Paraguay became the first country in the Americas in 45 years to receive certification from the WHO for eliminating malaria on Monday. This designation follows the country being identified in 2016 as one of 21 countries that had the potential to eliminate malaria by 2020. “Receiving this certification is a recognition of more than five decades of hard work in … Read More
Nipah Virus Demands Investments in R&D
Nipah virus may not be as commonly known as other infectious diseases such as Ebola or Zika, but the devastating disease has already claimed 17 lives in Kerala, India in the latest outbreak. The infection produces flulike symptoms, which often lead to acute respiratory infection. Encephalitis, or brain inflammation, also an effect, can prove fatal in some circumstances. The virus … Read More
Events: Key Decisions Made at the 39th Global Fund Board Meeting
On May 6-10, the Private Sector Delegation (PSD) convened in Skopje, Macedonia for the 39th Board Meeting of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The Board approved decisions to launch the revised Eligibility Policy for Global Fund grants and new approach to support non-eligible countries in crisis, confirmed a phased roll-out for the CCM evolution, appointed members … Read More
Innovations in Global Health: ALIMA Empowers Mothers to Detect Child Malnutrition
In recent years, the Sahel, a semi-arid region in West Africa, has faced numerous food crises, caused mainly by ongoing and escalating conflicts, population displacement, poor rainfall, failed harvests and severe poverty. According to UNICEF, in 2018, nearly 1.6 million children in this region will require treatment for severe acute malnutrition, many with complications that require hospitalization. Typically, it has … Read More
Insights: Pandemic Threat May Open Doors for Human Challenge Trials
Along with the impacts of climate change and increased globalization comes an increase in infectious diseases. Warmer temperatures allow for easier transmission of vector-borne diseases (VBDs) which means that regions that are typically cooler are now getting warmer, allowing for carriers of diseases to thrive. In fact, if global temperatures rise even two to three degrees Celsius, the population at … Read More
Opinion: A Whole-of-Government, Whole-of Society Approach Needed to Tackle NCDs
The power of partnerships in promoting a virtuous circle of growth and health By Henry Ashworth By comparison, a divided response to issues like harmful drinking has the potential to create unintended consequences, including a rise in the consumption of illicit alcohol, which is untaxed, unregulated, and potentially toxic. The recent deaths of 141 Indonesians from homemade oplosan is a … Read More
First List of Essential Diagnostics Could Make a Big Impact
Last week, the World Health Organization (WHO) published a Model List of Essential In Vitro Diagnostics. The list contains approximately 115 lab tests that the WHO believes should be provided under every health care system. Because testing varies so greatly from country to country, experts hope this list will help standardize how diagnoses are made across the globe. Late and … Read More
New Device Tests Blood at a Fraction of the Time and Cost of a Lab
A new device named “Lab on Chip” has been developed in Canada and can test blood samples on the spot for measles and rubella. Researchers are hopeful that the device will soon be able to test for a wide range of infectious diseases. Taking advantage of the technology known as microfluidics, the device is able to move a drop of … Read More
Combatting Ebola Outbreak with a New Vaccine
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is currently experiencing its 9th outbreak of Ebola since first detection of the virus in 1976. This outbreak is believed to have started in early April in the town of Bikoro and has already infected 32, killing 18. Health officers are determined to contain the outbreak rapidly, fearing it will spread. Dr. Tedros Adhanom, … Read More
Drug Resistant Typhoid, the Current Face of Antimicrobial Resistance
A strain of typhoid that is currently spreading through Pakistan is resistant to five different antibiotics, more than any previous outbreak. So far there have been 850 cases across 14 districts since 2016. The strain is expected to disseminate globally and replace weaker strains. Only azithromycin has been identified as a successful treatment. Pakistan is no stranger to Typhoid outbreaks, … Read More