UNDP United Nations Development Programme [to 9 May 2015]
http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/presscenter.html

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03 May 2015
UNDP assists 84 developing countries safely manage Persistent Organic Pollutants to protect human health, livelihoods and environment
Geneva – At the 7th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention (SC COP-7) in Geneva this week, UNDP will be reporting its contribution to the global effort to reduce the risks of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). As of May 2015, UNDP is supporting 84 countries implement POPs-related projects, amounting to US $156 million in Global Environment Facility (GEF) grants and US $392 million in co-financing. Consequently, 9,500 tonnes of POPs have been safely disposed and 335,000 tonnes of contaminated wastes have been safeguarded.

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are chemicals that negatively affect health and environment through air, water and soil, causing nervous system damage, immune system breakdown, reproductive system disorder and cancer. To help reduce the vulnerability, especially of the poor, to health and environmental hazards, UNDP helps countries meet the objectives of the Stockholm Convention with financial support from GEF and other co-financing partners. To ensure sustainability 300,000 people have been trained globally on POPs management and 65 national regulations on safe management of POPS have been adopted with UNDP support. These efforts have helped 220,000 people reduce their high-risk exposure to POPs….

IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development [to 9 May 2015]
http://www.ifad.org/media/press/index.htm

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6 May: IFAD’s new financing framework means more investment in poor rural communities
Arabic | French | English | Spanish
Rome, 6 May 2015 – The Executive Board of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) recently approved the Sovereign Borrowing Framework, a unique and innovative financial policy tool created to meet the increased need for investing in the Fund’s agricultural development projects.

“This framework provides the means to leverage additional funding for our work in remote areas where few others venture,” said Kanayo F. Nwanze, President of IFAD. “As we look to how we will finance the post-2015 agenda, IFAD believes that financing tools like this one are essential to transforming rural areas into vibrant places where women and men can thrive.”

Meeting the ambition of the new Sustainable Development Goals that will be adopted in September will require a substantial range of domestic and international investments from both the public and private sectors. Development institutions need to broaden their financing instruments in order to attract additional finance and support their partners in making the best use of these resources.

The framework focuses on the parameters within which IFAD may borrow from sovereign states and state-supported institutions. IFAD’s goal is to support rural people so they can improve their food and nutrition security, increase their incomes and strengthen their resilience by investing in agricultural development projects that bring about rural transformation. In order to reach more rural people and increase its impact, IFAD will continue to expand its funding base by leveraging additional resources. As a first step in this direction late last year, the Fund signed a framework agreement with Germany’s KfW Development Bank for up to EUR 400 million and a first loan of EUR 100 million.

ICAO International Civil Aviation Organization [to 9 May 2015]
http://www.icao.int/Newsroom/Pages/pressrelease.aspx.

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ICAO Wraps up Successful Multi-Region Outreach Effort on Global MBM for International Air Transport
MONTRÉAL, 1 May 2015 – The International Civil Aviation Organization successfully concluded its first round of Global Aviation Dialogues (GLADs) on Market-based Measures (MBMs) during April 2015, covering all ICAO regions. The two-day GLADs sessions were designed to share information on MBMs and their potential role in mitigating CO2 emissions from international aviation, update ICAO’s progress on the development of its global MBM scheme, and provide an important opportunity for feedback and discussion amongst Member States and relevant organizations…

IMO International Maritime Organization [to 9 May 2015]
http://www.imo.org/MediaCentre/Pages/Home.aspx

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Polar Code environmental provisions set for adoption at MEPC
06/05/2015 IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee meets 11-15 May.
…Polar Code environmental provisions set for adoption
The MEPC is expected to adopt the environmental requirements of the mandatory International Code for ships operating in polar waters (Polar Code), and the associated MARPOL amendments to make the Code mandatory. This follows the adoption, by the Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) in December 2014 of the Polar Code and related amendments to make it mandatory under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). The Polar Code is expected to enter into force on 1 January 2017.

