For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Rishi Sunak has defended his policy of continuing to engage with China despite believing that Xi Jinping's increasingly authoritarian administration poses an epoch-defining challenge to the global order.
UK urges Brussels to end the delay to access to EU scientific research
Britain is issuing a fresh appeal to Brussels to end the delay in granting access to EU scientific research as agreed in the post-Brexit trade deal.In an address to British and European parliamentarians at Westminster, Europe Minister Leo Docherty will say that in continuing to deny access to research programmes such as Horizon, the EU is failing to fulfil its part of the agreement.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer met Bill Gates in Parliament on Wednesday.The Microsoft co-founder and billionaire and Sir Keir discussed a range of issues including climate change and global health.Mr Gates, whose Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is one of the largest philanthropic bodies of its kind, led a global funding drive in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Blinken presses his Chinese counterpart about the war.
NUSA DUA, Indonesia - The battle in Ukraine shifted to a geopolitical front on Saturday, as Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with the Chinese foreign minister at the end of a Group of 20 summit in Indonesia, pressing him to change positions and join the United States and partners to "stand up" against Russia's war, while also trying to ease overall tensions with Beijing.
Blinken presses his Chinese counterpart about the war.
NUSA DUA, Indonesia - Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken met with his Chinese counterpart on Saturday, pressing him to "stand up" against Russia's war in Ukraine while also extending a hand of cooperation amid a Biden administration campaign to stabilize its strained relationship with Beijing.
New types of mosquito bed nets could cut malaria risk by up to half, trial finds
Dual-insecticide-treated mosquito nets reduce malaria transmission by 20-50% in African countries with high endemicity, offering hope in combating the disease. [ more ]
COVID-19 Radically' Changed the Leading Causes of Death
COVID-19 is the second leading cause of death globally after being declared a pandemic, displacing stroke as a top killer.
Global life expectancy increased by 6.2 years since 1990 due to reduced deaths from diarrhea, lower respiratory infections, stroke, and heart disease. [ more ]
Here are 3 solutions to get blood to folks in 'blood deserts.' One is often illegal
Blood shortages are a prevalent issue globally, leading to life-threatening consequences in medical cases like trauma and anemia.
The term 'blood desert' has been coined to describe areas where there is a severe lack of blood supply, hindering essential medical treatments. [ more ]
The improbable victory over smallpox holds lessons for health threats in 2024
Smallpox was eradicated in 1980, with the last recorded case in 1975 by Rahima Banu.
The history of smallpox eradication primarily focused on the experiences of white men, prompting efforts to highlight the contribution of South Asian public health workers. [ more ]
Nearly half of the planet suffers from a neurological disease
Neurological diseases are the leading cause of ill health globally, impacting approximately 3.4 billion people in 2021.
Public health policies and resources are needed to address the increasing burden of neurological diseases due to factors like aging and unhealthy lifestyles. [ more ]
Mucormycosis surged in India's hospitals during COVID-19, revealing diagnostic challenges in LMICs
Misdiagnosis of fungal diseases due to lack of basic tools leads to incorrect treatment and increased vulnerability in immunocompromised populations. [ more ]
Doctoral student Esias Bedingar appointed advisor to prime minister of Chad
Esias Bedingar, a Harvard PhD candidate, appointed advisor to Chad's prime minister, focuses on improving public service delivery and reducing health inequalities in his home country.
Bedingar's dedication to utilizing his public health expertise to enhance the health conditions of Chadian citizens showcases his commitment to making a positive impact in his community. [ more ]
Cholera now threatens 1bn people. It's time to finish what we began in the 19th century
John Snow's discovery of contaminated water as the source of a cholera outbreak led to the development of water and sewage systems, preventing future outbreaks.
Cholera outbreaks continue globally due to factors like conflict, poverty, and climate crisis, with vaccine shortages exacerbating the situation. [ more ]
Childhood deaths reach historic' low but progress is unequal, UN report finds
Record low under-five mortality in 2022 - 4.9 million deaths, Progress in reducing child mortality since 2000 and 1990, Precarious progress in ending preventable child deaths [ more ]
A concrete suggestion that could save millions of lives in a future pandemic
The World Health Organization has been negotiating a pandemic agreement to better prevent, prepare for, and respond to pandemics. Time is running out to reach a consensus before the World Health Assembly in May. [ more ]
Tim Rebbeck, a leading expert in cancer prevention, travels extensively to advance the mission of the Zhu Family Center for Global Cancer Prevention.
Rebbeck visits multiple countries to present his research, meet with scientists and government officials, and discuss the implementation of new recommendations in public health practice. [ more ]
Health Systems Innovation Lab (HSIL) is working with pharmaceutical companies Novartis and Novo Nordisk to design strategic public-private partnerships to tackle health challenges.
