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Archive for the ‘Health’ Category

Let’s write about sex

Posted in Health, tagged , , , , on June 20, 2013| 1 Comment »

Recognize it? This imaginative model of female genitalia was made by a Swiss sex educator. She prefers this style to the clinical-looking plastic ones. © swissinfo.ch

Recognize it? This imaginative model of female genitalia was made by a Swiss sex educator. She prefers this style to the clinical-looking plastic ones. © swissinfo.ch

When I suggested doing a special on sex education in Switzerland, I never imagined the creativity it could involve. And I never thought that such a whimsical rendition of female genitalia (in my favorite colors, even!) would be the lead image on swissinfo.ch for 24 hours.

For the article, part of my research included observing a secondary school lesson in Basel on AIDS prevention. The kids, aged 13-15, were friendly as well as funny. Their regular teacher had invited an external man-woman team to lead a 90-minute session. Too short! The kids clearly had a lot more questions about sex in general; what’s unclear is how they’ll find the answers. You can read my article here: In terms of sex ed, schools do their own thing

Meanwhile, my coworker made a video about the teacher in Bern who sews the plush models: Teacher makes her own sex educational models

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Doing business in the developing world’s pharmacy

Posted in Health, tagged , , , , , , on March 26, 2013| 1 Comment »

This pharmacy manager in Mumbai told me that some customers request generics to save money.

This pharmacy manager in Mumbai told me that some customers request generics to save money.

I was in India recently doing research for swissinfo.ch. There I met a number of doctors, patients and drug industry experts who were able to give me a sense of how healthcare works in India — particularly when it comes to the affordability and availability of medicine.

The main story is here: Doing business in the developing world’s pharmacy

If you have extra time to kill or would rather listen than read, there’s a 14-minute audio feature: Examining healthcare in India

Another piece focuses on the 20-bed Suradeep Hospital, pictured below: ‘Medicine in India is definitely affordable’

This hospital in Mamallapuram treats a lot of tourists.

This hospital in Mamallapuram treats a lot of tourists.

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Law tightened on female genital mutilation

Posted in Current affairs, Health, tagged , , , , , on July 15, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Amal was one of my sources for this story. She asked if we could take a photo together, so I did my best holding the smartphone at arm’s length.

A change to the Swiss penal code on female genital mutilation (FGM) came into force on July 1; it aims to prevent Swiss-based families from having their daughters circumcised, whether in Switzerland or abroad.

I did a pair of stories on this topic for swissinfo.ch; you can find them at the links below:

Law tightened on female genital mutilation

Mutilation victim finds a voice in Switzerland

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Have an egg-cellent Easter!

Posted in Animals, Culture, Health, tagged , , , , , , , , , on April 7, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Egg-cellent

 

In this week’s swissinfo.ch podcast, I focused on:

– a noisy Lenten tradition

– happy laying hens

– and a man who found a way to outsmart ovulation.

Click here to listen.

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Care drain threatens needy countries

Posted in Health, tagged , , , , , , on January 22, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Experts say incentives are needed to keep health care workers at home (© Medicus Mundi)

Switzerland is facing a dearth of health workers, but nothing like the shortages in developing countries where doctors and nurses have left for better opportunities.

To combat this problem, a coalition of Swiss health and humanitarian organisations has written a manifesto that addresses the worldwide need for properly trained healthcare professionals.

Click here to read the whole story on swissinfo.ch.

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