Global Health

American Doctor In Libera Calls U.S. Ebola Response Plan 'Outstanding'

5:33pm September 16, 2014

Melissa Block talks to Dr. Timothy Flanigan in Liberia about President Obama's announcement that the U.S. will ramp up aid efforts to fight the Ebola outbreak.

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Dr. Kent Brantly was medical director at Monrovia's only Ebola treatment center when he fell ill with the disease in July. He survived after being evacuated and treated in the United States.

Dr. Kent Brantly: Ebola Survivor Gives Testimony On The Hill

5:32pm September 16, 2014

by NPR staff

The doctor spoke of "the horror that this disease visits upon its victims" and told a joint Senate committee hearing that he favors U.S. military intervention to fight it.

Do you know what the deadliest disease is? Hint: It's not Ebola (viral particles seen here in a digitally colorized microscopic image, at top right, along with similar depictions of other contagious diseases)

Which Contagious Diseases Are The Deadliest?

4:47pm September 16, 2014

by Diane Cole

To put Ebola in context, we tried to find a list of the deadliest contagious diseases. We couldn't. So with the help of scientists and health agencies, we came up with a rundown of the world's worst.

Red Cross health workers wearing protective suits in Conakry, Guinea, on Sunday.

Hiccups Were The Clue That Led Researchers To Ebola

10:05am September 16, 2014

by NPR Staff

Journalist Jeffrey Stern traveled to Guinea to find out why it took so long for scientists to figure out that the Ebola virus had struck. He tells a revealing tale in this month's Vanity Fair.

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Workers unload medical supplies to fight the Ebola epidemic from a USAID cargo flight in Harbel, Liberia, in August.

Obama To Announce Buildup In U.S. Efforts To Fight Ebola

9:43am September 16, 2014

by Scott Horsley

The U.S. military plans to establish a medical base in Liberia to help stop the Ebola epidemic. It will build 1,700 new treatment beds and train up to 500 health care workers every week.

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A health worker speaks with families in a classroom now used as Ebola isolation ward in Monrovia, Liberia. Ebola-stricken West Africa needs more health staff and more medical facilities.

What Obama Should Say And Do About Ebola

5:55pm September 15, 2014

by Marc Silver

The president is expected to announce a new U.S. effort to help stop the Ebola outbreak. What kind of help should the U.S. provide? We asked two specialists.

A contentious piece of clothing: Members of the Iranian women's soccer team celebrate their win over Syria back in 2007. That year, the international soccer league FIFA banned the wearing of hijabs during games. The ban was lifted in July.

Covering Up With The Hijab May Aid Women's Body Image

10:31am September 15, 2014

by Michaeleen Doucleff

A few studies have found that modest clothing is connected with a healthier body image. So a British psychologist looked at whether the hijab protected women against the pressure to be thin.

The heaviest rainfall occurred in the Surkhet District in the western part of Nepal.

Nepal Struggles To Help Villages Washed Away In Floods

8:26am September 15, 2014

by Hannah Marqusee

Thousands of families are living in schools, empty buildings and open fields after massive flooding. Although there's money to help, many are still without food, water and a dry place to sleep.

Smoking has declined by about 4 percent annually in Uruguay since the country required graphic warnings on cigarette packages.

Philip Morris Sues Uruguay Over Graphic Cigarette Packaging

8:08am September 15, 2014

by NPR Staff

The country requires photos of decaying teeth and gruesome hospital scenes on every pack. Philip Morris sees this as a violation of a trade agreement and is suing Uruguay for $25 million.

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Esther Okaya has a health problem that is a growing concern in Sub-Saharan Africa: high blood pressure.

Africans Are Introduced To The Blood Pressure Cuff

2:40pm September 14, 2014

by Gregory Warner

Esther Okaya is one of a growing number of Africans suffering from hypertension. New efforts to fight the condition include a $1 bonus for health workers who identify and bring in a patient.

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