Morton Halperin and Lorne Craner Join the MCC Board of Directors

Washington, D.C. — The U.S. Government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation swore in two private sector members to its Board of Directors today. Morton Halperin, senior advisor for the Open Society Foundations, joins the Board and Lorne Craner, president of the International Republican Institute, rejoins the Board for a second term. Both were nominated by President Obama in 2012 and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in January 2013.

“I am very pleased that Dr. Morton Halperin has joined the MCC Board of Directors,” MCC CEO Daniel W. Yohannes said. “Our private sector members play a crucial role in helping MCC fulfill its mission of helping countries reduce poverty through sustainable economic growth. Morton’s years of leadership and foreign affairs expertise will be a great addition to the Board.”

“I am also pleased to welcome Lorne Craner back to the MCC Board for a second term,” Yohannes added. “Lorne’s contributions during his first term were immeasurable, and his experience will continue to be a great asset to MCC.”

Morton Halperin is a senior advisor to the Open Society Foundations. Halperin held several positions with the Open Society Institute from 2002 to 2008, including director of U.S advocacy from 2005 to 2008. Halperin has held a number of leadership positions within the federal government as part of the Clinton, Nixon and Johnson administrations. Most recently, he served as director of the Policy Planning Staff at the State Department from 1998 to 2001. He also served as special assistant to the president and senior director for democracy at the National Security Council from 1994 to 1996.

Outside government, Halperin held leadership positions at the Center for American Progress, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, the Brookings Institution, and the Council on Foreign Relations. He authored several books and articles including Bureaucratic Politics and Foreign Policy, The Democracy Advantage and Protecting Democracy. He received a B.A. from Columbia University and a M.A. and Ph.D. from Yale University.

Lorne Craner has served as president of the International Republican Institute (IRI) since August 2004, leading and strengthening the organization’s programs in countries such as Afghanistan, China, Colombia, Pakistan, Indonesia, and Iraq. Under his leadership, IRI expanded its work in women’s participation, program evaluation and democracy promotion. Previously, Craner was assistant secretary for democracy, human rights and labor under Secretary of State Colin Powell. Among other accomplishments, he helped design MCC’s good governance criteria.

From 1992 to 1993, Craner was director of Asian affairs at the National Security Council under Brent Scowcroft. Prior to that, he served as deputy assistant secretary of state for legislative affairs. He also served as Sen. John McCain’s foreign policy advisor from 1986 to 1989. Craner began his career as the foreign policy advisor to former Rep. Jim Kolbe. A member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Craner received a B.A. from Reed College and a M.A. from Georgetown University.

The Secretary of State, the Secretary of the Treasury, the U.S. Trade Representative, the USAID administrator, the MCC CEO, and four nongovernmental representatives comprise MCC’s Board of Directors. These private sector Board members are nominated by the President based on recommendations received from the minority and majority leaders of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The Senate then confirms the nominated Board members.

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The Millennium Challenge Corporation is an innovative and independent U.S. Government foreign aid agency that is helping lead the fight against global poverty through the promotion of sustainable economic growth.  MCC is based on the principle that aid is most effective when it reinforces good governance, economic freedom and investments in people. To learn more about MCC please visit www.mcc.gov.

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one million health workers for Africa

If you didn't hear, the exciting news late last week in Davos, President Kagame, Jeff Sachs and Joe Jimenez, CEO of Novartis, announced the new effort to train and deploy one million community healthworkers across Africa by 2015. It's an ambitious timeline but really the only way we're going to effectively and sustainably meet the world's health goals (especially curbing maternal and U5 mortality).

The campaign is very much a for-Africa, by-Africa initiative and two days ago received the full support of the AU in Addis on Sunday. AU chair Haliemiriam, outgoing chair Yayi Boni and Paul Kagame will steer the AU's work on the campaign and the initiative will engage multilateral donors to support national healthworker deployments.

You can read more about the Davos announcement here:

http://1millionhealthworkers.org/2013/01/24/new-campaign-to-train-one-million-community-health-workers-for-sub-saharan-africa/

and the AU support here:

http://1millionhealthworkers.org/2013/01/28/the-african-union-endorses-new-community-health-worker-campaign-and-2013-roll-out/

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MINISTERS CONVENE IN MALABO TO DISCUSS PUBLIC HEALTH ISSUES Delegates meet for Fourth Ordinary Session of the Council of Ministers of Health

MALABO, Equatorial Guinea - Health ministers from ten African countries met Thursday, January 24, 2013 in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea to discuss a number of public health issues within the region. 

Members of the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) prepared the agenda during the 4th Ordinary Session of the Ministers of Health Council , which began January 21, 2013. Overall, the meeting was held to enhance regional integration among the member countries and promote public health development throughout Central Africa. 

Specifically, the meeting addressed issues such as diseases, vaccinations and prevention campaigns against AIDS and malaria. “These are the challenges and priorities of the subregion,” said Tomás Mecheba, Equatorial Guinea’s Minister of Health and Social Welfare while addressing the council. “We should start a common approach to the AIDS problem, while remembering to take into account the problems of malaria, which is a source of concern for our countries.” 

Following Mecheba, Equatorial Guinea’s Vice President of the Republic, Head of Presidential Affairs, Ignacio Milam Tang, spoke on behalf of President Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, stating that the government hoped for strong collaboration on public health strategies. In addition, he mentioned the government’s recent investment in major health projects in Equatorial Guinea. 

Earlier this year, the government provided technical assistance to the local United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and began improved local training courses for future health care professionals. Equatorial Guinea’s effort to improve the public health sector was officially recognized by the World Health Organization (WHO) in its 2012 report, which showed that Equatorial Guinea was leading Africa in per capita investments in health care. 

