Public Health Wednesdays (PHW)- Africa & Asia Health Check

ASIA 

INDIA SAYS YES TO LABELS

“About 6 million people die of tobacco use globally every year and India accounts for 1/6th of the total deaths. ”

— Sanchita, Sharma Health & Science Editor for Hindustan Times

The Independent

 A solid blow but not a final one from India’s Supreme Court. The Supreme Court decided to put some much-needed brakes with the issue of larger health warnings on cigarettes sold in India, like the picture below. A lower court had ruled in favor for Tobacco Hero, Phillip Morris International to not increase the current surface available for health warnings. They will be back in court on March 12th.

THE PHILIPPINES

“In 2016, Obesity cost the Philippines between $500 million and $1 billion, or equivalent to between 4 percent and 8 percent of its health-care spending. ”

— Business Mirror, 2016

The Philippine government will impose higher taxes on sugar sweetened drinks as a way to target obesity. 

JAPAN APPROVES COCA-COLA FOR LAXATIVES

Nope, Japan has a better answer for your constipation needs

The Japanese government has approved of this new Coca Cola has a healthy laxative. It helps to suppress fat and make you do the number 2. We should note here it is for the elderly, but you guess right, young people are consuming the beverage. Anyway, if you drink more than one a day, you can guess the consequences 

Dr. David Machiels, product development director, R&D, Coca-Cola Asia Pacific

Coca-Cola has released a laxative-enhanced and purportedly healthy cola beverage in Japan.

THAILAND UPDATE ON WHITENING THE PENIS TREND

So about the Whitening of the Penis situation, the Minister of Health relesed a Twitter statement few days ago

““Dr Thongchai Keeratihuttayakorn of the Thai Health Ministry said: “Penis laser whitening is not necessary, wastes money and may give more negative effects than positive ones.””

— Twitter

AFRICA

South Sudan is starting the year with suspected cases of (VHFs)Viral Haemorrhagic Fever, Nigeria with Meningitis and Necrotizing Fasciitis in São Tomé and Príncipe. 

“Viral haemorrhagic fever is a general term for a severe illness, sometimes associated with bleeding, that may be caused by a number of viruses. The term is usually applied to disease caused by Arenaviridae (Lassa fever, Junin and Machupo), Bunyaviridae (Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, Rift Valley Fever, Hantaan haemorrhagic fevers), Filoviridae (Ebola and Marburg) and Flaviviridae (yellow fever, dengue, Omsk haemorrhagic fever, Kyasanur forest disease).”

— World Health Organization

Google this word  "Necrotizing Fasciitis" for photos, be warned the photos are VERY GRAPHIC

ZAMBIA

CHOLERA

What is cholera? What are the symptoms? Is there a vaccine? Watch the video and find out more information.

Day 10 into 2018, Zambia has a cumulative total of 2905 cholera cases and a total of 67 deaths. The Zambian government has placed curfews, banned meetings at public gatherings such as churches and schools. In addition to these reactive methods to the Cholera public health emergency, the Zambian government has stopped issuing Zambian passports and birth certificates.
 

“Over 124 infections were documented in 24 hours from January 8th- January 9th.”

Meanwhile lack of sanitation is causing a cholera crisis in Zambia. The government has taken extraordinary measures in the capital Lusaka to wipe out the disease. And as Mutuna Chanda reports, the outbreak isn't just affecting people's health.

Economic consequences to the reactionary behaviors of Zambia’s lack of dealing with the issues and not the symptoms, is neighboring country of Namibia banning all food imports from Zambia. Zambia is one of Namibia’s top four trading partners, exports to Namibia totaled around $322 million in 2016.

THE REAL ISSUE

 

UPDATE ON MADAGASCAR AND THE PLAGUE

We touched on Madagascar and the plague some months back, you can catch up here

Director General of WHO, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus has included an outline for a plague free Madagascar that includes a request for an added $4 million in funding.

See you next PHW

Muldays Mondays: China's Waterplomacy "The OMFG, The Ugly and the Bad.......

Waterplomacy: China's Water Woes

“To understand the politricks behind water security and related topics, simply pay attention to these terms: Economic Activities and Development, Peace and Political Stability, Financing (Remember W.A.S.H?), Ecosystems, Drinking Water, Water Pollution, Climate Change, Good Governance and Transboundary Cooperation”

— Water & Cassava

.... OMFG- The Case of The Gambia  

On May 22 2017, The Bolong Fenyo Wild Life Reserve in Gambia was poisoned by the Chinese owned company Golden Lead Factory. The color of water ranges from pink to red, because of the dead animals discovered in the reserve and surrounding areas. After an investigation, it was discovered the pipelines were dumping toxins to the reserve. The company blamed the local fishermen for killing every single fish in the reserve.
I am sure you can imagine, the local people and government had some difficulty believing this formal response. The Gambia National Environment Agency sued The Golden Lead Factory for violating environmental regulations and for the pollution of the sea. 

Bolong Fenyo Wild Life Reserve after poison

Please click below to learn more:

Now after this, you will think Gambia will be singing this to China:

But in the words of the young boyz from Philadelphia:

As of August of this year, Gambia decided to work with China on supporting and building on infrastructure, agriculture, and tourism. China in return will have unrestricted access to the Gambian market and about the  T word....

“China: Gambia you understand there is only one China
Gambia: We understand that Taiwan is not a country, Please don’t go away”

— Imagined by Water & Cassava

To read more on Gambia not wanting China to go away:

 

...The UGLY-The Case of Cameroon 

Meanwhile down south from Gambia, we have the country of Cameroon. A country that has had the same president for the last 30 years, home to 5 separate groups that wish to take their independence from the country and ninth country to benefit from Chinese loans and aid. 

“The Cameroonian Ministry of Economy signed multiple technical and economic agreements with China worth FCFA 49.4 billion (594 million yuan) for a drinking water supply project”

To get the brief gist of this project:

SPEAKING OF HELL AROUND THE CORNER..

Cameroon is the walking definition of the song above.  

“...Cameroon owes China $1 billion dollars in loans”

— Water & Cassava

....The Bad: The Case of China's Water Security Issues

China has a host of water security issues internally and with neighboring countries. Home to 1.3 billion people, that is roughly 20% of our planet's population. China struggles with access to fresh water but in order to understand the role of agriculture in China's water woes, read this article: 

“Birth Control OR Control of Birth ”

— Water & Cassava

The answer from the China government to water security concerns, is the South-North Water Transfer Project that will cost the government $62 billion dollars. There are some serious concerns on the role of pollution in the building of such a massive project including serious risk to the population. Read below to understand why such concerns are alarming:

CHINA AND INDIA WATER WARS: BUDDAH BE A FENCE

China's attempt to deal with water scarcity has been to build more dams to divert water in regions of the country that lack water. This diversion has cost India lives and over $30 million in damages. Read this article to understand the growing tensions between India and China that stem from water manipulation

Until next Mulday!