For the public health community, the terrorism wreaked on the United States is stunning, but not necessarily surprising. It was a shrieking reminder to us all that desperate and hopeless peoples will follow extremist minorities, that poverty and insecurity, compounded by smoldering pockets of war and the cautious engagement, if any, by the rich world breeds the destruction of September 11. That horror spread its message in nanoseconds across the world, evoking cries of alarm and sorrow, life-sacrificing rescues, and loud calls for vengeance and a "crusade" to counter the "jihad", expending more material and human resources for more death, disability, and damage to the lives and futures of thousands, perhaps millions.
Equity in Health
Dealing with Terrorism: A Public Health Agenda
Drug Firms Say Easing Patent Restrictions Could Hurt Research
Leaders of the international pharmaceutical industry said yesterday that if global trading rules on patents are loosened, it could negatively impact research and development of AIDS drugs.
MALARIA: Disease Kills Record Number In Namibia
A record number of people have died in Namibia so far this year from malaria, the government announced Friday, with the number of deaths up 70 percent from last year.
Mbeki plays down AIDS and orders a rethink on spending
South African president Thabo Mbeki has once again alarmed doctors and health professionals with a letter he wrote to his health minister last month ordering a re-examination of health and social policy, spending, and research in the light of figures on deaths from AIDS.
Scientists react to US attacks with shock and fears for the future
Scientific leaders must now think beyond their immediate emotional responses and consider the practical consequences of the current crisis. Today's scientific enterprise relies heavily on international collaboration, the free exchange of data, and unrestricted travel. In the current unstable geopolitical climate, it is unclear how each of these will be affected.
South Africa: Health Mec Admits Appalling State of Public Hospitals
Health MEC Dr Bevan Goqwana admitted the legislature's health committee report damning the appalling state of public hospitals in the province reflected the "reality of the situation".
SOUTH AFRICA: Religious leaders and AIDS activists urge government to declare AIDS national emergency
South African religious leaders and AIDS activists appealed to the government on Thursday to declare the HIV pandemic a national emergency and to provide the leadership needed to fight it. "No one in our country can afford to deny the terrible extent of this epidemic," the group said in a statement.
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South Africa: Technology Benefits Not Available to All
Technology is not delivering healthcare services to a large number of lowincome groups covered by medical aid, says Robert Dale, marketing director of Telg Africa.
Swaziland: Five Year Sex Ban Imposed for Young Women
The Swaziland government has announced a five-year sex ban for young women in a bid to combat the spread of HIV/AIDS in the country. The ban was announced on Sunday evening by the leader of Swaziland's young women, Lungile Ndlovu, who said the elders of the nation had deemed it fitting, AFP reported.
World Health Report 2000
Commentary: comprehensive approaches are needed for full understanding
Christopher J L Murray, executive director. Evidence and Information for Policy, World Health Organization, 1211 Geneva 27, Switzerland
Braveman et al criticise the World Health Organiztion's approach of measuring the full spectrum of health inequalities in a population. They argue for a selective approach in which only health inequalities correlated with factors such as income, social class, or race should matter. Such a selective approach runs counter to the literature on inequality in other disciplines and runs the risk of discouraging scientific inquiry into the causes of inequality.
Contact: murrayc@who.ch