AFP
Health - AFP

Health workers take part in a bird flu outbreak drill in Denpasar, on the resort island of Bali, earlier this year. Bird flu chiefs from across Southeast Asia have agreed to assess the ability of their governments to respond to a deadly human pandemic of the virus, an Indonesian official said.(AFP/File/Sonny Tumbelaka)

ASEAN states to test readiness on bird flu pandemic

Wed Jul 23, 5:45 AM ET

JAKARTA (AFP) - Bird flu chiefs from across Southeast Asia have agreed to assess the ability of their governments to respond to a deadly human pandemic of the virus, an Indonesian official said Wednesday.

  • A nurse treats dengue patients in a goverment hospital in Manila in 2006. Global warming may have contributed to a 43 percent rise in the number of dengue cases in the Philippines for the first half of the year, the health secretary said Wednesday.(AFP/File/Joel Nito)
    Dengue cases in Philippines rise by 43 percent: government 8 minutes ago

    MANILA (AFP) - Global warming may have contributed to a 43 percent rise in the number of dengue cases in the Philippines for the first half of the year, the health secretary said Wednesday.

  • Congolese women wait to be attended at a health center in Goma in 2006. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) launched Tuesday a multi-million dollar appeal for an AIDS treatment programme in five African countries.(AFP/File/Jose Cendon)
    Red Cross launches massive Africa AIDS appeal Tue Jul 22, 1:26 PM ET

    GENEVA (AFP) - The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) launched Tuesday a multi-million dollar appeal for an AIDS treatment programme in five African countries.

  • Viagra pills. The erectile dysfunction drug Viagra has proven effective at combating sexual dysfunction in depressed women, according to a study published Tuesday.(AFP/HO/File)
    Viagra helps depressed women: study Tue Jul 22, 3:08 PM ET

    CHICAGO (AFP) - The erectile dysfunction drug Viagra has proven effective at combating sexual dysfunction in depressed women, according to a study published Tuesday.

  • Former US president Bill Clinton, pictured in June 2008, on Tuesday announced an upcoming trip to Africa and Mexico to promote new programs by his Clinton Foundation to fight AIDS and malaria.(AFP/Getty Images/Kevin Winter/File)
    Bill Clinton to visit Africa, Mexico for anti-AIDS campaign Tue Jul 22, 6:35 PM ET

    NEW YORK (AFP) - Former US president Bill Clinton on Tuesday announced an upcoming trip to Africa and Mexico to promote new programs by his Clinton Foundation to fight AIDS and malaria.

  • Three-month-old cojoined twins Banya - Flood - (L) and Barsha - Rain - are pictured at the Bangabandhu Medical College Hospital in Dhaka. Surgeons in Bangladesh said they were preparing to separate three-month-old conjoined twins despite similar attempts here in the past leading to the deaths of one or both children.(AFP/File/Farjana Khan Godhuly)
    Bangladesh surgeons to separate conjoined twins Tue Jul 22, 12:05 PM ET

    DHAKA (AFP) - Surgeons in Bangladesh said Tuesday they were preparing to separate three-month-old conjoined twins despite similar attempts here in the past leading to the deaths of one or both children.

  • Cell cultures are placed under a microscope in a lab. Researchers have developed a plant-based cancer vaccine capable of kick-starting the body's immune response and being tailored to a patient's specific tumor type, according to a study released Monday.(AFP/Getty Images/File/Sandy Huffaker)
    Vaccine kick-starts immune response to cancer Mon Jul 21, 5:06 PM ET

    CHICAGO (AFP) - Researchers have developed a plant-based cancer vaccine capable of kick-starting the body's immune response and being tailored to a patient's specific tumor type, according to a study released Monday.

  • A sample of bacteria is analyzed. Two people have died in what appears to be an outbreak of the respiratory illness Legionnaire's disease in southeastern Norway, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health cautioned on Monday.(AFP/File/Fabian Gredillas)
    Two die in possible Legionnaire's outbreak in Norway: agency Mon Jul 21, 2:38 PM ET

    OSLO (AFP) - Two people have died in what appears to be an outbreak of the respiratory illness Legionnaire's disease in southeastern Norway, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health cautioned on Monday.

  • A mother holds her crying baby. Singapore is working on a slew of new measures aimed at boosting the city-state's flagging birth rate, the government said Monday.(AFP/File/Khin Maung Win)
    Singapore plans new measures to boost birth rate Mon Jul 21, 12:05 PM ET

    SINGAPORE (AFP) - Singapore is working on a slew of new measures aimed at boosting the city-state's flagging birth rate, the government said Monday.

  • A tuberculosis hospital in Kolkata. The failure of Asian nations to fight the spread of highly lethal, drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis poses a threat to global public health security, the World Health Organisation warned(AFP/File/Deshakalyan Chowdhury)
    WHO urges Asian nations to tackle tuberculosis threat Mon Jul 21, 2:50 AM ET

    TOKYO (AFP) - The failure of Asian nations to fight the spread of highly lethal, drug-resistant strains of tuberculosis poses a threat to global public health security, the World Health Organisation warned Monday.

