World Trade Organization’s (WTO) director general Ngozi Onkonjo-Iweala on Thursday hailed the United States government’s decision to support the suspension of intellectual property rules on COVID-19 vaccines – while also emphasising the urgency of even more immediate actions to increase vaccine supplies to lower-income countries. In a statement after a two-day closed-door WTO General […] Continue reading ->
Two in every three deaths in childbirth could be prevented by 2035 if the world starts recruiting and training more midwives, a new report on the “State of World’s Midwifery 2021” has found. The report, launched by the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) on Wednesday found a global shortfall of 900,000 midwives – and said that […] Continue reading ->
The World Health Organization and the German government on Wednesday announced the launch of a new Global Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence that aims to harness the world of big data, media and epidemiological reports to more rapidly identify and respond to emerging disease risks. The hub, to be launched in Berlin later this […] Continue reading ->
While aid is rushed to India, WHO’s Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has called out rich countries to donate more “desperately needed” coronavirus vaccines to Latin America and the Caribbean – in the face of persistently high levels of COVID-19 infections in that region, which has consistently been one of the hardest hit by the […] Continue reading ->
JOHANNESBURG – A new agreement to slash the price of HIV self-tests in half could ultimately assist eight million people estimated to be unaware of their HIV status to know they are infected – and get them on treatment. The agreement announced on Wednesday between the Geneva-based international health agency, Unitaid, and the US-based global […] Continue reading ->
The European Union (EU) is suing coronavirus vaccine manufacturer AstraZeneca over an alleged breach of its vaccine supply contract and for not having a “reliable” plan to ensure timely deliveries. The European Commission – the EU’s executive branch – said the legal action emanates from a longstanding dispute over shortfall in vaccine deliveries. The 27 […] Continue reading ->
There is a “possible link” between the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine and very rare cases of blood clots, but the benefits of the single-dose vaccine outweigh the risks, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has announced. In a statement released on Tuesday, the EMA safety committee said that the rare, but serious blood clot disorders, […] Continue reading ->
The World Health Organization (WHO) and member states have an obligation to listen to stakeholders in a “sympathetic and respectful manner” as non-state actors (NSAs) play critical roles in supporting global health work generally – and more immediately addressing COVID-19 and its impacts on communities. That call was made by Mara Burr, director of multilateral […] Continue reading ->
The risk of developing a rare brain blood clot is eight to ten times higher in people infected with COVID-19 than those who get a vaccine, a new study has found. The study by Oxford University last week reported that the risk of the rare blood clotting known as cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) following COVID-19 […] Continue reading ->
People are “likely” to need a third dose of the coronavirus vaccine within 12 months of getting the first two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said during a recent interview. The third booster jab could be necessary “somewhere between six and 12 months” after the second one and possibly even annually, […] Continue reading ->