The Polar Code covers the full range of design, construction, equipment, operational, training, search and rescue and environmental protection matters relevant to ships operating in waters surrounding the two poles.
Draft environmental provisions cover:
:: Prevention of pollution by oil: discharge into the sea of oil or oily mixtures from any ship is prohibited. Oil fuel tanks must be separated from outer shell;
:: Prevention of pollution by noxious liquid substances: discharge into the sea of noxious liquid substances, or mixtures containing such substances is prohibited;
:: Prevention of pollution by sewage; discharge of sewage is prohibited unless performed in line with MARPOL Annex IV and requirements in the Polar Code; and
:: Prevention of pollution by garbage: discharge of garbage is restricted and only permitted in accordance with MARPOL Annex V and requirements in the Polar Code
The adoption of the Polar Code and associated MARPOL amendments at MEPC 68 will complete the process to make the Code mandatory under both the SOLAS and MARPOL treaties…

Group of 77 [to 9 May 2015]
http://www.g77.org/
[We generally limit coverage to regional and global level initiatives, recognizing that a number of country-level announcements are added each week]

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Statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China by the Representative of the Republic of South Africa to the United Nations, at the eleventh session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (New York, 4 May 2015)
[Excerpts]
… The Group of 77 and China acknowledges the achievements of the current International Arrangement on Forests and is of the view that it must be strengthened for it to make a real impact, catalyse the implementation and facilitate the mobilisation of increased, predictable and sustainable financing for the implementation of sustainable forest management…
…Informed by the need to assist developing countries and to strengthen the financing of sustainable forest management, the group will engage in the informal consultations seeking to fulfil its call for the establishment of a dedicated Global Forest Fund. The Fund shall aim to provide new and additional financial resources to developing countries to continuously promote sustainable forest management and to ensure full implementation of the forest instrument, the Global Objectives on Forests and all goals and targets that relate to forests…

Danish Refugee Council [to 9 May 2015]
http://drc.dk/news/archive/

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Life-saving assistance at risk of collapsing in Yemen (06.05.15)
A group of 22 major aid agencies said their operations risk coming to an abrupt end within a week unless land, sea and air routes are opened immediately for the importation of fuel.
Yemen’s INGO Forum
Danish Refugee Council
Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development
ZOA
Islamic Relief
Norwegian Refugee Council
INTERSOS
ACTED
CARE
Mercy Corps
Handicap International
Action Contre la Faim
World Relief
Médecins du Monde
Oxfam
International Medical Corps
Relief International
Friedrich Ebert Stiftung
Save the Children
Progressio
Première Urgence – Aide Médicale Internationale
Islamic Help
Amideast

HelpAge International [to 9 May 2015]
http://www.helpage.org/newsroom/press-room/press-releases/.

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Latest news
Nepal earthquake: HelpAge first to provide cash assistance to survivors
More than 2,100 older people aged 60 or over in Nepal have been given US$75 each to spend on urgently needed items in distributions by HelpAge International working with local partners.
Posted: 08 May 2015

Nepal earthquake: HelpAge set to reach 10,000 older people and their families
We’re working with our local partners to support older people affected by the Nepal earthquake. The huge earthquake, which struck on 25 April, has killed over 7,000 people and affected over 8 million.
Posted: 05 May 2015

ICRC [to 9 May 2015]
https://www.icrc.org/en

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Syria: More access needed as situation deteriorates
News release
07 May 2015
The ICRC’s director of operations, Dominik Stillhart, has said the humanitarian situation in Syria has deteriorated sharply during the past few weeks and the need for food, water and medical supplies is more urgent than ever. On a two-day visit to the Syrian capital, Damascus, Mr Stillhart appealed for more access to areas affected by the fighting…

Nigeria: Aid reaches hundreds found in Sambisa Forest
News release
07 May 2015
Abuja/Geneva (ICRC) – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Nigerian Red Cross have delivered aid to a group of 275 people, mainly women and children, who had been found in Sambisa Forest, in north-east Nigeria. The group was found during military operations in the region last week.

Yemen: ICRC and MSF alarmed by attacks on country’s lifelines
News release
04 May 2015
Joint statement – Sana’a/Geneva (ICRC/MSF) – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) are extremely concerned about the severe damage caused by recent Coalition attacks on airports in Sana’a and Hodeida, obstructing delivery of much needed humanitarian assistance and movement of humanitarian personnel.
“Yemen depends almost completely on imports of food and medication, especially for the treatment of chronic diseases,” says Cedric Schweizer, who heads a team of 250 ICRC staff in Yemen. “Sana’a airport was an essential piece of civilian infrastructure, and the main lifeline for supplying essential humanitarian goods and services. The harsh restrictions on importations imposed by the Coalition for the past six weeks, added to the extreme fuel shortages, have made the daily lives of Yemenis unbearable, and their suffering immense,” Mr Schweizer added.
The disruption of the key logistic infrastructure, including airports, sea ports, bridges and roads, is having alarming consequences on the civilian population, and the humanitarian situation has now become catastrophic. Checkpoints operated by the different armed factions have obstructed the delivery of urgent medical supplies to hospitals and have prevented patients and casualties from accessing essential health care.
“The current conflict has already caused extreme hardship for the population across the country,” said Marie Elisabeth Ingres, who heads the MSF mission in Yemen. “The destruction of the runway at Sana’a means that countless lives are now more at risk, and we can no longer afford to stand and watch as people are forced to drink unsafe water and children die of preventable causes,” Ms. Ingres added.
MSF and the ICRC demand that robust and unobstructed channels for the provision of humanitarian assistance are opened and respected by all parties to the conflict in this increasingly desperate situation. We call for an end to attacks on these vital lifelines and for the Yemeni civil aviation authority to be given the chance to repair the airports, so that humanitarian assistance can be sent to Yemen.

