�Since the 1990s, Africa has made steady progress in controlling iodine inadequacy disorders (IDD), but countries need to intensify elimination efforts, advises the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Luis Sambo.
IDD refers to a wide range of health problems associated with inadequate consumption of i such as goitre, still birth, stunted growth, thyroid deficiency and mental defects. Pregnant women and thomas Young children living in iodine-deficient areas are particularly at risk.
"Although no country in the Region has severe IDD, insufficient or excessive tincture of iodine intake nevertheless persists in many countries," Dr Sambo says in a report presented Tuesday at the fifty-eighth session of the meeting of health ministers of the WHO African Region in Yaound� Cameroon.
The percentage of households using iodinated salt in the Region increased by 20% between 1997 and 2007, he says, but he adds that due to reduced IDD command efforts, 15% of the increase in the use of iodinated salt occurred between 1997 and 2000. Only a 5% increase was recorded between 2001 and 2007. This shows that the rate of uptake of IDD interventions has slowed down well in recent years so member states will need to refocus and catch up on lost gains for better outcomes.
Dr Sambo proposes concrete steps which African countries should take to achieve elimination of IDD in rules of order to increment children's cognitive development; reduce stillbirths and stunted growing; contribute to improving the quality of primary education; reduce child mortality, under nutrition and miscarriages; and, generally, improve maternal health.
These proposed actions include mobilization of political support and commitment at all levels through continuous advocacy and effective partnerships; reviewing, updating and enforcing existing legislation and policies on salt iodization; establishing or strengthening national multi-sectoral structures; capacity building; and mobilizing communities and public health authorities.
The Regional Director also recommended the integration of coaction with key stakeholders; reinforcement of public-private partnerships; expansion of common salt iodization programmes to get to populations at risk; mobilization of fiscal resources; and development of communication strategies.
Due attention also inevitably to be given to measuring advance towards the goals of IDD elimination through unconstipated monitoring, supply of substantive elements for IDD surveillance, and up quality control systems.
Salt iodization is relatively cheesy, according to WHO, which estimates that the cost of iodised salt is about US$ .07 per person per year, and of iodized oil, US$ .20 per year. An investment of US$ 1.00 in IDD prevention leads to a return of US$ 28.00, but administration and bestower funds are limited, as IDD programmes must contend with former priority health problems.
Currently, only Nigeria has been certified as having achieved the goal of sustained elimination of IDD in the African Region. This achievement has been possible because of a decentralized monitoring system, an efficient ultra-modern analytic laboratory, a sanitized table salt market, strict inspection and enforcement of universal iodization laws, intensive mass communication, social selling, public-private partnerships, collaboration with international organizations, and high-ranking advocacy.
http://www.afro.who.int
More info
Sunday, 7 September 2008
Monday, 18 August 2008
Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis Found In California
�In the first statewide study of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR TB) in the United States, California officials have identified 18 cases of the dangerous and difficult-to-treat disease betwixt 1993 and 2006, and 77 cases that were one whole step away from XDR TB. The study appears in the August 15 government issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases, now available online.
California reports most 3,000 cases of tuberculosis per annum, the largest number of TB cases of whatever U.S. state. California has also lED the country since 2002 in the number of multidrug-resistant t.B. (MDR TB) cases-those that are resistant to isoniazid and rifadin, the 2 antibiotics that form the backbone of TB treatment. XDR TB is immune to fifty-fifty more classes of antibiotics, including fluoroquinolones and one of three injectable second-line drugs. The authors of the new study evaluated drug susceptibility data of MDR TB cases identified by the California TB Registry betwixt 1993 and 2006, looking for cases that fit the XDR TB definition.
Of the 424 MDR TB cases, 4 pct were XDR and 18 percent were pre-XDR, which are ane drug out from XDR TB. The proportion of patients with pre-XDR isolates increased from 7 per centum in 1993 to 32 percent in 2005. XDR TB occurred due to inadequate handling of MDR TB, XDR TB transmission within California, and transmission of persons with XDR strains prior to U.S. arrival.
