Kaiser Family Foundation recently released two new fact sheets regarding the Presidents fiscal year 2013 budget request as related to global health.

• U.S. Federal Funding for HIV/AIDS: The Presidents FY 2013 Budget Request provides an overview of federal funding for HIV/AIDS, highlighting programs both domestically and globally to target HIV/AIDS

• U.S. Funding for the Global Health Initiative (GHI): The Presidents FY 2013 Budget Request explores the Obama Administrations budget plan for the Global Health Initiative in fiscal year 2013 and trends over time.

As the Arab Spring evolves, responses must also adapt and change with the challenges. This interactive timeline from The Guardian traces key event.

In this video, USAIDs Middle East Mission Director Chris Crowley describes how USAID is adapting to the Arab Spring.

Sustainable Connections & Collaborations for Health & Human Rights

A joint conference of:

The 2nd annual University of Michigan Sujal Parikh Memorial Symposium for Health & Social Justice

and

The Physicians for Human Rights National Conference

March 24^th to 25^th, 2012 in Ann Arbor, Michigan

Featuring keynote speakers Drs. Arash and Kamiar Alaei, Iranian physicians and brothers imprisoned for over two years for their work on fighting HIV/AIDS. Learn more at http://iranfreethedocs.org/.

Program and confirmed speakers available here.

Sustainable Connections & Collaborations:

Sujal Parikh was a University of Michigan medical student and NIH Fogarty Scholar who held leadership positions on the Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) Student Advisory Board, as well as in AMSA, GHEC, UAEM, UM Center for Global Health, and UVP. A passionate believer in the collective power of committed individuals to advance health and social justice, Sujal leveraged his networks within these organizations to make each of them stronger. Sujal’s unique gift for bringing people together in pursuit of common goals inspired the theme for this year’s joint conference. Learn more about Sujal here.

The Sujal Parikh Memorial Symposium:

The Sujal Parikh Memorial Symposium on Health and Social Justice began as a collaborative effort among friends, colleagues, and representatives of the numerous global health organizations to which Sujal contributed. The 2011 symposium, The Social (Justice) Network, brought together diverse students and professionals to learn from one another, create lasting connections, and generate new ideas for the advancement of health and social justice. Together, we established a community committed to carrying on Sujal’s work and ensuring that his spirit continues to inspire a better world. More information on the 2011 symposium is available here.

The Physicians for Human Rights National Conference:

PHR is an independent organization that uses the integrity of medicine and science to stop mass atrocities and severe human rights violations against individuals. The organization was founded in 1986 on the idea that health professionals, with their specialized skills, ethical duties, and credible voices, are uniquely positioned to protect human rights. PHR uses its investigations and expertise to advocate for the:

• Prevention of individual or small scale acts of violence from becoming mass atrocities
• Protection of internationally-guaranteed rights of individuals and civilian populations
• Prosecution of those who violate human rights

PHR’s National Student Program provides health professional students with opportunities to learn about, advocate for, and develop leadership in the field of human rights. Information about PHR’s 2011 National Conference is available here.

We are honored to be sponsored and hosted by the University of Michigan Center for Global Health, the U of M Medical School, the U of M Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, the U of M School of Public Health, and Global REACH, and to be supported by the Michigan Student Assembly.

In response to a 2010 World Health Organization report Working to overcome the global impact of neglected tropical diseases, this week, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the World Bank, 13 pharmaceutical companies, the governments of the U.S., U.K. and U.A.E. and other global organizations committed to a new, coordinated effort to advance progress towards controlling 10 neglected tropical diseases by the end of the decade and improve the lives of the 1.4 billion affected by such diseases globally. Guiding this effort, the World Health Organization released targets and a strategy, Accelerating work to overcome the global impact of neglected tropical diseases—A roadmap for implementation.

These neglected tropical diseases include:

• lymphatic filariasis
• blinding trachoma
• sleeping sickness
• leprosy
• soil-transmitted helminthes
• schistosomiasis
• river blindness
• Chagas disease
• visceral leishmaniasis
• guinea worm

Check out the related webcast and infographic

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Global Fund to Finght AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. This short film by Adrian Steirn presents the story of the Global Funds work to collaborate with key international figures in the first ten years of its fight against these global pandemics.

