The associated Press

Date: Monday Sep. 12, 2011 8:07 PM ET

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti — a U.S.-based health group in Haiti says it saw a huge drop in the number of patients seeking treatment for cholera in the Caribbean country.

Partners in Health says the number of hospitalizations fell by 57 per cent at its 15 cholera treatment centres from July to August. The drop mirrors the caseload doctors saw before the spring rainy season.

But the group was still concerned about cholera. Partners in Health said the 5,400 hospitalizations in August are a reminder that cholera will be in Haiti for the foreseeable future.

The findings were released Monday.

Haiti’s Health Ministry says cholera has killed more than 6,200 people and sickened almost 440,000 others. a U.N. battalion from Nepal has been blamed for introducing the disease to Haiti.

A Disease Control Department vaccine specialist yesterday called on the Public Health Ministry to introduce a free-of-charge vaccination programme for cervical cancer so all girls who need the drug will have access to it.

Renowned virologist Prasert Thongcharoen, a vaccine adviser at the DCD, said the Public Health Ministry told a vaccinology course held by the National Vaccine Institute that 5,000-6,000 women per year die from cervical cancer – or about 18 women per day.

Dr Prasert suggested the ministry conduct a review of the effectiveness and efficiency of the current anti-cervical cancer vaccination programme, saying at present only girls from well-to-do families were able to afford the vaccine.

The cervical cancer vaccine is recommended for girls aged 11 to 12, although it may be given to girls as young as age 9. It’s important for girls to receive the vaccine before sexual contact and possible exposure to human papillomavirus, which causes cervical cancer.

If girls in that age bracket are not vaccinated, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends catch-up immunisation for girls and women ages 13 to 26. the vaccine isn’t recommended, however, for women older than age 26.

In Thailand, some 400,000 teenagers are in need of vaccinations.

Dr Prasert’s call for free vaccinations echoes recommendations by the Royal College of Gynaecology of Thailand, the Royal College of Paediatrians of Thailand and the Thai Gynecologic Cancer Society. Those organisations say free vaccinations would help prevent up to 3,500 deaths a year and save billions of baht in annual treatment costs.

Dr Prasert said he was certain that if the government moved ahead with a free vaccination programme that it would be able to negotiate with vaccine producers for lower prices by ordering in quantity.

The Health Intervention and Technology Assessment Programme suggests that women who have not had the vaccine should submit to regular screenings or pap smear tests, considered the most effective method for checking for cervical cancer symptoms.

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i’ve heard about diehard soccer fans but this tops the score..

Russian soccer fans have been told to drink whisky on their trip to Wales for next month’s World Cup qualifier to ward off the H1N1 swine flu virus, the head of the country’s supporter association (VOB) said on Monday.

“We urge our fans to drink a lot of Welsh whisky as a form of disinfection,” VOB head Alexander Shprygin told Reuters.

“That should cure all symptoms of the disease.”

Russia’s Health Ministry has issued a public warning against travelling to Britain because of the spread of the H1N1 virus but Shprygin said he expected at least several hundred fans would go to Wales for the Sept. 9 qualifier in Cardiff.

“Health officials say this virus is very dangerous but being a fan myself I can tell you that for a real fan nothing is more important than the well-being of the team,” said Shprygin, who also sits on the executive board of the Russian FA.

“Russian fans don’t fear anything or anybody so this virus will not stand in our way of supporting our team.”

The Russian FA also said health issues should not prevent fans from travelling.

“We don’t want our team to be without any support for such an important match so we urge our fans to go to Wales despite the health warning,” a spokesman said.

Germany lead European Group Four with 16 points from six games, one ahead of Russia, with Wales in fourth place on nine points from seven matches.Edit: Ahem…Dr.Bear has just spoken…Edit: hi Ariana…methinks so too! xx

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