Stories about Health from February, 2014
One Third of Pregnancies Are Unintended in Burkina Faso
Social Researchers at L’Institut supérieur des sciences de la population (High Institute of Population Science) in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso published a report entitled “Grossesses non désirées et avortements au Burkina : causes et conséquences” (The causes and consequences of Unintended Pregnancies and Abortions in Burkina Faso). The report highlights a few...
Mushrooms, France's Latest Food Trend
Like wine or seasonal fruit and veg, mushrooms are highly valued both in the mind and on the plate, associated with a better lifestyle and local produce.
Bahamas: The Cerasee Cold Cure
Forget the cold relief, time for the cure. Blogworld's Nicolette Bethel turns to “bush medicine” for healing.
First Open Heart Surgery in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
The health international network La Chaîne de l’Espoir (The Link of Hope) reports that 7 Congolese children in critical conditions benefited from open heart surgeries [fr] on February 14 in Brazzaville, Congo. With the help of the Congo Assistance Fundation as well, Prince Béni and Maya, both suffering from cardiomyopathy were...
#EuroMaidan Medic Shot in Neck Lives to Tweet: “I Am Alive!”
Olesya Zhukovskaya, was shot in the neck by a sniper and managed to tweet "I am dying". Great relief was felt worldwide when she survived.
Toilets Should Not Be Emptied by Humans Say Indian Sanitation Laws
Despite the Indian government's stringent anti-manual scavenging law, the practice continues to flourish in pockets of India. A group of bloggers go on a field visit to find out more.
YouTube Chefs Are Cooking Up a Storm in Indian Kitchens
A group of YouTube chefs are gaining celebrity status in India and abroad for their cooking demonstrations broadcast on YouTube and recipe blogs.
The Millenium Development Goal for Safe Water Is Still Beyond Reach for Many African Countries
Virgil HOUESSOU, a Benin-based reporter for the African association for clean water, is pessimistic about the Millenium Development Goal with respect to safe water. He writes on the collective blog Wash Journalists [fr]: A quelques mois de l’échéance de la réalisation des OMD [Objectifs du millénaire pour le développement], beaucoup de défis...
One Nepalese Doctor's Hunger Strike Wins Action From Officials
Dr. Govinda KC, a senior orthopedic surgeon of Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Nepal, who has earned the nickname Crusader KC, ended his fourth fast-unto-death on 15 February 2014.
An “Increasingly Uncertain” Future for Central Asia's Fergana Valley
On the Caravanistan blog, Cycloscope writes about radioactive landfill sites in the Fergana Valley, a region “absurdly divided between Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan”: Unaware of the dangers of radioactivity, the locals take the equipment in the old abandoned mines and sell them as scrap, risking not only their own lives...
South Korean Film About Samsung Worker's Death Slowly Winning Over Moviegoers
In a country where electronics giant Samsung has enormous influence, the film is receiving little promotion and few screenings, but it is being met with positive reviews online.
Remembering the Jamaican Cultural Theorist Stuart Hall
Jamaican-born cultural theorist Stuart Hall died today; netizens and academics all over the Caribbean - indeed, the world - were shocked by the news, expressing their grief on social media.
Legalizing And Regulating The Sex workers in Sri Lanka
Shilpa Samaratunge, a development worker, discusses in Groundviews about the problems surrounding the sex workers in Sri Lanka. Instead of abolishing and criminalizing them, which is the path Sri Lanka currently is on, she suggests to legalize the profession and impose regulation and provide health-services for the sex workers.
Patients in Uzbekistan “Have Nobody to Rely on Except for God”
On Registan.net, Gulnoza Saidazimova paints a bleak picture of the healthcare system in Uzbekistan (part one, part two): [The system is so inadequate and outdated that] a wealthy few head to foreign countries for medical treatment, drawing on their own savings and often those of their close relatives, whereas the majority poor can...
Caribbean Diaspora Blogger Makes Meatless Monday Meaningful
One Caribbean diaspora blogger puts her own spin on a meatless pizza that will have even the most committed meat lover longing for a slice.
Jamaica: Third World Front Man Dies of Cancer
Jamaican View notes that Bunny Rugs, leader of the reggae band Third World, has passed away after a long battle with cancer.
Searching for Solutions to Open Defecation in Ghana
Open defecation is a major health challenge facing Ghana. Only 15 out of 100 Ghanaians have access to improved sanitation, despite development goals.
A “Freedom Train” for the Sexual and Reproductive Rights of Women in Spain
The feminist movement of Asturias, Spain, has spearheaded the campaign "The Freedom Train" to protest the bill that seeks to repeal the existing law on abortion in Spain.