HSIL aims to build an interdisciplinary community of innovators in public health and develop solutions to global health problems with a focus on health systems. [ more ]
Job Vacancy: Director of Fundraising and Growth // mTOMADY (non-profit global health organization) | Marketing & Communications, Other, Sales Jobs | Berlin Startup Jobs
mTOMADY connects patients, healthcare providers, and health financing services in sub-Saharan Africa.
They transition funding model from grants to diverse donation channels for financial sustainability. [ more ]
Opinion | Why the World Needs Its Own Immune System
The thing that has surprised me most since I began my job leading foreign assistance for global health at the U.S. Agency for International Development is how much emergencies have defined my work.
Opinion | Why the World Needs Its Own Immune System
The thing that has surprised me most since I began my job leading foreign assistance for global health at the U.S. Agency for International Development is how much emergencies have defined my work.
PEPFAR has saved 25 million lives, treated 20 million people with HIV, and prevented 5.5 million babies from being born with HIV in the past twenty years.
Global challenges such as the rising cost of living, conflicts, and the climate crisis are threatening the funding and support for programs like PEPFAR. [ more ]
Medical Group Says B.M.I. Alone Is Not Enough to Assess Health and Weight
The American Medical Association voted to adopt a new policy on Tuesday encouraging doctors not to rely only on body mass index, a long-used but potentially misleading metric, when assessing weight and health.The policy officially recognizes the historical harm of B.M.I. and states that the metric has been used for racist exclusion.
China Might Have 65 Million COVID Cases a Week by June. How Worried Should the World Be?
Last week when a Chinese senior health adviser projected 65 million COVID-19 cases per week in China by June, some health experts sounded the alarm.China has been facing a new COVID-19 wave fueled by the XBB variant since April.Data from Zhong Nanshana respiratory disease doctor who was among the first to confirm COVID-19's easy transmissibilityprovided a rare insight into how the disease could possibly be spreading in China almost six months after Beijing abruptly ended its draconian zero-COVID strategy.
Scientists suggest eating oily fish linked to lower risk of kidney disease
Eating at least two portions of oily fish such as mackerel, sardines or herrings a week is linked to a lower risk of chronic kidney disease and a slower decline in the organ's function, research suggests.Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects about 700 million people worldwide.It can lead to kidney failure and death, so there is an urgent need to identify factors that could prevent its onset and progression.
US COVID death toll would be 4X higher without vaccines, modeling study finds
Without COVID-19 vaccines, the US would have seen four times more deaths from the pandemic virus-an additional 3 million lives lost-as well as nearly four times more hospitalizations, 1.5 times more infections, and an additional $1.5 trillion in medical bills since December of 2020.Those are the top-line results from a new modeling study by the Commonwealth Fund, which simulated the unmitigated effects of COVID-19 in the US from December 2020 to November 2022.
Universal flu vaccine using RNA technology successfully tested in mice
Using the same technology behind the Covid-19 vaccines developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, US researchers have created a universal flu vaccine candidate.The candidate it has only been tested it in mice and ferrets is considered universal because it provides protection against 20 known influenza A and B virus subtypes.
Over the past 25 years, Fawzi has led more than 30 randomized controlled trials with an emphasis on nutritional factors.
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In 2017, the country established the Primary Health Care Board of Thailand, making primary health care a fundamental right for all-a cause he championed as a member of the National Reform Steering Assembly.
Mother's death leaves son with 'profound sense of loneliness'
(Courtesy of Max Buydakov)
Max Buydakov should have a lot to look forward to.He turns 22 on June 7 and two days later will graduate with degrees in global health and human biology from UC San Diego.Instead, the West Hollywood native is in mourning and struggling to plan and raise money for his mother Larisa Pereshivaylova's funeral.
Students learn humanitarian response skills during weekend simulation
May 11, 2023-Ninety current and aspiring humanitarian workers spent a soggy weekend in April learning how to provide aid during a complex disaster and conflict situation.It was the culminating experience in a two-week professional development course offered by the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative's Humanitarian Academy.
The Oscar for 'Naatu Naatu' fans the impossible dreams of India's musicians
Art school students in Mumbai finish up a painting of Indian actors N.T. Rama Rao Jr. (left) and Ram Charan of the movie RRR, whose dance song "Naatu Naatu" became the first song from an Indian film to win an Oscar.Indranil Mukherjee/AFP via Getty Images "Do you know naatu?If you don't, you're about to!" That's how Bollywood star Deepika Padukone introduced the energetic live performance of the foot-tapping Oscar-nominated song "Naatu Naatu" from the global blockbuster movie RRR at the live ceremony on Sunday night.
Why China's COVID figures are hard to take at face value
China is reporting fewer COVID cases despite easing restrictions across the country.As China loosens the world's toughest COVID-19 restrictions, cases are declining at least on paper.Since Beijing began to unwind its tough zero-COVID strategy following rare mass protests last month, health authorities have been reporting fewer infections each day.
Wellcome Collection shuts racist' Medicine Man exhibition after 15 years
T he Wellcome Collection has closed its Medicine Man display after 15 years over concerns exhibits contained "racist, sexist and ableist theories and language".The Euston Road museum curated the exhibition from some of the million-plus objects gathered by founder Henry Wellcome, before his death in 1936, to give an insight into global health and medicine.
