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The world is experiencing a change in the geographic distribution of diseases. Traditionally, infectious diseases, which claim the lives of so many children, have affected poor countries and non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes, cardiac ailments and cancer, have plagued rich countries.

But the latest statistics released by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Friday show that the income level of nations is no longer so important, and that all countries now face the burden of both kinds of diseases.

Up to now, non-communicable diseases tended to be identified as the ills of opulence, limited to high-income countries, WHO’s director of health statistics and informatics, Ties Boerma, told IPS.

However, due to changes caused by the ageing population, improvements brought about by the global effort to meet the millennium development goals (MDGs), changes in birthrates and other factors, developing countries are now also fighting non-infectious diseases, he said.

Boerma noted that the phenomenon began in urban areas of developing nations, among the most highly educated population groups, but it is now expanding rapidly.

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By Keith R. Green, AFC Federal Affairs DirectorOn May 16, 2011, I had the privilege of attending the City of Chicago’s inauguration ceremony where 50 City Council members, citywide officials, and the Honorable Rahm Emanuel, Chicago’s newest Mayor, took the oath of office.In his remarks, Mayor Emanuel assured the public of his keen understanding of this great city’s enduring assets and pressing challenges.  For me and tens of thousands of other HIV-affected Chicagoans, how the new Mayor confronts HIV and other public health concerns will be an important measure of his Administration’s leadership.

Throughout the campaign and transition process, Mr. Emanuel

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The global trial that has just resoundingly proved that the partners of people on Aids drugs are almost completely protected from being infected with HIV themselves is extraordinarily good news. I wrote a story about it on Thursday night.

And the more you think about it, the better this news seems. On Thursday, I also wrote of the fears of women in Uganda that they will face violence and criminalisation as a result of a bill now being debated in parliament that would force them to tell their partner if they test positive for HIV – or oblige the health worker administering the test to tell the man instead. The article was shortened and incorporated into a general story on Uganda. B

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Please take a moment to asking the Midwestern Congressional Delegation (senators and representatives from Midwestern states) to work for increased funding for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP). You may sign the letter as an individual or on behalf of an organization; simply fill out the form at the bottom of the screen.

Dear Midwestern Congressional Delegation,

As HIV/AIDS organizations and advocates within the Midwest, we work on the front lines to ensure people living with HIV/AIDS in our states can access the services and treatment they need to stay healthy, work, and take care of themselves and their families.

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