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Showing posts from July, 2020

News Scan for Jul 14, 2020

Corona in India - COVID impact on HIV, TB, malariaCoronavirus risks in kidsPolio cases in 4 nationsHPV and prostate cancer || Corona Cases http://dlvr.it/RbhDTh
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More than 150 countries engaged in COVID-19 vaccine global access facility

* Seventy-five countries submit expressions of interest to COVAX Facility, joining up to 90 further countries which could be supported by the COVAX Advance Market Commitment (AMC) * The COVAX Facility, and the AMC within it, is designed to guarantee rapid, fair and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines for every country in the world, rich and poor, to make rapid progress towards slowing the pandemic  * Interest from governments representing more than 60% of the world’s population offers ‘tremendous vote of confidence’ in the effort to ensure truly global access to COVID-19 vaccines, once developed Geneva/London, 15 July 2020 – Seventy-five countries have submitted expressions of interest to protect their populations and those of other nations through joining the COVAX Facility, a mechanism designed to guarantee rapid, fair and equitable access to COVID-19 vaccines worldwide. The 75 countries, which would finance the vaccines from their own public finance budgets, partner with up...
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Glenmark Pharma cuts price of COVID-19 drug by 27% to ₹75/tablet

Corona in India - Glenmark Pharmaceuticals had launched FabiFlu last month at a price of ₹103 per tablet || Corona Cases http://dlvr.it/RbXYHk
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As more go hungry and malnutrition persists, achieving Zero Hunger by 2030 in doubt, UN report warns

Rome – More people are going hungry, an annual study by the United Nations has found. Tens of millions have joined  the ranks of the chronically undernourished over the past five years, and countries around the world continue to struggle with multiple forms of malnutrition. The latest edition of the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, published today, estimates that almost 690 million people went hungry in 2019 – up by 10 million from 2018, and by nearly 60 million in five years. High costs and low affordability also mean billions cannot eat healthily or nutritiously. The hungry are most numerous in Asia, but expanding fastest in Africa. Across the planet, the report forecasts, the COVID-19 pandemic could tip over 130 million more people into chronic hunger by the end of 2020. (Flare-ups of acute hunger in the pandemic context may see this number escalate further at times.)The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World is the most authoritative global study track...
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News Scan for Jul 09, 2020

Corona in India - COVID racial disparitiesAbsenteeism and COVID-19More Ebola in the DRC || Corona Cases http://dlvr.it/RbMTmN
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WHO and partners to help more than 1 billion people quit tobacco to reduce risk of COVID-19

GENEVA — A new Access Initiative for Quitting Tobacco aims to help the world's 1.3 billion tobacco users quit. Stopping smoking is more important than ever as evidence reveals that smokers are more likely than non-smokers to have severe outcomes from COVID-19. The project gives people free access to nicotine replacement therapy and to Florence, a digital health worker, based on artificial intelligence that dispels myths around COVID-19 and tobacco and helps people develop a personalized plan to quit tobacco.  It is being led by the World Health Organization (WHO), together with the UN Interagency Task Force on Non-communicable Diseases, PATH and the Coalition for Access to NCD Medicines and Products, with support from the private sector. The Secretariat of the WHO FCTC, salutes this initiative. The Head of the Convention Secretariat commented, “This will contribute to Parties’ implementation of Article 14 of the Convention, regarding measures concerning tobacco dependence and ce...
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Independent evaluation of global COVID-19 response announced

WHO Director-General today announced the initiation of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response (IPPR) to evaluate the world’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In remarks to WHO Member States, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the Panel will be co-chaired by former Prime Minister of New Zealand Helen Clark and former President of Liberia Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Prime Minister Clark went to on lead the United Nations Development Programme and President Sirleaf is a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. Operating independently, they will choose other Panel members as well as members of an independent secretariat to provide support.  “Prime Minister Clark and President Sirleaf were selected through a process of broad consultation with Member States and world experts. I cannot imagine two more strong-minded, independent leaders to help guide us through this critical learning process.” said Dr. Tedros in his speech. At the historic 73rd World Health Ass...
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COVID-19: US Sees Record 60209 New Cases; India Tally Above 7 L

Corona in India - ... Privacy Policy. FOLLOW US ON. About UsContact UsPrivacy Policy. Live. COVID-19: US Sees Record 60,209 New Cases; India Tally Above 7 L ... In Tamil Nadu and Delhi, 3,616 and 2,008 new coronavirus infections were ... the Coronavirus outbreak to keep yourself safe, informed, and updated. || Corona Cases http://dlvr.it/RbCqlP
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UN Public Service Day

Honouring the public servants who have been working on the frontlines of the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether working in healthcare or delivering essential services in the areas of sanitation, social welfare, education, postal delivery, transport, law enforcement, and more, public servants globally have continued to work in the community as many people shelter at home, risking their lives to ensure ours can continue. The United Nations will mark Public Service Day on 23 June to honour the women and men who are risking their lives and health to deliver essential public services amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A virtual event will bring together public servants and leaders to discuss the importance of the continuation of public service provision during times of pandemic. In doing so, it will examine the various approaches countries have taken during the crisis while looking at what measures they are undertaking to better mitigate such challenges in the future. The event will also inclu...
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Update from WHO and Pew Charitable Trusts: urgent action needed to accelerate antibiotic development

