News
Premature birth rates increase in most of the world
In order to estimate preterm birth
In 2010, almost 15million infants were born prematurely worldwide. That is over one in ten babies born. South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa account for 60% of premature births. According to the first ever national
level estimates only three countries man- aged to reduce preterm birth rates within the past two decades. Worldwide, preterm birth, i.e. births before week 37 of gestation, is still the single biggest cause of neonatal death and ranks in second place as the most common cause of mortality in children below the age of 5 years, claiming the lives of 1.1million infants every year.
World Heart Federation welcomes first global
target on NGOs At the 65th World Health Assembly, held in Geneva, Switzerland in May, world leaders agreed the first ever global target to prevent and control non-com- municable diseases (NCDs), including cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and lung disease. The Target is to reduce premature deaths from NCDs by 25% by 2025 The adoption of the Target is a signifi- cant milestone in the fight against car- diovascular disease, and was welcomed by leadership at the World Heart Federa- tion. However, there is still work to be done, to ensure the Target brings con- crete outcomes. Johanna Ralston, CEO at the World Heart Federation, said. ‘We congratulate world leaders on making significant progress in the battle against the leading causes of death worldwide. The Target will compel action by all to prevent and control cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease and stroke. If met, the Target will literally be
July 2012
rates for 2010 by country, region, and worldwide, Joy Lawn from Save the Children in South Africa and her team utilised data from various sources, such as national registries and reproductive health surveys, using statistical models to evaluate data for 184 countries. In addition, they also calculated time trends for 65 countries, including Latin America and the Caribbean from 1990 onwards. They established that in the major- ity of the 65 countries premature birth rates increased, with a decrease of pre- term birth rates being observed only in Croatia, Ecuador, and Estonia between 1990 and 2010. Premature birth rates in the 14 other countries remained more or less stable with an annual change of less than 0.5%. On average, the preterm birth rate increased from 7.5% in 1990 with a total preterm birth rate of 2million in the 65 countries to 8.6% in 2010 with a total of 2.2million preterm births.
lifesaving.
Deaths from cardiovascular disease represent the highest proportion of NCD deaths. To achieve the Target, governments urgently need to imple- ment strategies to reduce the preva- lence and ensure timely management of heart disease and stroke, and their risk factors. We know how to avert these deaths, using proven and afford- able interventions that can save lives across the globe. Now we need to put our knowledge into practice.’ The World Heart Federation is call- ing for the agreement on additional targets to: • reduce the consumption of tobacco, salt, alcohol, and trans-fats;
• reduce the prevalence of physical inactivity, blood pressure, and obe- sity;
• ensure the availability of essential medicines for persons living and coping with NCDs.
Discussion about these targets is on- going, with agreement expected to be reached at a meeting of Member States in October.
Smoking and drinking has 'little effect' on sperm
counts Lifestyle advice given to tackle male infertility may be futile and could delay other options, according to re- searchers in the UK. Their study in the journal Human Reproduction said smoking, alcohol consumption and being obese did not affect semen quality. However, they warned that avoiding them was still ‘good health advice’.
HIV quad pill 'may improve care'
A new once-a-day pill which com- bines four HIV drugs into a single daily treatment is safe and effective, according to a US study. It is hoped the four-in-one ‘quad pill’ will make it easier for patients to stick to their medication, improving the effects of their treatment. A study in the Lancet said it could be an ‘important new treatment op- tion’.
Researchers and drug companies
have combined some drugs into single pills so that taking the correct medica- tion at the right time of day is easier. The quad pill is the first to include a type of anti-HIV drug known as an in- tegrase inhibitor, which stops the virus replicating.
Bush travels to Africa to
raise cancer awareness Former US President George W Bush visted Zambia and Botswana in early July to promote a health initiative that focuses on cervical and breast cancer prevention and treatment.
In the Zambian city of Kabwe, Bush
worked with local residents to refur- bish a clinic used to screen, diagnose, and treat cervical cancer. He then travelled to the capital Lusaka, where he designated a cancer centre at a uni- versity teaching hospital and met with governmental and healthcare leaders. The trip to both nations is part of the Pink Ribbon Red Ribbon initiative spearheaded by the Bush Foundation that seeks to expand cervical and breast cancer screening and treatment in sub-Saharan Africa.
Africa Health 9
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