A4H Making an Impact

Posted November 24th, 2009 by Des Moines University

The DMU global health dept., working with the World Health Organization, brought the Art for Health visual art exhibit to Central Iowa!  This exhibit focuses on getting the message out about   women’s health around the world.  The exhibit strives to increase awareness and promote action toward improving sexual and reproductive health around the world.  Paintings were displayed at consortium member colleges and the state capital for viewing.  For more information about Art for Health, visit www.who.int/pmnch/activities/a4h_project/en.

Global Health conference held October 14

Posted November 24th, 2009 by Des Moines University

Approximately 125 faculty, students and community members attended the global health conference held on the DMU campus on Wednesday,  October 14.  This HGHC conference, which featured U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and several other speakers, was held in conjunction with Des Moines’ annual World Food Prize celebration and symposium.

“To help combat hunger around the world, the Unites States is working to share its expertise rather than just its bounty” explained Secretary Vilsack.  He said the USDA is striving to enhance “food security” by taking its expertise in producing, storing, distributing and using food to countries around the world. In addition to helping the planet’s nearly one billion people who are malnourished, he said, these efforts “allow us to enhance America’s image around the world.” “That’s important, because to address issues like global warming, environmental protection and terrorism, we need partners,” he added. “America can’t do all that by itself.”

Another conference speaker was epidemiologist Dr. William Foege, senior fellow in the global health program of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Former director of the Centers for Disease Control, Foege worked in the successful campaign to eradicate smallpox in the 1970s and led in accelerating childhood immunization in the 1980s; it is estimated that his work has saved over 122 million people’s lives worldwide. “Your real bosses are not the people who fill out your annual performance review – although you’ll have to pretend they are,” Foege advised students at the conference. “Your real bosses are the people living 300 years from now, because you’ll be preparing the world they’ll be living in.”

The Global Food Crisis

Posted October 12th, 2009 by Central College

7:30 pm, October 12, 2009

Vermeer Science Center Room 180

Dr. Per Pinstrup-Andersen is an agricultural economist and founder of the 2020 Vision Initiative, a comprehensive research and dissemination program on global food security. In 2001, Pinstrup Andersen was recipient of the World Food Prize. He has written over 300 books, articles, and papers and his 2001 book Seeds of Contention has been published in five languages. The late Norman Borlaug, 1970 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate  noted Dr. Pinstrup-Andersen to be “one of the most influential economists and policy makers today” and “an outstanding spokesperson for effective economic policies for transforming agricultural production of food deficit nations”.

Sponsors: CGC, World Food Prize Institute

Dr. Per Pinstrup-Andersen speaks on The Global Food Crisis

Posted September 21st, 2009 by Drake University

Tuesday October 13: The Global Food Crisis

3:30pm-4:30pm, Pomerantz Stage, Olmsted Center

Speaker: Dr. Per Pinstrup-Andersen

Dr. Per Pinstrup-Andersen is an agricultural economist and founder of the 2020 Vision Initiative, a comprehensive research and dissemination program on global food security. In 2001, Pinstrup Andersen was recipient of the World Food Prize. He has written over 300 books, articles, and papers and his 2001 book Seeds of Contention has been published in five languages. The late Norman Borlaug, 1970 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate  noted Dr. Pinstrup-Andersen to be “one of the most influential economists and policy makers today” and “an outstanding spokesperson for effective economic policies for transforming agricultural production of food deficit nations”.

Sponsors: CGC, World Food Prize Institute

DMU in South Africa

Posted August 25th, 2009 by Des Moines University

See first-hand how Des Moines University students are “doing a world of good” on international rotations in South Africa. The Global Health department participated in a conference at the Shikwaru Game Lodge in South Africa in March 2009. Dr. Kendall Reed, dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine and Dr. Yogesh Shah, associate dean of Global Health, spoke at the conference.