About Equatorial Guinea The Republic of Equatorial Guinea (República de Guinea Ecuatorial ) is the only Spanish-speaking country in Africa, and one of the smallest nations on the continent. In the late-1990s, American companies helped discover the country’s oil and natural gas resources, which only within the last five years began contributing to the global energy supply. Equatorial Guinea is now working to serve as a pillar of stability and security in its region of West Central Africa. The country hosted the 2011 Summit of the African Union. For more information, visit http://www.guineaecuatorialpress.com . 

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best press release ever

New Study Reveals Sex to be Pleasurable With or Without Use of a Condom or Lubricant

A new study published in The Journal of Sexual Medicine reveals that within a nationally representative study of American men and women, sex was rated as highly arousing and pleasurable whether or not condoms and/or lubricants were used. Condoms and lubricants are commonly used by both women and men when they have sex.

Led by Debby Herbenick, PhD, MPH and Michael Reece, PhD, MPH, of the School of Public Health-Bloomington, Indiana University, researchers reviewed a nationally representative study of men and women in the United States ages 18-59 to assess characteristics of condom and lubricant use during participants' most recent sexual event, and the relationship of their condom and lubricant use to their ratings of sexual quality.

Data were from the 2009 National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior, which involved the administration of an online questionnaire to a nationally representative probability sample of the U.S. adults. Results showed that men and women consistently rate sex as highly arousing and pleasurable with few differences based on condom or lubricant use. More than twice as many women were unsure whether the condom was lubricated (26.6% vs. 11.4%) or from what material it was made (23.6% vs. 8.9%).

“This may be because men are more likely than women to purchase condoms and to apply condoms,” said Dr. Herbenick. “However, it's important for more women to become familiar with the condoms they use with their partner so that they can make choices that enhance the safety and pleasure of their sexual experiences.”

Additionally, no significant differences were found in regard to men's ratings of the ease of their erections based on condom and lubricant use.

"The U.S. continues to grapple with high rates of sexually transmitted infections, HIV, and unintended pregnancies," Dr. Herbenick notes. "We need to understand how people make choices about the products they use (or avoid using) and how these products contribute to the safety and pleasurable aspects of their sexual experiences. This is particularly important as the products themselves evolve and become more mainstream in American society. We also need to understand what men and women know, or don't know, about the products they use so that we can better target public health education messages to individuals and groups."

“The epidemiologic studies assessing human sexual function and behavior in the US that were started 60 years ago by Kinsey are continued now by Herbenik and Reese. Gathering sexual data regarding condom use is highly relevant,” explained Irwin Goldstein, MD, editor-in-chief of The Journal of Sexual Medicine. “Understanding current condom use offers health care providers an opportunity to educate those people uncomfortable with condoms but for whom lack of use may lead to significant sexually transmitted infection health risk.”


Full citation: Herbenick et al. “Characteristics of Condom and Lubricant Use among a Nationally Representative Probability Sample of Adults Ages 18-59 In the United States” The Journal of Sexual Medicine 2013. DOI: 10.1111/jsm.12021
URL Upon publication: http://doi.wiley.com/10.1111/jsm.12021
About the Author: Dr. Herbenick is affiliated with the School of Public Health-Bloomington, Indiana University.


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The launch of the Global Appeal 2013 to End Stigma and Discrimination Against People Affected by Leprosy

MEDIA ALERT Leprosy and Human Rights The launch of the Global Appeal 2013 to End Stigma and Discrimination Against People Affected by Leprosy In conjunction with the 60th anniversary of World Leprosy Day (January 27), The Nippon Foundation and the International Bar Association (IBA) have joined forces to combat the stigma and discrimination against leprosy-affected people which are still prevalent in the world and sustained in some countries by out-of-date and discriminatory legislation. Date: Thursday 24 January Time: 11.45am for 12.15pm (followed by buffet lunch) Place: Law Society, 113 Chancery Lane, London WC2A 1PL Details: The seventh annual Global Appeal will be launched by Mr Yohei Sasakawa, WHO Goodwill Ambassador for the Elimination of Leprosy and Chairman of The Nippon Foundation. Mr Sasakawa will be joined by Mr Vagavathali Narsappa and Mr Guntreddy Venugopal, the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the National Forum of People Affected by Leprosy in India. Today, although leprosy is entirely curable, millions of people around the world are subjected to discrimination and social exclusion because they, or members of their families, have had the disease. This blatant and wholly unnecessary discrimination is a denial of basic human rights. Endorsing the Appeal is the IBA, the world’s leading organisation of international legal practitioners, bar associations and law societies. As the global voice of the legal world the IBA will work to encourage the removal of discriminatory laws which remain on the statute books of several countries. The keynote speech will be given by Baroness Kennedy QC, Co-Chair of the IBA’S Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI), and the launch will be chaired by BBC Education Correspondent, Reeta Chakrabarti. Spokespeople will also be available for interview. ********* This press release is reprinted by Alanna Shaikh out of an obscure sense of guilt. It does not represent the opinions of Alanna Shaikh or any of her employers.

