As leaders are about to call for the eradication of malaria in Southeast Asia it might be a good time to ask ourselves whether mass drug administration for malaria ‘works’. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD008846.pub2/pdf/standard Jamie

Is it just my imagination that there is a lot of questionable press coverage about malaria these days? There is a Gatesfunded push for eradication and a conference in Asia coming up that is bound to call for eradication. So the spin doctors have started cheerleading. Here is some solid analysis. Artemisinin-like drug resistance has […]

Here is another consulting opportunity for someone who enjoys pain. Do people still call the Global Fund by the subcontinental short form GFATM? The Global Fund prefers to call itself the Global Fund or GF. Jamie ++++++++++++++++++ International Consultant (PR Transition) UNAIDS Closing date: 21 Oct 2015 Title:International Consultant Contract duration: 12 months Organization unit:UNAIDS […]

Here is a consultancy opportunity. Jamie ++++++++++++++++++ HELPAGEis seeking a consultant to conduct research into ageing health and accessing health care by the older population in Myanmar. The purpose of this assignment is to lead the design, data analysis, qualitative follow-up and report writing for a study on accessing health care by the older population […]

My parents never pushed me to become a sailor or a doctor. It would be good to have a series of this type of article to include other health and education professionals. Jamie ++++++++++++++++++ Doctors hang up their coats Zon Pann Pwint Myanmar Times Friday, 02 October 2015 Medicine is often held to be one […]

It is time to label Coca Cola ‘corporate social responsibility’ for what it is: Cokewashing. Sugary drinks like Coca Cola kill people. They are a leading risk factor for noncommunicable diseases and injuries NCDIs. What civil society organisations in Myanmar are in the pocket of Coke? Jamie ++++++++++++++++++ Coca-Cola supports flood relief and rebuilding in […]

You can see the HIV budget from the US government for many countries here. Including Myanmar. http://www.pepfar.gov/countries/cop/index.htm Jamie

Congrats to Phoenix on its tenth anniversary. Well done, Thiha Kyaing. Jamie ++++++++++++++++++ HIV support group to mark 10th anniversary Cherry Thein Myanmar Times Friday, 02 October 2015 Phoenix, a local non-government organisation that focuses on HIV issues and community development, will celebrate its 10th anniversary today. Phoenix’s executive director, U Thiha Kyaing, told The […]

There is a brand new interactive sex work law map. You can spend hours with this one. http://www.spl.ids.ac.uk/sexworklaw I thought it was wrong about Myanmar as I was under the impression that sex work itself was not illegal. I questioned the developer who replied, with light editing: “The cops insist all sex work is illegal […]

We read everywhere that artemisinin resistant malaria not only kills many people in Myanmar, but is a threat to India and Africa if it ‘spreads’ there. A lot of money is being spent on containing this ‘threat’. There is little evidence that any drug resistant malaria ever spread from Asia to Africa. Artemisinin resistance may […]