Traditional/alternative medicines and the right to health : key elements for a convention on global health

Little has been done to investigate and promote the importance of non-conventional medicines (NCMs) in the realization of the right to health, yet all over the world people regularly resort to NCMs to secure healing or to prevent or mitigate the occurrence of a wide range of morbidities. This study aims to elucidate the theoretical framework of the role of NCMs in realizing the right to health, to identify the potential manifestations and causes of violations of the right to health in their practice, and to propose the practice of NCMs that could be included in a Framework Convention on Global Health. We use both the documentary analysis and the violation of rights approaches. Through a non-directive review of the literature, we have tried to clarify the concepts and uniqueness of NCMs. We have also tried to unveil the challenges facing NCMs in a context where conventional medicines assume extensive power. The human rights approach has enabled us to bring to light the potential challenges to the rights of the various stakeholders that NCMs create. We argue that NCMs can contribute to realizing the right to health through their availability, accessibility, acceptability, and relative quality. The Framework Convention on Global Health could contribute to the effective realization of this right by integrating basic principles to ensure the recognition, protection, promotion, and conservation of NCMs—at least of those NCMs that have shown evidence of efficacy—as well as catalyzing increased international cooperation in this area

Pyrazinamidase activity in Yersinia enterocolitica and related organisms.

Pyrazinamidase activity was tested in 381 Yersinia strains from various ecological and geographical origins and belonging to the following species: Y. enterocolitica (five biogroups), Y. intermedia, Y. frederiksenii, Y. kristensenii, Y. aldovae, Y. pseudotuberculosis, and Y. pestis. The pyrazinamidase test was negative (Pyz-) in all bioserogroups of Y. enterocolitica, in which is usually harbored the virulence plasmid, and was involved in human or animal diseases. Y. pseudotuberculosis and Y. pestis were also Pyz-. The more ubiquitous bioserogroups of Y. enterocolitica, without naturally occurring virulence plasmid, and related species were all Pyz+. Pyrazinamidase activity allowed the separation of the pathogenic North American Y. enterocolitica isolates from other nonpathogenic strains within biogroup 1. Similarly, environmental biogroups 3A and 3B were clearly distinguished from pathogenic biogroup 3. However, the pyrazinamidase test was not linked to the presence of the virulence plasmid itself and should not replace the pathogenicity tests to assess the actual virulence of an individual strain. This test proved to be a valuable tool to distinguish potential pathogenic from nonpathogenic strains of Y. enterocolitica in epidemiological surveillance programs

Revised biogrouping scheme of Yersinia enterocolitica.

Nations and Nationalism7159-7

Estimating the costs of torture: Challenges and opportunities

Due to its nature, extent and consequences, torture is considered a major public health problem and a serious violation of human rights. Our study aims to set the foundation for a theoretical framework of the costs related to torture. It examines existing challenges and proposes some solutions. Our proposed framework targets policy makers, human rights activists, professionals working in programmes, centres and rehabilitation projects, judges and lawyers, survivors of torture and their families and anyone involved in the prevention and fight against this practice and its consequences. We adopted a methodology previously used in studies investigating the challenges in measuring and valuing productivity costs in health disorders. We identify and discuss conceptual, methodological, political and ethical challenges that studies on the economic and social costs of torture pose and propose alternatives in terms of possible solutions to these challenges. The economic dimension of torture is rarely debated and integrated in research, policies and programmes. Several challenges such as epistemological, methodological, ethical or political ones have often been presented as obstacles to cost studies of torture and as an excuse for not investigating this dimension. In identifying, analysing and proposing solutions to these challenges, we intend to stimulate the integration of the economic dimension in research and prevention of torture strategies

Female genital mutilation: a systematic review of research on its economic and social impacts across four decades

Background: Global efforts to end female genital mutilation (FGM) have intensified in recent decades because of the rising awareness that such a practice is an act of extreme violence against women and girls. Articles on FGM have been published highlighting the combined efforts of international and non-governmental organizations, governments, as well as religious and civil society groups to end the practice. However, the consequences of this research are not well known, and it seems that the socioeconomic aspects of the practice are underreported. Objective: This review aims to characterize over a 40-year period the scientific output on the consequences of FGM in African countries, the most affected region known for the high prevalence of FGM, and review data on the socioeconomic consequences of the practice. Design: A systematic review of literature was done, looking at the following databases: PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, BDSP, Web of Science, PsycINFO, FRANCIS, Sociological Abstracts, WHOLIS, RERO, and SAPHIR. The analysis was limited to articles concerning the African continent, published in English and French, from January 1, 1972, to December 31, 2011. Results: One hundred ninety-eight articles were reviewed. More than half of the articles were published during the last decade of the study period. The majority of papers were published in biomedical journals (64.1%). Most studies looked at Africa as a region (33.3%). Nigeria was the single country most investigated (19.2%), followed by Egypt (10.6%). Most first authors were affiliated to non-African countries (60.6%): among them 21.2% were US-based, 4% were from African institutions, and 16.2% from Nigeria. The medical and psychological consequences (51.5%) and the prevalence and ethics of the practice (34.4%) were the most frequently investigated topics. The socioeconomic consequences were addressed in a minority of the papers (14.1%): they were classified into direct economic consequences (2.5%), school attendance (1%), marriageability (2%), sexual and marital consequences (3.5%), fertility (2.5%), domestic violence (1%), and discrimination (1.5%). Conclusions: The publication of articles on the consequences of FGM is increasing, but there is little research on the socioeconomic consequences of the practice. More scientific data focusing on this dimension is necessary to strengthen prevention, advocacy, and intervention campaigns

Risk Factors of Human African Trypanosomiasis in Mbuji Mayi, Eastern Kasai Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Aims: Our study is aimed at determining the risk factors of Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) in Mbuji Mayi, Eastern Kasai Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Study Design: We used a case-control design with a ratio of 2 controls for every HAT case. Place and Duration of Study: Our multidisciplinary research team collected primary data on cases of HAT patients treated at the Referral and Treatment Center of Dipumba in Mbuji Mayi in 2012 and on their controls of similar gender and age, living in Mbuji Mayi, but free of HAT infection. Methodology: We analyzed data, using both descriptive and analytical statistical procedures such univariate and multivariate methods of logistic regression. The association between the different factors studied and HAT infection has been determined by estimating the odds-ratio (OR) with a confidence interval (CI) of 95% and a P-value of less than 0.05. We interviewed 180 subjects (60 cases and 120 controls). Results: The 60 cases were predominantly male (male-female ratio of 2.2:1) with the majority (53%) in the age group of 20-40 years. Subjects in the age group of over 40 represented 28.3% of the patients. The same patterns were seen in the control group. The age of interviewees varies from 11 to 65 years. HAT cases reported drawing water from wells (16.7% vs 6.7%; P > .05), walking along the river bed and in the peat lands (11.7% vs 9.2%; P > .05) at a higher rate than controls. The HAT cases reported involvement in various activities that put them in much closer proximity with water sources: bathing (8.3% vs 6.6%; P >.05), dishwashing and laundry (20% vs 37.5%), fetching household water (50% vs 24.2%; P .05). Conclusion: Involvement in activities that connect with water sources increases the risk of acquiring HAT infection in Mbuji Mayi