Tag: World Health Organisation (WHO)

Bird flu risk to humans an ‘enormous concern,’ says WHO; all you must know

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised the alarm about the spread of the avian influenza virus, also known as H5N1. Dr Jeremy Farrar, Chief Scientist at the WHO, said that the virus has an extremely high mortality rate among humans already infected with it. Though there are no reports of human-to-human transmission to date, the virus has already affected several hundreds of people.

Dr Jeremy said that the H5N1 virus predominantly infected poultry animals and ducks but over the timespan of one or two years the influenza infection has become an animal pandemic. He said, “This is of great concern. Earlier the virus affected ducks and chickens then it started affecting mammals and now the virus has evolved and developed the ability to infect humans. The virus may soon develop the ability to transmit from one human to another.”

Outbreak of H5N1 virus among dairy cows

As the United States is currently facing an outbreak of the H5N1 virus among dairy cows, the senior WHO official requested the public health authorities to closely monitor the dairy cows as the virus may develop the ability to transmit in different ways. He stated that it was very important to find out how the virus was spreading among the animals, which is still a mystery. Dr Jeremy said, “We have to make sure that the H5N1 does not come across humans as it can easily develop the ability to transmit between humans. We have to be ready to respond immediately with vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics.”

Global steps to prevent the outbreak of the virus

This development comes as WHO announced that it has updated language to describe airborne pathogens in a bid to increase global cooperation if another unexpected global pandemic takes place. This initiative was taken up after the COVID-19 pandemic as there were no common terms among the medics and scientists from different parts of the country.

To bridge the gap between the public health agencies of different countries, WHO held talks with four major public health agencies from Africa, China, Europe and the United States before announcing the agreement.

“The initiative will strengthen the commitment of the international community to tackle more complex and more frequent epidemics and pandemics,” Dr Farrar told journalists in Geneva.

He added that with the same terminologies, it will be easier for experts to understand the symptoms and tackle the issues.

Commenting on the risk of the HN51 virus the WHO expert stated that the vaccine was still in the development stage and none of the health centres and authorities around the world is ready to provide a proper diagnosis if the outbreak takes place.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

India ranks second in hepatitis B and C cases after China: WHO report

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

The silent crisis: Student suicides rise 70% in a decade in India

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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As the world observes World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10, an analysis of data shows that the number of students who were victims of suicide rose by 70 percent in a decade in India.

According to the National Crime Records Bureau, in 2021, students accounted for 8 percent (13,089 victims) of total suicides in the nation. In 2011, they were 5.7 percent (7,696) of the victims.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has selected the triennial theme for World Suicide Prevention Day from 2021-2023 as “creating hope through action”.

Exams and the education system

In 2021, Maharashtra reported the highest number of students who died by suicide (1,834), while it was 12,659 for the entire nation. While the education system and the spectre of examinations often shoulder the blame for this grim statistic, experts argue that the issue is far more nuanced.

“Education or the learning style cannot be blamed for suicides,” said Sachin Chitambaran, Assistant Director, Training and Development at The Samaritans Mumbai, a suicide prevention helpline. “We must ensure children get the time to learn how to interact with their peers, make mistakes, fight, learn, say sorry, forgive, and so on,” he added.

The COVID-19 pandemic played a pivotal role in exacerbating mental health issues among young adults. “COVID-19 was an important factor in increasing the mental health issues of the young adult population,” said Nelson Vinod Moses, Founder of the Suicide Prevention India Foundation.

“During this period, they were dependent on digital learning, and when they were put back into the normal world, many were unable to even communicate properly, develop friendships, and bond socially,” Moses added.

Adding to the stressors are the pressures of academic performance and participation in extracurricular activities, along with the allure of social media, where having a significant following, looking good, and being in the right places fuel anxieties for the youth. At the same time, parents stress that they are not doing enough if they do not enroll their children in IIT or NEET coaching classes, experts noted.

Mental health among the youth

In the 18-30 age group, 56,543 individuals committed suicide in 2021. Failure in examination was quoted as a reason for suicide in 714 incidents in this age group. In the age group below 18 years, failure in examination resulted in the deaths of 864 individuals during this period. Thus, of the suicide victims for whom exam failure was identified as a triggering event, 94.32 percent were below 30 years of age.

Experts note an important relationship between the age group below 30 and suicidal tendencies. “Gen Z and millennials are indeed the age groups most aware of mental health issues. However, knowledge and access are very different in the case of mental health,” said Chitambaran.

Access to mental health facilities is also concentrated in Tier I cities in India. Beyond these cities and towns in India, there is a large unaddressed population that requires mental health facilities, experts concur.

