The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced a new ruling that requires drinking water systems to replace lead pipes within 10 years.  The rule also strengthens requirements to locate lead pipes, improve testing for lead in water, and ensure that exposure is minimized while lead pipe replacement efforts are underway. “Families like yours, exposed […] Continue reading ->
Cities that fail to take meaningful climate action face a future of severe degradation with infrastructure collapse and environmental deterioration, warned climate and health experts at the yearly Academy of Medical Sciences & The Lancet International Health Lecture in London.  “Madrid’s climate in 2050 will resemble Marrakech’s climate today. I don’t think we want that,” […] Continue reading ->
WASHINGTON DC – The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) wrapped up its 61st Directing Council on Friday, after member states adopted policies ranging from health system strengthening to climate and health adaptation and mitigation. The council also reflected on lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and presented a roadmap for a new strategic plan for […] Continue reading ->
UNAIDS expressed “deep concern” Wednesday over Georgia’s newly adopted anti-LGBTQ+ law, saying that it could threaten progress made over the past decade to end AIDS in the former Soviet republic of 3.7 million people at the crossroads between Europe and Asia.  The new legislation exacerbates stigma and hinders “LGBTQ+ people’s access to essential health services” […] Continue reading ->
Investing in as little as $0.24 per patient per year in digital health interventions – telemedicine, mobile messaging, and chatbots – could significantly lower the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), says a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Telecommunication Union (UTI). These interventions could avert 2 million deaths and 7 […] Continue reading ->
Manufacturers of antibiotics are dumping waste into waterways that is driving antimicrobial resistance (AMR), warns the first-ever guidance from the World Health Organization (WHO) on waste water management and AMR. Antibiotic pollution is “largely unregulated” and a “neglected” issue,  according to the WHO guidance, which explains how to mitigate liquid and solid waste during the formulation […] Continue reading ->
A little known, but potentially lethal virus is spreading throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, prompting the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and other health agencies to issue warnings for travelers and clinicians. Oropouche virus, an arbovirus like dengue, Zika, and chikungunya, is spread through certain midge or mosquito bites. Oropouche symptoms are similar […] Continue reading ->