Jordan: Humanitarian needs of Syrian refugees swell
News release
03 May 2015
As the Syrian crisis enters its fifth year, the hardships endured by millions of people in Syria and neighbouring countries continue to grow. According to recent figures, the number of Syrian refugees in Jordan stands at almost 680,000, with approximately 85% of them living in host communities.
In an effort to address the humanitarian needs of Syrian refugees in Jordan, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has continued providing the newly arriving Syrians, who stay initially at four ICRC-supported transit facilities in the north-eastern border area, with often daily essential assistance, including three cooked meals per day, drinking water, blankets, mattresses, hygiene items and basic medical supplies.

MSF/Médecins Sans Frontières [to 9 May 2015]
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/news-stories/press/press-releases

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Press release
Yemen: ICRC and MSF Alarmed By Attacks on Country’s Lifelines
May 04, 2015
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and MSF are extremely concerned about the severe damage caused by recent Coalition attacks on airports in Sana’a and Hodeida, obstructing delivery of much needed humanitarian assistance and movement of humanitarian personnel.

Press release
Syria: Major Aleppo Hospital Suspends All Activities After Bombings
May 04, 2015
One of the main hospitals in Aleppo has suspended all activities after it was bombed at least twice last week, the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said today, while calling for an end to attacks on civilians and medical services.

Press release
MSF and MOAS Save Hundreds of People in Mediterranean
May 04, 2015
More than 6,000 people making a treacherous crossing from Libya to Europe were rescued over the weekend in several operations in the Mediterranean Sea, among them 369 people rescued May 3 by a search and rescue vessel run in partnership by the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS).

Save The Children [to 9 May 2015]
http://www.savethechildren.org/site/c.8rKLIXMGIpI4E/b.6150563/k.D0E9/Newsroom.htm

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American Moms More Likely to Die Than Peers in Developed Countries: U.S. Slips to 33rd Spot in Save the Children’s Global Motherhood Ranking
May 4, 2015

Among 25 Wealthy Capital Cities, Washington D.C. Has Highest Infant Mortality Rate Despite City’s Recent Progress in Reducing the Death Rate
May 4, 2015

For Babies in Big Cities, It’s Survival of the Richest
May 4, 2015
New Save the Children Report Reveals a Growing Divide in Child Survival between the Urban Rich and Poor
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 4, 2015) — As more and more mothers seek better opportunities for their children in urban areas, Save the Children’s new report, State of the World’s Mothers 2015: The Urban Disadvantage, looks at the real story behind the bright lights of the big city. Focusing on the health and survival of urban children, the findings, released today, uncover a hidden truth.
“Our new report reveals a devastating child survival divide between the haves and have-nots, telling a tale of two cities among urban communities around the world, including the United States,” said Carolyn Miles, president and CEO of Save the Children. “For babies born in the big city, it’s survival of the richest.”..

SOS-Kinderdorf International [to 9 May 2015]
http://www.sos-childrensvillages.org/about-sos/press/press-releases

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Why are Child Friendly Spaces important for Nepal recovery?
01.05.2015 – Child Friendly Spaces are a central pillar of SOS Children’s Villages’ emergency response plan in Nepal, as in most of the 125 emergencies where we have helped families recover from catastrophe.

At SOS Child Friendly Space Nepali children draw out earthquake trauma
01.05.2015 – An SOS Child Friendly Space in Bhaktapur is giving Nepali children whose families have lost everything in the earthquake a safe haven in which to play, relax and express their trauma through drawing and other activities.