According to a UNICEF and Gallup survey conducted in early 2021 with 20,000 respondents in 21 countries, only 41 percent of young people aged 15-24 in India believed seeking help for mental health problems was advisable, in stark contrast to an average of 83 percent across the other 20 nations.

India stood alone as the only country where a minority of young people felt that those experiencing mental health issues should reach out to others. In all other countries, a majority of young people advocated for reaching out as the best approach to addressing mental health concerns.

“The media has an important role to play in educating people against suicide. Movies and the news media need to pay attention to ensure that the incident is portrayed with sensitivity. The media needs to ensure that suicides are neither portrayed as an act of cowardice nor as something heroic,” Chitambaran added.

Government initiatives and policy changes

The Indian government and its educational bodies have taken proactive measures to address the pressing mental health challenges faced by the students. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has provided counselling services to students and parents for the last 25 years to overcome mental stress related to exams and results.

The 2020 National Education Policy (NEP) reinforces the significance of counselling systems within educational institutions, aiming to effectively manage stress and emotional adjustments.

In January 2023, the University Grants Commission (UGC) circulated the National Suicide Prevention Strategy, a collaborative effort with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The ministry’s multi-pronged approach includes initiatives like peer-assisted learning and the introduction of technical education in regional languages, all designed to alleviate academic stress.

Under the banner of “MANODARPAN,” a government initiative, comprehensive efforts are being extended to provide psychological support to students, teachers, and families, ensuring mental and emotional well-being not only during the COVID-19 pandemic but also in the post-pandemic era.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

World Suicide Prevention Day: A look at suicide rate in India

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The World Suicide Prevention Day (WSPD) is observed on September 10 every year and raises awareness about the far-reaching consequences of suicides. According to World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, more than 700,000 suicides are registered worldwide every year.

This World Suicide Prevention Day also serves as a reminder that preventing suicides is a public health priority, and urgent actions are required to curb the increasing suicide rates. This day is an occasion to raise awareness about the mental health issues that could be behind suicides and the far-reaching consequences of taking one’s own life on one’s own family and society at large.

World Suicide Prevention Day: History, theme and significance

The World Suicide Prevention Day theme for 2021-2023 is “Creating Hope Through Action,” which promotes the initiative to take action and create hope for those having suicidal thoughts. It’s a powerful call to action and encourages people to understand that there are various options to consider apart from committing suicide. Therefore, people can help those with suicidal thoughts by lightening up their mood and making even the smallest efforts possible to help them.

The combined efforts of the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) resulted in this day being established as a global observance. The day was established following WHO’s 1999 campaign for preventing suicides worldwide.

On this day, IASP, WHO, and the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) organise events to spread awareness about the societal stigmas that lead to suicidal thoughts and behaviour. This helps in early identification of such problems so that proper help can be provided. Therefore, World Suicide Prevention Day plays an important role in the initiative to curb the increasing suicide rates in the world.

Suicide rate in India

According to the August 2022 data released by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), a total of 1.64 lakh suicides were registered in India in 2021. The numbers are shocking as they show a significant increase of 6.1 cases per one lakh population compared to the 2020 figures. The suicide rate in India in 2021 was recorded at 12 per one lakh population as against the rate of 11.3 per one lakh population in 2020.

Moreover, this data is the highest since the start of reporting of suicides by the NCRB in 2021, and it’s a matter of serious concern. The majority of suicides were reported in Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, and Karnataka, as these five states accounted for a huge 50.4 percent of suicide cases recorded in the country.

Most of these suicides were fueled by the economic downturn during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Several factors like pay cuts, layoffs, and uncertain income spurred male suicides. The male-to-female ratio of suicide victims stood at 72.5 as against 27.4, respectively, which was significantly higher compared to 2020’s ratio of 70.9 against 29.1.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

PM Modi calls for global collaboration at G20 Health Ministers’ meeting

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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In a video message to the G20 Health Ministers’ meeting, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasised the importance of prioritising health and collaborating across borders to tackle future health emergencies.

Quoting an ancient Sanskrit saying, Modi said, “Health is the ultimate wealth, and with good health, every task can be accomplished.”

Reflecting on the lessons learned from the global COVID-19 pandemic, he highlighted the pivotal role that resilience plays in withstanding health crises.

“We must be ready to prevent, prepare, and respond to the next health emergency,” Modi said.

#WATCH | PM Modi’s video address at the G20 Health Ministers’ Meeting in Gandhinagar, Gujarat

“We must be ready to prevent, prepare and respond to the next health emergency. This is especially important in today’s interconnected world…In India, we are following an inclusive &… pic.twitter.com/7xJbDQzReV

— ANI (@ANI) August 18, 2023

Modi informed G20 members that India is set to eliminate tuberculosis (TB) well before the global deadline with the help of “people’s participation.”

