Archive for July, 2009

healthy babies healthy children

A child’s early years – from before birth to age six – are very important. Healthy babies are more likely to develop into healthy children, and healthy children are more likely to grow up to be healthy teenagers and healthy adults.
The to help children get a healthy start in life.does this by helping infants and children up to age six and their families through:

* screening and assessments to see if there are any risks that could affect a child’s healthy development and referrals to community programs and services.
* supports for new parents
* help in finding community programs and resources on all kinds of subjects such as:
o breastfeeding
o nutrition and health services
o parenting programs
o family literacy programs

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What is Water Health Life?

Water Health Life helps the world’s poorest communities to secure long-term access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation.

Water Health Life provides long-term solutions including:

  • Protecting springs
    This prevents the spread of waterborne diseases.
  • Drilling boreholes
    Boreholes enable communities to collect water easily and safely using a pump.
  • Sinking wells
    Sinking a shallow well means the well is only deep enough to reach the water table. It is covered to prevent surface contamination and reduce evaporation.
  • Building toilets
    Toilets dramatically improve sanitation and reduce the spread of disease.
  • Building rainwater tanks
    Rainwater tanks allow communities to access reliable drinking water, even in times of drought.
  • Training communities in water source maintenance and sanitation
    Training is a great way to ensure improvements are sustained in the long term.

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Life, Health Insurers Investing Billions in Tobacco Companies

A recent study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that major U.S., Canadian and British life and health insurance are investing billions of dollars in tobacco company stock, Agence France-Presse reported.

“Despite calls upon the insurance industry to get out of the tobacco business by physicians and others, insurers continue to put their profits above people’s health,” said Wesley Boyd, the study’s lead author and a faculty member of Harvard Medical School. “It’s clear their top priority is making money, not safe-guarding people’s well-being.”

Tobacco use not only leads to health problems like lung cancer, pulmonary illness and heart disease, but is the leading cause of preventable deaths, according to U.S. and world health officials.

The study highlights U.S. insurance company Prudential Financial Inc., who has $246.3 million dollars invested between three tobacco companies, including Reynolds America and Philip Morris.

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