The Elders [to 9 May 2015]
http://theelders.org/news-media

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Opinion 1 May 2015
Returning a normal life to Gazans
At the press conference concluding The Elders’ trip to Israel and Palestine, Gro Harlem Brundtland delivers a statement urging a complete paradigm shift on Gaza and explains how the two-state solution would benefit both countries.

Press release 1 May 2015
Peace and justice in Israel and Palestine: the need for a two-state solution
“Eight months after a devastating war, not one destroyed house has been rebuilt.”
Gro Harlem Brundtland and Jimmy Carter say the people of Gaza deserve peace and dignity.

Hilton Prize Laureates [to 9 May 2015]
http://prizelaureates.charity.org/about-us/

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May 5, 2015
PRESS RELEASE
Hilton Prize Laureates Focus on Disaster Relief, Recovery and Resiliency in the Wake of Nepal Earthquake

ODI [to 9 May 2015]
http://www.odi.org/media

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The price of vegetables jumps by up to 91% while the cost of some processed foods drops by up to 20%, driving obesity – new report
News | 5 May 2015
Press release | Embargoed until 11 May 2015 00:01The price of vegetables jumps by up to 91% while the cost of some processed foods drops by up to 20%, driving obesity – new report People in newly-rich countries struggle to eat a healthy diet…

Women’s voice and leadership: assessing the evidence
Research reports and studies | May 2015 |
Pilar Domingo; Rebecca Holmes; Tam O’Neil; Nicola Jones; Kate Bird; Anna Larson; Elizabeth Presler-Marshall and Craig Valters
This report reviews the global evidence on what enables women and girls to have substantive voice and leadership in decision-making, and whether this improves gender equity for women more broadly.

Understanding humanitarian action in South Asia: responses to famine and displacement in nineteenth and twentieth century India
Research reports and studies, Working and discussion papers | May 2015 |
Joanna Simonow
This Working Paper explores the concepts and practices underpinning humanitarian action in South Asia, looking at responses during British colonial rule up until independent India.

Competitive or complementary? Industrial crops and food security in sub-Saharan Africa
Research reports and studies | May 2015 |
Steve Wiggins, Giles Henley and Sharada Keats
This paper asks what has been the impact of industrial crop production on food and nutrition security.

BMGF (Gates Foundation) [to 9 May 2015]
http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Media-Center/Press-Releases

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:: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to Fund Disease Surveillance Network in Africa and Asia to Prevent Childhood Mortality and Help Prepare for the Next Epidemic
SEATTLE (May 6, 2015) – At its Global Partners Forum, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will announce the Child Health and Mortality Prevention Surveillance Network (CHAMPS), a network of disease surveillance sites in developing countries. These sites will help gather better data, faster, about how, where and why children are getting sick and dying. This data will help the global health community get the right interventions to the right children in the right place to save lives. The network will also be invaluable in providing capacity and training in the event of an epidemic, such as Ebola or SARS. The Gates Foundation plans an initial commitment of up to $75 million on the effort.

“The world needs better, more timely public health data not only to prepare for the next epidemic, but to save children’s lives now,” said Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. “Over the past 15 years, deaths of children in developing countries have been dramatically reduced, but to continue that trend for the next 15 years, we need more definitive data about where and why children are dying. This will also better position us to respond to other diseases that may turn into an epidemic.”

This network of disease surveillance sites in areas with high childhood mortality rates in Sub Saharan Africa and South Asia will offer a long-term approach to information management, laboratory infrastructure and workforce capacity – vital resources in geographies lacking sufficient public health infrastructure. This network could be repurposed quickly in the event of an epidemic, as in Nigeria where the national polio program’s Emergency Operations Center was mobilized to fight Ebola.

A lead partner in the effort will be the Emory Global Health Institute, which houses the International Association of National Public Health Institutes (IANPHI), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will provide technical assistance with laboratory infrastructure. Each site will have trained staff and technology capabilities.

“We are excited by and committed to this extraordinary opportunity to make a major contribution to children’s health,” said Dr. Jeffrey Koplan, vice president for Global Health at Emory University.

“A disease threat anywhere is a threat everywhere,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “Strong networks such as CHAMPS will help us find, stop, and prevent outbreaks and will not only save children in Africa and Asia, but will help to make the world a safer, healthier place for everyone.”

CHAMPS is a minimum twenty-year project to gather more accurate data about how, where and why children are dying in developing countries. It will help ensure that the right vaccines and treatments are delivered to the people who need them most and that the global health community invests in crucial new drugs and health tools.