Global Health & Innovation Conference at Yale

Dear Alanna Shaikh, You and your colleagues may be interested in attending or presenting at the Global Health & Innovation Conference at Yale. If you are interested in presenting, we are currently accepting social enterprise pitch abstracts for presentation at the conference. We would also appreciate it if you could please forward this announcement to others who may be interested in attending or presenting. The registration rate increases after January 31. Global Health & Innovation Conference 2013 Presented by Unite For Sight, 10th Annual Conference Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA Saturday, April 13 - Sunday, April 14, 2013 http://www.uniteforsight.org/conference "A Meeting of Minds"--CNN The Global Health & Innovation Conference is the world's largest global health conference and social entrepreneurship conference. This must-attend, thought-leading conference annually convenes more than 2,200 leaders, changemakers, students, and professionals from all fields of global health, international development, and social entrepreneurship. Register during January to secure the lowest registration rate. Interested in presenting at the conference? Submit a social enterprise pitch abstract for consideration. The conference's confirmed speakers to date include: Keynote Addresses Jeffrey Sachs, PhD, Director of Earth Institute, Columbia University; Quetelet Professor of Sustainable Development, Professor of Health Policy and Management, Columbia University; Special Advisor to Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon Sonia Ehrlich Sachs, MD, MPH, Director of Health, Millennium Village Project, Earth Institute, Columbia University "The Origins of Health: Our Behavior and Our Environment," Al Sommer, MD, MHS, Dean Emeritus, Bloomberg School of Public Health, and University Distinguished Service Professor More speakers to be announced Design Thinking Speakers "Strategic Innovation in Complex Challenges," Banny Banerjee, Director, Stanford ChangeLabs; Associate Professor, Design Group, Mechanical Engineering Department, Stanford University "The Next Step for Design: Social Entrepreneurship," Jon Kolko, Vice President of Design, MyEdu; Executive Director, Austin Center for Design "Weapons of Mass Design: Taking Products to Scale," Robert HJ Miros, CEO, 3rd Stone Design Inc. Education Initiatives in Global Health Speakers "The 'New' World Health: Building a Field Across Disciplines and Sectors," Sue Goldie, Director, Harvard Global Health Institute "Impacts of Internet-Based Sexual Health Education in Colombia," Marco Gonzalez-Navarro, Assistant Professor, University of Toronto "Global Mental Health and the Role of Academic Partnership," David Henderson, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School; Associate Psychiatrist, Massachusetts General Hospital; Medical Director, Harvard Program in Refugee Trauma "Global Health, Education, and Development: Exploring the Critical Linkages," Brian Heuser, Assistant Professor of the Practice of International Education Policy, Peabody College, Vanderbilt University; Affiliated Faculty, Vanderbilt Institute of Global Health (VIGH) "Connect. Heal. Empower: The Findings of a Proven School-Based Community Model for Public Health in Haiti," Jessica Jean François, Country Director, Hope for Haiti "International Medical Electives: The Critical Importance of Listening to Your Host," Christian Kraeker, MD, FRCPC DTM&H MSc, Department of Internal Medicine, McMaster University "Initiating, Fostering, and Sustaining Biomedical Engineering Education in Africa," Muhammad Zaman, PhD, Associate Professor, Departments of Biomedical Engineering and Medicine, Boston University Environment, Energy, and Agriculture Speakers "Health in Harmony: Saving Forests, Saving Lives. A Five Year Assessment of Project ASRI’s Human and Environmental Health Work in Borneo, Indonesia," Christina Fitch, Secretary, Board of Directors, Health in Harmony "The Relationships Between Human Health and Environmental Conservation: Case Studies from Madagascar," Christopher Golden, PhD, MPH, Ziff Environmental Fellow, Harvard University Center for the Environment "Asset-Based Financing for Smallholder Farmers," Barrett Prinz, Director, Global Human Resources and Legal, One Acre Fund "Sustainable Innovation through Green Chemistry and Engineering," Julie Beth Zimmerman, PhD, Associate Professor of Green Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies; Acting Director, Center for Green Chemistry and Green Engineering, Yale University Film, Photography, Art & Global Health Speakers "NightWatch: How a Celebrity Campaign is Helping to Knock Out Malaria in Cameroon," Hannah Bowen, Research Manager, Malaria No More "Using Visual Methods to Investigate Urban Health Disparities," Carolyn Cannuscio, ScD, Core Investigator, VA Center for Health Equity Research and Promotion, Philadelphia VA Medical Center; Assistant Professor, Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine "Patient Empowerment: How the Visually Impaired Can Become Better Advocates for Themselves...And for Their Service Providers," Joseph Lovett, Producer/Director, Going Blind "Designing Social Change Programs: Lessons from the Field," Bob McKinnon, President GALEWiLL Design; Director, the GALEWiLL Center for Opportunity & Progress Healthcare Delivery Models and Impact Measurement "Improving the Performance of Nurses in Egypt: Leadership and Management Capacity Building Improves Health Services and Outcomes," Abdo Hassan Al Swasy, Consultant for Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aswan, Egypt; Management Sciences for Health "Tackling U.S. Health Disparities through Reverse Innovation: Community Health Workers Increase Value-Based Care," Heidi Behforouz, Medical and Executive Director, Prevention and Access to Care and Treatment (PACT) Project "Achieving Patient Safety on a Global Scale: The Solutions for Patient Safety Case Study," Shelley Bird, Executive Vice President, Public Affairs, Cardinal Health "The Cuban Health System Today," Peter Bourne, Senior Research Fellow, Green Templeton College, University of Oxford; Chair, Medical Education Cooperation with Cuba (MEDICC) "Middle East 'Doctors With Borders' Ophthalmology