Over the course of study of the study, TB outcomes improved. Deaths declined among XDR TB cases identified subsequently 2000. However, the authors wrote, strategies must be implemented to identify and cure MDR and pre-XDR TB cases before they develop into XDR TB. Modeling studies suggest that unless phylogenesis of MDR into XDR is slowed, XDR cases could growth exponentially. Prevention is more cost-effective than treatment, they noted.
"Globally, XDR TB has resulted from a combination of poor TB control practices, poor adhesion to medications, inappropriate manipulation of second-line drugs, want of laboratory capacity to culture TB or assess drug susceptibleness, and high HIV prevalence," said lead author Ritu Banerjee, MD, PhD of the University of California at San Francisco. "In order to prevent an escalation in XDR TB we need to insure adherence to the cornerstones of TB management, which include directly observed therapy, isolation of infectious cases, and contact investigations. We also need to institute routine, rapid, and similar methods to assess drug susceptibility of TB isolates," she over.
Founded in 1979, Clinical Infectious Diseases publishes clinical articles doubly monthly in a variety of areas of infectious disease, and is i of the most extremely regarded journals in this specialty. It is published under the auspices of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). Based in Arlington, Virginia, IDSA is a professional lodge representing more than 8,000 physicians and scientists who speciate in infectious diseases.
Infectious Diseases Society of America
More info
California reports most 3,000 cases of tuberculosis per annum, the largest number of TB cases of whatever U.S. state. California has also lED the country since 2002 in the number of multidrug-resistant t.B. (MDR TB) cases-those that are resistant to isoniazid and rifadin, the 2 antibiotics that form the backbone of TB treatment. XDR TB is immune to fifty-fifty more classes of antibiotics, including fluoroquinolones and one of three injectable second-line drugs. The authors of the new study evaluated drug susceptibility data of MDR TB cases identified by the California TB Registry betwixt 1993 and 2006, looking for cases that fit the XDR TB definition.
Of the 424 MDR TB cases, 4 pct were XDR and 18 percent were pre-XDR, which are ane drug out from XDR TB. The proportion of patients with pre-XDR isolates increased from 7 per centum in 1993 to 32 percent in 2005. XDR TB occurred due to inadequate handling of MDR TB, XDR TB transmission within California, and transmission of persons with XDR strains prior to U.S. arrival.
Over the course of study of the study, TB outcomes improved. Deaths declined among XDR TB cases identified subsequently 2000. However, the authors wrote, strategies must be implemented to identify and cure MDR and pre-XDR TB cases before they develop into XDR TB. Modeling studies suggest that unless phylogenesis of MDR into XDR is slowed, XDR cases could growth exponentially. Prevention is more cost-effective than treatment, they noted.
"Globally, XDR TB has resulted from a combination of poor TB control practices, poor adhesion to medications, inappropriate manipulation of second-line drugs, want of laboratory capacity to culture TB or assess drug susceptibleness, and high HIV prevalence," said lead author Ritu Banerjee, MD, PhD of the University of California at San Francisco. "In order to prevent an escalation in XDR TB we need to insure adherence to the cornerstones of TB management, which include directly observed therapy, isolation of infectious cases, and contact investigations. We also need to institute routine, rapid, and similar methods to assess drug susceptibility of TB isolates," she over.
Founded in 1979, Clinical Infectious Diseases publishes clinical articles doubly monthly in a variety of areas of infectious disease, and is i of the most extremely regarded journals in this specialty. It is published under the auspices of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). Based in Arlington, Virginia, IDSA is a professional lodge representing more than 8,000 physicians and scientists who speciate in infectious diseases.
Infectious Diseases Society of America
More info
Friday, 8 August 2008
Sarah Harding: 'Amy Winehouse Should Leave London'
Girls Aloud star Sarah Harding thinks Amy Winehouse should foreswear London in a offer to sort her life out.
Harding, world Health Organization is set to leave alone London and move to the countryside, believes the troubled Rehab hitmaker should get a fresh set off away from her place in Camden, North London.
