PSI Magazine Highlights: Two entries on the organization’s “Healthy Lives” blog provide a content preview of the May 2011 issue of “IMPACT: The Magazine of PSI.” PSI CEO Karl Hofmann interviews USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah, who discusses how the agency “is seeking to build self-sufficiency among aid recipients,” its “renewed focus on disease prevention, and the criteria by which at least seven countries will graduate from USAID’s assistance by 2015” (Hofmann, 4/26). Another interview features Rear Admiral Tim Ziemer, who heads the President’s Malaria Initiative (4/26).

Use Partnerships To Address NCDs: Non-communicable diseases “must be addressed with an integrated approach that takes into account broader health and development objectives,” Jeffrey Sturchio, president and CEO of the Global Health Council, writes on the council’s “Blog 4 Global Health.” He continues: “Prevention and treatment efforts should be included in existing programs to address conditions such as HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis. Integration leads to better outcomes and more efficient use of limited resources. By combining efforts, and working in well-designed partnerships, we can accomplish a great deal more together than by working alone” (4/26).

Noise Pollutions’ Effect On Health: In a post on the Forbes’ “Clean Beta” blog, William Pentland, a clean energy expert at the Pace Energy and Climate Center, highlights the findings of a recent report (.pdf) from the WHO and the European Commission’s Joint Research Center. “The report found that excessive noise ranks second only to air pollution as a leading environmental cause of health problems among Western Europeans. … The most serious impact noise pollution can have on health – heart disease” (4/23).

Inspecting The FY11 Foreign Ops Budget Cuts: In a post on CGD’s “Rethinking U.S. Foreign Assistance Blog,” Connie Veillette, director of the center’s rethinking U.S. foreign assistance initiative, highlights findings from a report examining the final FY11 budget resolution. “Nearly all foreign operations accounts were cut from the 2011 request, but some received increases over 2010 levels. Those that received increases include Global Health and Child Survival, Development Assistance, International Disaster Assistance, and Migration and Refugee Assistance,” she writes (4/22).

FY11 Funding Allocation For GAFSP: In a piece on the Chicago Council on Global Affairs’ “Global Food for Thought” blog, Roger Thurow, a senior fellow at the council, looks at Congress’ decision to provide $100 million for the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP) – an amount significantly lower than President Obama’s $408 million request (4/22).

Infographic Depicts U.S. Foreign Aid Spending: The image, from a collaboration between GOOD magazine and Column Five Media, visually shows how much the U.S. spends on foreign aid versus military expenses (4/21).

Various Blogs Observe World Malaria Day

In observance of World Malaria Day on Monday, several blogs posted opinion pieces, summaries of events, or interviews with key players in the field. The following is a sampling of those headlines:

• Huffington Post: Substantial Progress Against Malaria in Africa (Sirleaf/Zoellick, 4/26). 
• Huffington Post: Raising Africa’s Voice in the Fight Against Malaria (Chaka, 4/26).
• Malaria Policy Center: “Celebrating Progress and Success this World Malaria Day” Panel Discussion (Todd, 4/25).
• The Global Health Council’s “Blog 4 Global Health”: Global malaria leaders agree: 2015 goal is not a dream (Jolson, 4/25).
• PLoS “Speaking of Medicine” blog: MSF on World Malaria Day: Improving treatment for severe malaria (Ford, 4/25).
• State’s “DipNote” blog: World Malaria Day: Celebrating Progress Against a Preventable and Curable Disease (Ziemer, 4/25).
• PLoS Blogs: World Malaria Day: Research Highlights from PLoS ONE and PLoS Pathogens (Laloup, 4/25).
• ONE blog: Interview: Dr. Lusingu talks about malaria vaccine trials in Tanzania (Riley, 4/25).
• ONE blog: Interview: Dr. Loucq discusses his life-long passion for vaccines (Hohlfelder, 4/25).