| Cutting edge |  As the refugee camps around South Africa are closed, the foreigners who have lived in them since May this year are dispersing. Many have been refused asylum on the grounds that they are 'economic migrants' - not a UN asylum category. In many cases this may be true. But perhaps we need to start looking at the definition of an 'economic refugee' instead of conveniently using this as a reason to send thousands of people back across our borders to uncertain lives. A recent BBC documentary about Somalia certainly belied Home Affair's statement that this country is now 'safe'.
Those who are trying to reintegrate into their previous communities - or into new communities - are finding it equally hard. At least eight people from the Soetwater camp alone have been murdered when they tried to pick up the pieces of their lives outside refugee camps. The government refuses to recognise these deaths as being as a result of xenophobia - instead saying that they were normal crime - as though crime is ever normal.
This morning's Cape Times carries a story about a young man from Mozambique - certainly an economic refugee under any definition since that country is stable once more. He has been given two weeks to leave the country, but he is HIV positive and suffering from tuberculosis. He is unlikely to survive the journey. Local doctors say that he needs to be on treatment for both infections. I am sure that there are plenty of people who - like our unfeeling government - think that he should go home and let the Mozambiquan authorities deal with him. In the long term - certainly. But let our authorities at least let him receive sufficient treatment so that he is strong enough to make the journey. I will watch the follow up with interest.
Bridget Farham Editor
https://www.bizcommunity.com
| | Today's headlines
Chronic diseasesObesity in children becoming a worrying fact - The Heart and Stroke Foundation SA[Ayesha Seedat] Obesity Week runs from 13 to 17 October 2008. Obesity is now recognised as a major public health problem in many countries like Australia, America, UK, Mexico, Brazil as well as South Africa. Worldwide statistics show that 22 million children under the age of five are overweight. Advertisement: | M-NET Breast Cancer Luncheon.
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Infectious diseasesMystery virus identifiedThe mystery virus has been provisionally identified as an arenavirus. An end to elephantiasisA painful and disfiguring disease affecting more than 100 million people worldwide could be wiped out by 2020, say experts. New EU pesticide regulations will increase incidence of diseaseWashington, DC - Today 160 senior scientists from around the world release a petition against proposed EU pesticide regulations which they believe would shrink the global insecticide markets, leaving millions of people in poor countries at an increased risk of malaria and other insect-borne diseases.
Medical TechnologyStudy to look at lifestyle choices following DNA discoveriesA new study will look into the choices people make after they have had their DNA analyzed for the risk of disease. The study will examine whether people work with their doctors to head off a disease to which they're predisposed or fall into bad habits when they find out they don't have any predispositions.
Mental healthFinancial crisis to increase mental illnessBEIJING: The global financial crisis is likely to cause increased mental health problems and even suicides as people struggle to cope with poverty and unemployment, the World Health Organisation warned Thursday, 9 October, 2008.
NutritionGlobal food and fuel crisis will increase malnourished by 44 millionDouble shock is a threat to basic survival, says a new report from the World Bank. It says that high food and fuel prices will increase the number of malnourished people around the world in 2008 by 44 million to reach a total of 967 million.
OncologyTalc may increase risk of ovarian cancerUsing talc in the genital area may increase a woman's risk of ovarian cancer.
Public healthAfrica: ‘Sexually-transmitted grades' kills quality educationSexual exploitation in African schools has become so widespread that children have come up with their own terms to refer to sexual relations with their teachers. US tells African governments to stop supplying international family planning groupThe US has told African governments to stop supplying partners to the Marie Stopes Foundation. Amalgamated to cash in on SA's health[Tamar Kahn] Amalgamated Healthcare is planning an exclusive deal to roll out Holland & Barrett health stores in SA.
Women's healthProblems and solutions of maternal mortality in the developing world[Alina Haddad] Every minute a woman dies in pregnancy or childbirth. This adds up to 536,000 women a year and more than 10 million over a generation. About 99 percent of these women live and die in developing countries. Maternal death in industrialiSed countries is a rarity, proving that a majority of maternal deaths in the developing world could be prevented. |
| | Events to diarise | ac3 NGO Conference - Pretoria, 23 October
About 200 representatives from non-governmental organisations working in the HIV and AIDS field are expected to attend the ac3 NGO Conference at the CSIR Convention Centre on 23 and 24 October. | | |
| | Upcoming events | AIDS Vaccine 2008 - Cape Town, 13 October International Drug Discovery BIT Life Sciences, - Beijing, China, 18 October MNet Angels walking for breast cancer Urban Angel - Johannesburg, 19 October Professional Selling Skills AchieveGlobal SA - Cape Town, 20 October | More... Submit an event | | |
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