The cover of this month’s issue of the Bulletin and several articles are dedicated to the importance of health information. The lead editorial highlights one of WHO’s first statistical texts. In an interview , Sally Stansfield, executive secretary of Health Metrics Network, says it’s time for the world to shift the ownership of health information to countries instead of letting donors and disease-specific programmes run the agenda. In the second editorial , Sanjoy Bhattacharya proposes some strategies for breaking down the divide between advocates of “vertical” and “horizontal” public health programmes.
Patralekha Chatterjee reports from India on how substitution therapies , such as methadone, are still the most promising methods of reducing drug dependence after 40 years. Getting access to treatment is a global problem, particularly in China , India and the Russian Federation . Johnety Jerety reports from Fiji on how primary health care programmes have stalled across the island nation due to a shortage of health workers and funds. Peter Mwaura reports from Kenya on how post-election violence disrupted the complex systems for delivering HIV/AIDS treatment in rural areas.
In the first research paper, Nicola Cherry et al. determine the link between high levels of arsenic in water supplies and an increase in stillbirths . Tom Solomon et al. assess the field-test version of the new WHO Japanese encephalitis surveillance standards , with some advice for amendments.
Joseph R Egger et al. propose that mosquito control in Singapore has resulted in decreased herd immunity to dengue fever in older age groups and, in the fourth research item, Nick Andrews et al. urge countries in Europe to step up vaccine coverage and call for catch-up campaigns for older age groups.
Josef G Thundiyil et al. propose an international standard for classifying cases of pesticide poisoning . Anna Coutsoudis et al. suggest that exclusive breastfeeding by HIV-infected mothers may still be the best option of child survival in low-income countries.
Kumanan Wilson et al. suggest how federal countries might implement the revised International Health Regulations . Chutima Suraratdecha et al. find that supportive supervision of immunization programmes in India results in major cost savings. Sarah L White et al. present a range of strategies for improving access to treatment for the world’s poorest sufferers of end-stage kidney disease .
NEW FEATURE: 2008 marks the 60th anniversary of WHO and of the Bulletin. You can read the first part of a series of articles on the history of our journal on the history pages on our website.
Volume 86, Number 3, March 2008, 161-240
IN THIS MONTH’S BULLETIN
WHO 60th anniversary commemorative volume; International Health Regulations; Immunization savings; The methadone fix; Towards elimination of measles; Rise in dengue fever; Treatment turmoil; Stillbirth linked to arsenic; A broken dream; Japanese encephalitis surveillance; Breast may still be best; Global equity in renal replacement therapy; Acute pesticide poisoning
Full article text [HTML] | Full article text [pdf 265kb]
EDITORIALS
The usual words of caution
- Bulletin of the World Health Organization
doi: 10.2471/BLT.08.052100
Full article text [HTML] | Full article text [pdf 92kb]
The local bases of global public health: complexities and opportunities
- Sanjoy Bhattacharya
doi: 10.2471/BLT.08.051979
Full article text [HTML] | Full article text [pdf 71kb]
NEWS
The methadone fix
Full article text [HTML] | Full article text [pdf 987kb]
Primary health care: Fiji ’s broken dream
Full article text [HTML] | Full article text [pdf 987kb]
Turmoil disrupts AIDS care in Kenya
Full article text [HTML] | Full article text [pdf 986kb]
An interview with Sally Stansfield - Who owns the information? Who has the power?
Full article text [HTML] | Full article text [pdf 985kb]
Recent news from WHO
Full article text [HTML] | Full article text [pdf 941kb]
RESEARCH
Stillbirth in rural Bangladesh : arsenic exposure and other etiological factors: a report from Gonoshasthaya Kendra
- Nicola Cherry et al.
doi: 10.2471/BLT.07.043083
Abstract [HTML] | Full article text [HTML] | Full article text [pdf 391kb]
A cohort study to assess the new WHO Japanese encephalitis surveillance standards
- Tom Solomon et al.
doi: 10.2471/BLT.07.043307
Abstract [HTML] | Full article text [HTML] | Full article text [pdf 537kb]
Reconstructing historical changes in the force of infection of dengue fever in Singapore: implications for surveillance and control
- Joseph R Egger et al.
doi: 10.2471/BLT.07.040170
Abstract [HTML] | Full article text [HTML] | Full article text [pdf 839kb]
Towards elimination: measles susceptibility in Australia and 17 European countries
- Nick Andrews et al.
doi: 10.2471/BLT.07.041129
Abstract [HTML] | Full article text [HTML] | Full article text [pdf 497kb]
POLICY AND PRACTICE
Acute pesticide poisoning: a proposed classification tool
- Josef G Thundiyil et al.
doi: 10.2471/BLT.07.041814
Abstract [HTML] | Full article text [HTML] | Full article text [pdf 1.50Mb]
HIV, infant feeding and more perils for poor people: new WHO guidelines encourage review of formula milk policies
- Anna Coutsoudis et al.
doi: 10.2471/BLT.07.041673
Abstract [HTML] | Full article text [HTML] | Full article text [pdf 330kb]
Strategies for implementing the new International Health Regulations in federal countries
- Kumanan Wilson et al.
doi: 10.2471/BLT.07.042838
Abstract [HTML] | Full article text [HTML] | Full article text [pdf 346kb]
Cost and effectiveness analysis of immunization service delivery support in Andhra Pradesh , India
- Chutima Suraratdecha et al.
doi: 10.2471/BLT.06.039495
Abstract [HTML] | Full article text [HTML] | Full article text [pdf 433kb]
How can we achieve global equity in provision of renal replacement therapy?
- Sarah L White et al.
doi: 10.2471/BLT.07.041715
Abstract [HTML] | Full article text [HTML] | Full article text [pdf 513kb]
BOOKS & ELECTRONIC MEDIA
The global family planning revolution: three decades of population policies and programmes
- Matthews Mathai
doi: 10.2471/BLT.07.045658
Full article text [HTML] | Full article text [pdf 86kb]
Ethnicity, race and health in a multicultural environment: foundations for better epidemiology, public health and health care
- Helen Therese Allan
doi: 10.2471/BLT.07.047589
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LETTERS
Reaching Every District (RED) approach: a way to improve immunization performance
- Jos Vandelaer et al.
doi: 10.2471/BLT.07.042127
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Health insurance in sub-Saharan Africa : a call for subsidies
- Andreas Kalk
doi: 10.2471/BLT.07.042135
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Anti-tuberculosis medication side-effects constitute major factor for poor adherence to tuberculosis treatment
- Niyi Awofeso
doi: 10.2471/BLT.07.043802
Full article text [HTML] | Full article text [pdf 106kb]
Response to opt-out approach to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV
- Kazuhiro Kakimoto
doi: 10.2471/BLT.07.049833
Full article text [HTML] | Full article text [pdf 106kb]
Declines in case management of diarrhoea among children less than five years old
- Pavani Kalluri Ram et al.
doi: 10.2471/BLT.07.041384
Full article text [HTML] | Full article text [pdf 106kb]
