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Also In Global Health News: Malaria In Cambodia; HIV And Human Trafficking; HIV In Vietnam, China; Male Rape In Congo
Malaria Cases, Deaths In Cambodia Increase

Will Emphasis On Prevention Bring Health Costs Down?
Kaiser Health News reports that "If there is one thing that both parties can agree on in the health overhaul debate, it"s the need to build a health system that promotes prevention rather than just manages disease." Proposals currently being debated in Congress would require "Medicare and private health insurers to fully cover preventive services such as checkups and screening tests for cancer without any patient co-payments or deductibles." President Obama maintains that "prevention measures can save lives and limit health spending," and such a provision is "one of the eight consumer protections he wants in any health overhaul legislation." But the health insurance industry is balking, saying "such a provision would lead to higher premiums and hamper insurers" flexibility to design plans" (Galewitz, 8/4).
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Reich: Obama Must Increase Pressure To Reform Health Care
NPR interviewed Robert Reich, professor of public policy at the University of California at Berkeley and former Secretary of Labor in the Clinton administration, on the steps President Barack Obama needs to take to successfully reform health care. Recently, Reich sent Obama a memo "outlining six things the president must to do save universal health care." Reich told NPR that "health care is stalling in the Senate," and Obama must "fire people up" and "be tough" to counter the medical industry, which has "some of the most formidable lobbies in the country." Reich said that Obama is only going to succeed if he "counts noses, cajoles, twists arms, threatens - and I think he does have it in him." He adds that while "bipartisanship is a noble aspiration," "we"re getting to the point where the president has got to say if I do not get your votes on this, Republicans, I"m going to go through reconciliation. I"m going to do it without you" (Martin, 6/29).
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Total Swine Flu A(H1N1) Human Infection Cases Reach 7,447 In The United Kingdom

The Health Protection Agency (HPA), UK, informed yesterday 3rd July, 2009, in its weekly update that the total number of confirmed human cases of Swine Flu A(H1N1) infection has reached 7,447. British health authorities estimate that the figure will be over 100,000 by the end of this summer. The UK government says that it is now moving to a new phase in the current pandemic response - there will be a change to the surveillance information that the HPA will be able to provide in future. To date, the HPA has been carrying out laboratory testing of suspected swine flu infection cases since the onset of the outbreak in April 2009. The HPA"s updates have been based on the total number of positive test results being confirmed through the Centre for Infections and the HPA"s regional network of laboratories. The new policy means that measures to try to contain the pandemic will move to providing suitable treatment to infected people. Nationally, clinicians will from now on rely on patients" signs and symptoms and not on laboratory tests to diagnose swine flu infection. Although a percentage of patients will be tested in order to gather up-to-date data about the virus, the reporting of laboratory confirmations will no longer be an accurate way to record the spread of infection. Total number of confirmed human infections of Swine Flu A(H1N1), 3rd June, 2009 *East of England - 411 *East Midlands - 147 *London - 1939 *North East - 47 *North West - 97 *South East - 598 *South West - 198 *West Midlands - 2582 *Yorkshire & Humber - 143 TOTAL ENGLAND - 6162 *Northern Ireland - 34 *Scotland - 1217 *Wales - 34 TOTAL UK - 7447 Written by Christian Nordqvist Copyright: Medical News Today Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today


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