| The shortage of condoms on the Ghanaian market Wednesday prompted the donation of some 20 million condoms form the United states Agency for International Development (USAID). The donation of the condoms to the Ministry of Health (MOH) comes on the heels of the recall of about 126million Chinese-made condoms because they had microscopic holes identified by the Food and Drugs Authority and health Officials in April this year. The recalled defective condoms came in a silver and white package with a red AIDS ribbon and the words "BE SAFE" written on them. In April, the Ghana Food and Drugs Authority said all imported condoms were supposed to be inspected prior to being distributed but for unexplained reason the condoms in question were not examined. The donation is the third time in five years that US has sent emergency supply of condoms to Ghana to avoid a national stock-out of high-quality affordable condoms. The 20 million condoms valued at US$ 600,000 is expected to meet condom use for the next six months and ensure that there is no disruption to the country’s reproductive health and HIV prevention efforts. In a handing over ceremony, out-going USAID Mission Director Ms Cheryl Anderson encouraged the Ministry of Health (MOH) to work on a long term plan to put commodity security high on its development agenda. She also urged the MOH to implement its recently developed Supply Chain Master Plan, which was designed to improve the management and quality of health sector commodities in Ghana. The supply chain master plan was recently approved by stakeholders and is expected to enhance supply chain activity coordination, systematic and transparent logistics systems and IT infrastructure, to improve commodity storage, distribution, monitoring and reporting. Health Minister, Ms Sherry Ayittey confirmed the long-established assistance from the US government in the areas of Tuberculosis, Malnutrition and family planning and noted that they were all geared to help Ghana achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) She expressed her appreciation to the MOH development partners for efforts made in streamlining challenges in the procurement systems According to her, arrangement were been made to bring in about 8.5 million more condoms by October and added that, the manufacturers of the recalled condoms has assured the MOH of a replacement. She gave the assurance that the donated condoms were WHO certified and meets Ghana’s specification. |
Success Seems to be largely a matter of handing on after others have let go.
Success Seems to be largely a matter of handing on after others have let go.
Success Seems to be largely a matter of handing on after others have let go.
With so much focus placed on smartphones, touch and gesture control and their evolution, what will be the next big development in how people use digital devices?
The way we use digital devices has become big news.
People spend so much time looking at a screen each day that every new update to any major operating system is greeted with a near hysteria about whether you should or shouldn't upgrade.
Wake up, check Twitter and Facebook on the phone, eat breakfast, check train times online, travel to work reading from a screen, log on to a computer, work, go home, eat, put the TV on and check email, sleep.
This has created a large public discussion about design changes that often just shifts things along, quite literally, by a few millimetres at a time.
Sumi Das discovers why Google's design policy 'cannot be consistent'
Who can honestly say they understood the word skeuomorphism until a couple of months ago?
"The public discourse about new UIs [user interfaces] at the moment is at the level of celebrity gossip," says John Underkoffler, chief scientist of Oblong Industries, who has advised on technology in films such as Minority Report and Iron Man.
"What they might add tomorrow morning is not really a big deal. Most of the debates happening now cannot be sorted out without history. We'll be able to look back and find out what the truth is.
"My bet is the truth will be wherever more capability will be, wherever there is more delirious power in the hands of actual people."
Then where will this new capability come from?
Most of the design ideas offered by sci-fi blockbusters on the big screen still seem a long way off.
Minority Report - with gesture response, transparent screens and true augmented reality - was released more than 10 years ago and is still brought up as a discussion point of what could be done, much to the disgust of some.
But it did take the mouse nearly 30 years after its invention to become widely used.
'No interface'
One big suggestion gaining traction is the notion of the invisible interface. The idea is that the best design will make all technology move so far into the background that it's not even noticed and just works without even being thought about.
This concept has been around since the 1990s but what this is pushing, from examples so far, is the idea that everything is so intuitive to use that it isn't even noticed.
Microsoft's flat design for the Windows Phone has been lauded by critics as the first step on this journey away from intrusive interfaces. It is an idea that is now being used in Apple's new iOS 7.
Going even further, ideas like "the best interface is no interface" will, according to a Samsung designer, create a future without digital interfaces at all.
This means, in practice, digital programming would still be there but the need to intervene in long processes would fade away - a world beyond point and clicking, swiping and pressing and going through menu options.
