Obesity Spreads to Developing World, Bigger Killer Than Being Underweight

by Mike Smith

Published October 29, 2009 @ 06:17AM PT

Focusing on five health factors could prevents millions of premature deaths, extending global life expectancy by five years the World Health Organization explained this week. A report explains that poor childhood nutrition, unsafe sex, high blood pressure, alcohol, and bad sanitation and hygiene are responsible for 60 million premature deaths.

One of the most startling parts of the report explains that obesity and being overweight causes more deaths worldwide than being underweight. Even worse, though smoking and obesity is one of the main causes of premature deaths in the developed world, these problems are increasingly occurring in the developed world. Reuters report the morbid death statistics: "high blood pressure (responsible for 13 percent of deaths globally), tobacco use (9 percent), high blood glucose (6 percent), physical inactivity (6 percent), and obesity or being overweight (5 percent)."

The World Health Organization explain that the developing world is now experiencing a double burden — having to deal with poverty and under-nutrition, and increasingly facing simultaneous problems of obesity and high blood pressure. Had these issues been dealt with, life expectancy around the world would be a decade longer.

Photo credit: Nick J Webb

Gates Casts Himself as "Impatient Optimist" in Global Health Speech

by Mike Smith

category: Gates Foundation

Published October 28, 2009 @ 06:19PM PT

Bill and Melinda Gates continue to raise their voices for global health asking the U.S. government to expand its initiatives, specifically targeting child birth deaths. They're hoping to reduce deaths by one third. The Gates Foundation explained that they would not able to accomplish this goal without the help and resources of the U.S. government. They're hoping to also expand program of immunization and step up the fight against malaria.

On Tuesday Bill and Melinda Gates delivered a major speech which explained that they are "Impatient Optimists." They continue to emphasize the Living Proof project, highlighting individual examples of where U.S. money has improved lives, not just statistics, but millions of individual lives that have been saved and improved.

Global Health isn't just one of Bill and Melinda Gates' pet projects, they've invested heavily themselves, and now are asking for government support, explaining that the investments they propose provide "America's best investment for saving lives." In addition to the speech, Bill and Melinda Gates met with Congressmen, policy makers, and administration officials, demanding that the progress made during the Bush administration not fall victim to budget cuts, and instead be expanding. With the world's richest couple of Global Health's side, we too have an opportunity for some optimism.

Photo credit: World Economic Forum

Delivering Aid By Text Message

by Mike Smith

Published October 27, 2009 @ 01:44PM PT

Iraqi refugees living in Syria has begun receiving vouchers for food aid by text message. The UN food vouchers involve 1000 test families who receive a $22 of vouchers every two months. Beneficiaries are able to exchange the texted voucher for cheese, eggs, canned fish, rice, flour etc at certain shops. But phones would cost substantially more though, right? Surely refugees wouldn't have such widespread access to phones.

Incorrect! A World Food Program spokeswomen explained that all 130,000 Iraqi refugees currently receiving food aid in Syria have phones. The UN deliver news about food distribution by phone, and the project just extends that work. The spokeswoman further explained "It also is better for the economies of the communities ... we're not giving food away but we're actually providing an additional market to the local shopkeepers."

A similar scheme has been run in Kenya by Irish aid agency Cocern, they explained "This technology can get the money here in minutes compared with the very difficult logistics of bringing in food." Rather than dumping food aid and putting farmers out of business, vouchers are exchanged for money which is then spent buying food from local farmers. It allows them to stay in business and helps stimulate the economy.

Photo credit: DVIDSHUB

In Choosing Who Survives Flu, Developing World Most Likely To Suffer

by Mike Smith

Published October 26, 2009 @ 12:09PM PT

Who gets the most help to fight Swine Flu in a pandemix? Or more to the point, who should you vaccinate first? Frontline health workers are obviously going to be a priority. And as the New York Times explains, when it comes to allocating ventilators to help people breath, in New York state, "The plan aims to direct ventilators to those with the best chances of survival in a severe 1918-like flu pandemic where tens of thousands develop life-threatening pneumonia."

