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Alliance News Digest

Week of 6 May 2011

NEWS FROM WHO AND PARTNERS

• Celebrating the Essential Work of Midwives – UNFPA – (5/05)
  The world currently faces a shortage of some 350,000 midwives.
• First Lady of Rwanda Mrs. Jeannette Kagame to address nurses from across the world at the ICN Conference - International Council of Nurses – (4/20)
  More than 2 300 nurses from 123 countries will participate in ICN Conference in Malta.
• Partnering to Strengthen Health Information in West Africa - Capacity Plus – (4/28)
  CapacityPlus is teaming up with other organizations to improve health information—including data on health workforce.
• Focusing on HR Management to Support Health Workers - Capacity Plus – (4/26)
  HR management is critical to ensure that FBO facilities have adequate motivated, skilled health workers in each location.

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

• Rural healthcare in Morocco focus of antipoverty effort - Magharebia, Morocco – (4/27)
  Moroccan officials hope construction of new healthcare centres can reduce inequalities in rural areas.
• Villagers suffer as NGOs withdraw - The Zimbabwean – (4/27)
  The withdrawal local NGOs has heavily impacted on health delivery system in Zimbabwe
• 120 Midwives and Community Health Nurses trained under a Pilot Project - Ghana News Agency – (4/30)
  Aim of project is to reduce neonatal mortality.
• Combating Pediatric HIV/Aids in the Country - Daily Independent, Nigeria – (4/20)
  PMTCT services aims at curtailing pediatric AIDS by eliminating HIV transmission from mother to child during pregnancy, labour and breast-feeding.
• Return to work now, Court orders health workers - Mmegi Online, Botswana – (4/27)
  All employees working in the health sector have been ordered to return to work immediately
• PS asks health workers to defend mobile hospitals - The Post, Zambia – (5/02)
  PS appealed to medical personnel to help government counter critics of mobile hospitals.
• Specialist Health Clinics in Benghazi Desperate for Support - UN IRIN – (5/03)
  Medical specialists in Benghazi are struggling to work as lack of funding for supplies and equipment seriously hinders their efforts.
• Why Tanzania needs more midwives - The Citizen, Tanzania – (5/04)
  Midwives in Tanzania: face many challenges and risks with little remuneration and rewards.

ASIA AND PACIFIC

• CM plans campaign for docs - The Times of India – (4/27)
  Minister asked the health department to take up an advertisement campaign to remind doctors of their responsibilities
• Dire need for doctors in rural areas - The Nation, Thailand – (5/03)
  Study finds most medical graduates come from cities and prefer to stay there.
• VN health workers in short supply - Vietnam News – (4/29)
  The ratio of doctors, nurses and midwives per 1,000 people in the country was 1.4, far below the WHO recommendation of 2.28.
• China to double number of nurses by 2010: health ministry – Xinhua News, China – (4/28)
  The ministry is set to train more pediatricians, psychiatrists, pharmacists, nurses and health supervision personnel from 2011 to 2020.
• Global Fund Malaria, health workers lower malaria cases in Kalinga - Philippines Information Agency – (4/28)
  Health officer asked for continuous support and cooperation from health workers to achieve a malaria free province.
• May 5 to be marked as Midwife Day - The Himalayan Times, Nepal – (5/04)
  In Nepal, nurses working in the maternity wards are generally called nurse-midwife but they are not officially recognised.
• MCI to keep tab on doctors' count - The Times of India – (5/05)
  Re-certification and revalidation of doctors is essential to understand exactly how many and who still are in active practise in India.
• New health support role planned for SA - ABC Online, AU – (4/28)
  Physician assistants do some of the work of doctors, under supervision.