But it is choice that designers are keen to offer.
"Touch is just a small step," says Mr Underkoffler.
"In reality, there are a lot more steps involved than that.
"The big story is plurality. It's not that touch has supplanted a lot of existing UI, it's taken a little bit of it and moved it forwards. You still use a keyboard to type, a touchscreen is not better than that.
"There will be touch when that's appropriate but there will also be gesture. What will be really new is the opportunity to give people a UI to use different input devices as appropriate."
What this would mean is no one "right" answer but an opportunity for every device to work together in every way the person using the device wants to use it - whether that be keyboard, mouse, touch, gesture or voice, with no one thing killing off another.
At the moment though, the touchscreen is still interface design's focus.
"One of the main problems with touchscreens is everything is effectively poking at pictures through a glass screen - you're incredibly deprived in terms of touch," says Timo Arnall, of tech research company Berg.
"Screens do have a part to play, they are versatile and we are attracted to them but it's not enough.
"We have to be able to account for our hands, our bodies and our other senses in a digital world."
Inventor of the web Sir Tim Berners-Lee has talked extensively about the idea of the "internet of things" and this seems to be affecting the way UI design is moving from expecting a single device, like a phone, to do everything and towards a world of many devices, just like the physical world.
Some designers believe that people will come to see digital devices in a similar way to utensils
"In the real world, you're not limited to one device," says Mr Underkoffler.
"You can pick up a pen, a pencil or a paintbrush. The drawer in your kitchen doesn't just have a spoon. We have people fighting about UI now about whether it's going to be a spoon or a fork.
"In reality, you're going to have both and a lot more utensils besides."
Instead of one device that does everything, the future could be that people are left with the choice of which device - and which interface - to use for each circumstance.
But with people spending so much time in front of screens and now comfortable with the idea of touch, how likely are they to really move back to physical devices as the way into the digital world?
"I'm sensing a backlash against screens at the moment," says Mr Arnall.
"Given that it has become so culturally omnipresent, you can look at any bus stop and 80% of people are staring at a screen. There has to be a cultural backlash against that.
"Over the next couple of years, that is what will happen."
The Greek health system is buckling under the strain of massive budget cuts, an expanding client list and worsening public health. A network of volunteer-run health clinics has emerged to help ease the burden.
Giorgos Vichas is not someone with time on his hands. Middle-aged, with a head of thick black hair flecked with grey, he has a look of alert determination - but for a moment his gaze becomes wistful.
"When I was studying to become a doctor what I really wanted to do was travel to places that needed voluntary workers," he says.
In the end, he was able to fulfil that ambition without getting on a plane. Eighteen months ago Dr Vichas co-founded the Metropolitan Community Clinic at Helliniko in Athens, for Greeks who found themselves in need without health insurance.
"The crisis in Greece has caused a humanitarian crisis in terms of the health sector. I never imagined we would have to set up social clinics and work on a voluntary basis," he says.
Like many European countries, Greek citizens pay for their healthcare by a system of insurance, with contributions from employers, the state and the beneficiaries themselves. When someone loses their job, they lose their healthcare plan too.
The state gives them a short period of grace, but then they're on their own and have to stump up the cash for drugs and treatment. When the "troika" of the European Commission, the IMF and the European Central Bank agreed a 240bn-euro rescue package for Greece in 2011 the condition was that the Greek government should make tax system improvements, cut the public sector workforce and lower public spending to reduce its debt burden.
What nobody had really properly considered is the impact of the austerity measures - in particular the detrimental effect on that most vital of public services: health care.
There are now around 40 community clinics operating across Greece. Dr Vichas's clinic has 9,500 patients on the books but with a nationwide unemployment increase of 20% since last year (215,735 people) the number of people flocking to the Helliniko clinic is growing fast.
People come to get treatment and drugs. Stamatis Govostis, a dignified, neatly turned-out man in his late fifties, is in no doubt what would happen to him if it weren't for Dr Vichas and his team of volunteers. "That's easy," he says - his eyes watering with emotion. "I would be dead." He says he feels like an old workhorse who, after working all his life as a waiter, is simply being left to suffer and die.
