Better use of existing pneumonia and typhoid vaccines as well as new TB and pneumonia vaccines that are currently in clinical trials, could save over half a million deaths annually from drug resistant pathogens that don’t respond to antibiotics, according to a new WHO report on how vaccine strategies can reduce antimicrobial resistance (AMR). And […] Continue reading ->
Israelis in southern and northern Israel huddled in shelters under missile and rocket fire from Gaza’s Hamas and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia. Palestinians in northern Gaza were being forced to relocate away from yet another incursion of Israeli tanks into densely populated urban areas, including Jabalia refugee camp. Lebanese in southern Lebanon fled at a thickening […] Continue reading ->
Three African countries—Algeria, Cabo Verde, and Mauritius—have successfully eliminated malaria, but dozens more still face this deadly disease. Globally, only 44 countries have eradicated malaria. The question of whether the rest of Africa catch up was explored in the latest Global Health Matters podcast, hosted by Dr. Garry Aslanyan. To delve into this issue, Aslanyan […] 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 ->
HIV activists have hailed the announcement by Gilead on Wednesday that it has authorised six generic manufacturers to sell its breakthrough HIV treatment, lenacapavir, in 120 low- and middle-income countries.  However, they have urged Gilead to expand the deal to include countries such as Brazil, Colombia and Mexico. Lenacapavir is a long-acting injectable drug that […] Continue reading ->
Twenty-nine people in Rwanda have been diagnosed with Marburg, the deadly haemorrhagic virus, and 10 have already died, according to the country’s health ministry on Tuesday. This is three more cases and four more deaths since the outbreak was announced last Friday. The Rwandan Ministry of Education suspended visits to students in boarding schools on […] Continue reading ->
For the first time ever, the World Health Organization (WHO) has recommended that pregnant women be vaccinated against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), or that their newborns receive a dose of monoclonal antibodies to protect them against severe RSV disease, which has seen a global resurgence as the COVID-19 pandemic waned.  In 2022-2023, RSV was the […] 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 ->
Governments and donors have pledged around $1 billion to combat Africa’s mpox outbreak in the past few weeks, with the US pledging $500 million this week, said Dr Jean Kaseya, Director-General of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. But the continent’s response is confounded by poor surveillance, problems with testingm virtually non-existant contact […] Continue reading ->