After decades of effort, Guinea worm is on the verge of joining smallpox as an eradicated disease. We want to draw your attention to a photo gallery put together by the Gates Foundation profiling this battle. These images, three of which are shown above, provide a face to the battle against Guinea worm. You can find these, and the rest, here.

The Other Health Care Debate, Chris Collins, Huffington Post

Donors scaling back and not scaling up funding for GAVI at critical juncture, Karen Grepin’s Global Health Blog

Giving Congress the Good Global Health Stories, Te-Ping Chen, Global Health at Change.org

Vaccine diplomacy is forging tighter bonds between nations by uniting against a common foe: disease. Citing the little known collaboration between American and Russian scientists, including Dr. Albert B. Sabin, during the Cold War that resulted in the creation of the oral polio vaccine, Hotez states that similar scientific collaborations between the United States and Islamic nations—where up to one-half of the world’s neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) occur—could lead to great scientific and societal achievements.

The longer term benefit of this vaccine diplomacy would come from eliminating the burden of disease. Muslim nations worldwide suffer greatly from the burden of NTDs, perpetuating poverty and creating instability, internally and internationally. By helping to enrich and stabilize Muslim nations, vaccine diplomacy could go a long way to helping America improve its international standing.

Access the full Science editorial here or listen to the podcast interview with Dr. Hotez here.

They praised the work of previous administrations in targeting HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis and applauded the new Global Health Initiative (GHI) announced by President Obama last year that would develop greater integration in the delivery of healthcare in developing countries—particularly for women and children.   President Clinton noted that infrastructure development will be a key component in moving the global health agenda forward, along with raising awareness among the American people of the important role global health plays in U.S. foreign policy.  Although, neglected tropical diseases were not mentioned specifically, they are listed as a target in GHI.

Overall, the hearing was positive step in demonstrating that bi-partisanship still does exist in a few spots on Capitol Hill and with the right amount of persuasion and energy global health interventions cannot only transform a community, but save lives.

Watch the hearing here

In tough climate, GSK dedicates plant to fight elephantiasis, Rick Smith, Localtechwire

Heat therapy shown effective in treating cutaneous leishmaniasis among US soldiers in Iraq, PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases

DMO allays fears over DEC tablets, The Hindu

Rabbis Claim Lox No Longer Kosher, Erica Butler, NBC New York

Interventions focused on neglected tropical disease (NTD) control and elimination could offer an opportunity for improving the health and rights of girls and women in the poorest countries of world. In his paper, Empowering Women and Improving Female Reproductive Health through Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases , Dr. Peter Hotez explains the devastating effects that NTDs have on women and girls in developing countries, by impairing reproductive health, increasing the transmission of sexually transmitted infections and promoting stigma and gender inequality.

The suffering that women and girls infected with NTDS is reflected best in the words of WHO Director-General who said “imagine the impact when a young woman with leprosy is told she can be fully cured, can marry, have children, and will not infect others. Just imagine the impact”  

So today, as we recognize the incredible women of the world who, despite all odds, have overcome  many obstacles to make it possible for us to celebrate this day, let us also use it as a call to action. We’re keeping our eyes locked on the future, when NTDs and other diseases that perpetuate gender inequality will be nothing but a thing of the past.

Equal rights, equal opportunities: progress for all, World Health Organization

WHO laments “shameful” lack of respect for women’s right to good health, World Health Organization

Empowering Women and Improving Female Reproductive Health through Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases, Peter Hotez, PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases

Blind to the river and its hazards, Stanley M. Aronson, The Providence Journal

Buruli ulcer: an overlooked tropical disease, Robert Herriman, Examiner.com

When the Obama Administration released its FY 2011 budget, it included $58.5 billion for International Affairs. This includes $8.8 billion allocated for global health issues. However, the United States’  struggling economy, record budget deficit, and huge debts has led to mounting political pressure to cut spending, including, unfortunately, the International Affairs account which supports global health initiatives and  a number of development programs that life people out of poverty and promote stability worldwide

Fortunately, the community is united! We’ve joined with a coalition of other non-profits, NGOs, faith-based organizations, and others to send a letter to members of the US House of Representatives and Senate, emphasizing the importance of the International Affairs budget in U.S. foreign policy. The full text of the letter is below.

