The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is planning to launch its mpox vaccination campaign in early October, marking a critical step in the fight against the ongoing outbreak across Africa, said Dr Jean Kaseya, Director-General of the African Centres for Disease Control and Protection (Africa CDC), on Thursday. Kaseya spoke at a press briefing following […] 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 ->
Tanzania’s Dr Faustine Ndugulile has been nominated as the next Regional Director for the World Health Organization (WHO) African Region, defeating more experienced WHO insiders in a closely contested race. Ndugulile secured 25 of the 46 votes at the WHO Africa regional conference in the Republic of Congo, defeating Dr Ibrahima Socé Fall (proposed by […] Continue reading ->
The World Health Organization (WHO) will decide on whether to issue an emergency use listing (EUL) for an mpox vaccine within three weeks after its manufacturer supplied the global body with all the required information last Friday, Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the opening of the WHO Africa regional conference on Monday. The WHO […] Continue reading ->
How did vaccines, once hailed as essential tools for global peace, security and international cooperation, become something that some now fear could kill them? This is the focus of the latest episode of the Global Health Matters podcast, hosted by Garry Aslnyan. In an interview with author Peter Hotez, the discussion delves into how misinformation […] Continue reading ->
With the number of new mpox cases continuing to rise, and many more potentially undetected, African countries affected by the latest outbreak are racing to mobilize funds and urgently deploy medical countermeasures, including vaccines. But as the current epidemic unfolds, there is an undeniable feeling of déjà vu. Global efforts are falling short of what […] Continue reading ->
United Nations officials are expressing concern that a new cholera outbreak in conflict-ridden Sudan, declared 10 days ago, could widen dramatically in the wake of increased rainfall and flooding. Some 658 cases of cholera have been reported since 12 August, with 28 deaths, the World Health Organization (WHO) revealed in its latest situation report, published […] Continue reading ->
Bavarian Nordic has no plans to sell or manufacture its vaccines directly to African countries, the company’s Vice President of Investor Relations told Health Policy Watch, saying that donations from rich countries will likely be the main source of supplies. WHO’s announcement of a global mpox health emergency may have sent a wake-up call to […] Continue reading ->
The World Health Organization has declared an international public health emergency for mpox, its highest level of alarm, as the virus experiences a resurgence across Africa less than two years after ending the previous emergency. The declaration comes as the case total in Africa this year has already surpassed the total from 2023. Over 2,500 […] Continue reading ->
One in five children now live in parts of the world that are experiencing double the number of extremely heat days per year, as compared to six decades ago, according to a new analysis by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The analysis comparing average temperatures during the 1960s to the period 2020-2024, highlights a […] Continue reading ->