It’s one of the world’s oldest health technologies with recorded use by the Greeks and Romans – and modern eye glasses appearing on the noses of Venetian monks and scholars as early as the 13th century. And yet only about 36% of the estimated 1.25 billion people who need corrective eyewear for common distance vision […] Continue reading ->
With Gaza’s Rafah crossing into Egypt closed by an advancing Israeli incursion, and Israel’s Kerem Shalom crossing shut since last Sunday’s Hamas missile attack, Gaza hospitals have only about three days left of fuel and medical supplies, said WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Wednesday. The global health agency is making contingency plans for […] Continue reading ->
WHO has said it is “deeply concerned” that a full-scale military operation “could lead to a bloodbath” as prospects of a major new Israeli incursion into Gaza’s southern enclave of Rafah appeared to grow over the weekend – while hopes of a cease-fire deal see-sawed wildly. “A new wave of displacement would exacerbate overcrowding, further […] Continue reading ->
HARARE, Zimbabwe – Michelle and Michael Mutsvaki were infected with HIV at birth, but while their parents have shunned antiretroviral (ARV) medicine to treat their HIV, the siblings opted for treatment in their teens. The siblings, now aged 22 and 24, learnt about their HIV status from their mother, but she assured them that their […] Continue reading ->
In the universe of Geneva’s global health hub, which includes dozens of international NGOs and WHO as the brightest star in the solar system, a parallel universe of locally-grown health and humanitarian collaborations have also developed around the University of Geneva and Geneva University Hospitals. GENEVA – Ten years ago, two medical professionals from Madagascar […] Continue reading ->
Most H5N1 infections spreading through US dairy cattle and other animal populations are likely going undetected despite stepped up surveillance by the US Department of Agriculture, Michael Osterholm, director of the Centre for Infectious Disease Research and Policy (CIDRAP), told Health Policy Watch on Wednesday. Osterholm spoke as a growing number of infectious experts were […] Continue reading ->
Rollout of malaria vaccines are starting in Benin, Sierra Leone and Liberia, and the West African countries plan to deliver more than 800 000 doses of the RTS,S or R21 vaccines, according to WHO. The new vaccine will be added to their immunisation programmes for children, and are expected to protect over 200,000 children from […] Continue reading ->
Pharmacogenomics research in Africa transcends mere regional healthcare improvements: it represents a pivotal step in addressing pressing global health challenges and propelling medical science forward for all. A revolution is sweeping through the field of medicine, redefining how we approach the treatment of diseases. Africa must not be left behind in this transformative journey. Pharmacogenomics, […] Continue reading ->
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 ->
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 ->