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First Confirmed Case Of 2009 H1N1 Flu In Navajo County
Navajo County Public Health Services District officials announced today the first case of 2009 H1N1 in Navajo County. The Arizona Department of Health Services Lab confirmed that an 18 year old patient at Little Colorado Medical Center tested positive for the illness. The patient has subsequently been treated and released.

The 32nd British Transplant Games 30th July - 2nd August 2009
This year the British Transplant Games takes place in Coventry and 900 transplant athletes are preparing to take part. For a handful of these athletes, the Games offers vital training and preparation for other major sporting challenges such as triathlons and marathons. The event organisers, Transplant Sport UK shines the spotlight on these inspiring people, who visibly demonstrate that there is life after transplant, allowing them to train to a high level of fitness against all the odds.
News of the day
La. Legislature Approves Provider 'Conscience' Bill; Gov. Expected To Sign Measure
The Louisiana House on Tuesday voted 88-12 in favor of a bill (H.B. 517) that would expand the ability of health care workers to refuse to participate in certain services based on moral or religious beliefs, the AP/USA Today reports. The bill now goes to Gov. Bobby Jindal (R), who is expected to sign it.The bill would shield health workers from civil and criminal penalties, job loss or demotion if they refuse to provide certain services based on moral objections or religious beliefs. According to the AP/USA Today, these services could include "abortion, certain types of emergency contraception, human embryonic stem cell research, human embryo cloning, euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide." Opposition to the bill lessened with the addition of certain amendments, including a provision that would require health providers to notify their employers in writing of any procedures or services to which they would object. Another amendment would require facilities to ensure that adequate staff is available to provide services and information that would be refused (Deslatte, AP/USA Today, 6/24).The conservative Louisiana Family Forum advocated for the bill. The Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the American Civil Liberties Union opposed it, arguing that patients would be denied access to services and information (Barrow, New Orleans Times-Picayune, 6/23).
Public Health

NYT Examines Effects Of Illegal Abortion On Maternal Mortality In Tanzania

The New York Times on Tuesday examined how botched abortion procedures contribute to maternal mortality in Tanzania, in the second of a three-part series on pregnancy- and childbirth-related deaths in the country. The Times reports that the lack of abortion rights in Tanzania -- where the procedure is illegal except in cases where the woman"s life or health is at risk -- has prompted pregnant women and girls to seek the procedure from people who have not been trained to perform such procedures. In some cases, these untrained providers give the pregnant women herbs before performing abortions by punching the pregnant women"s stomachs or inserting objects into the vagina and uterus. Local hospitals in Tanzania often have to correct mistakes made by the untrained abortion providers. For example, during the month of January, 17 of the 31 minor surgical procedures performed at one Tanzanian hospital were to correct the results of "incomplete abortions."Africa has the world"s highest maternal mortality rate -- at least 100 times that of developed countries -- making pregnancy and childbirth among the most serious health dangers that African women face, according to the Times. Abortion accounts for a significant portion of those deaths. Tanzania has a maternal mortality rate of 950 deaths for every 100,000 births, a figure that is "neither the best nor the worst in Africa," the Times reports.Because most abortions in Tanzania are performed illegally, there are no reliable abortion figures for the country. However, the World Health Organization estimates that Eastern Africa, where Tanzania is located, has the world"s second-highest rate of unsafe abortions. Abortion rates typically decrease with increased contraceptive use, the Times reports. Only about one-quarter of Tanzanians use contraception in part because of misinformation that girls receive about the safety of condoms and hormonal contraceptives. By comparison, Kenya and South Africa both have higher contraception use and lower maternal mortality. However, in countries such as Sierra Leone and Nigeria, where abortion is not available on request, contraception use is lower than in Tanzania, and maternal mortality is much higher (Grady, New York Times, 6/2). Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.nationalpartnership.org. You can view the entire Daily Women"s Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women"s Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families, published by The Advisory Board Company. © 2009 The Advisory Board Company. All rights reserved.


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