International Health Policies in the news today 75

Dear Colleagues,

This week feels like summer in most parts of the global health world, except in Vienna. There, numerous global health activists joined the HIV activists and everybody is blogging tirelessly. Here a few glimpse at what is being said: Montaner calls for maintained efforts to reach universal coverage amid fears of budget cuts and Bill & Bill argue for more value for the money. Mead Over is happy with advances in microbicides. Nandini Oomman is sadened by the lack of vision during the opening session. At the opening ceremony, AIDS activists demonstrated to urge governments to hold on their promises.

On our blog, Richard Mangwi a member of our Emerging Voices for global health group tells us why in his view Maternal Mortality does not move in his country, Uganda.

Enjoy your reading.

David Hercot, Kristof Decoster, Josefien Van Olmen, Basile Keugong & Wim Van Damme

Vienna AIDS Conference

1. Huffington Post – Great Strides in the AIDS Response — and a Need to Continue Moving Forward Together

Eric Goosby, Michel Kazatchkine, Jeffrey D. Sachs, Aaron Motsoaledi, Michel Sidibé, and Tachi Yamada; http://www.huffingtonpost.com/international-aids-conference-/great-strides-in-the-aids_b_649593.html

In this Huffington post article, authors, leaders in the fight against AIDS, are taking stocks of progress made and highlight strategies to move forward in the fight against AIDS in low income countries.

2. CGD – Does the Global Fund Reach the Most Marginalized and At-Risk Populations?

Christina Droggitis ; http://blogs.cgdev.org/globalhealth/2010/07/does-the-global-fund-reach-the-most-marginalized-and-at-risk-populations-postcard-from-vienna.php

The theme of the conference is “Rights Here, Right Now,” but we know this is easier said than done. The Global Fund has to overcome challenges when it comes to reach the most vulnerable, hardest to reach. And this is particularly true in the MENA region (Middle East and North Africa) where PLWHA are mainly members of marginalized groups.

3. BMJ – Ugandan hospitals ration AIDS treatment as drugs run out

Henry Wasswa ; http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/short/341/jul20_2/c3900

While 20 000 AIDS experts gather in Vienna, patients in need of ARV in Kampala are put on waiting lists.

Global Health

4. CID Harvard – The Global Health System: Institutions in a Time of Transition

William C. Clark, Nicole A. Szlezak, Suerie Moon, Barry R. Bloom, Gerald T. Keusch, Catherine M. Michaud, Dean T. Jamison, Julio Frenk, and Wen L. Kilama

CID Working Paper No. 193 Center for International Development at Harvard University ; http://bit.ly/bb38JF (PDF 650 KB)

Not easy to keep track of grey literature published on global health. This series dates back to January but as we are interested in Global Health it is very relevant to us so we share the link with you.

5. NYT – Polio: Setbacks in a Mostly Successful Fight to Eliminate a Paralyzing Disease

Mc Neil http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/20/health/20glob.html?_r=1

Polio setbacks are reaching large public newspapers now. Maybe because it’s summer time, maybe by genuine interest in global public goods. Many of us have spent weeks fighting this disease. Will we get rid of it or not? What’s wrong with this?

6. KFF – AU Pre-Summit On Gender Concludes

http://globalhealth.kff.org/Daily-Reports/2010/July/21/GH-072110-AU-Summit.aspx

While the AU pre summit concludes, Gawanas calls on the need for the AU to put maternal and child health at the same level as peacekeeping and election dogwatch. In the mean time, experts think that recent bombing in Kampala will wipe maternal and child survival off the agenda at the AU summit itself. Save the Children on their blog claim that Civil Society is raising the pressure on the AU. We welcome this needed increased participation of African Civil Society but reading the article you have to admit that the awaited protest didn’t happen in the end. This remind us of a similar event at a previous meeting in Dar es Salaam where AIDS civil society representative had been arrested. There is still work to do before politicians recognise the importance and rights of civil society.

7. BMC One step forward, one step sideways? Expanding research capacity for neglected diseases

Joel Lexchin ; http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-698X/10/20

In this international health and human rights issue of the BMC, Lexchin reviews the approaches to stimulate research for neglected diseases.