Stories about Health from June, 2013
Trinidad & Tobago: Is Your Smart Phone Safe?
ICT Pulse offers valuable information on the radiation levels for popular mobile and smartphones in the Caribbean.
Southeast Asia: The Great Haze of 2013
Since last week, a thick haze has enveloped Singapore and some parts of Malaysia caused by forest fires mainly in Indonesia. The haze brought air pollution levels to a record high in the region. Malaysia placed two districts under state of emergency while Singaporeans were advised to remain indoors.
Haze Chokes Singapore and Malaysia
Air quality in Singapore and West Malaysia hit hazardous levels after forest fires swept neighboring Indonesia. It's the worst haze in recent years in Southeast Asia. Malaysia has suspended school in affected states while Singapore advised its citizens to prepare for a prolonged haze. Indonesia has already formally apologized for the haze.
Counseling Service for Mental Health In India
Ugich Konitari introduces iCALL (initiating Concern for All), a counseling service for Indians via email and telephone. At this social venture of Tata Institute of Social Sciences, qualified psychologists are waiting to listen talk, and give people helpful information, guidance and encouragement.
Malaysia Launches Dengue Web Portal
To fight dengue, Malaysia's Ministry of Health launched a GIS-based web portal called I-Dengue, “which aims to provide the public with the latest information on dengue hotspots and preventive measures on how citizens can avoid getting the disease.” Dengue is a tropical virus with no known cure that is carried...
Disabled Persons ‘Disrespected’ in Kyrgyzstan
Blogger Dmitry Efremov writes [ru] about the negative attitudes that people with disabilities confront in the Central Asian nation of Kyrgyzstan: It is terrible to realize that some people among us disrespect persons with disabilities.
Interview: “How Are Things in Bamako, Mali?”
At the time of writing, June 2013, France is still fighting Islamists in Mali. Paris-based Anne Morin and Awa Traoré, her friend in Bamako decided to share a video journal of their conversations on Skype on YouTube. Anne wanted to stay up to date with the region's news, and also with her friends. She told Global Voices' Anna Gueye more about this journal as well as her links with Mali.
Brazil: “Gay Cure” Approved by Chamber of Deputies
The proposed law allowing psychologists to undertake treatment to reverse homosexuality was approved yesterday, June 18, by the Human Rights Commission of the Chamber of Deputies. The commission president, anti-gay preacher Mr Marco Feliciano, took the opportunity of promoting this issue while everyone was protesting against the issue of reducing...
Mozambique: Medical professionals end unsuccessful strike
After striking for 27 days, Mozambique's medical professionals announced the end of their collective protest over inadequate compensation, without any concession from government. The strikers claimed they wanted to end the suffering of the nation's people. On @Verdade's Facebook page, readers expressed their frustration with the situation, speculating about how...
India’s Dysfunctional Public Health System
Kushik Sanyal at Polity In India Blog tries to find out what ails India’s public health delivery system.
Dengue Outbreak in Singapore
Singapore recorded 4,632 dengue cases in 2012. This year it went up to 9,847 already. This is a record high for Singapore which last experienced a dengue outbreak in 2005. The National Environment Agency has launched the ‘Do the Mozzie Wipeout’ campaign to promote awareness about dengue prevention
Caribbean Flu Scare was Accidentally Made in China
A 'suspected' case of bird flu in Trinidad and Tobago that happened to coincide with an official visit by the Chinese President, opens a Pandora's box of misreporting from China all the way to Haiti, which caused officials in Trinidad and Tobago to accuse swine flu-hit Venezuela of spreading bird flu and Haiti to impose a poultry import ban on swine flu-hit Dominican Republic.
Mauritania Faces Deadly Unprecedented Heatwave
For the first time in 50 years, Mauritania is witnessing a heatwave with temperatures exceeding 50° C. Dozens of death cases have been registered across the country. Ahmed Jedou reports.
Russians & Cigarettes: A Hard Goodbye
The Russian government aims to end Russia's love affair with cigarettes, and a new law passed June 1 will ban smoking in a wide array of public spaces, paving the way to even stricter regulations in the future. Not everyone in the Russian blogosphere, however, is happy about it.
First LGBTI Parade in Lesotho
Leila Hall blogs about the first-ever gay parade in Lesotho: The event has been organised by MATRIX Support Group – a Lesotho-based NGO working to advocate for the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) individuals in the country. The organisation, which only received legal recognition in 2010,...
Spaniards Vote for Universal Healthcare in Popular Referendum
Almost 1 million people in Madrid, Spain, voted in favor of universal healthcare in a popular referendum carried out by various independent groups in May in Madrid.
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