She tells Britain's Daily Star newspaper, "I can't wait to get out of Camden. I just hatred being endorse there now. It brings back so many unhappy memories.
"I'm looking for a new seat in Buckinghamshire now. It's lovely around there. I think the Camden thing had its time and you have to run on.
"It could do Amy good to get out of thither and make a fresh start and perspective."
Amy's padre, Mitch, and husband, Blake, recently aforesaid the star topology needs to leave the capital and start a new animation in the countryside.
More info
Tuesday, 1 July 2008
Amy Winehouse punches Glastonbury fan - report
Amy Winehouse reportedly punched a fan while performing at British music festival Glastonbury.
News agency Associated Press reported the troubled soul singer climbed down from the stage, jumped into the crowd and scuffled with a fan.
It is not clear what sparked the incident.
Winehouse sang for about an hour at Glastonbury, following her comeback show at Nelson Mandela's 90th birthday celebrations.
She has been hospitalised for the past week for what her father said was emphysema bought on by drug use.
This has been denied by Winehouse's reps.
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Saturday, 14 June 2008
Swayze not letting cancer interfere with TV role
By Kimberly Nordyke
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Pancreatic cancer is not
slowing Patrick Swayze.
The "Dirty Dancing" veteran stars in the cop drama "The
Beast," which has just been picked up by cable's A&E Network.
Swayze plays an unorthodox but effective FBI veteran who
trains a new partner (Travis Fimmel) in his hard-edged and
psychologically clever style of agenting while being pursued by
a secret Internal Affairs team.
"I have searched for quite a long time to find a character
that is this multilayered, unpredictable and downright
entertaining as well as a project this current and
cutting-edged," Swayze said in a statement.
The statement did not address his health, but network
executives confirmed that his doctors have cleared him to
resume work. They have ordered 13 hour-long episodes to go into
production this summer in Chicago, with a premiere set for
early 2009.
Swayze, 55, was diagnosed with cancer in March, and has
been receiving treatment at Stanford University Medical Center,
near San Francisco.
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Pancreatic cancer is not
slowing Patrick Swayze.
The "Dirty Dancing" veteran stars in the cop drama "The
Beast," which has just been picked up by cable's A&E Network.
Swayze plays an unorthodox but effective FBI veteran who
trains a new partner (Travis Fimmel) in his hard-edged and
psychologically clever style of agenting while being pursued by
a secret Internal Affairs team.
"I have searched for quite a long time to find a character
that is this multilayered, unpredictable and downright
entertaining as well as a project this current and
cutting-edged," Swayze said in a statement.
The statement did not address his health, but network
executives confirmed that his doctors have cleared him to
resume work. They have ordered 13 hour-long episodes to go into
production this summer in Chicago, with a premiere set for
early 2009.
Swayze, 55, was diagnosed with cancer in March, and has
been receiving treatment at Stanford University Medical Center,
near San Francisco.
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
Sunday, 8 June 2008
B.G. The Prince Of Rap
Artist: B.G. The Prince Of Rap
Genre(s):
Rap: Hip-Hop
Discography:
The Power of Rhythm
Year: 1991
Tracks: 13
The Time Is Now
Year:
Tracks: 12
Saturday, 7 June 2008
Rihanna plays down Chris Brown rumours
Singer Rihanna has dismissed reports which suggest that she is dating R&B star Chris Brown, claiming that they are "like brother and sister".
Speaking to MTV News, Rihanna said: "We are best friends, honestly, like brother and sister."
"I won't say that we're just friends - me and Chris are really best, best friends. If he was a boyfriend, I would say that," she said.
Brown said: "They keep asking me, 'What's the deal?' I'm like, 'There's no deal. No deal.' We're just friends."
Speaking to MTV News, Rihanna said: "We are best friends, honestly, like brother and sister."
"I won't say that we're just friends - me and Chris are really best, best friends. If he was a boyfriend, I would say that," she said.
Brown said: "They keep asking me, 'What's the deal?' I'm like, 'There's no deal. No deal.' We're just friends."
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