Also in global health news: Funding shortfall in Philippines; WHO-approved ARV

Nov 12 2009

Bloomberg Examines Aid Shortfall In Philippines; Clinton Commits Additional $5.2M During Visit

Bloomberg examines the U.N.'s continued appeal for aid for the people of the Philippines "after three tropical cyclones left almost 1,000 people dead" and an estimated 1.7 million people displaced or living in flooded areas. "The UN's humanitarian agency issued a 'flash appeal' for $74 million in October and has received $26 million, according to the world body's newswire," the news service writes. "Among the key concerns for aid agencies remain access to safe water, sanitation facilities and hygiene items in the relocation camps and in residential areas affected by floods," the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian affairs said (Sheldrick, 11/12).

During a visit to the Philippines on Thursday, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Thursday committed $5.2 million for disaster aid for the country, Inquirer.net's "Global Nation" blog reports. "This foreign aid is in addition to the more than $14 million in rescue and relief aid already provided by the U.S. government after the three storms that hit the country between September and October," the blog writes (11/12).

Indian AIDS Drug Receives WHO Approval

Indian drug maker Ranbaxy Laboratories announced on Thursday it had received WHO "pre-qualification for its Indinavir anti-retroviral AIDS drug. Pre-qualification is a mechanism that "acts as a guide to United Nations agencies and countries that select suppliers for drugs," Reuters reports (Narayanan, 11/12).