complete efforts at eradicating polio in Muslim communities.

    They spoke as the Expert Review Committee on Polio Eradication and Routine Immunisation (ERC) set up by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) plans to meet from March 19 to 20 to address the challenges in anti-polio crusade in Nigeria.

    In 2012, Nigeria recorded a total of 122 polio cases compared to 58 in Pakistan and 37 in Afghanistan. Nigeria, Afghanistan and Pakistan are the only three countries that have not been able to stop the transmission of the WPV.

    According to the latest edition of Weekly Polio Update published yesterday by the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), one new Type One WPV (WPV1) case was reported in the past week from Yobe State, bringing to three the total number of WPV cases recorded so far in Nigeria in 2013. The total number of WPV cases for 2012 remains 122.

    The GPEI report reads: “No new cases of circulating Vaccine-Derived Polio Virus type two (cVDPV2) were reported in the past week. The total number of cVDPV2 cases for 2012 remains eight. The most recent cVDPV2 case had onset of paralysis on November 24, 2012 from Kebbi State.

    “Nationwide Immunisation Plus Days (IPDs) were conducted using trivalent Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) on March 2 to 5, 2013, in 30 states, co-ordinated with activities in neighbouring Republic of Niger.

    IPDs have been postponed by one week in four southern states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) because of the need for more time to adequately prepare for the round of immunisation.

    IPDs have been postponed in Kano and Borno states due to security concerns. The security situation in the North remains fluid.”

    The Islamic scholars, including the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar in Egypt, Doctor Ahmad Al Tayyeb, have called for protection of Muslim children against poliovirus transmission by ensuring they receive the required vaccine.

    Tayyeb, at a meeting of Muslim scholars from several countries, including Nigeria, held in Cairo, Egypt, warned that “Crippled children lead to a crippled Muslim Ummah.”

    He stressed the importance of increasing the awareness of the correct Islamic teachings on the matter to combat all deformed and false beliefs.

    According to him, Al-Azhar is ready to continue to exert all efforts to enlighten Muslim individuals and communities about the rights of children to be protected against polio and all other diseases and the obligation of all Muslims to ensure that their children are protected.

    Al Jazeera reported at the weekend that “people in the town of Jabo, Sokoto, have never seen anything like the past two weeks. They have just buried 60 people.

    The cause of the latest outbreak is unknown and health workers have treated people based on the symptoms they have shown. The government says medical teams have been deployed to carry out immunisation and education programmes as more epidemics are expected.”

    But Executive Director, NPHCDA, Dr. Ado Gana Mohammed, told The Guardian yesterday that a team has been sent out to Sokoto to carry out case investigation, which will determine the serotype of the cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) and the type of vaccine to be deployed.

    Mohammed said: “I can confirm to you that 32 persons were infected and four deaths recorded, and a team is carrying out investigation now. We are investigating the cases because there are different types of serotype of CSM. If you go in with the wrong vaccine it will not work.”

    {Nguardian}

  • Rubella & Measles vaccination campaign Launched

    {{Rwanda Red Cross Volunteers are conducting an awareness exercise mobilizing communities for the upcoming vaccination campaign.}}

    The exercise is taking place in Kigali City and Gisagara District ahead of the vaccination that will see millions of Children being vaccinated against Measles and Rubella across the country.

    Over 1000 Rwanda Red Cross volunteers are participating in the mobilization exercise in Gisagara District, educating residents on the importance of the vaccination campaign against measles and rubella.

    The campaign targets children between 9 months and 14 years. Rwanda Red Cross Volunteers are working to reach every home In Nyaruguru District before the vaccination kicks off on 12th.

    The population is aware of the importance of vaccinating children against measles and other diseases. But Rwanda Red Cross volunteers mobilizing communities for the upcoming vaccination campaign say they visit some households only to be received by housekeepers, whom they don’t think transmit the message properly.

    In a move that is likely to bring a solution to the challenge, Local authorities have pledged support for the mobilization campaign.

    The vaccination campaign against measles and Rubella will be held from 12th to 15th March.

  • Nothing But-Bed-Nets Boss to Distribute Bed Nets in Rwanda

    {{To raise awareness and fight against malaria, Los Angeles-based band Dawes will be traveling to Africa this week to distribute life-saving bed nets throughout refugee camps in Rwanda with the United Nations Foundation’s Nothing but Nets campaign.}}

    These insecticide-treated mosquito nets will help keep families safe from malaria, which is a leading cause of death among children in Africa.

    In addition to visiting refugee camps, Dawes will also perform with local musicians and meet with the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) officials in order to determine more ways to help the humanitarian situation in the area.