With not enough resources, the Times wonders, who should get a chance at survival? It's morbid, but worth consideration. But the article finds no time to discuss how the rest of the world is fairing, or what we can do to help. We're too busy refusing vaccines that will save lives, endangering more of us, especially those who are already ill, those for who Swine Flu presents the greatest danger.

Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of the World Health Organization, warned earlier this year that "the developing world, where populations are most vulnerable, should prepare to see more than the present small number of severe cases."

Photo credit: Hmerinomx

Brazil Shows Tremendous Progress in Poverty and Hunger Fight

by Mike Smith

Published October 24, 2009 @ 07:37AM PT

Brazil is leading the way in eradicating hunger and improving literacy. The country continues to show significant progress in social development and poverty alleviation. A recent report published by ActionAid saw Brazil top the anti-hunger scorecard, just ahead of China, with India earning low marks. With two African countries finding themselves in the top 5 of the ActionAid report, the indication is that it's not only wealth that matters in fighting hunger.

In Brazil, a 73 percent decrease in hunger has been put down to food banks, community kitchens, land reform, and support for small farmers, winning them the Future Policy Award, whilst Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, President of Brazil, was awarded the Félix Houphouët-Boigny Peace Prize, in part for his work to reduce poverty.

Brazil isn't just investing in malnutrition prevention. Through the Bolsa Familia (Family Grant) scheme, 12 million poor families receive cash assistance of up to $80 a month. Running since 2003, the scheme asks families to meet several core requirements including ensuring their children attend school, receive vaccinations, and make regular visits to health centers. Having helped half a million children become literate in 2006 and 2007, the program is helping to improve the social and economic standing of low income-citizens. The income transfer scheme has lifted 20 million Brazilians out of poverty since 2003, and offers a lesson to countries around the world.

Photo credit: Andrea Fregnani

Healthcare Debate Focuses On Global Health Ranking

by Mike Smith

Published October 23, 2009 @ 06:53PM PT

Healthcare debate constantly refers to the U.S's lowly ranking in global health — it comes in at 37th in the international table. The rankings refer to a World Health Organization study done at the start of the decade and the WSJ thinks it unfairly represents the strengths of the US healthcare system.

They explain "some researchers say that factors beyond the control of the health-care system are to blame, such as dietary habits." But diet is a crucial global health issue: whether it's hunger and malnutrition or obesity in developed countries — both of which present tremendous problems.

Christopher Murray, who oversaw the report, believes the original report achieved its intent of stimulating debate and focus on health systems. But a rank of 15th is presented as a more realistic assessment when you leave out just how much each country spends — the U.S. ranks first in spending, so the failure of that spend to match health drags it down to 37th. And so it should, below Morocco and Costa Rica who all get better bang-for-their-buck.

As a bang-for-buck ranking, it works, and quite simply this isn't a ranking intended to tell the U.S. how healthy it is. This isn't all about the U.S. This is seems to be a ranking to allow the world to see who's money goes the furthest. And the U.S's investment doesn't seem to be going far enough.

Photo credit: Brykmantra

Gates Foundation Invests in Chewing Gum, Noses, and Exercise To Improve Global Health

by Mike Smith

Published October 22, 2009 @ 04:44PM PT

Bill & Melinda Gates are continuing to put their huge wealth to good use with their foundation's announcement of 76 grants of $100,000 each to fund ground-breaking and outside-the-box global health research. The $7.6 million in grants is the third time they've awarded money as part of their "Grand Challenges Exploration." The money will be spread through 16 countries and five continents.

The actual projects involve everything from chewing gum that can help detect malaria through saliva, a study into how a brief bout of exercise may enhance the effiency of a pneumococcal vaccine, and an electric nose to diagnose tubercolis. The hope is that pursuing bold and innovative research could lead to substantial breakthroughs in HIV, malaria, tuberculosis, pneumonia and diarrheal diseases. Dr. Tachi Yamada, president of the Gates Foundation’s Global Health Program explains that “Grand Challenges Explorations will continue to fill the pipeline with possibilities and hopefully produce a breakthrough idea that could save untold numbers of lives.”

Photo credit: Maverik2003