Stories about Health from July, 2012
Guatemala: Mining Community Organizes Peoples’ Health Tribunal
For years, the community of San Miguel Ixtahuacán in Guatemala has been denouncing the negative consequences of Goldcorp's Marlin gold mine. On July 14 and 15, members of the community joined other international organizations to form a 'Peoples' International Health Tribunal.' In the first post in this two-part series, we introduce the Health Tribunal and also highlight the local efforts of the San Miguel Ixtahuacán community .
Brazil: Ministry of Health forms Partnership with Facebook on Organ Donation
The Blog da Saúde [Health Blog] announced [pt] the Ministry of Health's partnership with Facebook to encourage organ donation by members of the largest social network in the world. “The Minister of Health, Alexandre Padilha,...
Greece: Fake Dyslexia Certificates for Children
In ‘Where Everything Is Possible‘ [el], blogger Theodoris Georgakopoulos criticizes the news that Children's Hospital employees in Athens, Greece, have been involved into issuing fake documents certifying dyslexia. He mainly puts...
Pakistan: Polio Vaccination Ban Affects 240,000 Children
The lives of 240,000 innocent children are at stake due to the recent ban on Polio inoculation by the Taliban in the region of FATA. The militants also consider this anti-polio campaign as an act of espionage, and the tribal leaders are backing them.
Egypt: No to a Military Funeral for Omar Sulieman
Hosni Mubarak's vice president and Egypt's former head of intelligence Omar Suleiman is dead. News of his death has triggered a storm of reactions on social media networks. On Twitter, netizens from around the Arab world, couldn't find much good to say to lament his loss.
Laos: Prison or Drug Detention Center?
The Human Rights Watch is asking the United States to stop the funding of the Somsanga Drug Detention Centre in Vientiane, Laos until the Laos government has investigated the reported...
Uganda: Nodding Disease Denying Children Their Future
James Propa shares photos and YouTube videos of the effects of nodding disease in Uganda. Nodding disease is a mentally and physically disabling disease that mostly affects children. It is currently restricted to small regions in South Sudan, Tanzania and northern Uganda.
Bulgaria: How to Become a Prostitute in 1888
The blog “Живот Мой” (“My Life”) published [bg] the 1888 local legislation on how to become a prostitute in the Black Sea coastal city of Varna. The bill contains the...
Colombia: Concern About Contamination at Santa Marta Bay
José D. Pacheco M., of the blog Tras la cola de la rata, writes [es] about a study [es] and a report [pdf, es] on the contamination of the bay...
Rwanda: From Colonialism And Genocide to Recovery
1 July was a very special day in Rwanda as the country celebrated 50 years of Independence and 18 years of liberation which brought an end to Rwandan genocide. It is estimated that over a million people died in a period of 100 days.
Indonesia: Lobby Power of Tobacco Firms
Elizabeth Pisani writes about the lobby power of tobacco companies in Indonesia and the prospects of introducing legislation and programs that would curb smoking in the country
Brazil: The Debate About Natural Childbirth
In Brazil's private sector, over 85% of births are caesarian, even though the World Health Organisation recommends that they not exceed 15% of total births. The high prevalence of this procedure, instead of natural birth, recently sparked a debate and protest in Brazil.