Opportunities," Michael Brennan, Past President, American Academy of Ophthalmology; Ophthalmologist, Alamance Eye Center James Clarke, MD, Ophthalmologist and Medical Director, Crystal Eye Clinic, Ghana; Unite For Sight Ghana Medical Director "Disruptive Innovation in Healthcare/Wellness for the Base of the Pyramid," Al Hammond, Co-Founder and Chairman of Healthpoint Services; Director of Health for All, Ashoka "Partners In Health at 25: A Generation of Solidarity and Partnership," Ali Lutz, Haiti Special Projects Manager, Partners In Health "5 Ways to Empower Health Entrepreneurs: With Mobile, Micro-Finance, Merchandise and More," Chuck Slaughter, President and Founder, Living Goods Health Policy & Advocacy "Trading in Global Health: The Politics of Innovation," Tahir Amin, Co-Founder and Director of Intellectual Property, I-MAK "Is There the Courage to Change the Nation’s Diet?" Kelly Brownell, Professor of Psychology, Epidemiology and Public Health; Director, Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, Yale University "Bipartisan Advocacy for Global Health in Difficult Economic Times," Deborah Derrick, President, Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria "Shifting Paradigm: How the BRICS are Reshaping Global Health and Development," David Gold, Principal, Global Health Strategies "Advancing Global Health and Human Rights in the Post-2015 Development Agenda," Benjamin Mason Meier, JD, LLM, PhD, Assistant Professor of Global Health Policy, Department of Public Policy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill "The Art of the Patient Narrative: Using Narrative to Enhance Diagnosis and Transform International Policy," Leana Wen, MD, MSc, Emergency Physician, Brigham and Women’s and Massachusetts General Hospitals; Clinical Fellow, Harvard Medical School Maternal and Child Health Speakers "Improving Maternal and Child Health: A Look at Community Level Interventions that Save Lives," Koki Agarwal, Director MCHIP, JHPIEGO "State of the World's Children: A Tragedy in the Making," Jane Aronson, MD, CEO, Founder, Worldwide Orphans Foundation; Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Cornell Weill Medical College and Columbia University "Helping Babies Breathe: Neonatal Care for Resource-Limited Settings," Sara Berkelhamer, Department of Pediatrics, Northwestern University "The Role of Nutritious Products to Combat Stunting as One of the Key Long-Term Strategies," Martin Bloem, Global Coordinator, WFP UNAIDS "Reducing Pre-Eclampsia Morbidity and Mortality in Low-Resource Settings Through the Urine Congo Red Dot (CRD) Test,"Irina Buhimschi, MD, Associate Professor, Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Science "Children as Key Participants in Health Promotion," Mary Carlson, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School "Collective Efficacy as a Protective Factor in Child Health Promotion," Felton James Earls, Research Professor of Human Development, Harvard School of Public Health "Intimate Partner Violence Against Women: The Forgotten Aspect of Gender-Based Violence in Conflict Affected Settings," Jhumka Gupta, ScD, Assistant Professor, Global Health Epidemiology, Yale School of Public Health "The Global Toll of Preterm Birth: Strengthening Prevention and Care of Prematurity in Low- and Middle-Income Countries," Christopher Howson, PhD, March of Dimes Foundation "The Global Landscape of Cross-border Reproductive Care: Twenty Key Findings for the New Millennium," Marcia Inhorn, MPH, PhD, William K. Lanman Jr. Professor of Anthropology and International Affairs; Editor, Journal of Middle East Women's Studies, Council on Middle East Studies, Yale University "Clinical and Community Action to Address Postpartum Hemorrhage Plus," Ellen Israel, Senior Technical Advisor for Women’s Health and Rights, Pathfinder International "Factors Influencing Neonatal Mortality in Rural Ghana," Colleen Kraft, MD, FAAP Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Research Institute; Pediatric Program Director, Carilion Clinic-Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine "Safe Babies: Building Agency in a Rural Kenyan Community," James Nardella, Executive Director, Lwala Community Alliance "Reversing the Trend of Separating Infants and Mothers After Delivery at a USA Academic Center and the Impact on Breastfeeding Rates," Maureen Padilla, Administrative Director of Nursing, Women's and Infant's Service Line, Ben Taub General Hospital "Friends of Low-Cost IVF: Empowering Infertile Women Globally," Pasquale Patrizio, Professor of Obestrics and Gynecology, Yale School of Medicine; Director, Yale Fertility Center "Strengthening Maternal Child Health in Tajikistan by Linking Community and Facility-Based Interventions through Community-Managed Transport Systems," Ramesh Singh, Health Program Manager, Mercy Corps "Eliminating Pediatric AIDS, One Mother at a Time," Robin Smalley, Co-Founder/International Director, mothers2mothers International Non-Communicable Diseases Speakers "Challenges and Strategies for Assessing Mental Health in Cross-Cultural Contexts," Judith Bass, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Applied Mental Health Research Group, Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health "Let's Close the Billion-Person Treatment Gap for Common Mental Disorders: Rethinking Delivery, Knowledge, and Mental Capital," Gary Belkin, MD, PhD, MPH, Associate Professor and Director, Program in Global Mental Health, New York University School of Medicine; Senior Director for Psychiatric Services, New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation "Association of Sexual Violence, Human Rights Violations, and Mental Health Outcomes in Liberia, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo," Kirsten Johnson, MD, MPH, Director, Humanitarian Studies Initiative, McGill University; Affiliated Faculty, Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Harvard University "Closing the Cancer Divide: Opportunities for Health System Strengthening," Felicia Knaul, Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School; Director, Harvard Global Equity Initiative "A Novel Simplified Echocardiographic Strategy for Heart Failure Diagnosis and Management at District Hospital Level for Sub-Saharan