Dr Vichas says his clinic is the only place in the city where cancer patients can get free chemotherapy. They are also providing 200 families with milk formula for their babies.
The municipality provides the premises for the clinic, on a disused American military base, and pays the overheads. But the medical professionals - which include paediatricians, gynaecologists and cardiologists - work there for nothing.
All the drugs are donated by individuals and pharmaceutical companies. They enter the clinic by the plastic bagful, higgledy piggledy, to be processed by a team of volunteers led by pharmacists. They sort them, date them, label them and store them.
Individuals and companies donate drugs to the clinic
"What we're really proud of is this - it's a bit ugly, but it's our storeroom," says Martha Frangiadakis, one of the volunteers. She started to help at the clinic after seeing fellow Athenians suffering day after day on the streets and on TV.
"You sit in your living room and drink your coffee and say, 'Oh my, people are having such problems!' And you feel terrible. And ok, I come and sort meds once a week - big deal. But it's something."
If the clinic finds itself particularly short of a medicine, it posts a request on its blog. But if the clinic's storeroom can't supply a patient with what he or she needs, it's not uncommon for volunteers to walk with them to a pharmacy and pay for it out of their own pocket.
The clinic's pride and joy: the storeroom full of the sorted medicines
Katerina Dolianiti and Alexandros Zaganas recently came to the Helliniko clinic in desperation.
Their seven year-old son, Christos, had been diagnosed with angioneurotic edema of the larynx. The pair knew immediately what this meant, since Alexandros has the same rare disorder.
They knew that Christos would be prone to sudden and dramatic swelling that would move rapidly along his body. If the swelling reached his stomach it would be excruciatingly painful - if it reached his face or neck, it would be life-threatening. For this reason, Christos would always have to have with him a syringe filled with a strong anti-inflammatory.
Each syringe costs 600 euros (£520), and Christos might need two or three a month. The family used to own a café and a bar, but both businesses closed during the recession. Now, Katerina and Alexandros are unemployed, like 27% of the working-age population - the highest rate in the EU.
"Every time we go to the hospital they won't see us," says Katerina. "Because we don't have insurance, we can't get the injection. If it's urgent and he needs the injection, sometimes I have to lie and say that I am insured. I don't like doing this but I have to."
Katerina has previous unpaid medical bills of her own, but there is no hiding from the system and they will eventually be added to her tax bill. She is so worried for her son that she checks on him every 10 minutes or so and won't let him play with his brothers - but she is also worried that her unpaid tax bill could land her in jail.
Christos Zaganas should always have a syringe of anti-inflammatory with him
"Thank God that these community clinics are now operating and these doctors are helping - otherwise there would be no way of getting treatment," she says. "People are dying - people do not have insurance and they can't get into hospitals."
Dr Vichas is now acting as an intermediary between the family and a local hospital: he is trying to get to supply anti-inflammatories for free. His clinic has a track record of applying pressure on behalf of patients with complex or serious problems. He recently succeeded in getting the state to waive a 6,000 euro (£5,200) fee for a cancer operation on a patient he had referred himself.
Dr Vichas has described Athens' volunteer medics as a "Robin Hood network"
The Evangelismos General Hospital in central Athens is one of the largest in Greece. They have felt the pain of the 23% cut in the Greek health budget - last year, their budget was 103 million euros (£90m), down from 150 million euros (£130m) in 2009.
The CEO of the hospital, Michail Theodorou, runs a tight ship. He says that the hospital has been able to make efficiency savings, and the quality of service to patients has not suffered.
One of his senior doctors is more forthright and frank: Ilias Sioras, a cardiologist and staff representative at the hospital with 25 years' experience, says that the staff are struggling, with nurses sometimes scheduled to work for three weeks without a day off.
Dr Sioras adds that some doctors don't follow the law and ask for all the patients' insurance details. "Every day I break the law," he says. "I never ask for insurance for any patient." He gives patients diagnostic tests for free, and says that as yet, no doctor has been punished for bending these rules.
The Greek health service has been hit by multiple blows since the country's economy was thrown into turmoil. As well as the budget cuts and the care needs of patients without insurance, there has been a migration into the state-sponsored insurance scheme of citizens who had previously paid for private healthcare.
