SOUTHERN AFRICA: IRIN weekly humanitarian round-up 646 13 September 2013

Table of contents 1. Loss of refugee status leaves many Angolans undocumented in South Africa 2. Analysis: In search of less a deadly syringe 3. Meningitis vaccine a "stunning" success 4. Fewer infant deaths in a rural South African hospital 5. Analysis: When the water runs dry, the ideas flow 6. Grass could tame global warming gases 7. Global child mortality rates "halved" Loss of refugee status leaves many Angolans undocumented in South Africa JOHANNESBURG, 10 September 2013 (IRIN) - Many Angolan refugees living in South Africa have been left undocumented after a deadline for the cessation of their refugee status elapsed before they were able to secure immigration permits or exemption decisions. Read report online Analysis: In search of less a deadly syringe HANOI, 12 September 2013 (IRIN) - To someone who has never injected illicit drugs, all syringes may look similar, but recent research out of the US shows differences in design can be "dramatic" and may slow the spread of HIV infections. Read report online Meningitis vaccine a "stunning" success LONDON, 12 September 2013 (IRIN) - A new meningitis vaccine being rolled out in Chad has resulted in an astonishing 94 percent drop in the incidence of all types of the disease, according to a study being published this week in the Lancet. Read report online Fewer infant deaths in a rural South African hospital MQANDULI, 12 September 2013 (IRIN) - Mothers and children in South Africa are still dying in alarming numbers, and the country is among only a few worldwide where child deaths are rising. But a rural hospital in the Eastern Cape province has managed to drastically reduce infant mortality rates over the past six years, against the backdrop of a health system that is virtually at a standstill. Read report online Analysis: When the water runs dry, the ideas flow STOCKHOLM, 13 September 2013 (IRIN) - Droughts are rarely seen as a positive development. Historically equated with divine punishment, they can be fatal to local economies and human lives alike. Read report online Grass could tame global warming gases JOHANNESBURG, 13 September 2013 (IRIN) - Much has been written about why eating more red meat could be bad for your health while also harming the environment. But new studies to be discussed at the 22nd International Grasslands Congress in Australia next week show that the scientists might be able to overcome the environmental impact of higher numbers of meat eaters and milk drinkers. Read report online Global child mortality rates "halved" NAIROBI, 13 September 2013 (IRIN) - Child mortality rates declined by 47 percent globally between 1990 and 2012, a major new study by the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) has revealed, although this still falls short of the targets required to meet the UN Millennium Development Goal (MDG) relating to child survival. Read report online