addressing prevention of infectious diseases, we are focused on homeo prophylaxis as strategy to attenuate the impact of preventable diseases on devel

Dr. Concepción Campa, Dr. Luis E. Varela, Dr. Esperanza Gilling, MCs. Rolando Fernández, Tec. Bárbara Ordaz, Dr. Gustavo Bracho, Dr. Luis García, Dr. Jorge Menéndez, Lic. Natalia Marzoa, Dr. Rubén Martínez.

Despite, the Finlay Institute is a centre dedicated to development and production of vaccines; we also bring our WHO qualified facilities for all homeopaths and homeopathic medicine. The Finlay Institute acts as supporting institution for research, production and development of high quality homeopathic products. However, according with the social objective addressing prevention of infectious diseases, we are focused on homeo prophylaxis as strategy to attenuate the impact of preventable diseases on developing world, the ones that need it the most.
Thus, development and evaluation of nosodes, appears to be our main approach to fill up the breakthrough on current conventional strategies based on vaccination. Similarly with vaccination interventions, massive applications of prophylactic nosodes give rise to a greater impact on population health compared with individualized therapies. In addition, the easy administration and low economics resources needed, become this alternative really suitable and accessible for developing countries and almost the best for emergency situations comprising epidemic outbreaks and natural disasters. The Cuban experiences of massively administrated nosodes supports it use as promising solution to confront epidemiological dangerous situations.
On October November 2007, three provinces of the eastern region of Cuba were affected by strong rainfalls causing floods of big areas and several damages to sanitary and health systems. The risk of leptospirosis infection raised extremely dangerous levels with about 2 million of peoples exposed to potentially contaminated water.
Considering this situation, the Finlay Institute prepared a leptospira nosode 200 CH using 4 circulating strains and following international quality standards. A multidisciplinary team travelled to the affected regions to conduct the massive administration of the nosode. Coordinated action with public health system infrastructures allowed the administration of a preventive treatment consisting in two doses (7 9 days apart) of the nosode to about 2,4 million of people (4,8 million of doses). The coverage of the intervention rose up to 95% percent of total population of the three provinces at risk.
The epidemiology surveillance after the intervention showed a dramatic decrease of morbidity two weeks after and a reduction to cero of mortality of hospitalized patient. The number of confirmed leptospirosis cases remains at low levels and bellow the expected levels according with the trends and rain regimens. A reinforcing application was given after the hit of the hurricane IKE but using the nosode diluted up to 10 MC. Strict epidemiologic surveillance is carried out on this provinces. Up to date result will be presented. The results supported the design of new strategies for leptospirosis control. This experience could be extended to other diseases and other countries. The Finlay Institute is offering our facilities and specialists to spread this alternative to all regions needing emergent alternatives for epidemic control and prevention.

"Breastfeeding should continue for up to two years of age or beyond," the World Health Organization recommends

(NaturalNews) "Breastfeeding should continue for up to two years of age or beyond," the World Health Organization recommends -- yet in many countries such as the United Kingdom or United States, breastfeeding a child past the age of a few months is still considered odd or deviant, even by some doctors.

"One health professional just this week said to me that there is no nutritional value to feeding a child once they are eating solids from around six months," said breastfeeding advocate Rachel Maudsley.

The benefits of breastfeeding for both infant health and the mother-infant relationship are well-established, and the majority of human cultures throughout history have breast-fed past the age of one. Yet many government health regulations focus on encouraging breastfeeding only for the first six months, out of fear that expecting more from women might scare them out of breastfeeding entirely.

Already, only 25 percent of British mothers are breastfeeding six months after giving birth, down from 76 percent immediately after birth.

"There is a lot of guilt surrounding breastfeeding," said Maggie Fisher, chair of the Health Visitors' Forum. "We want to support people to make healthy choices, but they've also got to do what's comfortable and feels right for them."

"In practice, as a health visitor, my biggest problem is getting parents to start breastfeeding, and if you can get them going beyond six months you really think you're winning."

But breastfeeding advocates like Maudsley and Ann Sinnott, author of "Breastfeeding Older Children," argue that with increased education and support, many more women would indeed breastfeed for longer.

"I went to a breastfeeding group when [my daughter] was two," Maudsley said, "and some of the mums of the newborns were shocked. They said: 'Oh my goodness, you're still feeding her?' They didn't know you could feed a child of that age."