Africa," Gene Kwan, MD, Research Fellow, Division of Global Health Equity; Instructor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School "Innovative Partnership for Vision Research Integration: Leveraging Existing Health and Development Platforms for the Eye Diseases," Gyan “John” Prakash, PhD, MBA, Associate Director, International Programs, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health Sarwat Salim, Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Director of Glaucoma Service, University of Tennessee "Ensuring Right to Sight by Eliminating Needless Blindness through Public Private Community Participation Model," Sarang Samal, Founder, Kalinga Eye Hospital, NYSASDRI, India; Unite For Sight Partner "What is Health and Why Do We Need to Know? A New Understanding to Improve Health Through the Meikirch Model,"Sarang Samal, Founder, Kalinga Eye Hospital, NYSASDRI, India; Unite For Sight Partner "Tropical Dermatology: Role in Global Health," Aisha Sethi, Assistant Professor, Dermatology and Infectious Diseases, Associate Residency Program Director, Section of Dermatology, University of Chicago Organization Management Speakers "Innovation in Health Systems," Rifat Atun, Professor of International Health Management, Imperial College London Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation Speakers "Measuring Performance and Outcomes of Health Programs in Low and Middle Income Countries: A Health Systems Perspective," Juan-Carlos Alegre, Director, Monitoring and Evaluation, Management Sciences for Health "Showing Up is the First Step: Improving Healthcare Provider Attendance," Angela Ambroz, Research Manager, Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) "Controlled Trials as Program Evaluation: Not Just for Researchers Anymore," Paul Bolton, Associate Scientist, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health "Assessing the Economic Impact of Psychological Distress on Employment and National Income in Ghana," Maureen Canavan, PhD, Associate Research Scientist in Public Health, Yale University School of Public Health "Implementation and Assessment of a Perinatal Health Education Program in Rural Nepal," Sienna Craig, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology, Dartmouth College "Low Grade Inflammation and Glaucoma," James Tsai, MD, Robert R. Young Professor and Chairman, Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Yale University School of Medicine; Chief of Ophthalmology, Yale-New Haven Hospital "But How Generalizable is That? A Framework for Examining the External Validity of Development Interventions," Michael Woolcock, Lead Social Development Specialist, Development Research Group, The World Bank Philanthropy and Investment Speakers "Gender Lens Investing in Healthcare," Natalia Oberti Noguera, Founder and CEO, Pipeline Fellowship "Piloting the 'Health Impact Fund' Idea," Thomas Pogge, Leitner Professor of Philosophy and International Affairs, Yale University Social Enterprise Speakers "Transparency as a Brand Culture," Kyle Berner, Creator, Feelgoodz LLC "Lessons Learned From Doing Social Enterprise Start Ups," Jeffrey Church, Founder, Nika Water "Creative Failure: How Culture, Economics, and Projection Can Screw Up a Great Program, and What to Learn from That," Dean Cycon, Founder and CEO, Dean's Beans Organic Coffee Co. "Money in the Jungle: Investments and Earned Income Opportunities in the Amazon," Tyler Gage, Co-Founder and President, Runa "The Fig Food Movement: From Tikkun Olam to the Whole Foods Shelf," Joel Henry, President and Founder, Fig Food Company, LLC "Separating Consumer Products From Profit: Using a Non-Profit Model in a For-Profit Industry," Krista Lampe Licata, CORE Foods Chief of Operations and Co-Founder "Women Rice Farmers Feed Billions: Innovations that Transform Lives," Ken Lee, Co-founder and Co-owner, Lotus Foods "Building from the Inside Out: Co-opertives as an Egalitarian, Democratic, Grassroots, Free-Market Development Strategy," Rodney North, The Answer Man - Information for the Public and Media, Equal Exchange Coop "Lessons Learned from 28 Days in Captivity," Alastair Onglingswan, CEO, Green Souls Shoes Frederick Schilling, Co-Creator, Big Tree Farms "Improving Our Economy and Our Health with Real Food," Noha Waibsnaider, Founder and CEO, Peeled Snacks "From the Congo to the Center of the Universe: How Chocolate Can Help Save the World," Joe Whinney, Founder and CEO, Theo Chocolate, Inc. Social Entrepreneurship Speakers "The Coming Prosperity: How Entrepreneurs are Transforming the Global Economy," Philip Auerswald, Associate Professor, School of Public Policy, George Mason University "From Start-Up to Scale-Up: The Path to Becoming Industry Leaders in Reducing Indoor Air Pollution," Ron Bills, Chairman and CEO, Envirofit International "Can Good Products Drive Out Bad? Experimental Evidence from Local Markets for Antimalarial Medicine in Uganda," David Yanagizawa-Drott, Assistant Professor of Public Policy, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University "Post Conflict Nations: Building Modern Institutions on Traditional Values - The Case Study of Rwanda," Michael Fairbanks, Fellow, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Harvard University " The Low Take-up of Welfare Improving Products Among Poor Consumers: Lessons from Randomized Controlled Trials in Bangladesh, India and Malawi," A. Mushfiq Morabak, Associate Professor of Economics, Yale University School of Management "Design and Policy for Humanitarian Impact," Tim Zak, Associate Teaching Professor; Director, Institute for Social Innovation, H. John Heinz III College, Carnegie Mellon University Social Media & Marketing Speakers "A Global Study of Marketing and Preschool Children: Young Children’s Awareness of Fast Food, Beverages, Chips & Candy, Alcohol, and Tobacco," Dina Borzekowski, EdD, Associate Professor, Department of Health, Behavior and Society, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health "The Medium, the Message, and the Muppets: How Sesame Workshop Delivers Locally-Specific Health Education Across the Globe," Charlotte Cole, Senior Vice President, Global Education, Sesame Workshop "Integrated Impact: Aligning Internal Resources and Engaging External Stakeholders to Make a