The European Medicines Agency is considering the extension of the use of the smallpox vaccine Imvanex to include people at risk of Monkeypox disease, the agency said on Tuesday. Imvanex is a modified form of the vaccinia virus, which is related to smallpox and currently authorised in the European Union (EU) for the prevention of […] Continue reading ->
A World Health Organization emergency committee met Thursday to determine if the monkeypox outbreak spreading in non-endemic countries constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). The closed door meeting, including 16 committee members and eight advisors, will make a recommendation to WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who will decide whether to designate […] Continue reading ->
The World Health Organization (WHO) has once more raised the red flag over the lack of new antibacterial treatments being developed to address the mounting threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). In its annual ‘pipeline report’, which assesses those antibacterial drugs in preclinical and clinical development, WHO describes the pipeline as “stagnant” and “far from meeting […] Continue reading ->
The Global Health Matters podcast with host Garry Aslanyan. It was 11 November 2022 when Dr Sikhulile Moyo and his team of scientists in Botswana discovered Omicron in a sample of SARS-CoV2 that looked different from the rest. “We sent it back to the lab to have it re-sequenced,” Moyo recalled. But by 19 November, […] Continue reading ->
A new $100 million initiative to identify and reach zero-dose children – those who have not received a single routine vaccine shot – has been launched today by Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance in partnership with the International Rescue Committee (IRC) and World Vision (WV). The Zero-Dose Immunization Programme (ZIP) will be led by the International […] Continue reading ->
A new app for mobile phones that provides localized information on ultraviolet (UV) radiation levels has been created by the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Meteorological Organization, and the International Labour Organization (ILO). The app is available free of charge on both the Apple App and Google Play […] Continue reading ->
Africa CDC wants to be able to declare public health emergencies of continental security but the WHO warns this could be a risky move that could isolate African countries and create confusion regarding response. The World Health Organization’s African Regional Office (WHO AFRO) has found itself explaining its disapproval of the Africa CDC’s quest for […] Continue reading ->
Limited IP waiver text says WTO members “will decide” on inclusion of COVID-19 tests and treatments within six months. The World Trade Organization’s first ministerial conference in four and a half years reached agreement early Friday morning on what officials described as “an unprecedented outcome” of six agreements, including a deal to curb some fishing […] Continue reading ->
In the largest review of the world’s mental health services since 2001, the World Health Organization Friday called for far greater investments in mental health as part of primary health care systems and a transformation of attitudes and approaches to protect mental health and provide care for people in need. The report’s executive summary, ‘Transforming […] Continue reading ->
Rich countries are rushing to get doses – but African countries say they should get the vaccines first for a disease endemic to the continent. A plan by the World Health Organization (WHO) to create a vaccine sharing mechanism that will attempt to provide equitable access to vaccines effective against monkeypox disease will only be […] Continue reading ->