Dr Panos Eustathiou from the Ministry of Health agrees that Greece and the Greek health service are facing difficulties, however he insists that no-one - including non-Greek citizens and Greeks without insurance - is being turned away from hospitals. "Health services continue to be provided to all Greeks," he says.
He also denies that the emergence of community clinics is a sign that the health service is collapsing.
"These are signs of a society operating in austerity and difficulty," he says. "These are positive signs for a civilisation and society - not signs of disintegration."
At the Hellinikon clinic in Athens, Dr Vichas does not see it that way. He says that the government have "disregarded" their patients, although like many Greeks, he feels they are not ultimately to blame.
"We are sure the troika are aware of what is going on," he says. "It is the troika who are manufacturing these policies."
He says that his team cannot continue firefighting the city's health problems forever. He is especially worried about poor children falling behind with their vaccinations and malnutrition among babies with insufficient supply to milk powder.
"You could compare our situation to the story of Hydra and Hercules," he says. "When you cut off the head, and you feel like you have achieved something, another four or five grow."
Long lines to rebook cancelled flights (Thomas Lohnes/Getty Images)
A consumer’s view of air travel is from the bottom up. How much will the ticket cost me? How do I optimize for convenience and travel time? What will I do if there is a delay? Should I buy trip insurance just in case my plans change?
But the top-down view from airline executives, airport operators, governments, flight crews and airport ground staff is far more complex. Collectively, they are tasked with coaxing a massive global system of air travel to operate smoothly, 24 hours a day, every day, and quickly solve for disruptions — from accidents to Acts of God. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) counted more than 740 billion passenger kilometres flown globally in May. That’s equal to 920,323 solo round-trips to the moon.
The risks are everywhere, from long waits on the tarmac after missing a scheduled departure by mere minutes, to choosing routes that turn out to be money-losers when air travellers don’t fly them as often as expected. But, believe it or not, some of the goals are the same: to optimize travel time and cost and to mitigate risk.
BBC Capital spoke with Montie Brewer, a former chief executive officer of Air Canada who is now an independent aviation consultant and a board member at low-cost carrier Allegiant in the United States and at Aer Lingus in Ireland. Brewer, based in Boston, began his career in the airline industry in 1981. He offered an inside look at how airlines manage their schedules, attempt to reduce risk and delays for fliers and prepare for unexpected hitches. Edited excerpts follow.
BBC Capital: Heavy air traffic and weather seem to be the biggest causes of airline delays. What do airlines do to manage those risks?
Brewer: Most airlines have their own meteorology departments for forecasting weather en route for safety reasons, planning an efficient flight pattern and understanding the potential impact for the entire operation. We used to just roll with the punches, but now you know it’s there and you avoid it. With this foresight, as an airline, you’d rather handle customers today when the weather is good than tomorrow when the weather is bad.
In bad weather, even though airlines aren’t liable for additional cost to the ticket [rebooking fees, however, are usually waived], there are other factors. Do you want the cost of customer ill will or overtime at the airport? Do you want your call centres clogged and not handling new bookings? If you know it’s going to happen, take care of it when you have your resources available.
BBC Capital: Has technology improved the ability to handle unforeseen circumstances or risks?
Brewer: Texting and email have made it easier to communicate information outwardly, but it’s still not perfect. Everyone wants the information that is unique to them and you can’t gin up people to handle individual requests fast enough. Reservations and operations systems tend to be different and are generally not set up to rebook in a consumer-friendly way. As an industry, we’re slowly getting to the point where we can give you rebooking options when you are notified of delays, but that will take tens of years still [to perfect].
BBC Capital: How do airlines decide where and when to fly in the first place?
Brewer: Planning is generally done up to a year in advance, largely around the IATA’s semi-annual Slot Conferences in which airlines and airports assess capacity and negotiate gates. The ultimate goal [for an airline] is to make your aircraft available to the greatest number of potential customers as possible and maximize the utility of every single flight. From an airline’s standpoint, we’re serving cities, not routes. So, we ask ourselves: how do we get the people of Boston to everywhere they’d want to go?
The schedule is actually finalized about 60-days before a flight departs. That’s when the operational realities come into play — scheduling of crews, availability of gates and the resources on the ground to make adjustments.
BBC Capital: So how do you estimate demand for individual cities and the aircraft you’ll need so far in advance?