Difference," Scott Henderson, Managing Director, CauseShift "Marketing Strategies for Non-Profit and For-Benefit Organizations," Naomi Hirabayashi, Director of Marketing, Do Something "The Animated Activist," Firdaus Kharas, Chairman, Chocolate Moose Media and Culture Shift "The Power of Dynamic Digital Storytelling," Linda Reinstein, President/CEO and Co-Founder, Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) Surgery & Global Health Speakers "Three Years of Championing the Fight Against Needless Cataract Blindness in Ghana: Experiences and Challenges at Save The Nation's Sight Clinic," Thomas Baah, MD, Ophthalmologist and Director, Save The Nation's Sight Clinic, Ghana "Evolution of Conceptual Approaches for NGO Intervention," Scott Corlew, ReSurge "Glaucoma Care in West Africa: Challenges and Opportunities," Leon Herndon, Associate Professor of Ophthalmology Duke Glaucoma Service "Implementation of Surgical Services in Low and Middle Income Countries," Selwyn Rogers, Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School Technology in Global Health Speakers "Comparative Effectiveness Evaluations of Health Care Technology in Low to Middle Income Countries," Rajesh Balkrishnan, PhD, Associate Director for Research and Education, University of Michigan Center for Global Health "Health Information Systems: Design Thinking in the Context of Quality Improvement," Leo Anthony Celi, MD, MS, MPH, Executive Director, Sana, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, MIT; Research Director, Laboratory of Computational Physiology, MIT; Staff Intensivist, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center "Breakthrough: Driving Better Access, Quality, and Efficiency through Collaboration, Technology, and Innovation," Paul Ellingstad, Parter and Program Development Director, Sustainability and Social Innovation, Hewlett-Packard "HIV Infant Tracking System (HITSystem) in Kenya," Brad Gautney, PNP, MPH, Founder and President, Global Health Innovations Jose Gomez-Marquez, Little Devices @MIT and co-founder LDTC+Labs LLC "'Planting' Solutions: Puzzling Problems," Martin Gordon, MD, FAAAS, Emeritus Chairman and Lifetime Trustee, Cushing/Whitney Medical Library Board; Prior Clinical Professor of Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine "Remote Biosensing in Resource-Limited Settings," Jessica Haberer, MD, MS, Research Scientist, Harvard Institute for Global Health; Assistant in Health Decision Sciences, Massachusetts General Hospital; Instructor, Harvard Medical School "Using mHealth, eHealth and iHealth in PMTCT and OVC Programs," Bobby Jefferson, Senior Informatics Advisor, Futures Group "Bridging the Communication Gap with Speaking Books," Brian Julius, Owner, Books of Hope "Technology For Better Healthcare: Using Technology to Leapfrog Traditional Models of Healthcare Delivery in the Developing World," Shainoor Khoja, Managing Director, Roshan "Use Scenarios and Target Product Profiles for Malaria Elimination Diagnostic Technologies," Paul LaBarre, Senior Technical Officer/Portfolio Leader, PATH "Mobile Technologies to Improve Rural Referral Systems for Obstetric and Newborn Care," Alain Labrique, Assistant Professor, Program in Global Disease Epidemiology and Control, Department of International Health and Department of Epidemiology, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University; Director, JHU Global mHealth Initiative Paul Meyer, Chairman and President, Voxiva, Inc. "The Social Nature of Digital Disease Detection," Robert Munro, CEO, Ibidon; Graduate Fellow, Stanford University "Can mHealth Bridge the Gap Between the Haves and Have Nots?" John Piette, Associate Director for Global Health Communications, Center for Global Health, University of Michigan "Mobile Phone Technology in the Developing World: Driving Supply Chain Transparency and Worker Empowerment," Todd Stark, President, Good World Solutions Water and Sanitation Speakers "A Candid Look at Monitoring, Evaluation and Resolution in WASH in Schools: New Data from the Field," Leslie Deroo, WASH in Schools Fellow, WASH Advocates "Increasing Cost Effectiveness in Rural Service Delivery: The Case of Dispensers for Safe Water," Katherine Hoffmann, Dispensers for Safe Water, Innovations for Poverty Action "Empowering Youth: Why WASH in Schools Matters," Elynn Walter, WASH in Schools Director, WASH Advocates "Advice From The Experts" Panels "Careers in Social Entrepreneurship: Advice From The Experts" "Careers in Global Health: Advice From The Experts" More panels to be announced Interactive Workshops "Camp for Orphans: Building Independence and Leadership Skills in At-Risk Youth,"Jane Aronson, MD, CEO, Founder, Worldwide Orphans Foundation; Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Cornell Weill Medical College and Columbia University and Alyson Fox, Senior Program Manager, Global Partnership Program, SeriousFun Children's Network "Scaling Your Social Venture: Becoming an Impact Entrepreneur," Paul Bloom, Ph.D., Faculty Director, Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship (CASE), Fuqua School of Business, Duke University "The Practicalities of Where, When, and How to Implement Controlled Trials as Program Evaluation,"Paul Bolton, Associate Scientist, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and Judith Bass, PhD, MPH, Assistant Professor, Applied Mental Health Research Group, Department of Mental Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health "The Coming Wave of Social Entrepreneurship," Jeffrey Church, Founder, Nika Water "What You Won't Learn in Business School: How to Structure a Social Enterprise for Real and Lasting Change," Dean Cycon, Founder and CEO, Dean's Beans Organic Coffee Co. "China Has an Africa Strategy; Does Africa Have a China Strategy?"Michael Fairbanks, Fellow, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, Harvard University "(Some!) Essentials of Global Health: Working from a Common Foundation," Richard Skolnik, Lecturer, Department of Health Policy and Management, Yale School of Public Health; Author, "Essentials of Global Health/Global Health 101" ********* This press release is reprinted by Alanna Shaikh out of an obscure sense of guilt. It does not represent the opinions of Alanna Shaikh or any of her employers.