Uganda's Ebola responders fret as some people fight measures
People load a coffin onto the back of a motorcycle to transport it to be used for the burial of an Ebola victim, in the town of Kassanda in Uganda Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022.Ugandan health officials say they have controlled the spread of a strain of Ebola that has no proven vaccine, but there are pockets of resistance to health measures among some in rural communities where illiteracy is high and restrictions on movement and business activity have left many bitter.
FDA gives 2nd safety nod to cultivated meat, produced without slaughtering animals
GOOD Meats cultivated chicken fillet cooked in a pot, with asparagus and mushrooms.The dish was created without killing a bird.Brian L. Frank for NPR/Brian L. Frank for NPR GOOD Meat, a company that grows chicken and other meat from animal cells without slaughtering animals, has cleared a significant Food and Drug Administration safety hurdle.
Special Covid envoy David Nabarro among people receiving honours
For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails A special envoy at the World Health Organisation (WHO) and a former ITN presenter are to receive honours at Buckingham Palace on Friday.David Nabarro will be knighted for outstanding contribution to global health.
Monkeypox: Urgent call for volunteer virologists as outbreak spreads
Health officials have issued an "urgent" call to virologists to help the "rapidly scaling-up" response to the monkeypox outbreak, The Independent has learned, as 11 new cases are confirmed in Britain.
RSV vaccine protecting newborns could be approved this summer
The first-ever vaccine protecting babies from RSV, a respiratory virus that can cause severe symptoms among young children, is now up for federal approval, the manufacturer Pfizer said Tuesday.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to make a decision this August after agreeing to review Pfizer's maternal vaccine, which would be administered to pregnant patients in order to immunize their fetuses before birth, according to the announcement.
Large new review underscores the risks of Covid-19 during pregnancy
Pregnant women and their developing babies are at higher risk for severe outcomes if they get Covid-19, and now a large, international review is helping to underscore how devastating those risks can be.The study draws on data from 12 studies from as many countriesincluding the United States.Altogether, the studies included more than 13,000 pregnant womenabout 2,000 who had a confirmed or probable case of Covid-19.
Why Rapid COVID-19 Test Results Are Getting More Confusing
After a recent COVID-19 exposure, Dr. Christina Astley tested positive on an at-home testbut just barely.The line signifying a positive result was so faint that Astley, an endocrinologist at Boston Children's Hospital, took a picture and applied a camera filter to confirm it was there at all.Further complicating matters, Astley later tested negative with a different manufacturer's kit.
U.S. Deaths Fell in 2022, But Not to Pre-COVID Levels
NEW YORK The number of U.S. deaths dropped this year, but there are still more than there were before the coronavirus hit.Preliminary datathrough the first 11 months of the yearindicates 2022 will see fewer deaths than the previous two COVID-19 pandemic years.Current reports suggest deaths may be down about 3% from 2020 and about 7% vs. 2021.
$50M donation made to honor the late Dr. Paul Farmer, continue his work
Health The donation by the Cummings Foundation was announced Tuesday.An international connection between Harvard Medical School and the Kigali, Rwanda-based University of Global Health Equity will strengthen thanks to a $50 million donation in honor of the late Dr. Paul Farmer.The Woburn, Massachusetts-based Cummings Foundation made the donation, which the medical school announced Tuesday.
Critical Care Services Ontario's daily census shows there are currently 122 children in pediatric ICUs, up from 111 the day before.Children's hospitals have said the majority of kids in intensive care are five years old and younger.(Evan Mitsui/CBC) New data shows Ontario's pediatric intensive care units are operating over capacity, with the number of children receiving care exceeding the number of available beds across the province.
Amazon workers at a warehouse near Albany, N.Y., have been voting to unionize this past week, and the results of that election will be tallied and announced Tuesday.
Giving birth in Liberia? You might need to bring your own bleach to get in a hospital
Yassah Levelah, a nurse from Liberia, started the "Comfort Closet" to provide supplies that pregnant women must bring to a public hospital to gain admission for childbirth.
Health officials monitoring mysterious bilateral pneumonia cases in Argentinian province
An unidentified, mystery respiratory ailment has killed three people at a private clinic about 800 miles from the Argentina's capital of Buenos Aires.It's doing to the lungs what COVID does.
Bill Gates calls for stronger international efforts to prepare for next pandemic
Bill Gates has called for South Korea to further step up in international efforts to prevent infectious diseases such as Covid-19 as he stressed the need for the world to be better prepared for the next pandemic.
Nobel Laureate Calls for Ending Intellectual Property Rules for COVID Vaccines
Social entrepreneur and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus on Saturday called for a comprehensive waiver of intellectual property rules for Covid-19 vaccines and treatments, declaring that "freeing" the technology "from profit and patent is the key" to a global health system that puts human lives above corporate profit.