Brewer: In North America, the US and Canadian governments take ticket samples. So, if there are two people going from White Plains, New York, to Appleton, Wisconsin, every day, then you get some idea of that market. Traffic tends to grow at about the pace of Gross Domestic Product.
In terms of making the plane and staff available... different aircraft require a different number of flight attendants and each cockpit requires a differently-trained pilot crew. To make sure you have enough pilots and flight attendants hired in time, you have to know about 18 months in advance what level of flying you’re going to need across your routes.
BBC Capital: It doesn’t sound like there’s that much slack in the system, for planes or crew?
Brewer: Well, there are rules of thumb on having spare aircraft, but you don’t really want a $50 to $250 million asset just sitting on the ground. In reality there are so many random events that can happen that you do need to build some flexibility into the system. The impact of delays can be very costly. An aircraft that goes out [is delayed or breaks down] in California when it’s supposed to be flying to Chicago impacts not just the people leaving California, but now everyone in Chicago and so on. If there weren’t spares, multiple customers would be impacted and the costs would grow.
BBC Capital: What drives another passenger frustration — inflexible ticket pricing?
Brewer: In my opinion, the current pricing systems are consumer unfriendly, tremendously outdated and will change. It’s a broken system. The vast majority of legacy carriers price based on market power (how can I optimize each flight) as opposed to consumer-based pricing (how can I entice you to fly). Leisure customers book further in advance and business customers book closer in so the price for a seat [on the same flight] can vary from $150 to $3,000.
BBC Capital: Why has this yet to be fixed?
Brewer: The pricing system is held hostage by the price indiscriminate buyer and fear of losing that customer. Innovators in the marketplace have been the low-cost, more consumer-based carriers who are providing value.
England fought back brilliantly with the ball after disappointing with the bat on an astonishing opening day of the Ashes series at Trent Bridge.
In a riotous final session, the hosts lost their last four wickets for two runs in crumbling to 215 all out before tearing through Australia's top order with the new ball to reduce them to 75-4.
Peter Siddle was Australia's outstanding performer on an overcast day which offered plenty of assistance to swing bowlers, removing five of England's top seven to finish with figures of 5-50.
But Steven Finn dismissed Shane Watson and Ed Cowan in successive balls and James Anderson took two wickets of his own to leave the match beautifully poised, with Steve Smith on 38 not out.
If England can dismantle the remainder of the Australian batting order on Thursday, they could yet escape with the first innings lead they were targeting when captain Alastair Cook won the toss and chose to bat on a dry pitch hardened by several days of sunshine.
It was a decision that appeared justified as the hosts found the boundary 19 times in the first session and advanced to a promising 178-4 in the afternoon.
But a combination of poor shot selection and fine swing bowling saw them lose their last six wickets for 37 runs to round off an innings that had lasted just 59 overs.
With Stuart Broad off the field receiving treatment to a shoulder injury he suffered while batting, Australia began their innings positively. Shane Watson struck successive fours off Finn as they took the total to 19 off as many balls.
But the Middlesex fast bowler gained his revenge with a double strike as first Watson, then Cowan were drawn into chasing balls outside off stump, sending thick edges through to a gleeful England slip cordon.
If Finn's intervention had altered the course of the match, Anderson was about to turn things full circle with the wicket of Michael Clarke for a six-ball duck.
The Australia captain, averaging 66 in his 24 previous Tests as skipper, was beaten by a ball that moved away at the last moment and kissed the top of his off stump.
Anderson's 308th Test wicket took him past Fred Trueman into third on England's all-time list, and his 309th followed soon afterwards as Chris Rogers was trapped lbw to a ball which replays revealed would have brushed the outside of leg stump.
It was a breathtaking finale to a day that began with fireworks and a fly-by from the Red Arrows to mark the renewal of hostilities in one of sport's oldest rivalries.
Australia sprung a huge surprise before the start of play by handing 19-year-old spinner Ashton Agar his Test debut at the expense of Nathan Lyon.
The tall left-armer, of Sri Lankan background, had only played 10 previous first-class matches and was lining up in the Home Counties Premier League for Henley earlier this season.
