Record-Breaking Dengue Infection Persists in the Caribbean

09/07/2024 Sophia Samantaroy

Dengue virus cases have reached an all-time high since January in the US territory of Puerto Rico, with 1,729 people infected so far – a more than 300% increase compared to last year. The uptick in the mosquito-borne disease, which causes mild to severe illness, follows a trend across the Caribbean region. The total number of […] Continue reading ->

As More US Dairy Herds Infected with Avian Flu, Americans in the Dark on the Risks of Raw Milk

04/07/2024 Zuzanna Stawiska

As the fourth human case of H5N1 avian flu in a US farmworker in Colorado was confirmed Wednesday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), so far, only farm workers, and not consumers, have reported avian flu infections. This is likely due, at least in part, to the successful inactivation of the […] Continue reading ->

Positioning the University of Ghana as a ‘Research-Intensive’ Institution on Neglected Diseases

03/07/2024 Jessica Ahedor

Almost 15 years ago, when the University of Ghana established its Office of Research, Innovation, and Development, it did so with the goal of bolstering the West African nation’s research capacity. In the African region, where less than 0.5% of GDP is devoted to research, and a significant number of Africa’s educated is siphoned off […] Continue reading ->

When the South ‘Swings’ Together on Health Equity New Possibilities Emerge

01/07/2024 Elaine Ruth Fletcher

While this week’s CARICOM summit in Grenada has been postponed due to Hurricane Beryl, when it does convenes, a key item on the agenda will be the new ‘HeDPAC’ initiative to deepen South-South partnerships to meet shared global health challenges – from pandemic threats to climate change. In remote communities of Guyana, the introduction of […] Continue reading ->

Sudan Conflict Leaves 25.6 Million People in Acute Food Insecurity

30/06/2024 Sophia Samantaroy

Fourteen months into its devastating civil war, one-half of Sudan’s 25.6 million population faces levels of food security ranked as “crisis,” emergency, or “catastrophic,” according to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis. The IPC analysis of Gaza also found that a “high and sustained risk” of famine persists across the entire occupied […] Continue reading ->

Food and Drug Administration Expands Testing for Avian Flu in Dairy Products

29/06/2024 Zuzanna Stawiska

Amid the growing avian influenza epidemic in American cattle, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) launched new research Tuesday to ensure dairy products available in the market do not contain the virus in its active form. The research will involve a series of studies to test pasteurised milk samples collected from store shelves. The […] Continue reading ->

Framework to Help Curb Visceral Leishmaniasis in East Africa

26/06/2024 Zuzanna Stawiska

WHO framework to eliminate visceral leishmaniasis (VL), a deadly disease most prominent in East Africa, was launched Thursday. It can play an important role in eliminating VL as a public health problem by 2030: a goal key countries of the East African region committed to in last year’s Nairobi Declaration. “The VL elimination framework will offer […] Continue reading ->

Scientists in West Africa Tackle Malaria and Schistosomiasis

25/06/2024 Zsofia Hesketh

Malaria has long been at the heart of public health efforts in Africa. As a preventable but potentially fatal disease, it is caused by a parasite transmitted by mosquitoes. In 2022, the WHO African Region accounted for about 94% of cases globally. WHO says 78% of deaths in the region are among children under 5 […] Continue reading ->

What Role Does Capacity Development Play in Transforming Health Research?

22/06/2024 Maayan Hoffman

The latest episode of the Global Health Matters podcast, hosted by Dr Garry Aslanyan, delves into the extraordinary careers of two global health leaders and the crucial role that capacity development has played in their journeys. This episode, produced to celebrate the 50th anniversary of TDR, the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical […] Continue reading ->

Zimbabwe Faces Endless Exodus of Health Workers Amid Decreasing Salaries and Worsening Conditions

19/06/2024 Jeffrey Moyo

HARARE, Zimbabwe – After a decade of service as a nurse in the public sector and very little to show for her years of toil, Letina Chiwongotore has thrown in the towel. The 35-year-old is packing her bags for the UK, no longer able to bear mounting economic hardships. Nurses, doctors, pharmacists and other healthcare […] Continue reading ->