Stories about Health from August, 2010
Barbados: Back in the Saddle
Barbados Free Press reports that ailing Prime Minister David Thompson is officially back at the helm of government: “We’ll give him a week to settle in, but then he’d better be prepared to defend his wicket.”
South Korea: Government Plan To Increase Cigarette Price Meets Public Backlash
South Korea’s health department announced on tripling the price of cigarettes to curb the nation’s high smoking rate, prompting a new round of cigarette price disputes online. Many Koreans agree that smoking rates should come down, but still doubt the effectiveness of the new move.
Taiwan: Learn Wing Chun with blog
Meow Asks Taipei(妙問台北) constantly shares her experiences[zht] of learning and practicing Wing Chun(詠春), a martial art originated from southern China, with detailed human figures and graphs drawn by herself.
Russia: Adventures of Israeli Blogger in Russian Hospital
Sometimes it takes a foreigner blogging about her experiences in a hospital to pinpoint the "shocking truth" about your country.
India: Uncontrolled Alcoholic Liquor Consumption
Ram Bansal at India In Peril informs that growing number of male Indian adults (currently 50%) are taking alcoholic liquors regularly. The blogger discusses the downside of the uncontrolled alcoholic behaviors and its impact on the limited income families.
Russia: West Nile Virus Hits Volgograd Region
LJ user alliruk writes [RUS] that the South of Russia may turn into Africa because of the global warming. After listing recent unusual epidemics outbreaks in the Volgograd region, he mentions the recent West Nile Virus [EN] outbreak that had already killed six people [EN].
Thailand: Yellow Fever Vaccination
Chris Mitchell identifies the health centers in Bangkok, Thailand where residents can get yellow fever vaccination.
Pakistan: Field Notes From Doctors Of A Relief Team
“If there is anything the government should learn from this flood, it is to take education and women empowerment more seriously,” reports Dr. Syed Nabeel Zafar in a medical field note from Sukkur in Sindh province of Pakistan.
Russia: Blog Posts on Hospital in Russian Town Lead to Debates on Russian Healthcare
A blogger from Israel with Russian roots was unfortunate enough to get sick while visiting her relatives in Russia. Her recollections and pictures of a hospital in the city of Voronezh [ENG] provoked heated debates on the state of Russian health care.
China: Food poisoning -Crayfish
Crayfish dishes in China are contaminated with industrial acid which gives patients sore joints, a sore back, pale complexion, and the rather peculiar ‘soy sauce urine’. (more from Daniel Mark Carr, Shanghaiist)
Puerto Rico: When Legalizing Abortion is not Enough
“Legalization has not been enough for poor women who, despite the formal right they have, don't have the means or the access to the clinics to carry out procedures in a safe and risk-free way,” writes [es] Érika Fontánez, as she comments on a recent screening of a documentary about...
Guinea Bissau: Videos about Water Scarcity
Blog Novas da Guiné Bissau shares the video Bafatá Misti Iagu (Bafatá Wants Water) [pt], describing a project that promotes the access to water for 22.000 people in the city of Bafatá. The issue of lack of access to safe water in Guinea Bissau had been previously reported in a documentary...
Japan: Hikikomori as a global issue
News that the Japanese word hikikomori was included in the newest edition of the Oxford Dictionary of English prompted some bloggers to think of English equivalents of the word. Perhaps “shut-in”, one blogger offers. Hikikomori – Social withdrawal in Japan, Hiroshi Tomishige's blog about his experiences with hikikomori and thoughts...
Sao Tome & Principe: Revolt Against Water Diverted from Hospital
In the past few months, a heated discussion animated the blogosphere of Sao Tome and Principe, on a public health problem that apparently has already been solved. Until last week, there was no water running from the taps of Ayres de Menezes Hospital, but its director now assures that the issue has been taken care of.
Russia: Bloggers Expose Death Rate Increase
Until the emergence of Web 2.0, the Russian government had enjoyed a monopoly on death rate information and could manipulate it. Gregory Asmolov investigates how the Russian bloggers have changed the situation.
India: Plights Of The Deaf Students
Sukanya at Notes From Wherever I Happen To Be shares the plights of the students of two deaf schools in Bhubaneswar and comments that the “India shining” slogan seems mere rhetoric.
Bhutan: An Inspiring Man
Dorji Wangchuk introduces us to Dr Sanga Dorji, chief physiotherapist in Thimphu hospital, whose blindness did not stop him from being the best at his professional field in Bhutan. Tshering Tobgay interviewed Dr. Dorji earlier.
Mexico: Parents to be Reminded About Vaccinations through SMS
Health officials will send parents text messages reminding them about the date, time and place where their children can be vaccinated. Ximena Vega explains [es] that health officials aim to reduce infant mortality rate through this initiative. She adds that the geographical scope of the SMS campaign and its official...
China: Did powdered milk cause infant breast development?
Recently across China, more than 20 infant girls have been found to have begun developing breasts in what has been called “mini-puberty”. Reports also indicate that at least 3 infant boys also have been found with elevated estrogen levels. The levels of female hormones in the small children, ranging between...
China: GDP rising, public spending too?
We keep hearing that China's economy is still booming; has public spending increased in step? Private savings are staying in the bank, writes one blogger: from hospitals to schools to pensions for senior folks, China just doesn't compete.
India: Oil Spill Near Mumbai Threatens Beaches And Mangrove Forests
On 7th of August 2010, the container carrier MSC Chitra collided with MV Khalijia-III near Mumbai shore causing a massive oil spill. Bloggers fear that this will severely damage nearby mangrove forests and pollute the clean beaches of South Mumbai.
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