· December, 2012

Stories about Health from December, 2012

Thailand's ‘Skype Doctors’

“Virtual ER”, launched in 2011, serves as a direct means of communication between BNH Hospital's Emergency Room and patients via Skype…Patients or helpers can speak to and see the nurses...

31 December 2012

International Fast Food Chains Involved in China's Chicken Scandal

A number of international fast-food chains are involved in the latest food safety scandal to hit China. Nationalistic voices are reacting by calling for foreign brands to be kicked out of China, while some believe that the government is to blame for the lack of food safety control.

28 December 2012

Bangladesh: Mobile Health Service For Expecting and New Mothers

Both the Maternal and child mortality rates are high in Bangladesh. On the other hand the mobile penetration rate is close to 65% and many of the subscribers are female. Aponjon, a maternal health care service using mobile phone was launched recently targeting expecting and new mothers in Bangladesh to reduce maternal and newborn illnesses and deaths.

26 December 2012

Conversations: Pregnant Syrian Refugee in Winter’s Cold

This post contains a conversation between News Deeply and Ayesha, a 29-year-old woman living in the Atma refugee camp in Idlib Province, in northwestern Syria. She is one of an estimated 50 pregnant women in the camp; volunteers tell us there is an acute need for baby milk.

25 December 2012

Macedonia: Nude Art Twitter Calendar for Charity

Twelve Macedonian women – regular Twitter users – took part in a humanitarian project organized by @IlinaBookbox, two photographers and one designer via the hashtag #ТвитерКалендар (Macedonian for ‘Twitter Calendar’)....

24 December 2012

Animal Welfare Groups Step Up Campaign in Laos

Animal welfare groups in Laos have stepped up their campaign to promote protection of animals and public awareness about animal care. Their campaigns include better veterinary care, providing shelter to injured animals, and the stopping of illegal dog meat trading.

24 December 2012

Iranian-Americans Seek Heros to Save a Life

Nasim, a young woman from Northern California of Iranian decent is in need of a bone marrow transplant. Several Iranian celebrities have stepped up to help spread the word to save her. They are using social media to find a hero to give a bone marrow donation.

24 December 2012

Caribbean: What Happened in 2012 (Part 2)

The first part of this post observed that in the Caribbean blogosphere, the year was punctuated by hunger strikes - the first in Cuba and the second in Trinidad and Tobago. Part 2 of the regional blogosphere's 2012 summary recalls other issues that got Caribbean netizens talking - from the Olympics to the need for greater political transparency…

20 December 2012

The Spanish Government's “Boomerang” Hashtag

On December 12, the People's Party (PP) of Madrid decided to launched an information campaign on healthcare reform, creating the hashtag #quenotelienconlasanidad [#dontletthemscrewyouonhealthcare] on Twitter. Thousands of netizens took advantage of the campaign to flood the PP's hashtag with tweets, making it a trending topic for reasons very different from those originally intended by its creators.

19 December 2012

Argentina's Impending ‘Monsanto Law’ is Not Welcome

A bill by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of Argentina regarding genetically modified seeds has generated much controversy in different sectors who argue that Argentina could lose its food sovereignty if the law moves forward. Social organizations called for an event to protest the law.

6 December 2012

Need for Concrete AIDS Policy in China

An HIV carrier in Tianjin was forced to conceal his condition in order to receive lung cancer surgery. Once the incident was brought to the spotlight by Li Hu, an HIV/AIDS advocate, during the week of World AIDS Day, it generated sensational responses in China and immediately captured attention of the incoming Chinese leadership.

6 December 2012

Australia: Plain Cigarette Packaging a World First

Australia’s new plain cigarette packaging law, which began on December 1, 2012, was greeted with pleasure by most onliners. Meanwhile, the tobacco industry has argued that plain packaging will increase illegal trade and smuggling.

4 December 2012

Iran: Sanctions and Shortages, Empty Pockets for Healthcare

Ever since 15 year-old Manouchehr Esmaili-Liousi died of complications from hemophilia due to a shortage of medication, Iranians have been analyzing their health crisis. Sanctions definitely play a role, but so does incompetence and corruption by their own government.

4 December 2012

About our Health coverage

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