· October, 2012

Stories about Health from October, 2012

Spain: Journalists Fined After Revealing Corruption in Catalonia

Marta Sibina and Albano Dante, editors of the citizen media magazine Cafè amb Llet, have been fined 10,000 euro for libel. They uploaded to YouTube a video strongly criticizing the lack of transparency in public healthcare financing in Catalonia, implicating Josep Maria Via, president of Barcelona MAR Health Park Consortium and healthcare advisor to Catalan President Artur Mas.

31 October 2012

El Salvador's Tough Abortion Laws

Voices from El Salvador highlights several stories of Salvadoran women affected by the country's abortion ban, ” which includes cases of rape, incest, and when the health of the woman is...

30 October 2012

Sanctions in Iran: Who Stole My Medicine?

The lives of six million patients in Iran have been adversely affected due to shortages of medicine, as an immediate result of unprecedented sanctions. Patients with cancer and multiple sclerosis - who cannot afford interruptions or delays in treatments - are most affected.

29 October 2012

India: Dengue Outbreak In Delhi Spreads Fear

Last week when India's veteran film director, scriptwriter and film producer Yash Chopra (80) died from Dengue fever, people became aware and panic spread in some parts of Delhi. Delhi has seen an increased number of dengue cases over the last one month with number of cases reported close to 1000 with several deaths.

29 October 2012

Cameroon: Students and Researchers Evaluate the Welfare System

Welfare Systems are rapidly evolving in Sub-Saharan Africa, with some countries having implemented systems allowing evaluation of measures taken several decades ago. Students and researchers from Cameroon have closely examined social public policies and private sector initiatives in their country.

22 October 2012

China: Basketball Grandma

To avoid medical spending and keep herself healthy, Zhu Shumei, a 76 old granny plays basketball every day for more than 20 years on a university campus in Jinhua, Zhejiang...

18 October 2012

China: Breast Feeding

Sascha Matuszak blogs about his wife, Zhang Yushi's involvement in breast feeding campaign in China, including the organization of a flash mob breast feeding action in Chengdu.

18 October 2012

Haiti: Yéle Haiti Facing Allegations of Financial Impropriety

Various allegations of financial impropriety have been directed at musician and activist Wyclef Jean's charity Yéle Haiti. The allegations are centered on the millions that the defunct charitable organization received in donations after the Janury 2010 earthquake period that devastated the island.

16 October 2012

Zambia: YouTube Documentary on Negative Impact of Copper Mining

A documentary titled “Zambia: Good Copper, Bad Copper” about Zambian copper mining and its negative impact on society has emerged on YouTube and has so far attracted over 6,000 hits. After watching the documentary, one YouTube user wrote, "Cry our beloved country. Why should we remain poor when a coveted product is plenty and mined at the expense of the locals' health."

14 October 2012

China: Drinking Deer Blood

Some Chinese believe that drinking deer blood can prolong life. ChinaSMACK translated a local report about the cruel business deer farm in China. [Warning: graphic]

14 October 2012

Sierra Leone: Is Ami Musa the Saddest Pinterest Page in the World?

One blog, Lovelyish, considers a Pinterest campaign about a 13-year-old girl Ami Musa from Sierra Leone by UNICEF UK to raise awareness about children living in poverty in Africa "the saddest Pinterest page in the world." Another blogger, Tom Murphy, argues that Pinterest represents a bit of a brave new world for NGOs to reach newer audiences.

14 October 2012

Got a Question for Jimmy Carter?

Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter is accepting questions on Facebook and Twitter (#CarterQA) as part of a commemoration of the Carter Center’s 30th anniversary of “waging peace and fighting disease...

9 October 2012

About our Health coverage

Juhie Bhatia
Juhie Bhatia is the Global Health editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.