July 29th 2009
This week in medicine
The following will appear in the Aug 1 issue of The Lancet:
Low vaccination rates Data from the 2008 US National Health Interview Survey show that only 66% of adults aged 65 years and older received an influenza vaccination during 2006-07, and only 60% had ever received a pneumococcal vaccine, despite objectives of 90% for both. Only 11% of eligible women had taken up the human papillomavirus vaccine.
UN needs US$5 billion The UN’s John Holmes says that the recession has caused a UN funding shortfall for humanitarian crises of $4·8 billion-the largest ever. The economic downturn has disproportionately affected poor countries and put pressure on the aid budgets of donor countries. UN member states have pledged extra aid, but little has materialised as yet.
Radon cancer risk According to a report from the UN Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation, there is a small increase in the risk of lung cancer from the inhalation of radon gas at home. Radon gas is formed by the radioactive decay of uranium in all soils and rocks, but especially in granite and limestone.
Virgin in South Africa Virgin Unite, the Virgin Group’s not-for-profit foundation, and the South African Government are to jointly set up a Disease Control Hub. The Hub would help the fight against diseases such as AIDS, tuberculosis, and diabetes by gathering the most up-to-date information and technical equipment, and by improving health responses to existing and emerging priority diseases in South Africa.
Child maltreatment checklist The UK’s National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has issued a checklist of behavioural and physical features that can indicate child abuse and neglect. Features range from ligature marks to consistent dressing in clothes that are the wrong size. The purpose of the list is to empower health-care workers to identify child abuse, listen more carefully to children, and intervene at an early stage.
Labour induction The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has issued revised guidelines on the induction of labour. One of the key recommendations is that labour should not be induced in women who have had a previous caesarean section. The rate of induced labour in the USA is around 22%: more than twice that in 1990.
“Blanket” feeding in Niger A food distribution programme was launched last week in southern Niger to help prevent malnutrition in the coming “lean” season. The scheme, funded by the World Food Programme, is known as blanket feeding, and a second distribution is planned for August. In 2008, Niger’s Government estimated that 39·3% of its population was chronically malnourished.
Detention and mental illness A report from the UK’s Mental Health Act Commission highlights a need for further training of health-care workers and better care of patients with mental illnesses who are compulsorily detained and treated in hospital. The report indicates that many health-care workers involved in restraining patients do not have sufficient training—two potentially avoidable deaths occurred during 2007-09.
Abortion ban A report by Amnesty International examines the effect of Nicaragua’s 2008 total ban on abortion. Researchers found cases of doctors being unable to provide women with life-saving treatments because of the risk to the fetus. They also noted that women who have had a miscarriage fear getting medical help because they might be accused of having had an abortion.
Arab development Threats to human security are undermining development in the Arab world, according to a report by scholars from the region, sponsored by the UN Development Programme. Seven such threats are identified in the report, including water shortages, desertification, rising hunger and malnutrition, inefficient health systems, and risks from new infectious diseases and HIV/AIDS.
Listeria inquiry A federally appointed report on last year’s listeriosis outbreak in Canada has revealed gaps in food safety and recall systems. The investigation showed that there was evidence of listeria contamination months before the crisis, which led to 22 deaths in the past year. The report also contains 57 recommendations for the government to help prevent another outbreak in the future.
Soap operas, not sex India’s Health and Family Welfare Minister has devised a new plan to address the country’s soaring population. The intention is to provide electricity and televisions to all parts of India, especially the most rural where the birth rates are highest. This new hobby is expected to reduce the population’s sexual activities, and consequently its growth, by 80%.
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