· June, 2009

Stories about Health from June, 2009

Sri Lanka: No To Beef

  30 June 2009

Sri Lankan blog Scourge comments on a poster that advocates how cruel it is to slaughter a cow and for that we should refrain from eating beef: “how you can be so concerned about cows and not at all concerned about a human life!”

Myanmar: 1st H1N1 Case Confirmed

  29 June 2009

Myanmar on Saturday confirmed its first case of swine flu, with state media reporting that a 13-year-old girl had tested positive for the virus on her return from Singapore.

Kenya: The politics of Mass Male Circumcision

  27 June 2009

HIV Kenya discusses the politics of “Mass Male Circumcision“: It seems like a short time since the issue of mass male circumcision (MMC) became a political football and it is not even the latest issue to have that status any more. But articles about it still appear every now and...

Trinidad & Tobago: R-E-S-P-E-C-T

  23 June 2009

Trinidad and Tobago-based blogger Attillah Springer addresses the judge whose ruling caused construction on the proposed Alutrint aluminium smelter to come to a halt: “This victory is for denuded hills and depleted fish stocks. This victory is for every unsolved crime, every unkept campaign promise. What you have done has...

Philippines: A(H1N1) panic continues to grow

  23 June 2009

Asia’s first A(H1N1)-related death is a Filipina from Metro Manila. This was confirmed by health authorities who also warned that 25 percent of the country’s 90 million population could be affected by the dreaded influenza virus. More schools have suspended their classes to protect the health and safety of their students.

Trinidad & Tobago: H1N1

  22 June 2009

This Beach Called Life: “Swine Flu, A(H1N1), has now hit Trinidad and Tobago with the number of cases increasing daily causing facemaks to become as popular as condoms at Carnival.”

Egypt: Between the Swine Flu and Approaching Plague

Terror and panic have gripped many Egyptians after the first case of H1N1 influenza, or Swine Flu, was detected in the country. The panic had actually started before the virus hit, prompting the Egyptian government to cull pigs. Bloggers are also voicing their concerns about the spread of the deadly plague in a neighbouring Libyan town.

Trinidad & Tobago: Smelter & Democracy

  17 June 2009

As a legal ruling causes construction on the proposed Alutrint aluminium smelter to come to a halt, This Beach Called Life comments: “This case is destined to go to the Privy Council and if the EMA (Government) should lose then the reputation of the EMA would be damaged beyond repair...

Mexico: Water Shortages Affecting Nearly 2 Million Residents

  17 June 2009

Nearly two millions of citizens have been affected by the recent reduction of the water service in the Valley of Mexico. The Cutzamala System, which manages 20% of the drinking water for the valley, is not working at full capacity and cannot supply its own region, several districts, and municipalities from the Federal District and the State of Mexico. Water supply shortage will affect people every weekend for an indefinite amount of time.

Trinidad & Tobago: The Outsiders

  16 June 2009

“We are all begging to be let in. For our voices to be heard. For our opinions to matter. And the father of the nation builds a big tall wall around what is for him and those who support him. Like a club bouncer he gets to say who gets...

Barbados: Tourism and H1N1

  16 June 2009

Barbados Free Press is torn: should Barbados admit a cruise ship at the risk of increasing the incidence of the H1N1 virus – or go for the tourism dollars?

Paraguay: Governmental Response to Arrival of H1N1 Virus

  15 June 2009

New cases of the AH1N1 virus have been confirmed in Paraguay. The total people infected rose to 25, however, there have not been any deaths linked to the virus. Bloggers reflect on the steps that the government is taking in regards to providing information from the public, and detection at the airport.

Trinidad & Tobago: Smelter Protest

  12 June 2009

Rights Action Group T&T republishes a letter to the editor regarding an “imbalanced” news report claiming that an injured baby died as a result of the smelter protests, while This Beach Called Life concocts an imaginary conversation about the protest action between the Prime Minister and Attorney General.

Zimbabwe: Faces of the crisis and a cry for help

  12 June 2009

The CIVICUS World Alliance for Citizen Participation organization has published Time 2 Act, an online video in which people in Zimbabwe present the various ways in which the crisis the country is going through is decimating the population and the quality of life of the survivors. In the following 3 part video, citizens discuss how the mega devaluation the currency is going through affects their ability to eat and clothe themselves, speak about violence and plead for help from mediators such as the South African Development Community.

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Juhie Bhatia
Juhie Bhatia is the Global Health editor. Email her story ideas or volunteer to write.