There were lots of good posts this week about health challenges around the world:

• Marjan Siadat at Detroit Receiving provides a grim look at the cholera epidemic in Zimbabwe. 
•  Amie Newman at RH Reality Check reminds us that having a child remains one of the biggest health risks for women worldwide.
• Michael Clemens at Global Health Policy applauds the World Health Organization for its new code of practice for health worker recruitment, which is important as countries like the US seek overseas candidates to fill our large number of healthcare position vacancies.
• Maryn McKenna at Superbug explained how a surgical checklist helped hospitals in eight countries reduce their rates of surgical complications.
• Jodi Jacobson at RH Reality Check warns that Obama’s choice to keep the current Global AIDS Coordinator will anger many in the global AIDS community.
• Ruth Levine at Global Health Policy advocates for a CDC Director with a global perspective.

Elsewhere:

Kate Sheppard at Gristmill reports on the proposed stimulus package’s funding for energy, transportation, green jobs, water infrastructure, and environmental cleanup.

Merrill Goozner at GoozNews explains why Eli Lilly’s $1.4 billion settlement with the Justice Department (over its marketing of the antipsychotic Zprexa) shows the need to repeal the FDA’s new guidance on marketing off-label uses of prescription drugs.

Alison Bass wonders if financial pressures are leading to sloppy health coverage in The Boston Globe.

Barbara Coombs Lee at RH Reality Check brings up an often-overlooked area of care that is likely to suffer under the Bush administration’s “provider conscience” rule: end-of-life pain care.

Maggie Mahar and Niko Karvounis at Health Beat report that efforts to prevent smoking and help smokers quit are declining. 

Robert McClure at Dateline Earth alerts us to an important Supreme Court case that will decide whether mining companies can dump their waste into lakes.

R. Craig Lefebvre at On Social Marketing and Social Change highlights some principles for influencing people to change behaviors.