This Week in Global Health

Friday, December 23, 2011

A weekly round- up of selected health news from around the world. Posted each Friday.


Women in a peaceful demonstration on Harambee Avenue, Nairobi, in the past to demand more money for maternal health.Every year 358,000 women die during pregnancy and childbirth and 7.6 million children die before the age of 5, according to three-year global study. Photo/STEPHEN MUDIARI
News Today reports that WLF’s campaign in Bangladesh, Sponge, influenced one-third of smokers surveyed to attempt to quit. 43% of Bangladeshis currently smoke.

The cigar industry pushes back against potential FDA regulation. (Reuters)

WLF’s Stephen Hamill explores turning tobacco control ‘failures’ into success at FailFaire. (Co.Exist)

A new study links heavy soda consumption and asthma/COPD. (The Sydney Morning Herald)

The New York City Department of Health targets ‘recreational’ smokers. (NY1)

Tobacco farming is threatening Zimbabwe’s indigenous forests, reports Voice of America.

A new study identifies key strategies for reducing maternal, infant, and child mortality. (Business Daily Africa)

Tobacco industry-financed studies on additives’ safety may be untrustworthy.

AllAfrica.com reports on the lax enforcement of Liberia’s public smoking ban.

The WHO warns the Chinese public about the misleading information perpetuated by tobacco-funded ‘science’. (Xinhua.net)

The Kentucky Supreme Court rules that extra screenings for miners seeking workman’s compensation for ‘black lung’ are unconstitutional. The decision could affect all workers who contract respiratory conditions from unsafe working environments. (The Republic)

Women with low birth-weight babies may suffer more health problems down the road than other mothers, reports MSN.

Maternal exposure to a once-common pesticide may cause wheezing and lung infections in children, reports Reuters.

The American Council on Science and Health calls on doctors to intervene when patients smoke.

The Baltimore Sun opines that when it comes to maternal health, there is still often ‘no room at the inn’.

Big Tobacco is using legal trickery to fight reform in Australia, reports The Sydney Morning Herald.

WLF’s entire staff wishes you a happy holiday season and a healthy start to the New Year—thanks for reading!


Have a news item that you think should be included in ‘This Week in Global Health’?
E-mail shamill@worldlungfoundation.org.


Stephen Hamill
Associate Director, Communications and Advocacy
World Lung Foundation