Administering aspirin to critically ill COVID-19 patients does not boost their odds of surviving the virus, results from a major trial studying the commonly used painkiller and blood thinner showed this week. In the RECOVERY study, University of Oxford scientists hoped that aspirin would work because it cuts the risk of blood clots — a […] Continue reading ->
Providing community-based mental health care that is respectful of human rights and recovery-focused has proven successful and cost-effective, according to a new report released by the World Health Organization. WHO’s new “Guidance on community mental health service: promoting person-centered and rights-based approaches”, released today, includes examples from countries including Brazil, India, Kenya, Myanmar, New Zealand, […] Continue reading ->
Eight campaigns and initiatives aimed at encouraging people to quit smoking were launched this week by Vital Strategies and partners to mark World No Tobacco Day on 31 May 2021. Tobacco use is the single greatest source of preventable death and disease worldwide – responsible for eight million deaths each year and the theme […] Continue reading ->
United States President Joe Biden on Thusday unveiled a detailed strategy for sharing 80 million surplus US COVID-19 vaccine doses with other countries in need by the end of June. A detailed allocation plan for the first 25 million of those vaccine doses calls for sharing 75% through the WHO-cosponsored COVAX global vaccine facility – […] Continue reading ->
The World Health Organization(WHO) is working with Chinese authorities to assess the circumstances around the first documented case of human infection with a rare strain bird flu known as H10N3. This is after a 41-year-old man in China’s eastern province of Jiangsu, located northwest of Shanghai, tested positive for H10N3 on May 28 – a […] Continue reading ->
Six low-and middle-income countries in the Pacific region are set to receive the first batch of COVID-19 vaccines donated by the government of New Zealand in response to global supply constraints. Fiji, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tonga and Tuvalu will in the coming months benefit from the dose-sharing agreement, signed on Tuesday […] Continue reading ->
Researchers engaged in mosquito gene drive technologies are optimistic that new World Health Organization (WHO) guidance on best research practices will ensure that their work is safe and ethical. Such guidance also helps research results advance from laboratories to be used in the field, the researchers told Health Policy Watch. Due to limiting regulatory frameworks, […] Continue reading ->
A Friday session of the 74th World Health Assembly discussed a report on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and multi-sectoral approaches to address it. Speakers generally supported a One Health approach involving multiple agencies concerned with communicable diseases, environment, water and food. This approach recognises the interconnectedness of people with environments and other animals. The World Health […] Continue reading ->
Bold decisions are required to strengthen the World Health Organization and equip it with authority and resources it needs to address glaring shortcomings in pandemic preparedness and response, the 74th World Health Assembly was told on Tuesday. Recommendations emerging out of a report by the Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee (IOAC) for the WHO Health […] Continue reading ->
A sugar tax that generated R3-billion in revenue for South Africa in one year and a mandatory minimum unit price for alcohol products that contributed to a 10% decrease in alcohol-related deaths in Scotland are two examples of proven successful policies governments have adopted for products that negatively impact health and that have helped raise […] Continue reading ->