Also in global health news: Kenya child mortality; DRC rape; Cape Verde dengue outbreak; Guatemala malnutrition; East Africa flooding

Nov 5 2009

Child Mortality In Kenya Still High, Survey Shows

"The most current data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics under the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) launched on Wednesday shows mortality among children under five years stands at 7.4 percent, while that of infants is at 5.2 percent," Business Daily reports. Child mortality for children younger than age 5 "has come down considerably from 11.5 percent" measured in the 2003 survey because of immunization efforts and other interventions, but "the number is still high." The survey also highlighted Kenya's population growth; "as the country struggles to curb child mortality, more efforts will need to be made on family planning measures as it is a key driver of controlling population growth," the publication writes (Gachenge, 11/5).

IRIN Examines Funding For Combating Sexual Violence And Rape In DRC

IRIN examines strategies to fight sexual violence and rape in the Democratic Republic of Congo. According to the news service, "medical and psychological care are being provided to survivors … [and] U.N. and aid workers on the ground say the funding response has been too narrow, leaving key issues inadequately addressed." Areas that receive less funding are rape prevention and survivor reintegration, according to IRIN (11/4).

Cape Verde To Close Businesses, Schools Friday In Effort To Contain Dengue Outbreak

Cape Verdean health officials on Wednesday announced that in an effort to control a dengue outbreak on the islands that has infected thousands, killing four people since Sunday, businesses, schools and government offices will shut Friday for "a day of mobilisation," Agence France-Presse reports (11/4). The WHO recently said the dengue epidemic, which has infected almost 7,000 people since October 1, is the first ever recorded on the islands, according to the news service. There is currently no vaccine or treatment for the mosquito-borne disease. "We want to mobilise the entire society for this fight because the most important way to fight the epidemic is to interrupt the cycle of the transmission through the (mosquito) vector of the disease," Prime Minister Jose Maria Neves said (11/4).

IPS Examines Malnutrition In Guatemala

Inter Press Service examines the impact of malnutrition on the people of Guatemala. "At least 54 children have died of malnutrition so far this year in Guatemala, according to the General Directorate of Epidemiology, while 2.5 million people out of a total population of 13 million are facing a food crisis, according to United Nations figures." The article examines how the people of Guatemala are attempting to survive the "worst drought in 30 years" and the aid coming from the international community (Valladares, 11/4).

Thousands Flee East Africa Floods

After a major drought, thousands of people in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia have endured flooding, "and aid agencies are preparing to evacuate hundreds of thousands more when further rain pours down," Reuters AlertNet reports. "As many as 750,000 people may eventually be affected by floods and landslides from the current rainy season," the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said (Kilner, 11/4).