Applications are invited for a number of PhD or DrPH studentships. Research projects may be undertaken in any area of clinical, field, socialscience or associated laboratory work that is relevant to the control of malaria. Scholarships cover home fees,living expenses, some research expenses and may include re-entry grant for developing country scientists. Applications from scientists working in malaria endemic countries are encouraged, particularly from those involved in malaria control. Application Deadline: 15 May 2001 for studies commencing in October 2001.

2nd International Health Conference: 'Reshaping the Nursing' with a half-day interactive workshop on 21 June 2002.

For: all doctors, nurses, dentists, pharmacists and other health professionals. Location: Accra and Kumasi, Ghana. Time: Monday 14th and 16th May 2001, respectively. Moderated by Professor Richard Smith, Editor British Medical Journal.

Dar es Salaam, Tanzanie: Le centre de formation de formation de l'OIT de Turin organise, en collaboration avec les programmes STEP et SEED du BIT une formation intitulee "promotion and setting up of micro health insurance schemes for micro and small entrepreneurs". Cette formation qui aura lieu a Dar es Salaam du 28 mai au 1 juin 2001 vise a former des promoteurs et des entrepreneurs sur les possibilites des systemes de micro assurance sante (mutuelles de sante) pour les micro- et petites entreprises en Afrique de l'Est et du Sud. Le cours aura lieu en anglais.

Reps. Jim Leach (R-Iowa) and Donald Payne (D-N.J.) of H. Con. Res. 102, have called for "Hunger to Harvest: A Decade of Concern for Africa." The resolution calls upon the United States government, along with its international allies, to commit to a global plan to cut world hunger in half by 2015 by increasing funds for poverty- focused development assistance for sub-Saharan Africa.

Global opinion won in South Africa, but will it triumph when the US fights Brazil's cheap Aids medicine? The drugs industry's court case against the South African government will go down in history alongside Shell's embarrassment by Brent Spar as one of the great corporate PR disasters of all time.

The United Nations has warned that nearly thirty million people face food shortages in sub-Saharan Africa this year. In a report on Monday the FAO said it needed US $140 million to help revive agriculture in the region hit by adverse weather and armed conflicts. It said all countries of eastern Africa and the Great Lakes region as well as Angola, Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone need continued food aid.

Journalists Against AIDS (JAAIDS) Nigeria, in cooperation with the Summit Secretariat, has begun a build-up to the African Summit on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and other Infectious Diseases organised by the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and hosted by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Over the years, a lot of commitments have been made by Member States in attempts to control these diseases. However, most of the commitments have not been translated into concrete actions and the diseases continue to constitute a big challenge for the continent. Stakeholders have also realized that leadership, commitment, resources and poverty alleviation are the key to control of infectious diseases in Africa. In this light, OAU Heads of State and Government at their annual ordinary assembly at Lome, Togo in July 2000; took a decision to hold an African Summit on HIV/AIDS, TB and related infectious diseases and accepted Nigeria’s offer to host it.

Welcoming the withdrawal of a case by pharmaceutical companies against the Government of South Africa, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan today expressed hope that this development would help increase access to AIDS medicines for those in need.

The decision by the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers
Association (PMA) to withdraw their court case against the South African government is an historic victory of good over evil. Every South African can be proud that we have won this battle against such powerful and wealthy opponents. All of us together made this possible.

April 24 - 27 2001

Short Course in Sexual and Reproductive Health Research. 18th June - 13th July 2001. London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

Health in Africa costs dearly: in quality of life, in chances of survival, and in resources. Did you know, for example, that Africa would have been an estimated US $100 billion better off in 1999 if malaria had been eliminated years ago? And - according to the World Health Organisation (WHO) - that extra US $100 billion is nearly five times greater than all development aid provided to Africa in 1999?

Botswana's HIV/AIDS educators are turning to drama, song and poetry in an effort to reach young people who are becoming increasingly bored with politicians' speeches, bleak billboard campaigns and scary statistics.

The UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has won agreement from six major drug companies to keep cutting prices of Aids treatments for the world's poorest nations.

IT IS NO secret why President Bush is tightening his colonial grip on Earth's environment. He is doing it for us, the ugly Americans who must confess that we enjoy this modern imperialism, our sovereign right to suck the planet dry. Except for some howling environmentalists, there still is no major sign that the average American is seriously offended by Bush's rampage of environmental reversals.

The latest research and news on health issues in developing countries.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide.
Their emergence as the predominant health problem in wealthy countries
accompanied economic development. As a result, NCDs are often referred to as
'diseases of affluence'. But is this a misleading term? It suggests that
these are not major problems for the world's poor, which is quite simply
wrong, as this issue of Insight Health illustrates. Is it time to rethink
policy on NCDs?

The government has rebuked European Union criticism of its controversial AIDS policy, saying that Europe should instead learn from South Africa's success in combating an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.