Numerous Global Health Events In Seattle This Week

Four “major health gatherings” will be held in Seattle this week, the Seattle Times’ “Business of Giving” blog reports. The Health 8 – which consists of seven global bodies, including the WHO, UNICEF and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – along with the Pacific Health Summit, the Global Health Research Congress and the group HIROS are scheduled to meet this week, according to the Seattle Times. HIROS is comprised of government agency leaders and foundations that fund health research (Doughton, “Business of Giving”/Seattle Times, 6/12).

Paul Farmer – Partners in Health cofounder, who is reportedly being considered for a senior role in the Obama administration – will also be in the city for a “free public event at the University of Washington,” the Seattle Times’ “Business of Giving” blog reports. He is expected to talk about “the future of global health delivery, the challenge of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, and how one person has the ability to make a significant contribution to global health” (Heim, “Business of Giving”/Seattle Times [2], 6/12).

Mozambique To Focus On ‘Alarming’ HIV/AIDS Prevalence In Southern Provinces

Mozambique’s Prime Minister Luisa Diogo said the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the south of the country is “alarming” and is much higher than the national average of 16 percent among Mozambicans between the ages of 15 and 49, AIM/allAfrica.com reports (AIM/allAfrica.com, 6/12). Diogo said the government is drawing up an emergency plan to combat HIV/AIDS in the Gaza and Maputo provinces. The plan is expected to by ready by the end of July (Muchate, Xinhua, 6/13).

In related news, Inter Press Service News Agency examines HIV/AIDS among children in Mozambique. The article includes information about access to antiretroviral drugs and the state of health infrastructure (Ayisi, IPS, 6/15). 

Zambia To Expand Investment In Midwives, Health Ministry Says Neonatal Complications Account For Two-Thirds Of Infant Mortality

Zambia plans to scale up its investment in midwives in an effort to reduce maternal and child mortality rates and increase the country’s progress towards a number of the health-related U.N. Millennium Development Goals, Kapembwa Simbao, Zambia’s health minister said recently in the capital of Lusaka, the Times of Zambia/allAfrica.com reports (Times of Zambia/allAfrica.com, 6/11).

In related news, the Ministry of Health said that neonatal complications account for two-thirds of infant mortality in Zambia, the ZANIS/Lusaka Times reports. Mike Mulongoti, the acting health minister, said community-based human resources should be better trained and health facilities for emergency obstetric care should be used more to deal with child and maternal mortality rates (ZANIS/Lusaka Times, 6/12).