  • Quarantine officials in Seoul. South Korea will start year-round monitoring for bird flu after this year's outbreak -- the country's worst -- began later than normal, the agriculture ministry said(AFP/File/Jung Yeon-Je)
    SKorea to start year-round monitoring for bird flu Tue Jul 22, 2:30 AM ET

    SEOUL (AFP) - South Korea will start year-round monitoring for bird flu after this year's outbreak -- the country's worst -- began later than normal, the agriculture ministry said Tuesday.

  • Striking hospital workers stand outside the locked gates of a Lagos hospital during a strike in 2000. Nigerian health workers will begin an open-ended strike this week, joining primary and secondary teachers whose own strike has entered a third week, officials have said.(AFP/File/Pius Otomi Ekpei)
    Nigerian health workers to join strike Mon Jul 21, 12:10 PM ET

    LAGOS (AFP) - Nigerian health workers will begin an open-ended strike this week, joining primary and secondary teachers whose own strike has entered a third week, officials said Monday.

  • A child receives a Polio vaccination. Health workers in Pakistan said Monday they have discovered a new case of polio in a baby girl in the northwestern Swat valley, where ongoing unrest has prevented vaccination.(AFP/File/Shah Marai)
    New polio case found in Pakistan valley: officials Mon Jul 21, 12:06 PM ET

    PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AFP) - Health workers in Pakistan said Monday they have discovered a new case of polio in a baby girl in the northwestern Swat valley, where ongoing unrest has prevented vaccination.

  • Turkana women retrieve their nets in Lowerengak, along the shores of Lake Turkana in 2006. Kenyan activists on Monday called for a Swedish firm's plans to search for oil and natural gas in the northwest Lake Turkana basin to be delayed, because of concerns about health.(AFP/Tony Karumba)
    Kenyan group raises health fears over exploration oil deal Mon Jul 21, 7:34 PM ET

    NAIROBI (AFP) - Kenyan activists on Monday called for a Swedish firm's plans to search for oil and natural gas in the northwest Lake Turkana basin to be delayed, because of concerns about health.

  • A woman suffering from anorexia is seen in her apartment. Spanish police have identified some 400 websites inciting young women to anorexia or bulimia, according to the daily newspaper ABC on Sunday.(AFP/File/Fred Dufour)
    Spanish police discover 400 websites inciting anorexia: press Sun Jul 20, 7:59 PM ET

    MADRID (AFP) - Spanish police have identified some 400 websites inciting young women to anorexia or bulimia, according to the daily newspaper ABC on Sunday.

  • A woman rides the back of a motorcycle in the middle of a heavy traffic jam. Obesity continued to creep up in the United States last year and now affects more than one in four US adults, a US government report showed Friday.(AFP/File/Bay Ismoyo)
    Obesity creeps up in US: report Fri Jul 18, 2:27 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - Obesity continued to creep up in the United States last year and now affects more than one in four US adults, a US government report showed Friday.

  • A passenger arrives at the departure lounge of an airport. Gay advocates and commentators have hailed a vote by US senators to repeal a travel ban on HIV-positive visitors or immigrants to the United States.(AFP/File/Romeo Gacad)
    US activists praise Senate for lifting HIV travel ban Fri Jul 18, 1:00 PM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - Gay advocates and commentators have hailed a vote by US senators to repeal a travel ban on HIV-positive visitors or immigrants to the United States.

  • A volunteer health worker retrieves blood sample for an HIV-AIDS detection test on a patient. A Cameroonian poet and activist living in Poland as a refugee since 1999 went on trial Friday in Warsaw charged with having "knowingly infected" 11 women with the HIV virus, his lawyer said.(AFP/Kambou Sia)
    Cameroon refugee on trial in Poland for infecting women with HIV Fri Jul 18, 5:24 PM ET

    WARSAW (AFP) - A Cameroonian poet and activist living in Poland as a refugee since 1999 went on trial Friday in Warsaw charged with having "knowingly infected" 11 women with the HIV virus, his lawyer said.

  • A bartender serves drinks. Blame the DJ: loud bar music makes people drink more and drink faster, a study released Friday has found.(AFP/File/Thomas Grabka)
    Loud bar music makes people drink more, faster: study Fri Jul 18, 4:10 PM ET

    CHICAGO (AFP) - Blame the DJ: loud bar music makes people drink more and drink faster, a study released Friday has found.