The announcement will be made at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s Global Partners Forum held in Seattle. The forum is a one-time event taking place in a milestone year for global health and development. Research and development, delivery, and advocacy partners are meeting to exchange perspectives on major global health challenges facing the world over the next 15 years. The event is expected to draw more than 1000 attendees including partners, high-level representatives from governments and organizations across the globe.

Clinton Foundation [to 9 May 2015]
https://www.clintonfoundation.org/press-releases-and-statements

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Press Release
CGI Middle East & Africa Attendees Make New Commitments to Action to Positively Impact Lives of More Than 800,000 People
May 7, 2015
Marrakech – Today, President Clinton and Chelsea Clinton concluded the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) Middle East & Africa Meeting in Marrakech, where regional and global leaders from business, government, philanthropy, and NGOs highlighted regional successes and addressed pressing challenges by creating Commitments to Action, including ones focused on investing in youth; securing access to energy, food, and water; and expanding infrastructure for communities throughout the Middle East and Africa.
Participants developed and announced 29 new Commitments to Action – new, specific, and measurable plans to address a significant global challenge, which will positively impact the lives of more than 800,000 people. When fully funded and implemented, these efforts by CGI commitment makers will positively impact more than 132,000 girls and women through a variety of programs to improve quality of education and increase access to employment and skills development opportunities; more than 123,000 people through access to training programs; and more than 60,000 students who will become enrolled in school…

Kellogg Foundation [to 9 May 2015]
http://www.wkkf.org/news-and-media#pp=10&p=1&f1=news

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Experts advance solutions for healing relationships between law enforcement and communities of color
May 6, 2015
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – In the wake of multiple deaths of unarmed youths and people of color from encounters with the police, leading experts on policing and community building proposed ways to improve law enforcement-community relationships during a plenary session at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s (WKKF) 2015 America Healing Conference.
This week, more than 500 civil rights, social justice and community-based leaders gathered to discuss ways that Americans of all races, ethnicities and religions can heal divisiveness and work toward racial equity so children can thrive. Mistrust between communities and police, as well as health, economic and environmental conditions fashioned by a legacy of racism, are frequently cited for curtailing opportunities and creating unrest in communities of color…

Skoll Foundation [to 9 May 2015]
http://www.skollfoundation.org/latest-news/

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Indigenous Reserve in Colombia Quintupled in Size
May 6, 2015 by Amazon Conservation Team
After 20 years of diligent work, conservationists, human rights activists and indigenous communities are celebrating a massive achievement in southwest Colombia: the expansion of the Inga people’s Yunguillo Indigenous Reserve—an area of extraordinary cultural and environmental importance—from 10,675 to 55,341 acres (more than 85 square miles).
The Yunguillo Indigenous Reserve is home to many sacred sites for the Inga people, as well as many threatened species including spectacled bears and jaguars. The expansion also protects the headwaters of the Caquetá River—a major tributary of the Amazon River whose watershed covers 250,000 square kilometers…

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
May 2015; 92 (5)
http://www.ajtmh.org/content/current

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Editorial
Malaria Control: Tortoises and Hares
Steven R. Meshnick*
Author Affiliations
Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina Gillings School of Global Public Health, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
How long will it take to effectively control and then eliminate malaria in sub-Saharan Africa? Is it a sprint to the finish line or a crawl? Will the tortoise or hare win the malaria race?

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Malaria Transmission, Infection, and Disease at Three Sites with Varied Transmission Intensity in Uganda: Implications for Malaria Control
Moses R. Kamya, Emmanuel Arinaitwe, Humphrey Wanzira, Agaba Katureebe, Chris Barusya,
Simon P. Kigozi, Maxwell Kilama, Andrew J. Tatem, Philip J. Rosenthal, Chris Drakeley, Steve W. Lindsay, Sarah G. Staedke, David L. Smith, Bryan Greenhouse, and Grant Dorsey
Am J Trop Med Hyg 2015 92:903-912; Published online March 16, 2015, doi:10.4269/ajtmh.14-0312
Abstract.
The intensification of control interventions has led to marked reductions in malaria burden in some settings, but not others. To provide a comprehensive description of malaria epidemiology in Uganda, we conducted surveillance studies over 24 months in 100 houses randomly selected from each of three subcounties: Walukuba (peri-urban), Kihihi (rural), and Nagongera (rural). Annual entomological inoculation rate (aEIR) was estimated from monthly Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) light trap mosquito collections. Children aged 0.5–10 years were provided long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) and followed for measures of parasite prevalence, anemia and malaria incidence. Estimates of aEIR were 2.8, 32.0, and 310 infectious bites per year, and estimates of parasite prevalence 7.4%, 9.3%, and 28.7% for Walukuba, Kihihi, and Nagongera, respectively. Over the 2-year study, malaria incidence per person-years decreased in Walukuba (0.51 versus 0.31, P = 0.001) and increased in Kihihi (0.97 versus 1.93, P < 0.001) and Nagongera (2.33 versus 3.30, P < 0.001). Of 2,582 episodes of malaria, only 8 (0.3%) met criteria for severe disease. The prevalence of anemia was low and not associated with transmission intensity. In our cohorts, where LLINs and prompt effective treatment were provided, the risk of complicated malaria and anemia was extremely low. However, malaria incidence was high and increased over time at the two rural sites, suggesting improved community-wide coverage of LLIN and additional malaria control interventions are needed in Uganda.

