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Dec142022 by GHealth NewsNo Comments

‘Tough times’: Warnings sound over China’s rapid ‘zero-COVID’ exit

COVID19

GHealth News - A week after China began dismantling its tough 'zero-COVID' controls, the World Health Organization warned of "very tough" times ahead and state media reported some seriously ill patients at hospitals in Beijing, raising fears of a wave of infections. China last Wednesday announced sweeping changes to testing and quarantine rules, aligning with a world that has largely reopened, after historic protests against mass lockdowns that caused mental strain for millions but kept the virus in check. The elation that met those changes has quickly faded amid mounting signs that China may pay a price for shielding a population that lacks "herd immunity" and has low vaccination rates among the elderly. "It's always very difficult for any country coming out of a situat...

Dec142022 by GHealth NewsNo Comments

World Health Organization names Sir Jeremy Farrar as Chief Scientist

Global Health

Sir Jeremy Farrar GHealth News - WHO announced that Dr Jeremy Farrar will become its new Chief Scientist. Currently, Director of the Wellcome Trust, Dr Farrar will join WHO in the second quarter of 2023. Dr Amelia Latu Afuhaamango Tuipulotu will become WHO's Chief Nursing Officer. Previously Minister for Health of the Kingdom of Tonga, and before that Tonga’s Chief Nursing Officer, Dr Tuipulotu will join WHO in the first quarter of 2023. As WHO’s Chief Scientist, Dr Farrar will oversee the Science Division, bringing together the best brains in science and innovation from around the world to develop and deliver high quality health services to the people who need them most, no matter who they are and where they live. Dr Farrar is a clinician scientist who, before joining Wellcome...

Nov162022 by GHealth NewsNo Comments

U.S. FDA authorizes Roche’s monkeypox test

Communicable Diseases

GHealth News - The U.S. health regulator on Tuesday issued an emergency use authorization to Roche's (ROG.S) test for the detection of DNA from monkeypox virus in swab specimens collected from people suspected of the virus infection. The tests will be conducted on the Swiss company's cobas systems, which can also detect HIV, hepatitis B and C viruses. The Food and Drug Administration said testing will be limited to laboratories that meet the requirements to perform moderate or high complexity tests. While around 80,000 cases of monkeypox have been reported in nearly 100 countries since the outbreak started earlier this year, the number of cases have declined from the peak in August. Over 28,000 cases have been reported in the United States in the outbreak this...

Nov162022 by GHealth NewsNo Comments

Everything You Should Know About RSV

Communicable Diseases

By: Jessica Rendall Parents of younger children may be feeling uneasy, as reports of young RSV patients filling hospitals have marked October and November this year. Respiratory syncytial virus is a common virus, but it can be serious in younger children and babies, as well as some adults. Respiratory viruses like COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus often spread and peak during winter, when people travel for the holidays and spend more time indoors and breathing the same air. We've already been warned that we are likely in for a rough flu season this year, as public health measures like mask-wearing are phased out after a few years of COVID-19 precautions. But RSV has become an additional concern, as infection waves started earlier than normal and f...

Nov162022 by GHealth NewsNo Comments

CDC Issues Warning to Health Systems About Surge in Respiratory Viruses

Communicable Diseases

GHealth News - The CDC issued its highest-level warning to public health officials regarding the surge of respiratory viruses, particularly among children, that are overwhelming some health systems across the nation. “We suspect that many children are being exposed to some respiratory viruses now for the first time, having avoided these viruses during the height of the pandemic,” said Jose Romero, MD, director of the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, on a media call Friday. “Currently, the United States is experiencing a resurgence in the circulation of non-COVID 19 respiratory viruses.” In addition to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and the flu, the warning mentioned rhinovirus and enterovirus. These viruses can worsen asthma symptoms and ...

Nov152022 by GHealth NewsNo Comments

Insulin and health technology manufacturers make commitments in support of WHO asks

NCDs

GHealth News - WHO hosted several private sector entities who have expressed new commitments and proposed contributions to requested WHO Asks or strengthened previous commitments to increase access to insulin and health technologies. This was part of the 3rd diabetes dialogue to support diabetes diagnosis and monitoring including access to devices such as glucose meters and point-of-care glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) for people that need them most in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). Diabetes continues to pose a critical challenge to global health and is among the top causes of death globally with more than 420 million people currently living with diabetes worldwide. Lack of access to insulin, blood glucose monitoring devices, and other essential medicines further compound...

Nov12022 by GHealth NewsNo Comments

WHO and WMO launch a new knowledge platform for climate and health

Climate Change

The first global knowledge platform dedicated to climate and health - climahealth.info – was launched today by the Joint Office of the World Health Organization (WHO) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO), with support from the Wellcome Trust. It is in response to growing calls for actionable information to protect people from the health risks of climate change and other environmental hazards. Climate and health are inextricably linked. Climate change, extreme weather events and environmental degradation have fundamental impact on human health and well-being. More people than ever before are exposed to increased climate-related health risks, from poor water and air quality to infectious diseases and heat stress. "Climate change is killing people right now,” said Diarm...

Oct192022 by GHealth NewsNo Comments

Make Global Health a Political Choice

Global Health

The World Health Summit ended yesterday after three days with 404 speakers and 61 different sessions. The leading international meeting for global health was jointly organized together with the World Health Organization (WHO). Around 60,000 participants worldwide took part online via the World Health Summit and WHO channels. More than 4,100 participants from 141 countries were on site in Berlin. Over 30 ministers from around the world were among the speakers. There were more women speakers than men speakers: 203 of the speakers were women, 201 were men. The opening ceremony on Sunday, October 16, was followed via livestream around the world by more than 40,000 participants and by 2,500 people on-site in Berlin. The last day focused on the Polio Pledging Event and the final se...

Oct142022 by GHealth NewsNo Comments

Ready for the World Health Summit?

Global Health

Hotel Berlin Central District The World Health Summit and WHO jointly invite to the world’s leading global health conference. This year's Summit will take place from 16-18 October 2022 in Berlin, Germany, and will bring together the most prominent names in global health from all sectors in all regions of the world: heads of state and government ministers, scientists, and representatives from the private sector as well as civil society. Patrons are German Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. WHS 2022 aims to set the course for a healthier, more equitable future. Central topics include climate change and health, pandemic preparedness, digital transformation, and sustainable health systems. See ...

Oct32022 by GHealth NewsNo Comments

What is Ebola and why is Uganda’s outbreak so serious?

Communicable Diseases

By Anne Soy An outbreak of Ebola in Uganda is proving more difficult to deal with than more recent epidemics, but the president has rejected calls for a lockdown. So far 31 cases have been confirmed, though it is feared that there could be many more. What is Ebola? It is a deadly virus with initial symptoms which can include a sudden fever, intense weakness, muscle pain and a sore throat. Subsequent stages can include vomiting, diarrhoea and - in some cases - both internal and external bleeding, known as haemorrhaging. The incubation period can last from two days to three weeks. Ebola can be associated with other illnesses such as malaria and typhoid. Why is this outbreak so serious? The fact that it was three weeks before the first case was detected on 20 Septe...