    According to a press release, guitarist/vocalist Taylor Goldsmith provided this statement about the campaign:

    ‘Nothing But Nets’ mission is simple, but makes a real difference. A $10 bed net is all it takes to give a family hope. We believe no child should die from a preventable disease like malaria.’

    read more: http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2013/03/dawes-visits-rwanda-with-united-nations-to-fight-a.html

  • 8-10% Couples in Kigali, HIV-discordant– Dr. Karita

    {{In a study that was conducted by San Francisco project in Kigali, 3000 women were given a HIV test and 28% were HIV positive.}}

    Dr. Susan Allen from Atlanta, USA who was heading the research offered HIV test to their husbands. She discovered that 10% of couples were HIV-discordant. This is a situation whereby one partner is HIV-positive and the other is HIV negative.

    “When one partner in a couple is HIV positive, the level of transmission of the virus to his sexual partner is high because they are in regular sexual relationship “, said Dr Etienne Karita.

    So far 40000 couples have been tested between 2003 and 2008 at San Francisco project.

    According to him, majority of new infections in Rwanda occur in stable sexual relationships. He told IGIHE that contrary to what many people believe, the rate of HIV infection is high among couples instead of among non-married who have sex once in a while.

    The research found two factors why couple don`t use condoms. One is that sometimes the couple want a baby or can be under alcohol influence.

    The project started sensitizing couples to take HIV test together in order to decrease the rate of infection among HIV-discordant couples.

    Dr Karita said that In 2003 San Francisco project launched a campaign to encourage couples to take HIV/AIDS together and we were fortunate to host the president of the republic that day and most ministers were present.

    Nationwide the number of discordant couples is estimated at 2 % percent according to a 2010 national survey.

    Rwanda is now among few countries in the world where couples take HIV test together. For example 90% of pregnant women in Rwanda take HIV/AIDS test with their husbands, said Dr Karita.

    He told IGIHE that MINISANTE has put much effort in sensitising the people to get HIV tests.

    He gave an example whereby women who are now pregnant have to take a HIV test with their husbands. This informs them about their situation and urge them to take necessary measures.

    Dr. Karita Etienne reiterated that San Francisco project is now conducting a research to find out how couples can avoid infecting each other in case one partner is HIV positive.

    He explained that viruses are characterized by genetic variability.

    In the body of every individual, the virus has its unique characteristic. “We have found out that when a person is to infect another, it is only one virus that goes and infects a person”, said the medical doctor.

    “We want to find out why only one virus among many in the body is the one that infects”, said the medical doctor. In addition to that, we need to understand the difference between the virus that infect and others that don`t.

    Our final aim is to look for a vaccine to neutralize that virus that infect and we are working on it with our partners. “This is one of the contributions that San Francisco project has brought to Rwanda medical science”.

  • Training Scheme to Prevent Infections in Rwanda

    {{A team from the National Centre for Infection Prevention and Management (CIPM) at Imperial College London has been awarded funds to train doctors and nurses in Rwanda to prevent deaths from infections in mothers and babies.}}

    Experienced neonatal doctors, nurses and infection control nurses from Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust will deliver a training programme over three visits to Butare University Teaching Hospital (CHUB), aiming to reduce neonatal mortality and maternal and neonatal infection through improved infection prevention and management, patient safety and neonatal care

    The programme will be supported by a £30,000 grant from the Tropical Health & Education Trust (THET).

    Professor Alison Holmes, Director of Infection Prevention and Control at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and Co-Director of CIPM said: “’We are delighted to have this opportunity to build upon our partnership work with our Butare colleagues and to particularly focus on improving healthcare and clinical outcomes for Rwandan mothers and babies.”

    In its Millennium Development Goals, the United Nations set a target of reducing the mortality rate in children under five by two thirds between 1995 and 2015.

    Out of every 1000 children born in Rwanda, 91 die before their fifth birthday.

    The mortality rate has come down from 163 deaths per 1000 births in 1990, but to reach the MDG target it will need to reach 54 deaths per 1000 by 2015.

    According to the information delivered through Imperial College Website, the training programme will cover infection prevention and surveillance, management and treatment of common infections, how to collect data, hand hygiene and using surgical safety checklists.

  • Access to Clean Water a Challenge in RUbavu

    {{Although Rwanda has managed to improve access to clean water; some residents in different parts of the country still lack access to safe water.}}

    Residents of Nyakiriba Sector in Rubavu District are afraid of contracting waterborne diseases from the only available unsafe sources especially Nyabisazi River.

    Residents told IGIHE that the river is contaminated with toxic waste and that there is no other option.

    Areas affected include; Gikombe Cell and Bisizi cell; both cells are located in Nyakiriba Sector.

    However, there are water kiosks in the area but residents told IGIHE that they have not been functional since their establishement.

    The Executive Secretary of Nyakiriba Sector, Dukundimana Esperance says the problem of lack of clean water will get solved as soon as possible.

    The Aqua Virunga Project has constructed water taps to facilitate area residents to access safe water but the taps have been closed.
    Residents said the project failed due to its mismanagement.