Immunisation Saved At Least 154 Million Lives Over Past 50 Years – WHO

24/04/2024 Kerry Cullinan

Immunisation has saved at least 154 million lives over the past 50 years, since the World Health Organization (WHO) launched its Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in 1974. Of the lives saved, 146 million were children under five, and 101 million were babies. Global infant deaths have reduced by 40% and more than halved in […] Continue reading ->

New WHO Terminology to Clear Confusion over ‘Airborne’ Pathogens

19/04/2024 Kerry Cullinan

The World Health Organization (WHO) has published a new technical report including updated terminology to describe pathogens that are transmitted through the air, following “an extensive, multi-year, collaborative effort”. It follows confusion and contestation between scientists during the COVID-19 pandemic because of the “varying terminologies” and “gaps in common understanding”, said the WHO. These “contributed […] Continue reading ->

Bed Nets Treated With Two Insecticides Instead of One Are Much More Effective Against Malaria

19/04/2024 Zuzanna Stawiska

Bed nets treated with an additional insecticide are between 20% and 50% more effective in preventing malaria than those treated with the standard single pyrethroid insecticide, according to pilots in 17 sub-Saharan Africa. The New Nets Project successfully piloted nets impregnated with a new generation pyrrole insecticide in combination with pyrethroid in response to growing […] Continue reading ->

Sudan Gets Donor Boost As First Anniversary of War is Marked by Famine and Mass Displacement

19/04/2024 Sophia Samantaroy

A year into one of the most brutal conflicts in decades, the war in Sudan has triggered the world’s largest displacement crisis and left the country’s healthcare system in tatters. Nearly 25 million people need immediate humanitarian assistance, according to the United Nations (UN) and over 18 million people face acute food insecurity, with the World […] Continue reading ->

To End AIDS, We Must Reclaim Our Unyielding Pursuit of Equity

18/04/2024 Bience Gawanas

As HIV practitioners gather this week in Yaoundé for AFRAVIH, the largest international Francophone conference on HIV/AIDS, and a few months before the 25th International AIDS Conference in Munich, the Vice-Chair of the Global Fund Board urges renewed focus on promoting equity in the fight against HIV particularly for groups that continue to suffer a […] Continue reading ->

Study Finds Adult Vaccination Programs Deliver 19x Returns

18/04/2024 Maayan Hoffman

Amidst the anticipated increase in vaccine-preventable diseases as the global population ages, a first-of-its-kind study has underscored the dual benefits of adult immunization programs. Beyond saving lives and preventing severe illnesses, the study found these programs offer substantial financial advantages to nations by reducing the need for costly hospitalizations and emergency medical interventions and avoiding […] Continue reading ->

Nigeria Becomes First Country in World to Roll out New Five-in-One Meningitis Vaccine

15/04/2024 Zuzanna Stawiska

Nigeria has incorporated a cutting-edge meningitis vaccine into its immunization programmes, becoming the first country on the continent to roll it out. The vaccine provides immunity against as many as five strains of deadly meningococcus bacteria, WHO announced on Friday. “Meningitis is an old and deadly foe, but this new vaccine holds the potential to […] Continue reading ->

Empowering Global Health Reporting: Perspectives from Leading Journalists

13/04/2024 Maayan Hoffman

Health stories are not just about medical facts; they are intricate tapestries woven with economic, political, and social threads, according to two international health journalists. Stephanie Nolen, a global health reporter for The New York Times, and Paul Adepoju, a Nigeria-based freelance health journalist and scientist who writes for Health Policy Watch, were guests on […] Continue reading ->

Stigma Prevents Europeans Living with Hepatitis B and C From Telling Families and Getting Care

10/04/2024 Zuzanna Stawiska

Half the people living with hepatitis B or C struggle to tell others about their condition and a quarter had not told their families of their diagnosis, concluded a first-ever European study on the stigma related to the disease. Findings from the multi-country study, conducted by the World Hepatitis Alliance (WHA) and the European Centre […] Continue reading ->

Deaths from Viral Hepatitis Increase Globally With Limited Access to Diagnostics and Treatment

09/04/2024 Kerry Cullinan

There has been an increase in deaths from hepatitis B and C, the infectious viral liver diseases that kill as many people each year as tuberculosis – yet few people know that they are infected and get the treatment they need. This is according to the World Health Organization (WHO) 2024 Global Hepatitis Report – […] Continue reading ->