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Alliance News Digest

Week of 25 June 2010

NEWS FROM WHO AND PARTNERS

• Models and tools for health workforce planning and projections - WHO. (June 2010)
  The objective of this paper is to take stock of the available methods and tools for health workforce planning and projections
• UNAIDS welcomes announcement of United States’ Global Health Initiative – UNAIDS. (6/18)
  The six-year US$ 63 billion initiative seeks to improve health outcomes and strengthen health systems
• UNAIDS Executive Director presents progress report to Board – UNAIDS. (6/23)
  UNAIDS governing body, the Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) is holding its 26th Board meeting from 22-24 June 2010 in Geneva
• Efforts to Boost Reproductive Health of Women, Girls, Falling Short, Says New MDG Review – UNFPA. (6/23)
  Less than half the women giving birth in Southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa are attended by skilled health personnel
• Health care a priority for thousands affected by Kyrgyzstan violence – WHO. (6/22)
  WHO and health partners stress the urgency of providing the necessary health care and support to the communities affected by violence
• Merlin joins charities and celebrities to fight maternal deaths – Merlin, UK. (6/10)
  Recruit, train and deploy additional skilled health workers to fill the shortfall of 2.5 million health professionals and one million community health workers

AFRICA AND MIDDLE EAST

• It is possible to eradicate poverty by 2015, UN says - Afrique en ligne. (6/24)
  The global economic crisis has slowed the fight against poverty but the developing world is still on track to meet a key UN goal
• SOUTH AFRICA: Poor MDR-TB knowledge among nurses – IRIN PlusNews. (6/15)
  It is recommended specific MDR-TB training for nurses
• Kenya improves blood collection practices – Capital News, Kenya. (6/21)
  The project also intends to train 500 medical workers in the four provinces.
• Government appeals to health workers to suspend planned strike – Next, Nigeria. (6/23)
  Government has been locked in a standoff with federal doctors, nurses and pharmacists for months over benefits and wage increases
• NGO to Study Zanzibar Maternal Mortality Rate – The Citizen, Tanzania. (6/23)
  Zanzibar research could prove to be an important tool to foster improvement of health services in the Isles.
• Maternal campaign set for next week – The Herald, Zimbabwe. (6/23)
  The lack of skilled midwives is of major concern.

ASIA AND PACIFIC

• Norway may hire Filipino health workers – Manila Bulletin. (6/19)
  Norway is open for employment and has huge requirement for nurses
• ‘Daang matuwid’ points to freeing Morong 43 (Letter) – Philippine Daily Inquirer. (6/18)
  In this country, seven out 10 citizens die without the benefit of being checked by a health care worker
• Govt to appoint 53500 male health workers at SHCs in high focus districts – Pharmabiz.com, India. (6/19)
  The male health worker should be the focal point for all the disease control programmes
• Shortage of nurses aggravating – Korea Times. (6/22)
  The largest cause of stress for nurses is the chronic shortage of manpower
• Young Midwives Prove Their Worth – Bernama, Malaysia. (6/16)
  Winning the trust of local mothers in a land that has long held on to cultural traditions is not an easy road
• Attacks on health staff increasing – The Press, New Zealand. (6/24)
  There have been more than 500 attacks on Canterbury health workers in each of the past two years.
• Sustainability Of NZ Anaesthesia Workforce – Voxy News, New Zealand. (6/21)
  It is expected that demand for healthcare in New Zealand will rise over the coming decade and beyond

