Washington Post—PEPFAR’s Challenge (editorial)
The Washington Post writes in an editorial today that although President Obama’s push to re-energize the fight against the AIDS epidemic in the United States led to concern that he was going to allow U.S. global leadership in fighting the disease languish, those fears ought to be calmed after his announcement Tuesday of an initiative that will sustain PEPFAR, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief program, in the years ahead.

AFP—Africa braces for swine flu
Africa has so far been spared by the swine flu epidemic but veterinary and health officials are bracing for the deadly virus, fearing the continent could end up the worst hit. According to the World Health Organisation, H1N1 influenza has caused 1,500 infections on four continents. Officials in Africa admit that preparedness levels vary from one country to another and that the virus may already be on the continent undetected. “We can’t say for sure that no country in Africa has had infections, because of the lack of preparedness and early detection,” said Ahmed el-Sawalhy, an African Union official.

Reuters—Sudan says willing to admit new NGOs
Sudan said on Wednesday it would “not close the door” to foreign aid organizations that want to operate in the country, but a decision to expel 13 international NGOs was non-negotiable. President Omar Hassan al-Bashir expelled those aid groups after the International Criminal Court issued a warrant for his arrest in March on charges of masterminding war crimes in Darfur. “For the expelled 13 NGOs, this is history. It’s finished. But this decision … does not close the door for any new NGOs — American, British, French … with new names, with new logos,” said the head of Sudan’s state Humanitarian Aid Commission.

Ghana News Agency—Two million Ghanaians Prone to Food Insecurity
According to a report launched yesterday in Accra, Ghana, about two million Ghanaians are at risk of becoming food insecure at the onset of a shock or natural disaster, and another 1.2 million people are food insecure with limited access to sufficient and nutritious food throughout the year. The report attributed poverty, reliance on traditional and often inefficient agricultural practices, limited markets for farm produce, high food prices, lack of education and other hazards such as adverse weather conditions as the main causes of food insecurity in the country.

Reuters—Nigeria meningitis death toll rises above 2,000
A meningitis outbreak in Nigeria is more serious than initially feared with the death toll rising more than six-fold over the past two months, the Health Ministry said on Wednesday. Deaths from the epidemic have risen to 2,148 since the first case was recorded in December from 333 announced by the health minister in early March. The number of reported cases has climbed more than eightfold to 47,902 over the same period.

Have you read anything interesting today? Share it with everyone in the comments thread!

-Steve Wilson