CDC Investigating 14 Cases Of Possible Zika Sexual Transmission From Men To Women In U.S. February 24, 2016 News Summary The Hill: CDC warns: More U.S. Zika cases linked to sex “Federal health officials said Tuesday as many as 14 people in the U.S. may have contracted the Zika virus through sex, a surprising development that makes researchers rethink the virus’s usual routes of transmission…” (Ferris, 2/23). NBC News: CDC…
UNDP Opens Ministerial Meeting Marking 50th Anniversary; Head Says Including Military Spending In ODA Could Hurt Poorest Nations February 24, 2016 News Summary Devex: UNDP marks 50th anniversary with ministerial meeting “Representatives from more than 120 countries will gather Wednesday in New York for the United Nations Development Programme’s ministerial, a meeting that’s part commemoration of the agency’s 50th anniversary and part discussion about the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals…” (Saldinger, 2/24).…
Philippines Plans To Reach 1M Children With Widespread Dengue Immunization Campaign February 24, 2016 News Summary Wall Street Journal: Sanofi’s Dengue Vaccine Made Widely Available for First Time “Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines division of France’s Sanofi SA, on Tuesday made the Philippines the first country where its vaccine for dengue fever will be widely available. … The vaccine, branded Dengvaxia, can be administered to people aged…
Conflict In Ukraine Increasing Country’s HIV Cases, NGOs Say February 24, 2016 News Summary IRIN: How Ukraine’s war is driving up HIV infections “…NGOs are warning that HIV infections are on the rise in eastern Ukraine, where nearly two years of conflict between pro-Russian separatists and government forces has hit prevention and treatment efforts. … About 30 percent of new infections were in the…
UNAIDS Calls For More Investment In Female-Controlled HIV Prevention Methods After ‘Encouraging’ Vaginal Ring Trial Results February 24, 2016 News Summary U.N. News Centre: More investment needed in developing female-controlled HIV prevention options — U.N. agency “The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) today welcomed the ‘encouraging’ results of two studies from Africa in which women modestly reduced their risk of infection by inserting a vaginal ring coated with the…
WFP Appeals For $38M To Provide Food Aid In Malawi February 24, 2016 News Summary VOA News: WFP Calls for Urgent Funding to Help Hunger-stricken Malawi “The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) says it is urgently looking for $38 million to buy food for nearly three million people facing starvation in Malawi. The appeal comes after the WFP extended its food relief operation by…
Libya Risks Running Out Of Necessary Medicines By End Of March, U.N. Official Says February 24, 2016 News Summary Reuters: Libya could soon run out of life-saving medicines: U.N. “… ‘Our estimation is that by the end of March, Libya may run out of life-saving medications which will impact about one million people,’ said Ali Al-Za’tari, the United Nations humanitarian coordinator for the North African country. … His main…
African Ministerial Conference Celebrates Meningitis A Vaccine Successes, Discusses Vaccination Partnerships, Political Leadership February 24, 2016 News Summary The Lancet: Vaccines for Africa: a ‘limited market’? Editorial Board “African leaders are gathering in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, this week for the first ever Ministerial Conference on Vaccines in Africa. … There are many examples of highly successful African vaccination campaigns on which to base ongoing efforts. The most obvious…
Opinion Pieces Discuss Funding For Zika Response, Potential Economic Costs Of Outbreak February 24, 2016 News Summary Star Tribune: Congress shouldn’t raid Ebola dollars to fight Zika Editorial Board “…The sums [the U.S. government] set aside for Ebola should remain dedicated to preparing for future outbreaks. Raiding some or all of these dollars to fight Zika would undermine the nation’s readiness and potentially slow its response to…
Secretary Kerry Testifies Before Senate Committee On State Department’s FY17 Budget Request February 24, 2016 News Summary U.S. Department of State’s “DipNote”: Secretary Kerry Testifies on State Department FY 2017 Budget Request Secretary of State John Kerry testified on Tuesday before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the State Department’s FY 2017 budget request. The blog post notes, “Over the course of his testimony, Secretary Kerry outlined…