NORTH AMERICA

• Mali, Nepal, Guatemala to Benefit From Revamped Global Health Initiative - PBS NewsHour. (6/18)
  The State Department and USAID announced eight focus countries that will get extra help from Obama's proposed six-year, $63 billion Global Health Initiative
• Medical jobs seem to survive recession – Desert Sun. CA. (6/20)
  Recruiters report plenty of openings
• Prevention and Public Health Fund to Jumpstart Community-Based Prevention Programs – PR Newswire. (6/18)
  Administration has indicated that the allocation of the $250 million for workforce is a one-time event."
• Eight Nations Picked as Health-Aid Labs – Wall Street Journal. (6/18)
  Potential projects include working with the countries to expand their cadres of community-health workers….
• Haiti's Health Care System Faces a 'Defining Moment' – PBS NewsHour. (6/17)
  Educating and training more Haitian doctors and nurses is essential to reviving and restructuring the country's health system
• Healthcare Reforms May Open Doors for NPs – Nurse.com. (6/21)
  The new reform laws are expected to add to a healthcare demand that is already expected to surge in the next 15 years
• White House Announces Another $250 Million, This Time for Public Health Infrastructure and Prevention Efforts – Health Leaders Media. (6/21)
  $23 million to expand the CDC's public health workforce programs and public health training centers.
• A health workforce for the world – Ottawa Citizen, Canada. (6/23)
  WHO estimates a shortage of four million health workers; a modest and attainable goal would be to train and employ one million by 2015 and two million by 2020
• What Canada needs to do at G20: deliver for moms, babies – Health Zone, Canada. (6/18)
  Train four million community health workers

EUROPE

• Health-system strengthening and tuberculosis control – The Lancet, UK. (6/19)
  Weak health systems are hindering global efforts for tuberculosis care and control
• Health care in the Algerian desert – The Lancet, UK. (6/19)
  More than 160 000 Saharawi refugees reside in camps in the Algerian desert, where poor living conditions and extreme climates pose challenges to their health
• Operational research in HIV priority areas: the African way - The Lancet, UK. (6/16)
  As part of a strategy to maintain the momentum of providing access to HIV care, there has been an effort to task-shift roles between various levels of health-care worker
• Czech doctors threaten to walk out over low pay – Radio Praha, CZ. (6/16)
  Around 250 Czech doctors leave the country each year to work and live abroad – particularly in Germany and the UK
• American College Of Nurse-Midwives Urges Passage Of The Midwifery Modernization Act – Medical News Today, UK. (6/16)
  New York state lawmakers who are poised to pass vital legislation which will increase access to high-quality maternity and primary health care services
• Abuse on health workers prompts zero tolerance drive – Londonderry Sentinel, UK. (6/17)
  Staff and emergency services continue to be subjected to verbal and physical abuse on a daily basis
• Portlaoise A&E in jeopardy - Leinster Express, Ireland. (6/23)
  Since the recruitment moratorium began the staffing levels have reduced hugely
• Don't be ill at the weekend: 3,000 people a year die because of hospital understaffing – Daily Mail, UK. (6/13)
  Study has found those admitted as emergency cases are significantly more likely to die than those admitted during the week
• KENYA: PMTCT Means Rural Families Survive Another Generation – IPS Terra Viva-Europe. (6/24)
  Distribution of medicines and medical services by government to many marginalised parts of the country has remained a challenge

LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN

• Demandan un hospital para mujeres en Neza – El Universal, Mexico. (6/21)
  cada diez féminas atendidas en hospitales públicos del municipio pierden a sus bebés por falta de personal médico y equipos adecuados.
• Afirman que Urgencias de hospitales cuentan con mismo número de médicos que hace 18 años – Notícias 123, Chile. (6/22)
  Se estima que el déficit de personal médico y paramédico y de camas obedecen a la falta de los presupuestos adecuados para el sistema público de salud
• Neumonía mata a bebé de 2 añitos – Correo Peru. (6/19)
  Sólo tienen enfermeras dos días por semana.
• Habrá "embalse" de pacientes – Correo, Peru. (6/23)
  El problema en los hospitales se agravará porque tendrán que atender a los asegurados, ante la medida de protesta indefinida
• Portuguesa tiene déficit de 512 enfermeras – El Informador, Venezuela. (6/20)
  Un poco más de 512 enfrmeras hacen falta en los cetros asistenciales de la entidad
• Paraguay anuncia medidas para evitar migración de enfermeras – ABC Digital, Paraguay. (6/2)
  Preocupa la falta de profesionales de la salud en el país.

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