NORTH AMERICA

• Bahraini doctors who treated protesters will be tried in military court, says minister - The Washington Post – (5/03)
  Charges against 23 doctors and 24 nurses include participating in attempts to topple Sunni monarchy and taking part in illegal rallies.
• Putting Your Doctor, or a Whole Team of Them, on Retainer - The New York Times - (4/29)
  Even as more people are struggling to pay medical bills, an elite group with money has another option: exclusive medical care
• HARNESSING MOBILE PHONE TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH “MOBILE ALLIANCE FOR MATERNAL ACTION” PARTNERSHIP ESTABLISHED - UN Foundation – (5/03)
  MAMA will harness power of mobile technology to deliver health information to new and expectant mothers.
• MALAWI: Birth assistants allowed to encourage greater birth safety - Women News Network – (5/02)
  A ban on traditional birth assistants, which has been in place since 2007, was effectively lifted by Malawi’s president
• A Developing Health Crisis Across the Gulf Coast (Op-Ed) - IPS Terra-Viva – (4/30)
  Oil and chemical exposure is widespread among residents across the U.S. Coast of the Gulf of Mexico.
• The Coming Doctor Shortage – Benzinga.com – (4/30)
  The United States is going to experience a devastating doctor shortage in the coming years.
• HIV Experts Recommend Shifting HIV Care To Primary Care Doctors - The AIDS Beacon – (5/04)
  HIV is now largely a chronic disease with relatively routine care that could be provided by primary care physicians, expert says.
• Things Doctors Should Know About Hiring a Physician Assistant - Health News Digest – (5/04)
  There are still a large number of healthcare facilities who don’t realize PAs are a viable option.
• More Midwives Could Save Over 1 Million Children & Improve the State of the World's Mothers - Marketwire, CA – (5/03)
  One in three mothers worldwide give birth without expert help every year..

EUROPE

• UK moves to ensure “access to unlicensed herbal medicines” - The Lancet, UK – (4/30)
  Herbalists have welcomed the UK Government's move to sidestep a European directive and regulate their profession at doctors' dismayed
• Case competitions to engage students in global health - The Lancet, UK – (4/30)
  The short timeframe of competitions provokes creativity and passion, and exemplifies the spirit that students bring to global health.
• Thai embrace of medical tourism divides professionals - The Guardian, UK – (4/26)
  Thailand's plans to become an international leader in medical tourism could adversely affect health treatment for the poor.
• NHS Barnet reveals 187 breaches of personal data - The Guardian, UK – (5/04)
  Under government guidelines, trusts must declare any serious patient data or breach of confidentiality in their annual report
• Stemming HIV/AIDS Among Nurses in Sub-Saharan Africa – Medical News Today – (4/29)
  There aren't enough physicians in Africa to care for people with HIV/AIDS
• Patients on waiting list up 5,000 in two months - Irish Times – (4/30)
  26,028 adults and children waiting for inpatient and day case procedures at the end of February
• Czech Republic: Three Quarters Of All Czech Hospital Health Workers In Favour Of Using eHealth Tools - eGov monitor, UK – (5/03)
  Survey shows that nearly 75 % of hospital employees have a strong interest in using the latest eHealth tools.
• Les conditions de travail se sont dégradées à l'hôpital public, selon une étude - TV5 Monde, France – (5/03)
  71% des aides soignantes, infirmières et autres puéricultrices et sage-femmes estiment que leur travail a "un effet négatif sur leur santé".
• Tiempos difíciles también para los médicos - Cinco Días, Spain – (4/30)
  "Los primeros que serán prescindibles son los médicos de fuera de la Unión Europea", asegura experto.

LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN

• Médicos comunitarios bajo lupa - El Universal, Venezuela – (5/02)
  En la Escuela Vargas preparan un formato para evaluar la capacidad de los MIC
• Salud informatizada: ¿Los médicos van a desaparecer? - Diario La Prensa, Argentina – (4/30)
  Un experto habla de la experiencia en Inglaterra, pionero en la informatización de la salud del país.
• Por falta de personal se suspenden cirugías - El Heraldo, Honduras – (4/27)
  Urge contratar a unas 40 enfermeras y ocho técnicos anestesiólogos, muchos se han jubilado y no hay sustitutos.
• "Es triste que un médico salga a la calle a mendigar el sueldo" - El Nacional, Venezuela – (5/05)
  El decreto presidencial de aumento de salario incluyó a los trabajadores de la salud, pero dejó fuera a los médicos.
• Alerta por personal contagiado de TBC - La República, Perú – (5/05)
  Solo en el 2010 hubo 16 casos de TBC y se afirma que es por falta de protección y hacinamiento..
• En los hospitales de la Provincia faltan más de 5.500 enfermeras - Quilmes Presente, Argentina – (4/30)
  El problema son las jubilaciones y la falta de renovación.