PAHO News -- March 28, 2002

In this edition:
-9TH ANNUAL CANADIAN CONFERENCE ON INTERNATIONAL HEALTH: CALL FOR
ABSTRACTS
-EXPERTS WARN ABOUT ANTIOBIOTIC RESISTANCE
-TUBERCULOSIS CLOSELY LINKED TO POVERTY
-SPECIAL DISCOUNTS ON PUBLICATIONS RELATED TO TUBERCULOSIS AND POVERTY
-NEW BOOK: EVALUATION IN HEALTH PROMOTION
-GENDERED ASPECTS OF AGEING
-WHO AND UNAIDS CONTINUE TO SUPPORT USE OF NEVIRAPINE FOR PREVENTION OF
MOTHER-TO-CHILD HIV TRANSMISSION
-IUHPE PROMOTING HEALTH THROUGH PEACE AND NON-VIOLENCE INITIATIVE
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9TH ANNUAL CANADIAN CONFERENCE ON INTERNATIONAL HEALTH: CALL FOR
ABSTRACTS

The 9th Annual Canadian Conference on International Health, organized
and hosted by the Canadian Society for International Health, will take
place October 27-30th in Ottawa, Canada.  Each year, the Conference
theme changes to reflect current and often diverse priorities in the
health and development field.  The theme for this year's conference is
"Poverty, Health & Equity: From Global Challenges to Innovative
Solutions".  Organizers are now calling for abstracts.  The deadline for
submissions is April 30, 2002.  Submission forms and information are
outlined in the Call for Abstracts PDF document, now available at:
http://www.csih.org/what/FINALcallforabstracts9thCCIH.pdf.

Conference information is listed on the CSIH website:
http://www.csih.org/what/conferences.html.  For more information please
contact [log in to unmask] or Helene Thibault, the CSIH Liaison for
PAHO/WHO, at [log in to unmask]
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EXPERTS WARN ABOUT ANTIOBIOTIC RESISTANCE

Experts from throughout the Americas are spending two days discussing
drug resistance, detecting disease outbreaks, bioterrorism, networks,
viral diseases, TB, malaria, and related topics. The Southern Cone and
Amazon Network Surveillance Joint Meeting on Emerging and Reemerging
Infectious Diseases was planned by the Pan American Health Organization
and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.  Dr. Stephen J.
Corber, Director of PAHO's Division of Disease Prevention and Control,
said "We have seen impressive progress in the last four years in
building networks and gathering data that can be used to treat patients
that show resistance to antimicrobials, but we need to improve our
response because there are few last-resort drugs available."
http://www.paho.org/English/DPI/pr020325.htm
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TUBERCULOSIS CLOSELY LINKED TO POVERTY

Tuberculosis (TB) continues to be a serious health problem in the
Americas, where some 250,000 TB cases and nearly 20,000 deaths due to TB
are reported annually. The highest rates are in the countries with the
lowest incomes, and this has a strong impact on personal and family
income as well as the national economy.  Tuberculosis is a serious
public health challenge, not only because of its perennial toll of death
and disease, but also because of its clear linkage with poverty.
Recognizing the importance of this connection, the theme for this year's
World TB Day was "Stop TB, Fight Poverty".  DOTS, a simple strategy of
brief treatment under direct observation, is a way to fight TB and its
economic impact on the world's poorest countries.
http://www.paho.org/English/DPI/100/100feature12.htm
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SPECIAL DISCOUNTS ON PUBLICATIONS RELATED TO TUBERCULOSIS AND POVERTY

This year the World Tuberculosis Day theme is highlighting the
relationship between tuberculosis and poverty.  To mark World
Tuberculosis Day 2002, the PAHO Publications Program will be offering,
at a special discounted price, a series of publications related to
tuberculosis and poverty.  For a list of the discounted publications,
visit: http://publications.paho.org/english/news.cfm?ID=57
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NEW BOOK: EVALUATION IN HEALTH PROMOTION

The World Health Organization has published Evaluation in health
promotion: Principles and Perspectives.  Edited by Irving Rootman,
Michael Goodstadt, Brian Hyndman, David V. McQueen, Louise Potvin, Jane
Springett and Eric Ziglio, the book is an extensive compilation and
discussion of theory, methodologies, and practice.  The book takes three
perspectives in examining health promotion initiatives in Europe and the
Americas.  It includes a retrospective examination of the evolution of
health promotion evaluation, an assessment of the current state of
evaluations, and recommendations for improvement for future evaluations.
Evaluation in health promotion shows how a health promotion approach
offers a comprehensive framework for planning and implementing
interventions that can affectively address today's major health related
problems.  Ordering information can be found at:
http://www.who.int/dsa/cat98/zhow.htm#Where
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GENDERED ASPECTS OF AGEING

The United Nations International Research and Training Institute for the
Advancement of Women (INSTRAW) will be launching a special section on
its Website on "Gendered Aspects of Ageing" to mark the occasion of the
Second World Assembly on Ageing that will be held in Madrid, Spain from
8 to 12 April 2002. The issue of ageing has been on the INSTRAW agenda
since the early 1990s. At that time, recognizing the need for data and
knowledge on gender aspects of ageing, INSTRAW carried out a study on
the changing status and role of elderly women in countries around the
world. In addition to providing statistical data on an emerging issue,
the study identified gaps in data and the kinds of information needed to
address the issue of elderly women in an era of globalization.  Visit
INSTRAW's new website at: http://un-instraw.org/ageing/
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WHO AND UNAIDS CONTINUE TO SUPPORT USE OF NEVIRAPINE FOR PREVENTION OF
MOTHER-TO-CHILD HIV TRANSMISSION

A recent statement released by the United States National Institutes of
Health (NIH), concerning some reporting and documentation irregularities
in clinical trial HIVNET012, does not warrant any change in the
recommendations issued after a WHO technical consultation on
mother-to-child HIV transmission in October 2000.  This expert group,
convened by WHO on behalf of UNICEF, UNFPA, and the UNAIDS Secretariat,
concluded that the safety and effectiveness of antiretroviral regimens,
including nevirapine, in preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission has
been clearly documented and that the use of these regimens is thus
warranted for preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission. The simplest
regimen requires a single dose of nevirapine to the mother at delivery
and a single dose to the newborn within 72 hours of birth.
http://www.who.int/inf/en/WHO-UNAIDstate2002.html
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IUHPE PROMOTING HEALTH THROUGH PEACE AND NON-VIOLENCE INITIATIVE

Following continued discussions aimed at developing an understanding of
the role of health promotion in peace and health work, the International
Union for Health Promotion and Education (IUHPE), is establishing a
working group.  This e-mail discussion group will further the
understanding of the role of health promotion and peace and make
recommendations for action to IUHPE.  Those interested in joining can
contact the co-Regional Director, Fran Perkins, at
[log in to unmask]  Currently, the group is focusing on
advocating with governments to ensure that they invest in health and
development initiatives in the long term in conflict zones and not limit
themselves to just relief efforts.  For more information on IUHPE, visit
its website at: http://www.iuhpe.nyu.edu/
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