“We have called upon the people of the country to be ‘Ni-kshay Mitra’ or Friends for Eradication of TB. Under this, nearly 1 million patients have been adopted by citizens. Now, we are on our way to achieve TB elimination well ahead of the global target of 2030,” Modi shared.

He also praised India’s holistic approach to healthcare, which includes the promotion of traditional medicine and the provision of affordable healthcare for all. He cited the International Day of Yoga as a global testament to well-being.

Modi highlighted the significance of digital solutions and innovations in ensuring that our efforts are just and all-encompassing.

“Global initiatives on global health will bring together various digital health initiatives on a common platform. Let’s open our innovations for public good. Let us avoid duplication of funding,” the prime minister said.

“Let us facilitate equitable availability of technology. This initiative will allow countries in the global south to close the gap in healthcare delivery. It will take us one step closer to our goal of achieving universal health coverage (UHC),” he added.

He ended his speech with an appeal to G20 nations to share innovations for the greater public good.

“Let us open our innovations for the public good. Let us avoid duplication of funding. Let us facilitate equitable availability of technology,” the prime minister said.

On the sidelines of the G20 Health Ministers’ Meeting, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya held a meeting with World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

WHO flags contaminated India-made cough syrup in Iraq

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a “Medical Product Alert” on a cough syrup manufactured by an Indian company — making it the atleast fourth such alert for an Indian company in less than a year.

The WHO said a batch of cough syrup, branded COLD OUT, obtained from a location in Iraq, is contaminated as it contains unacceptable amounts of toxic chemicals — diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol. The cough syrup is manufactured by Indian company, FOURRTS Lab, for another Indian company DABILIFE Pharma.

The cough syrup, which contains paracetamol and chlorpheniramine and is used to treat common cold and allergy symptoms, was identified by a third party around a month before the medical product was issued.

After a lab analysis, the sample was said to contain 0.25 percent of diethylene glycol and 2.1 percent of ethylene glycol. Notably, the acceptable safety limit for both is no more than 0.1 percent.

These contaminants, as described by the WHO, are ‘toxic chemicals’. They are used as industrial solvents and anti freeze agents. The WHO said these substances should not be present in medicines as they are fatal even in small amounts.

The WHO indicated that there have been cases, from at least seven countries, regarding contamination in counter cough syrups in the past few months. Also, there have been multiple instances involving Indian companies which industry watchers say is difficult to ignore.

In October 2022, Maiden Pharma’s cough syrups were linked to the death of 70 children in Gambia. This was followed by reports of Marion Biotech’s cough syrups linked to death of 19 children in Uzbekistan.

The WHO also pulled up Punjab-based QP Pharma Chem for contaminated cough syrups found in Marshal Islands and Micronesia, while Nigeria’s Regulator pulled up Mumbai-based SyneCare.

Meanwhile, the Indian government denied the allegations against Maiden Pharma.

It’s just not cough syrups. There have been instances of contaminated eye drops emerging in Sri Lanka and the US.

When it comes to ethylene glycol and di ethylene glycol, experts said that many issues are due to lax manufacturing practices and inadequacies in the supply chain. While the government has taken steps to tighten compliance, the issue is that the contamination of the supply chain could be so widespread that such isolated events will be keep occurring as the supply chain is so infiltrated and difficult to track.

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Bird Flu Outbreak | WHO issues warning as H5N1 strain infects cats in Poland

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

WHO report reveals 20 toxic cough syrups from India, Indonesia linked to 300 deaths

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The World Health Organisation (WHO) has identified 20 toxic cough syrups from India and Indonesia during its ongoing probe into contaminated medicines. The syrups are linked to 300 global deaths and were produced by 15 different manufacturers between the two nations.

Responding to a query by CNBC-TV18, WHO spokesperson Christian Lindmeier confirmed that these 20 products are all syrups that were manufactured by 15 different companies from India and Indonesia. They were either cough syrups, paracetamol or vitamin syrups.

“To date this situation has impacted more than 20 products with two countries of origin (India and Indonesia) and more than 15 different manufacturers. For the date, this refers to the number increasing over time. So it is approximately 15 manufacturers to date, not from October 2022,” Lindmeier wrote.

However, he said that the WHO could not divulge names or details of manufacturers other than those in medical alerts. He recommended contacting authorities in India to understand the details of any investigation they may be doing.

Among the contaminated syrups identified by the WHO, seven were produced in India by Maiden Pharmaceuticals (Haryana), Marion Biotech (Noida) and QP Pharmachem (Punjab), while the remaining majority were manufactured in Indonesia.