If you’re interested in joining the dialogue, call your congressman to tell them you support U.S. foreign assistance.

Dear Member of Congress:

We the undersigned organizations support the president’s request of $58.5b, as the minimum amount needed for the International Affairs account for FY11. This amount is expected to be 1.4% of total outlays of federal spending in FY11.

Our support is based on factors as varied as our specific missions themselves. But we are united around a common belief that the budget for International Affairs is critical to U.S. foreign policy and our shared future with people and nations around the world.

Sincerely,

1. Academy for Educational Development
2. Action Against Hunger
3. African Diaspora for Change
4. Aid to Artisans
5. American Red Cross International Services
6. American Refugee Committee
7. Better World Campaign
8. Bread for the World
9. CARE
10. Church World Service
11. Concern America
12. Congressional Hunger Center
13. Disciples Justice Action Network (Disciples of Christ)
14. Episcopal Relief & Development
15. FACE AIDS
16. Friends Committee on National Legislation
17. Friends of the Global Fight
18. Friends of the World Food Program
19. Global Campaign for Education
20. Global Health Council
21. Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases, Sabin Vaccine Institute
22. Helen Keller International
23. INMED Partnerships for Children
24. InterAction
25. International Association of Black Professionals in International Affairs
26. International Center for Research on Women
27. International Relief and Development
28. Joint Aid Management
29. Lutheran World Relief
30. Malaria No More
31. Management Sciences for Health
32. Mercy Corps
33. Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network
34. Mothers Acting Up
35. National Association for the Advancement of Colored People
36. National Education Association
37. National Association of Evangelicals
38. National Peace Corps Association
39. New Evangelical Partnership for the Common Good
40. NuVsionPAC
41. ONE
42. Outreach Internationa
43. Oxfam America
44. Pact
45. Pathfinder International
46. Physicians for Human Rights
47. Plan USA
48. Plant With Purpose
49. Population Action International
50. PSI (Population Services International)
51. Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Washington Office
52. RESULTS
53. Save the Children
54. Sierra Club
55. Trickle Up
56. United Methodist Church, General Board of Church and Society
57. United Church of Christ, Justice and Witness Ministries
58. US Fund for UNICEF
59. White Ribbon Alliance
60. Women Thrive Worldwide
61. World Vision
62. World Wildlife Fund

$1631.00 LSE/ HPPF

$1191.00 GWU SPHHS (Manuel Claros)

$956.00 GWU School of Medicine

$630.00 University of Minnesota

$467.00 Harvard University (Sarah Sorcher)

Our students are an inspiration to the whole Global Network team. Keep up the great work! We’ll see you at the finish.

Onchocerciasis is transmitted by the bite of the black fly and a small, bite-transmitted worm parasite. This parasite, Onchocerca volvulus, causes skin irritation and can cause loss of sight. The illness is known as river blindness because the black flies breed in fast-moving bodies of water near affected communities. In order to break the disease transmission cycle, implementing organizations utilize the common practice of mass drug administration (MDA). In MDA programs, safe and affordable (often donated) drugs are distributed to entire communities several times a year. For onchocerciasis treatments, the Merck produced drug Mecitzan (ivermectan) is used at no cost. In the last twenty years over eight million doses have been distributed across the region in endemic communities.

OEPA is a regional collaboration that was started in 1993 by The Carter Center to treat the more than 500,000 people at risk for this disease across Latin America. The partnership includes the Pan American Health Organization (World Health Organization), the pharmaceutical company Merck, the Pan American Health and Education Foundation (PAHEF), Lions Clubs International Foundation, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The OEPA program targets the six Latin American countries (Brazil, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico and Venezuela) where onchocerciasis is still a public health threat. Originally there were seven countries on this list, but Colombia achieved transmission interruption in 2008. In light of this week’s announcement, this list will be shortened to only five countries.

With a growing interest in the potential for elimination of onchocerciasis from Africa, the success of the programs in the Americas provides an experience base that can guide the next phase of the onchocerciasis program in Africa.

See Also: 

http://www.pahef.org/press/2010_river_blindness.html

http://www.aolnews.com/health/article/ecuador-halts-spread-of-river-blindness/19378514

http://www.cartercenter.org/news/pr/ecuador-030110.html