insert_link Africa Neglected tropical diseases persist in the world’s poorest places: four reads about hurdles and progress By Nadine Dreyer, via The Conversation It’s sobering to reflect that “neglected tropical diseases” are referred to as “neglected” because they persist in the poorest, most marginalised communities even after being wiped out in more developed parts of the world. A variety of pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi and toxins, cause neglected tropical diseases, which include dengue, chikungunya, leprosy, lymphatic filariasis and yaws. They inflict tremendous suffering because […] today30 January, 2024
insert_link Health / Medical How Fringe Anti-Science Views Infiltrated Mainstream Politics — And What It Means in 2024 People protest against covid-19 vaccine mandates outside of Los Angeles Unified School District's offices on May 10, 2022. (DAVID CRANE/MEDIANEWS GROUP/LOS ANGELES DAILY NEWS VIA GETTY IMAGES) By Amy Maxmen via KFF Health News Rates of routine childhood vaccination hit a 10-year low in 2023. That, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, puts about 250,000 kindergartners at risk for measles, which often leads to hospitalization and can cause death. In recent […] today29 January, 2024
insert_link World Gaza Is Cleaning Up Its Piles of Garbage From the War, Including Human Waste A new Unicef cash-assistance program is helping Gazans remove piles of garbage accrued during the war, including human feces. The goal is to stop the spread of infectious diseases in the enclave as millions of civilians are forced into flimsy shelters or to live in the streets. By Dawn Clancy via PassBlue Bombs, bullets and the suffocating weight of bodies trapped under slabs of fallen concrete where houses once stood […] today24 January, 2024
insert_link Africa Cholera outbreak spreads across 12 African countries The World Health Organisation Africa Region says the cholera outbreak has spread to 12 countries on the continent. As of Thursday, ten-thousand-887 cases and 432 deaths were reported across nine of the country’s ten provinces. WHO Africa emergency health officer, Patrick Otim, says the Lusaka district is the epicenter of the outbreak. today22 January, 2024
