This Week in Global Health

Friday, February 3, 2012

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


Crashes and near-misses are seen daily in the streets of Mexico City's federal district (AFP/File, David Deolarte)
A study of more than 70,000 women in Norway finds that daughters are disproportionately affected during their own pregnancies when their mothers smoked. (Environmental Health News)

The Huffington Post reports that pregnant women in conflict-ridden countries suffer the highest rates of maternal mortality.

The Obama administration urges a skeptical judge to approve graphic pack warnings, reports The Washington Post.

A new study shows that obesity may be linked to chronic pain. (WebMD)

The Daily Mail reports that many smokers think they’ve quit even if they light up once a day.

Lower-income women may be more likely to smoke and suffer the effects of obesity, says The Mainichi Daily News.

Scientific American explains that the problem of drug-resistant tuberculosis has more to do with disease management than the prevalence of such strains.

The New York Times tells us ‘Why the Global Fund Matters’.

Disappointing news: investment companies continue to advise buying tobacco company stock in anticipation of ‘continuing profits’. (Bloomberg)

AFP reports on Mexico’s ‘rough ride to road safety’.

Guam launches a tobacco quitline, reports Pacific News Center.

Ghana launches a program to share best practices in maternal health. (AllAfrica.com)

A new study finds no link between c-sections and obesity in children. (ABC)

More than a million faulty condoms are recalled in South Africa.(NPR)

Drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis raise alarm in Canada, reports CBC.

Vitamin D won’t help most COPD patients, reports USA Today.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that tobacco companies spent $16 million last year trying to kill plain packaging legislation laws in Australia.

Tobacco firms in Kenya are vociferously opposing a tax which would raise the price of cigarette packs by ten shillings each, reports Business Daily Africa.


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


Stephen Hamill
Associate Director, Communications and Advocacy
World Lung Foundation