According to the Executive Director of the Global Fund Michel Kazatchkine:

“The story about the Global Fund is a story about how the world could actually come together and turn a hopeless situation into one of promise. This amazing film tells that story through the words of some of the people who were crucial in making this dramatic turnaround. It is fantastic to be reminded of how terrible the future looked for global health ten years ago, and how far we have come.”

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation recently renewed its commitment to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, giving $750 million through a promissory note. This innovative funding method gives the Global Fund the flexibility and authority to distribute funds efficiently based on immediate needs, leading to greater impact.

In October of 2010, Sujal Parikh, an associate editor-in-chief of the Global Pulse, medical student at the University of Michigan, and Fogarty Scholar in Uganda passed away unexpectedly. His colleagues at the University of Michigan organized a global health symposium in his honor, as global health was a major interest for Sujal. An announcement for the second symposium in his honor follows.

SUSTAINABLE CONNECTIONS COLLABORATIONS FOR HEALTH HUMAN RIGHTS

A joint conference of:
The 2nd Annual University of Michigan Sujal Parikh Memorial Symposium for Health Social Justice
and
The Physicians for Human Rights National Conference

This conference serves as an opportunity to connect students, researchers, and professionals in a variety of fields, ranging from law, health professional, business, to public policy and beyond. The goal is to bring together a diverse audience to share, learn, and foster lasting collaborations among the variety of sectors that are working to further the health of populations globally and locally through the defense of equity and human rights.

Featuring keynote speakers:

Drs. Arash and Kamiar Alaei

Iranian doctors, and brothers, imprisoned for over two years for their work on fighting HIV/AIDS.

Additional presentation topics include:

Climate Change and Health

Youth Violence

Human Trafficking

Global Health Supply Chain Management

Social Entrepreneurship

and more…

March 24-25th, 2012
Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy
University of Michigan School of Public Health
Ann Arbor, Michigan

For Information, participant registration, and abstract submission: www.sujalsymposium.org

For more information about the keynote speakers: www.iranfreethedocs.org

ABSTRACTS DUE FEBRUARY 15TH, 2012

Themes of interested for abstracts include:

Global health and/or human rights education initiatives

Innovative programs to promote equity

Health of vulnerable/underserved populations

Effective advocacy campaigns targeted at promoting health as a human right

Interdisciplinary models of collaboration to promote social justice

Please contact Lesley Everett (lesleyae@med.umich.edu) with any questions or for further information about the event.

USAID has released its new Climate Change and Development Strategy for 2012-2016, a strategic framework for approaching the barriers and opportunities presented by global climate change. The strategy strives to enable countries to accelerate their transition to climate resilient, low emissions development to promote sustainable economic growth.

3 strategic objectives are incorporated in USAIDs strategy:

1. Enhance the transition to low emission development via investments in clean energy and sustainable landscapes for climate change mitigation;
2. Grow resilience of people, places, and livelihoods through investments in climate change adaptation; and
3. Strengthen development outcomes through the integration of climate change in USAID programming, learning, policy dialogues, and operations.

“…the threat from climate change is serious, it is urgent, and it is growing. Our generation’s response to this challenge will be judged by history, for if we fail to meet it—boldly, swiftly, and together—we risk consigning future generations to an irreversible catastrophe.”

President Obama, United Nations Summit on Climate Change, September 22, 2009

This infographic from the USAID highlights the escalating need to feed the worlds growing population. It is estimated that the world will need 70% more food by 2050. USAIDs Feed the Future initiative attempts to support innovative farming practices, provide modern agricultural technology to farmers and encourage sustainable agriculture.

Supporting similar goals, the Center for a Livable Future at Johns Hopkins also encourages means to support a growing populations needs while protecting the environment, biodiversity and the earths finite resources.

Check out TEDxManhattans Changing the Way We Eat held today to explore the current food system and the ongoing efforts to create a more sustainable way of farming and eating, including a talk from the Center for Livable Futures director Dr. Robert Lawrence, MD.

If you missed the live stream of this event, check out last years recorded videos of the talks and look out for the recordings from this years event as well.