New report shows major increase in pharmaceutical research and development (R&D) for neglected diseases

New report shows major increase in pharmaceutical research and development (R&D) for neglected diseases Review shows 40 percent increase in R&D programs led by industry to find new or improved vaccines and treatments for ailments affecting more than one billion people R&D, health system capacity-strengthening efforts, and medicine donations comprise industry's holistic approach to addressing neglected diseases Increased donations speed WHO’s ability to deliver medicines to people in need.

Geneva, 16 January 2013 – Today the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA) released its 2012 status report on pharmaceutical R&D to address neglected diseases that disproportionately affect people in low- and middle-income countries. Representing a 40 percent increase over 2011, the 132 R&D projects in the 2012 update focus on the following diseases prioritized by the World Health Organization's Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR): tuberculosis, malaria, human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), leishmaniasis, dengue, onchocerciasis (River blindness), American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease), schistosomiasis, leprosy and lymphatic filariasis.

The only major sector increasing R&D funding for neglected diseases in 20111, the research-based pharmaceutical industry has a long-standing and continuing commitment to fighting these conditions. Industry’s holistic approach includes R&D projects, capacity-strengthening efforts, and medicine donations.
"We take a comprehensive approach to tacking neglected diseases," says Eduardo Pisani, IFPMA Director General, "Donations of 14 billion treatments this decade address patients’ near-term needs while these 132 R&D programs will bring innovative vaccines and treatments to meet future needs and hopefully stop these dreaded diseases."

Collaboration continues to be an integral aspect of the industry’s approach to these diseases. Of the 132 R&D projects listed in this status report, 112 (85%) are product development partnerships (PDPs) while the remaining 20 (15%) projects are company-only undertakings.

As part of the 2012 London Declaration 2 on Neglected Diseases, the research-based pharmaceutical industry pledged continued R&D and donations of 14 billion treatments by 2020 to control or eliminate nine neglected diseases.
Release of this annual status report comes as the World Health Organization releases a new report, Sustaining the drive to overcome the global impact of neglected tropical diseases, which cites increased donations as having sped WHO’s ability to deliver medicines to people suffering from neglected diseases.



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This press release is reprinted by Alanna Shaikh out of an obscure sense of guilt. It does not represent the opinions of Alanna Shaikh or any of her employers.

GLOBAL GREEN MINI-CLINIC

After careful study, research, and analysis, Visu-International, a US based company, has developed a pre-fabricated and well-equipped mini-clinic that could be installed anywhere that is accessible by trucks.

The mini-clinic is designed specifically to improve access to medical facilities in the towns and villages of developing countries without the exorbitant cost of putting up and equipping a permanent building.

The World Health Organization estimates that over one million people die from treatable infectious diseases, such as TB, malaria, pneumonia, and diarrheal diseases each year. The Global Green Miniature Clinics (GGMC) will reduce the mortality rates of treatable diseases worldwide.

Aware of the need for access, especially in developing countries, where medical facility are not evenly distributed, the mini-clinic is designed to ameliorate access to primary medical care in most of these areas.

The advantages of the mini-clinic are numerous:
1. Sturdy construction - easily available
2. Can be placed in any geographic location
3. Turnkey operation
4. Well equipped with modern medical equipment
5. Easily maintained
6. Tele-medicine capability
7. Constant power source - solar panel
8. Cost effective
9. Adaptability

It would be noted that different kinds of staffing patterns could be envisaged depending upon the need and environment: it could be physicians, midwives, nurse practitioners, clinical nurses, public health nurses.

Also the inner environment can be altered to suit a clinic, admitting ward, emergency room, operation room, imaging room etc.

If you or anyone you know is interested in purchasing a Global Green Medical Facility, please contact Jessica Ansong. Her information is listed below:

Mobile Phone: +17702830670

E-mail: jessica@globalgreenminiclinic.com

Skype: jessicaansong

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This press release is reprinted by Alanna Shaikh out of an obscure sense of guilt. It does not represent the opinions of Alanna Shaikh or any of her employers.

MCC CEO Daniel W. Yohannes Leads United States Delegation to Ghana Presidential Inauguration

Washington – Millennium Challenge Corporation CEO Daniel W. Yohannes led the U.S. presidential delegation to Accra, Ghana, to attend the inauguration of President John Dramani Mahama on January 7.

Yohannes and the delegation met with President Mahama on January 6 to congratulate him on behalf of President Obama and the American people. They discussed Ghana’s robust economic performance and its key role in promoting stability across Africa. President Mahama expressed his gratitude for the strong U.S.-Ghana relationship and his hope that a second MCC compact with Ghana could be finalized quickly.

Other members of the delegation included:

U.S. Ambassador to Ghana Gene Cretz Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs and former Ambassador to Ghana Donald Teitelbaum.

“Today is a day of celebration in Ghana,” Yohannes said. “The recent free, fair and transparent presidential and parliamentary elections are additional reminders of why Ghana is recognized as a leader of democratic governance in Africa. The United States looks forward to our continued work with President Mahama and his administration to advance our mutual interests.”

Ghana successfully completed a five-year compact with MCC in February 2012. The $547 million compact is helping reduce poverty through strategic investments in Ghana’s infrastructure and agricultural sectors. The MCC partnership with Ghana is expected to provide economic opportunities for more than 1.2 million Ghanaians.

Ghana, one of four countries selected to participate in the U.S. Government’s Partnership for Growth, is currently in the process of developing a second MCC compact that will focus on the power sector.

Yohannes also met with delegations from countries currently implementing (Burkina Faso and Senegal) and developing (Benin, Liberia, Niger, and Sierra Leone) MCC compacts.

For more information about MCC and its programs around the world, go to www.mcc.gov

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This press release is reprinted by Alanna Shaikh out of an obscure sense of guilt. It does not represent the opinions of Alanna Shaikh or any of her employers.

PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative and Inovio Pharmaceuticals Partner to Accelerate Development of Malaria Vaccines and Innovative Delivery Technologies

WASHINGTON, DC and Blue Bell, PA (January 7, 2013)—The PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative (MVI) and Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NYSE MKT: INO) today announced a follow-on collaboration to advance malaria vaccine development and new vaccination delivery technologies. Researchers will test whether a novel vaccine approach that combines genetically engineered DNA with an innovative vaccine delivery technology called electroporation could induce an immune response in humans that protects against malaria parasite infection. Malaria is a deadly disease that still kills more than 500,000 children under age 5 every year. MVI accelerates the development of malaria vaccines by joining its scientific, managerial, and field expertise with companies, universities, and governments to develop malaria vaccines and continue to test and invest in those with the most promise. This follow-on agreement for clinical development builds on a 2010 research and development collaboration between Inovio and MVI. Inovio researchers and their academic collaborators developed novel DNA plasmids targeting multiple malaria parasite antigens and conducted studies in rodents to demonstrate induction of broad immune responses. The success of these studies resulted in an expanded collaboration, in which further testing demonstrated potent T cell and antibody responses in other animal models. This DNA-based vaccine approach involves delivery of plasmid DNA by electroporation. Electroporation deploys controlled electrical impulses to create temporary pores in a cell membrane, allowing uptake of the synthetic DNA. The cell then uses the DNA’s instructions to produce proteins that mimic the presence of the malaria pathogen, with the aim of inducing an immune response that provides protection against malaria. “We are excited to bring this innovative delivery technology into clinical testing to see whether the compelling immune responses seen in animal models translate to humans,” said Dr. David C. Kaslow, director of MVI. “Determining if and how these potent immune responses lead to protection against infection with the most deadly form of malaria is a high priority in our efforts to develop a next generation malaria vaccine.” The clinical study will contain two study arms. The first study arm will include three antigens, two pre-erythrocytic (CSP and TRAP) and one blood stage (AMA-1), shown previously to protect against Plasmodium falciparum , the most deadly malaria strain. The second study arm will include two additional pre-erythrocytic-stage antigens (LSA-1 and CelTOS). Dr. J. Joseph Kim, President and CEO of Inovio, said, “We are pleased to work with MVI to advance into a human study with Inovio’s plasmid DNA. Our synthetic vaccine platform has produced vaccine candidates against HPV, HIV, and influenza targets that have generated potent T cell immune responses observed in human clinical studies. Using the same platform technology, we have now generated encouraging data with preclinical testing of our malaria antigen plasmids. We are excited to work with our collaborators at MVI toward the ultimate goal of conquering malaria.” The focus on vaccines that deliver multiple antigens simultaneously is a leading approach to developing highly effective malaria vaccines. The Inovio platform is technically well suited to deliver multiple target antigens and has effectively demonstrated in preclinical studies an ability to induce potent immune responses to these antigens. This is one of a series of platforms MVI plans to evaluate for its capacity to induce immune responses that confer protection from malaria infection in the human challenge model. The Phase 1/2a clinical trial, which will begin in early 2014, will test Inovio’s plasmid DNA and electroporation technology in approximately 30 individuals, as part of what is known as a challenge trial by controlled human malaria infection. Volunteers will be administered the DNA and then exposed to the malaria parasite through the bite of infected mosquitoes to see whether this approach prevents infection. If successful, this trial would provide valuable information that may further the development of a highly efficacious vaccine against malaria. ********* This press release is reprinted by Alanna Shaikh out of an obscure sense of guilt. It does not represent the opinions of Alanna Shaikh or any of her employers.

UNICEF tender to support Middle Income Countries access to affordable new vaccines

COPENHAGEN, 3 January 2013 – To help improve global access to new vaccines that protect children against the leading killers of pneumonia and diarrhoea, UNICEF is inviting manufacturers to participate in a tender that will help establish affordable, sustainable supplies of Pneumococcal conjugate and Rotavirus vaccines for Middle Income Countries from 2013 to 2015. 

The tender also calls for manufacturers’ proposals for the Human Papillomavirus vaccine to protect against the main cause of cervical cancer.

The disparity between the amounts Low Income and Middle Income Countries pay for the same vaccine can be significant.

“The current market prices of new vaccines put these products out of reach for many countries whose economies have transitioned from ‘Low’ to 'Middle’ Income over the last 20 years,” said Shanelle Hall, Director of UNICEF’s Supply Division. “This tender highlights work with the UN World Health Organization, industry, governments and partners to establish affordable, sustainable price levels for countries that are not eligible for international financial support to introduce these new and important life-saving vaccines."

For countries that wish to continue to purchase on their own, UNICEF, through this tender, will improve pricing transparency by publishing reference price levels, product profiles and characteristics. This information will serve as the basis for negotiations between interested governments and manufacturers. The final price would be independently contracted.

“Middle Income Countries have long-established, robust national immunization programmes that have contributed to dramatic reductions in child deaths and disability from diseases such as measles and polio over the past two decades,” said Ms. Hall.

“Making sure that children in Middle Income Countries have access to a new generation of life-saving supplies is critical. This tender builds on industry's commitment to improved access and sustainable pricing consistent with the tenets of tiered pricing. Our goal is to help catalyse a more efficient and healthy market, which combined with increasing country commitment, will serve children in the decades to come,” she added.

The World Bank classifies a Middle Income Country as a country with a per capita Gross National Income between US$1,026 and US$12,475. Today, Middle Income Countries are home to 75 per cent of the world’s poor who live on less than US$2 a day.

Middle Income governments that have so far expressed an indicative interest in the outcome of this tender include: Albania, Botswana, Cape Verde, Egypt, Gabon, Jordan, Lebanon, Moldova, Morocco, Namibia, the State of Palestine,  the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Syria, Tunisia and Turkmenistan.

UNICEF is awaiting manufacturers' responses and expects to begin issuing purchase orders on behalf of subscribing countries as early as June 2013.

The Request for Proposal RFP-DAN-2012-501580 for Pneumococcal, Rotavirus and Human Papillomavirus Vaccines is available here: http://www.unicef.org/supply/index_66941.html. Suppliers, please note that the deadline is 16:00 (Copenhagen time) 31 January 2013.

UNICEF’s strategy for vaccine procurement in Middle Income Countries is presented here:http://www.unicef.org/supply/index_66348.html

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This press release is reprinted by Alanna Shaikh out of an obscure sense of guilt. It does not represent the opinions of Alanna Shaikh or any of her employers.