Mothers dying from lack of healtcare in Sierra Leone

Hey everyone,

Sierra Leone has the worst rates of mothers dying in the world due to lack of maternal health care. Help women in Sierra Leone get the maternal health care that is they so desperately need and deserve. Sign the petition at http://www.amnestyusa.org/countries/sierra_leone/slpetition.php?ICID=P0909A01&tr=y&auid=5377021

Feel free to read more information below.

Thank you so much if you do choose to help.

Email from Amnesty Inernational:

Adama Turay was supposed to be cuddling her newborn. Instead, she was fighting for life after the birth of her first child.

She was bleeding and sick after delivery. Her family knew something was wrong, but they didn't have money for a doctor.

They somehow managed to raise enough for a taxi to take her to the hospital, but during the 40-minute ride to the nearest medical facility, Adama died.

"The fear of what it would cost prevented her from seeking the medical attention that she really needed," said Sarah Kabbia, Adama's sister.

Help women in Sierra Leone get the maternal health care that is their human right. Sign the petition at http://www.amnestyusa.org/countries/sierra_leone/slpetition.php?ICID=P0909A01&tr=y&auid=5377021

Amnesty's new report Out of Reach: The Cost of Maternal Health in Sierra Leone1 shows us a bleak, terrifying situation for pregnant women and their families:

• A higher proportion of women in Sierra Leone die in childbirth and pregnancy than almost anywhere else in the world
• Women and their families are forced to negotiate and pay for equipment and medications, and provide their own food and water, while they're in a health facility, at one of the most vulnerable times in their lives
• Most people live far away from a medical facility and cannot afford transportation costs to a hospital or doctor


Sierra Leone is recovering from 11 years of civil war, which ended in 2002. It will take time and a lot of outside help to rebuild what was already an under-resourced health care system.

The good news is that a strong groundwork was already laid during that time when the government declared a policy of free health care for vulnerable people, including pregnant and lactating women. But it's up to us to see to it that those policies are enforced.

Reducing maternal mortality should start immediately. Right now is our window of hope.

Sincerely,

Sameer Dossani
Demand Dignity Campaign Director
Amnesty International USA

Urge for war criminals to be brought to justice

Hey everyone,

Urge for justice for the innocents slaughtered at Gaza. War criminals from both sides of the Gaza conflict need to be held accountable for their actions. Please send a message to Secretary Hillary Clinton and US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice today at http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/siteapps/advocacy/index.aspx?c=jhKPIXPCIoE&b=2590179&template=x.ascx&action=13121&ICID=E0909A01&tr=y&auid=5373539

It only takes a few minutes. But a few minutes can make a huge difference. It can tip the balance of the scale.

You can read and learn more about this situation below:

Email from Amnesty International:

We need your help. The world's leaders have gathered at the United Nations for a meeting of the Human Rights Council. The Council will be presented with the findings and recommendations from the UN-mandated, fact-finding mission led by the highly-regarded judge Richard Goldstone, who investigated the human rights violations committed in Gaza and southern Israel last December and January.

The Goldstone Report1, which is consistent with the findings of Amnesty International2, concludes that both the Israeli forces and Palestinian armed groups committed grave violations of international law including war crimes and, possibly, crimes against humanity.

Both Israel and Hamas have, to date, failed to carry out credible investigations and to prosecute those responsible. Innocent civilians caught up in this conflict deserve to know the truth and obtain justice. Action is needed now.

If you agree, please send a message to Secretary Hillary Clinton and US Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice today at http://takeaction.amnestyusa.org/siteapps/advocacy/index.aspx?c=jhKPIXPCIoE&b=2590179&template=x.ascx&action=13121&ICID=E0909A01&tr=y&auid=5373539

Amnesty International believes no one should be above international law. For long-term security and peace in the region, all those responsible for violations of human rights must be held accountable.

Thank you for supporting human rights.

Betsy Wright Hawkings
Deputy Executive Director, Research & Policy
Government Relations
1, http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/hrcouncil/specialsession/9/docs/UNFFMGC_Report.pdf
2, http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?id=ENGMDE150152009&lang=e

Major Breakthroughs in melanoma treatment and HIV infections

Hey there all,

Check this out:

"Breakthrough vaccine cuts 30 per cent of HIV infections". For more info, check out the full article here for this marvellous news:

http://www.medicalsearch.com.au/News/Breakthrough-vaccine-cuts-30-per-cent-of-HIV-infections-41148

25/09/2009 - Scientists have for the first time developed a vaccine which is able to curb the transmission of HIV.

The experimental vaccine, developed through a joint US-Thailand initiative, has been shown to stop the virus from spreading in just over 30 per cent of cases of possible infection.

30 percent may not sound like much, but it's a major breakthrough anyway. Hopefully this will get the ball rolling in finding a cure or a much more powerful vaccine.

"Drug holds hope of revolutionising melanoma treatment". Read the whole article here:

http://www.medicalsearch.com.au/News/Drug-holds-hope-of-revolutionising-melanoma-treatment-41149/

25/09/2009 - An experimental drug shown to have the ability to shrink skin cancers is the "best thing we've had happen in melanoma in quite some time", an Australian expert says.

Latest trials involving the drug PLX4032, released this week at a conference in Berlin, have confirmed its breakthrough ability to reverse the growth of melanomas which have a specific mutation in one gene (BRAF).

This accounts for about half of all people with melanoma in Australia.

Melanoma is one of the biggest killers in Australia. This article contains fantastic news. I'm so glad we're finally making headway in finding a cure for this terrible disease.
Go read!