Address TB challenges now or lose the fight against the disease, WHO warns
TAGAYTAY CITY, Philippines, 26 July 2010—The World Health Organization (WHO) today warned that the Western Pacific Region's gains in tuberculosis control over the last decade would be lost unless multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant TB, as well as TB-HIV co-infection, are urgently addressed.
While there has been significant progress towards the regional goal of decreasing by half TB prevalence and mortality rates compared with 2000 levels, WHO said these successes may be reversed unless gaps in financial and technical support are put in place to effectively address these challenges.
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Getting back to food basics
SUVA, 12 July 2010—Pacific island countries and areas have committed themselves to making healthier food available and using more local produce in an effort to tackle malnutrition, obesity, and high levels of diabetes and other noncommunicable diseases.
Improving food security—ensuring that good quality, nutritious and healthy food is available and affordable—is not merely an option; it is an urgent need, delegates at the recent Pacific Food Summit in Vanuatu heard. Participating countries and areas unanimously endorsed a framework for action on food security.
The issue was covered in WHO's Bulletin magazine.
Pacific islanders pay heavy price for abandoning traditional diet.
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WHO warns of growing threat from severe form of hand, foot and mouth disease
MANILA, 22 June 2010—The World Health Organization (WHO) has observed a significant increase in the number of cases of hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD), including the more severe form caused by the Enterovirus 71 (EV71), in some parts of the Western Pacific Region.
The increase, around 2 to 3 times the number of cases experienced in 2009, has been reported in China, Hong Kong (China), Japan and Singapore. Cases affected by EV71, commonly linked with the severe form of the illness, have been reported in China, Hong Kong (China), Japan and Korea.
Hand, foot and mouth disease is mainly a childhood condition, and spreads easily through contact with mucus, saliva and feces. Although the disease is generally mild and self limiting, complications may arise in some cases and result in more severe symptoms and even death.
For more on HFMD
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