Just as the COVID-19 pandemic started taking the world by storm, The World Health Organization (WHO) and The Pew Charitable Trust (Pew) each released assessments of the global antibiotic pipeline. Both found there are still not enough antibacterial treatments in clinical development worldwide to fight the growing threat of drug-resistant bacterial infections.  Developing new, innovative antibiotics is resource-intensive and scientifically difficult. And, when more antibiotics are used the less effective they become, hence new antibiotics are often held in reserve to help preserve their potency. This is good for public health, but results in relatively low potential sales volume, making it challenging for companies to recoup their investment. As a result, major pharmaceutical companies have backed away from antibiotic development. The remaining small companies struggle to sustain their operations – with many facing bankruptcy even after successfully bringing a new antibiotic to market....
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WHO: access to HIV medicines severely impacted by COVID-19 as AIDS response stalls

Seventy-three countries have warned that they are at risk of stock-outs of antiretroviral (ARV) medicines as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new WHO survey conducted ahead of the International AIDS Society’s biannual conference. Twenty-four countries reported having either a critically low stock of ARVs or disruptions in the supply of these life-saving medicines.  The survey follows a modelling exercise convened by WHO and UNAIDS in May which forecasted that a six-month disruption in access to ARVs could lead to a doubling in AIDS-related deaths in sub-Saharan Africa in 2020 alone. In 2019, an estimated 8.3 million people were benefiting from ARVs in the 24 countries now experiencing supply shortages. This represents about one third (33%) of all people taking HIV treatment globally.  While there is no cure for HIV, ARVs can control the virus and prevent onward sexual transmission to other people. A failure of suppliers to deliver ARVs on time and a shut-down of l...
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WHO launches iSupport Lite

The recent COVID-19 pandemic and resulting breakdown of community-based services for people with dementia and their caregivers emphasized the importance of providing caregivers with accessible public health messages to reduce caregiver stress and improve their mental health and well-being. WHO’s iSupport Lite consists of a set of practical support messages for caregivers of people with dementia extracted from iSupport, WHO’s knowledge and skills training programme. iSupport Lite offers tips for caregivers of people with dementia that can be drawn upon when and as needed. For caregivers who have already completed the comprehensive iSupport programme, iSupport Lite will act as a refresher, reinforcing previously-acquired caregiving skills and knowledge. iSupport Lite is available as posters on the WHO website and through social media.          http://dlvr.it/Rb47tz
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WHO discontinues hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir treatment arms for COVID-19

WHO today accepted the recommendation from the Solidarity Trial’s International Steering Committee to discontinue the trial’s hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir arms. The Solidarity Trial was established by WHO to find an effective COVID-19 treatment for hospitalized patients. The International Steering Committee formulated the recommendation in light of the evidence for hydroxychloroquine vs standard-of-care and for lopinavir/ritonavir vs standard-of-care from the Solidarity trial interim results, and from a review of the evidence from all trials presented at the 1-2 July WHO Summit on COVID-19 research and innovation.  These interim trial results show that hydroxychloroquine and lopinavir/ritonavir produce little or no reduction in the mortality of hospitalized COVID-19 patients when compared to standard of care. Solidarity trial investigators will interrupt the trials with immediate effect.  For each of the drugs, the interim results do not provide solid evidence of incre...
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Introductory meeting of WHO’s Strategic and Technical Advisory Group for Tuberculosis

An introductory meeting of WHO’s Strategic and Technical Advisory Group for Tuberculosis (STAG-TB) was held on 24-25 June 2020. STAG-TB, which is comprised of 15 eminent experts from ministries of health, national TB programmes, academic and research institutions, civil society organizations, and communities and patients affected by TB. The group is led by Dr Ariel Pablos-Méndez as Chair,  and provides strategic advice to WHO's Director-General and the Global TB Programme on its TB response. In his keynote address, WHO Director General Dr Tedros emphasized the important strategic role of STAG-TB in efforts to end TB especially in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic. He said, “Even at this difficult time, with COVID-19 threatening the world, WHO remains committed to meet the TB targets and driving high-level action and investment. Commitments must be kept to address all communicable disease threats, and reach the triple billion targets, despite the COVID-19 crisis. Doing so offe...
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WHO announced as a Global Leader of the Generation Equality Action Coalition on ending gender-based violence

The  Generation Equality Forum—a global gathering for gender equality, convened by UN Women and co-hosted by the governments of Mexico and France in partnership with civil society—today announced the leaders of the Generation Equality Action Coalitions, to achieve gender equality and all women’s and girls’ human rights. WHO, together with The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) have been invited to co-lead the Action Coalition focusing on ending gender-based violence.  The Action Coalitions will deliver concrete and transformative change for women and girls around the world in the coming five years. They will focus on six themes  that are critical for achieving gender equality. In addition to the coalition on gender-based violence there are five other coalitions on economic justice and rights, bodily autonomy and sexual and reproductive health and rights, feminist action for climate justice, technology and innovation for gender equality, a...
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