Also in global health news: Malawi HIV/AIDS fight; cancer in developing world

Sep 24 2009

Malawi Gets $30M World Bank Grant For HIV/AIDS

Tim Gilbo, the World Bank's director in Malawi, announced on Tuesday that the organization will grant the country $30 million, which will be used to "increase access to prevention, treatment and mitigation services with a focus on behavioural change," SAPA/News24.com reports. Gilbo also said the country should "identify and promote those programmes that are working and drop or redesign those that are not bearing any fruits." UNAIDS Malawi coordinator Desmond Johns said HIV/AIDS is "arguably the single consistent threat in overall development" for Malawi (9/22).

Report Warns Of Developing World Cancer 'Tsunami'

Reuters examines the burden of cancer in developing countries, which receive "only about 5 percent of global resources for cancer," despite comprising "60 percent of last year's 7.6 million cancer deaths," experts say. A report on cancer, released as experts on the disease are meeting in Berlin, says cancer kills more people in developing countries "than tuberculosis, malaria and AIDS combined and a 'tsunami' of the disease threatens to overwhelm the nations worst equipped to cope" (Kelland, 9/22).