Stories about Health from August, 2006
Bahamas: The future in health
Sidney flashes forward to 2012, after the Bahamas’ government has implemented the National Health Plan towards which they are “proceeding with undue haste.”
Indonesia: Patient vs. Pharma
Indonesia anonymus relates a co-worker's experience on a visit to a doctor. The post talks about certain doctors favouring pharmaceutical companies sometimes at the expense of the patients.
Philippines’ worst marine disaster
The beautiful island of Guimaras, located in central Philippines, is under state of calamity. More than 26,000 people who depend on fishing suddenly lost their livelihood after tanker MT Solar 1, chartered by Petron, sank in 3,000 ft of water with some two million liters of industrial fuel.
Jamaica: Singles
Mikaila discusses the ins and outs of dating in Jamaica: “I have stories that could be episodes of Sex and the City. There are so many more women here than men. Dating anywhere is difficult. Last week I watched a special Dateline on AIDS in African American communities and was...
Africans in France: Riots’ First Anniversary
Senegalese blogger Semett worries that (Fr) not much has changed for communities of color in France since last year's summer riots: “Despite the temporary emotions, we don't get the impression that anything has changed since. Our brothers and sisters continue to live in unsanitary and dangerous conditions. Whether it is...
Kenya: “I am African” Aids campaign criticised
Mshairi had a dig at a new HIV/Aids fundraising campaign that uses posters of celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow wearing face paint and beads next to the slogan “I am African”. “If she is African, I am Plutonian,” she commented.
Thailand: Medical Tourism
Lao Ocean Girl talks about the booming medical tourism industry in Thailand. “Not only are the facilities in Thailand first class, prices are cheap when compared to the West. For example, when I had a filling done in southern California at a dinky clinic, it cost me $100 (for less...
Africa: Is the Battle against AIDS Lost?
Forum Realisance believes (Fr) former colonial powers and pharmaceutical companies are partially to blame for the AIDS crisis but saves harsher words for Africans and failed African leaders: ” Ignorance and illiteracy reproduce AIDS blindly without the least use for reason. Isn't it sacred and legitimate to protect oneself? Why...
Hong Kong: opium history
Dave and Stefan blogs a historical legal document showing the history of opium importation from 1908-1942 in Hong Kong.
Estonia: 15 Things
Giustino of Itching for Eestimaa posts a list of “15 Things Estonia has Given the World Since 1991″ – which includes Skype: “True, Skype is based these days in Luxembourg, but its primary code was written in Tallinn, where one of its main offices is located.”
Central Asia & Caucasus: 15 Years of Independence
neweurasia's team of bloggers have lengthy posts looking back at 15 years of independence in Central Asia and the Caucasus.
Jamaica: Attending the AIDS conference
Jamaican journalist Natalis Campbell reflects on the experience of attending the XVI International AIDS Conference in Toronto.
Russia, Estonia: Forest Fires
David McDuff of A Step At A Time writes about forest fires in Russia's Leningrad region and in Estonia.
Americas: Eating in the USA
About obesity in the United States, Martin Varsavsky says that he and his wife have found the trick to eating out reasonably (ES): “We found that if you order an appetizer, entree, and dessert and share everything between two people, the amount of food is right and the restaurant workers...
Japan: western business practice
JP in Japundit hightlights a report claiming that a majority of Japanese workers are suffering from “high anxiety” and “mental illness” resulted from western business practice.
Barbados: HIV/AIDS messages
Barbados Free Press reports that the Caribbean Broadcasting Company (CBC), Barbados’ national television, network, has committed to running one HIV/AIDS public service announcement during every hour of broadcast, as well as embedding HIV/AIDS messages in the plots and scripts of regular television programming.
China: Hooker unions, uniting bloggers and qualitative and quantitative data from the Chinese blogsphere
One stock narrative for MSM reports on China is the untabooing of sex since Mao died. Indeed, a trip to the countryside reveals unsettling numbers of STD treatment posters and abortion hotline ads can frequently be seen on the rear windows of taxis in most cities. While sensationalist stories about...
Trinidad & Tobago: Smelter activity continues
Rights Action T&T, a blog designed to support the protest against the establishment of an aluminium smelter in a community in southern Trinidad, issues a press release reporting that preparations for the establishment of boreholes have begun in the area, and deploring aluminium company Alcoa's “continued attempts to psychologically intimidate...
Philippines: Alcoholism in Philippines
The blogger at Touched by an Angel looks at alcoholism in Philippines. “The effects of alcoholism are easily shown in the sensational section of the local TV news. How often do you see wives beaten up by their husbands? Or children being sexually abused by their biological fathers? What about...
Voices from Kazakhstan
Welcome to our latest round-up of blog posts and online discussions that took place in the Kazakhstani blogosphere in the last two weeks. We start off with Russian-language neweurasia Kazakhstan blog. A new contributor from Karaganda Basil B. Akimov sheds light on another scandal in Kazakh healthcare. Karaganda prosecutor initiated...
Russia: Child Abuse
Yuri Mamchur of Russia Blog distributes blame for Russia's abused children: “Today Russia is awash in oil and gas money, the nation’s cities are growing again, and the country produces more young billionaires per capita than any other nation in the world. It is a shame that such a depravity...