Polio Surveillance System Could Be Employed To Detect Zika-Linked Neurological Condition, WHO Researchers Say July 6, 2016 News Summary Reuters: WHO urges use of polio detection systems to screen for Zika-linked disorder “A neurological condition linked to the mosquito-borne Zika virus could be targeted globally with existing national programs for detecting polio, a paper co-authored by World Health Organization researchers said on Tuesday. … Surveillance systems in place in…
WHO To Begin Emergency Yellow Fever Vaccination Campaign In Angola, DRC Despite Syringe Shortage July 6, 2016 News Summary Reuters: WHO to launch emergency yellow fever vaccination in Angola, Congo “The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Thursday that it will launch emergency yellow fever vaccination campaigns along the border between Angola and Democratic Republic of Congo and in the Congolese capital Kinshasa next month…” (Ross, 7/6). Reuters: Shortage…
50K Children At Risk Of Starvation In Nigeria Due To Boko Haram Insurgency, Disruptions In Food Supplies, U.N. Warns July 6, 2016 News Summary Agence France-Presse: Boko Haram’s other human tragedy: malnutrition “…Northeast Nigeria has been torn apart for the last seven years by Boko Haram insurgents. … With homes and businesses destroyed and farmland devastated, the United Nations has warned that some 50,000 children could starve to death this year in Borno state…
WHO To Launch Large Cholera Vaccination Program In Haiti, U.N. Health Official Says July 6, 2016 News Summary U.N. News Centre: Interview: U.N. health official discusses unprecedented vaccination campaign to tackle cholera in Haiti “The World Health Organization (WHO) Representative for Haiti, Jean-Luc Poncelet [Tuesday] stressed that vaccines along with water chlorination programs, and longer-term efforts to improve water and the overall health system, are vital to fight…
More Children In Malaysia Face Disease Risk As Parents Reject Vaccines In Fear Of Breaking Religious Edicts July 6, 2016 News Summary Reuters: Some Malaysians’ rejection of vaccines fans fears of disease surge “More children are falling victim to contagious diseases in Muslim-majority Malaysia, worrying health authorities as parents reject immunization programs for fear the vaccines used infringe strict religious rules…” (Latiff, 7/6).
Aidspan Publishes New Issue Of ‘Global Fund Observer’ July 6, 2016 News Summary Aidspan: Global Fund Observer Aidspan, an independent watchdog of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, published Issue 291 of the “Global Fund Observer.” The newsletter features articles on various topics including an article on France’s pledge of €1.8 million for the Global Fund’s fifth replenishment and an…
Joint External Evaluation Team Examines U.S. Federal Agencies’ Abilities To Respond To Public Health Threats July 6, 2016 News Summary CDC’s “Public Health Matters Blog”: Global Health Security: How is the U.S. doing? This blog post describes the work of the Joint External Evaluation Team, a team of international experts from several different countries tasked with assessing countries’ capacity under the International Health Regulations (IHR) to prevent, detect, and rapidly…
IHME Director Discusses Importance Of Accurate, Transparent Public Health Data July 6, 2016 News Summary PLOS Blogs’ “Speaking of Medicine”: Setting a new standard for how we measure global health “Christopher Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, discusses the Guidelines for Accurate and Transparent Health Estimates Reporting (GATHER) statement and the importance of ensuring accurate and transparent reporting of public health…
Democratic Platform Draft To Repeal Helms Amendment Shows Strong Support For Women’s Health July 6, 2016 News Summary Huffington Post: One Step Closer to Repealing Helms John Seager, president of Population Connection and Population Connection Action Fund “…Given that the U.S. is the biggest financial contributor to family planning efforts abroad, [the Helms Amendment] remains a huge obstacle for organizations and clinics dedicated to empowering women to make…
U.S. Congress Must Stop ‘Ideological Pandering’ On Zika Funding, Uphold Women’s Reproductive Rights July 6, 2016 News Summary TIME: Women and Children Are Political Pawns In the Zika Funding Battle Abigail R.A. Aiken, assistant professor at the Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs and faculty associate at the Population Research Center at the University of Texas at Austin, and James Trussell, professor and emeritus at the Office…