James Pattinson, one of five Australians playing in their first Ashes Test, was given the responsibility of delivering the first ball of the series. But as a hush descended over the 17,000 fans inside a sold-out Trent Bridge, the 23-year-old sent down a high and wayward bouncer that was rightly called a wide.Left-armer Mitchell Starc delivered a similarly inauspicious first over, but once their nerves settled Australia's new ball pair found plenty of swing and beat the bat with regularity.
Pattinson claimed the wicket of the England captain in the ninth over as Cook aimed a forceful shot at a ball outside off stump and got a healthy nick through to wicketkeeper Brad Haddin.
Jonathan Trott quickly wrested the initiative back England's way, striking consecutive boundaries in Siddle's first over and cracking Agar's first delivery - a full toss - to the cover fence.
Joe Root had appeared equally assured in a partnership of 51 before he was clean bowled by a superb away-swinging yorker from Siddle.
Kevin Pietersen and Trott followed soon after lunch, the former edging an expansive shot to second slip for 14 and the latter deflecting an equally reckless drive on to his stumps.
Ian Bell and Jonny Bairstow revived England with a counter-attacking partnership of 54, but the wicket of Bell - caught at first slip off another fine delivery from Siddle - proved pivotal as England's lower order folded miserably.
Matt Prior lazily slapped Siddle to point for one and Broad top-edged a pull shot to gift Pattinson the simplest of caught and bowled dismissals.
Bairstow was bowled after playing around a full ball from Starc, with Finn caught behind off the following delivery.
Anderson survived Starc's hat-trick ball but in the following over Graeme Swann prodded tamely to cover to complete the rout.
 |
The US is going ahead with plans to deliver four F-16 fighter jets to Egypt despite the political unrest in the country, senior American officials say.
This comes as Washington is continuing to evaluate last week's overthrow of President Mohammed Morsi by the army.
US massive military aid to Cairo would have to be cut by law if the removal of the Islamist leader is determined by Washington to have been a coup.
The Muslim Brotherhood, which backs Mr Morsi, is demanding his reinstatement.
Its supporters have been staging mass protests near Cairo's barracks, where he is believed to be being held. On Monday, more than 50 Brotherhood loyalists were killed in clashes with the army.
'In US interests'
The US officials say Washington will deliver four F-16 fighter jets in the next few weeks.
They are part of an already agreed bigger order of 20 planes - eight of which were sent to Egypt in January. The final eight are expected to be shipped later this year.
White House spokesman Jay Carney on Wednesday reiterated that it would not be "in the best interests of the United States to make immediate changes to our assistance programmes".
He added that the administration would take its time to consider the implications of removing Mr Morsi from power.
US military aid to Egypt is estimated to be $1.3bn (£860m) each year.
President Barack Obama has been careful not to use the word "coup" in relation to the recent events in Egypt to avoid triggering a legal cut-off of aid, the BBC's Katy Watson in Washington reports.
'Strong condemnation'
An Egyptian foreign ministry spokesman has said Mr Morsi is being held in a "safe place" and treated in a "very dignified manner".
Meanwhile, arrest warrants have been issued for the leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, Mohamed Badie, and nine senior figures.
They are charged with inciting Monday's deadly violence in the capital.
There are conflicting reports about what happened during the protest outside the Presidential Guard barracks, when more than 50 Brotherhood supporters were killed, as well as a soldier and two policemen.
The Brotherhood says the army fired on peaceful demonstrators and is accusing the interim authorities of a cover up. The military, however, say they acted in self-defence after being attack by armed assailants.
Many Brotherhood members are already in detention and warrants are said to have been been issued for hundreds more.
The new arrest warrants could scupper any attempts to persuade the Brotherhood to participate in the transitional political process, analysts say.
There is a feeling among the protesters that they have returned to the situation they were in under former President Hosni Mubarak, when the movement was banned and its members hunted down, our correspondent adds.
The timetable for new elections, announced in a constitutional declaration by interim President Adly Mansour on Monday evening, laid out plans to set up a panel to amend the suspended constitution within 15 days.
The changes would then be put to a referendum - to be organised within four months - which would pave the way for parliamentary elections, possibly in early 2014.
Once the new parliament convenes, elections would be called to appoint a new president.
However, the Brotherhood's political wing, the Freedom and Justice Party, and main liberal National Salvation Front opposition coalition and the grassroots Tamarod protest movement have all rejected the transition plan.