  • A doctor retrieves a blood sample from a man for an HIV test in Tegucigalpa, Honduras in 2006. US scientists have scrapped plans for a large trial of a HIV vaccine due to concerns about its effectiveness, the government's medical research agency said.(AFP/File/Elmer Martinez)
    US scientists scrap major AIDS vaccine test Fri Jul 18, 5:27 AM ET

    WASHINGTON (AFP) - US scientists have scrapped plans for a large trial of a HIV vaccine due to concerns about its effectiveness, the government's medical research agency said.

  • Doctors show the iron rod which pierced Supratim Dutta's chest in New Delhi(AFP/Vipin Kumar)
    Indian man survives after iron rod pierces chest: reports Fri Jul 18, 4:35 AM ET

    NEW DELHI (AFP) - An Indian man has survived an operation to remove a 1.5-metre (five-foot) long iron bar that stabbed right through his chest, reports said Friday, calling it a medical miracle.

  • An old person suffering from Alzheimer's disease is seen at a hospital. A nearly forgotten Russian-made drug, formulated to combat hay fever, helps improve cognitive abilities in patients with Alzheimer's disease, according to the results of a year-long trial published on Thursday.(AFP/File/Fred Tanneau)
    Russian antihistamine drug does well in Alzheimer's test Thu Jul 17, 7:10 PM ET

    PARIS (AFP) - A nearly forgotten Russian-made drug, formulated to combat hay fever, helps improve cognitive abilities in patients with Alzheimer's disease, according to the results of a year-long trial published on Thursday.

  • Former president Bill Clinton, pictured in June 2008, announced Thursday a deal with six pharmaceutical companies from China and India to cut the price of a leading malaria treatment by 30 percent.(AFP/Getty Images/Kevin Winter/File)
    China, India drug makers agree to cut malaria drug price: Clinton Thu Jul 17, 6:27 PM ET

    NEW YORK (AFP) - Former US president Bill Clinton announced Thursday a deal with six pharmaceutical companies from China and India to cut the price of a leading malaria treatment by 30 percent.

  • Brazilian soldiers pour insecticide to fight against the Aedes Aegypti mosquito (dengue fever vector) inside an abandoned military facility in Realengo, 70 km northern Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Brazil is to start producing a vaccine against the potentially fatal tropical virus dengue fever later this year, a researcher at the Sao Paulo institute has told a science conference.(AFP/File/Antonio Scorza)
    Brazil to start dengue vaccine production: researcher Thu Jul 17, 2:44 PM ET

    BRASILIA (AFP) - Brazil is to start producing a vaccine against the potentially fatal tropical virus dengue fever later this year, a researcher at the Sao Paulo institute has told a science conference.

  • A Thai man preapres food inside his shack as a woman looks on in a shanty town in Bangkok on July 16. Hundreds of millions of people will still not have access to sanitation by 2015 as the UN's Millennium Development Goals are "badly off track" on this topic, the World Health Organisation warned Thursday.(AFP/File/Nicolas Asfouri)
    More than two billion people lack adequate sanitation: UN Thu Jul 17, 2:28 PM ET

    UNITED NATIONS (AFP) - More than two billion people around the world still lack adequate sanitation, according to a UN report released here Thursday.

  • World "badly off track" to meet sanitation targets: WHO Thu Jul 17, 1:12 PM ET

    GENEVA (AFP) - Hundreds of millions of people will still not have access to sanitation by 2015 as the UN's Millennium Development Goals are "badly off track" on this topic, the World Health Organisation warned Thursday.

  • A scientist tests blood samples for HIV. Scientists have isolated two genes which may prevent people from contracting HIV or at least slow the rate at which they develop AIDS, a new study published in the journal AIDS has found.(AFP/File/Noah Seelam)
    Anti-malaria gene in Africans raises HIV risk Thu Jul 17, 12:21 PM ET

    CHICAGO (AFP) - A gene found only in people of African ancestry which evolved to prevent malaria infection now increases the odds of contracting AIDS by up to 40 percent, a new study has found.

  • A scientist tests blood samples for HIV. Scientists have isolated two genes which may prevent people from contracting HIV or at least slow the rate at which they develop AIDS, a new study published in the journal AIDS has found.(AFP/File/Noah Seelam)
    Two genes may prevent HIV infection: study Thu Jul 17, 10:05 AM ET

    CHICAGO (AFP) - Scientists have isolated two genes which may prevent people from contracting HIV or at least slow the rate at which they develop AIDS, a new study has found.

  • An Iraqi boy drinks from a water pipe crossing an uncovered sewage canal on the outskirts of Baghdad in 2007. The World Health Organisation has said that cholera and typhoid pose the key risks to health in Iraq, with refugees and displaced people particularly vulnerable to any outbreak.(AFP/File/Wissam al-Okaili)
    WHO says cholera, typhoid main health risks in Iraq Thu Jul 17, 7:12 AM ET

    GENEVA (AFP) - The World Health Organisation said Thursday that cholera and typhoid pose the key risks to health in Iraq, with refugees and displaced people particularly vulnerable to any outbreak.