FRW news in brief

    | June 16, 2014

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    1-Chad: Measles epidemic across West and Central Africa

    Chad’s Ministry of Health reports that since early May, there have been more than 7,000 registered cases of measles and nine reported deaths.

    Measles is a highly contagious disease spread by human contact. Nearly 35,000 cases have been reported this year in Chad, Benin, Cameroon, Guinea, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic. According to Médecins Sans Frontières, children under five years of age account for 70 per cent of reported cases.

    Chad’s government has yet to declare an epidemic, hoping the situation can be contained by international organizations.

    To read the full article, go to: http://www.irinnews.org/report/100100/measles-spreading-in-chad-amid-weak-vaccination-coverage

    2-Tanzania: Weather information in a changing climate

    A collaboration between civil society, pastoralists and Tanzania’s Meteorological Agency, or TMA, is using indigenous knowledge to improve weather information for farmers.

    The project aims to help farmers increase their yields by using indicators such as wind direction, cuckoo calls, and the timing of winged termites’ departure from their nests.

    TMA wants to help farmers best exploit the seasonal distribution of rainfall to improve and stabilize crop yields.

    To read the full article, go to: http://www.irinnews.org/report/100125/melding-science-and-tradition-to-tackle-climate-change

    3-Nigeria: No birth record for millions of infants

    Nearly half of all deaths in children under five occur in the first month of life. Every year, more than a quarter of a million newborn children die in Nigeria. The country ranks second, behind only India, in the numbers of newborn deaths.

    More than 45 million babies across the world, or one in three newborns, do not have a birth certificate by their first birthday.

    Experts say this poor record of registering newborns undermines the global fight against infant mortality. Special care for small and sick newborns would avert 30 per cent of infant deaths globally, while quality care before and immediately after birth would prevent 41 per cent of child and maternal deaths.

    To read the full article, go to: http://www.trust.org/item/20140521041625-5i9hy?utm