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Rotavirus Seasonal Distribution and Prevalence Before and After the Introduction of Rotavirus Vaccine in a Peri-Urban Community of Lima, Peru
Millie R. Chang, Grace Velapatiño, Miguel Campos, Elsa Chea-Woo, Nelly Baiocchi, Thomas G. Cleary and Theresa J. Ochoa*
Author Affiliations
Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Instituto de Medicina Tropical, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Department of Mathematics, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Department of Pediatrics, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Center for Infectious Diseases, University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston, Texas
Abstract.
We evaluated the monthly distribution of rotavirus diarrhea in a cohort of children 12–24 months of age followed as part of a diarrhea clinical trial in a peri-urban community of Lima. We observed a peak of rotavirus diarrhea in the winter months and a decrease in rotavirus prevalence after the introduction of the rotavirus vaccine in Peru.

BMC Medical Ethics
http://www.biomedcentral.com/bmcmedethics/content
(Accessed 9 May 2015)

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Research article
Ethics-sensitivity of the Ghana national integrated strategic response plan for pandemic influenza
Amos Laar1* and Debra DeBruin2
Author Affiliations
BMC Medical Ethics 2015, 16:30 doi:10.1186/s12910-015-0025-9
Published: 7 May 2015
Abstract (provisional)
Background
Many commentators call for a more ethical approach to planning for influenza pandemics. In the developed world, some pandemic preparedness plans have already been examined from an ethical viewpoint. This paper assesses the attention given to ethics issues by the Ghana National Integrated Strategic Plan for Pandemic Influenza (NISPPI).
Methods
We critically analyzed the Ghana NISPPI’s sensitivity to ethics issues to determine how well it reflects ethical commitments and principles identified in our review of global pandemic preparedness literature, existing pandemic plans, and relevant ethics frameworks.
Results
This paper reveals that important ethical issues have not been addressed in the Ghana NISPPI. Several important ethical issues are unanticipated, unacknowledged, and unplanned for. These include guidelines on allocation of scarce resources, the duties of healthcare workers, ethics-sensitive operational guidelines/protocols, and compensation programs. The NISPPI also pays scant attention to use of vaccines and antivirals, border issues and cooperation with neighboring countries, justification for delineated actions, and outbreak simulations. Feedback and communication plans are nebulous, while leadership, coordination, and budgeting are quite detailed. With respect to presentation, the NISPPI’s text is organized around five thematic areas. While each area implicates ethical issues, NISPPI treatment of these areas consistently fails to address them.
Conclusions
Our analysis reveals a lack of consideration of ethics by the NISPPI. We contend that, while the plan’s content and fundamental assumptions provide support for implementation of the delineated public health actions, its consideration of ethical issues is poor. Deficiencies include a failure to incorporate guidelines that ensure fair distribution of scarce resources and a lack of justification for delineated procedures. Until these deficiencies are recognized and addressed, Ghana runs the risk of rolling out unjust and ethically indefensible actions with real negative effects in the event of a pandemic. Soliciting inputs from the public and consultation with ethicists during the next revision of the NISPPI will be useful in addressing these issues.

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Research article
Clinical trialist perspectives on the ethics of adaptive clinical trials: a mixed-methods analysis
Laurie J Legocki, William J Meurer, Shirley Frederiksen, Roger J Lewis, Valerie L Durkalski, Donald A Berry, William G Barsan, Michael D Fetters BMC Medical Ethics 2015, 16:27 (3 May 2015)