Web Site Covers International Health Emergencies

By: Charles Bowen Since the attacks on the World Trade Center, people are no longer having to urge us to "think globally." It is second nature to most of us now to start the day by turning on CNN to see what has happened overnight to our fragile planet and its passengers. We also don't have to be told that "we're all in this together," as my mom used to say. Back in the '50s, she meant that as a comforting reminder that we weren't alone in our daily struggles. Nowadays the same remark sounds more like a warning.

Journalists in the new millennium know better than anyone that geographic distance no longer makes much difference in the local relevance of breaking news. A terrorist attack in Bali touches some of our readers as much as a house fire down the street.

And nowhere is that more apparent than in international health emergencies and the apprehension we can feel from thousands of miles away. AIDS, Ebola, anthrax, smallpox, West Nile virus -- they're all names familiar even to school children. Responsible reporters and editors step gingerly in this area. It's easy to provoke panic when talking about outbreaks of infectious disease and toxins that can sound almost biblical in their proportions.

Fortunately, a calm, clear international voice on the Internet can help put even the most frightening health news into perspective. The International Society for Infectious Disease has been covering this beat for more than 15 years. With members from some 155 countries, it is dedicated to improving the care of patients and control of disease around the world. And its ProMED-mail service keeps you up to date on worldwide outbreak with daily bulletins.

To see the resources, visit the site at http://www.promedmail.org, where a no-nonsense introductory page is topped with the latest reports.

For instance, at this writing, the lead report was entitled, "Unexplained Deaths -- India (Gujarat)." Clicking on the link took me to a report that began, "Mystery fever creates havoc in Chhara village. As many as 173 cases of some mysterious fever have been detected in Chhara village of Kodinar taluka in Junagadh district. In the last month alone, eight children and around 25 to 30 adults died due to the fever. A special control room has now been set up in the village to help the affected people." The detailed account went on to say that health officials in Junagadh reported three teams of doctors and senior officials of the health department have rushed to the village to start immediate treatment of the affected population.

Other considerations for using ProMed-mail in your writing and editing:

1. The introductory page also provides links to stories of continuing interest. At this writing, that included the latest information from around the world regarding West Nile virus, Ebola hemorrhagic fever, and anthrax.

2. An archive is provided. The site provides a page of detailed search options, enabling you to hunt for reports by keywords and phrases, dates, subject headers, and/or even the language in which it was reported. Results can be sorted by published date or subject, ascending or descending.

3. And your consumer and business writers should be alerted that the site also covers recent product recalls that have health implications. To reach them, click the "Recalls/Alerts" link on the introductory page.

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