ALSO READ | Popular cough syrups pulled off shelves after India bans 14 fixed dose drug combinations

This news comes just weeks after the government made quality checks on exports mandatory, following the deaths of several children in Gambia and Uzbekistan linked to India-made syrups.

While the WHO has not confirmed a direct link between the incidents, ongoing investigations are being conducted in collaboration with the affected countries. Indian authorities, too, are probing bribery claims in the toxic cough syrup tests.

The primary objective is to prevent further consumption of contaminated medicines and remove them from the supply chain. The WHO only issues medical product alerts when there is sufficient evidence of contamination.

What cases have been reported previously?

The first case came to light in October of last year when the WHO issued its initial medical product alert for contaminated syrups manufactured by Maiden Pharmaceuticals, which resulted in the deaths of 70 children in the Gambia.

Uzbekistan reported the deaths of at least 18 children due to acute kidney injury caused by two syrups manufactured by Marion Biotech in Noida.

Similarly, in Indonesia, approximately 200 children died due to acute kidney injury associated with eight contaminated syrups.

ALSO READ | WHO investigating links between cough syrup deaths, considers advice for parents

Additionally, the Australian Drug Regulator issued an alert for contaminated products discovered in Micronesia and the Marshall Islands, which were traced back to QP Pharmachem in Punjab. However, QP Pharmachem denied exporting its syrup to these countries.

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Scientists find evidence of ‘substantial’ transmission of monkeypox even before symptoms appear

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Scientists have found evidence to show that the monkeypox virus can spread from an infected person up to four days before they even start exhibiting symptoms of the disease, a new study has claimed.

The researchers behind the study estimated that 53 percent of the transmission of monkeypox occurred in this pre-symptomatic phase, meaning that many infections cannot be prevented by asking individuals to isolate after they notice their symptoms.

According to them, if these findings published in the British Medical Journal are supported by other studies, pre-symptomatic transmission “would have important implications for infection control globally”.

Also read: New Omicron variants not causing significant rise in hospitalisations: Experts

While previous research on pox viruses did not rule out transmission prior to symptoms, this work represents the first evidence to support this. To explore this further, researchers at the United Kingdom Health Security Agency set out to analyse the transmission dynamics of the monkeypox outbreak in the country, the study said.

The two main measures of interest to the researchers were serial interval – the time from symptom onset in the primary case patient to symptom onset in the secondary contact – and incubation period – the time from exposure to onset of symptoms.

The mean incubation period was estimated to be 7.6 days in one model and 7.8 days in the other model, while the estimated mean serial interval was eight days in one model and 9.5 days in the other.

For both models, the median serial interval was between 0.3 and 1.7 days shorter than the median incubation period, indicating that considerable transmission is occurring before the appearance or detection of symptoms.

Their findings are based on routine surveillance and contact-tracing data for 2,746 individuals who tested positive for the monkeypox virus in the UK between May 6 and August 1, 2022. Their average age was 38 years and 95 per cent of them reported being gay, bisexual, or men who have sex with men, the study mentioned.

To estimate the above values, the scientists linked information on exposure and symptom onset dates from these individuals to their contacts through contact-tracing case questionnaires, which they then analysed using two statistical models.

Also read: India is going to screen 70 million people in its fight against sickle cell anaemia

The models were adjusted for several biases common to virus outbreaks, such as changes in infection rates over time, that would otherwise affect the results.

Analysis of individual-level patient data, collected from a subset of patients with more detailed information, seemed to confirm this explanation, with 10 out of 13 case-contact patient pairs reporting pre-symptomatic transmission. Four days was the maximum time that transmission was detected before symptoms appeared.

Based on these results, the researchers say an isolation period of 16 to 23 days would be required to detect 95 percent of people with a potential infection.

These are observational findings, and the researchers point to several limitations, such as relying on contact tracing to identify the correct case-contact pairs and the self-reported data on the date of symptom onset. Further, the results may not necessarily be directly applicable to other populations with different transmission patterns.

Nevertheless, this was a large study using robust methods and adjusting for key biases that are present in the data, providing greater confidence in the conclusions.

These findings have important implications for isolation and contact-tracing policies, the researchers said, adding that backward contact-tracing strategies (tracing from whom disease spreads) should account for a pre-symptomatic infectious period when trying to find the contacts of confirmed cases.

Also read: Monkeypox outbreak still a global health emergency — WHO lists reasons for concern

In a linked editorial, researchers based in the US, UK, and Nigeria argued that pre-exposure vaccination and vaccine equity are urgently needed worldwide.

Vaccination is likely to be more cost-effective than managing the consequences of preventable infections, including hospital admissions, loss of income during isolation, and long-term complications, they explained.

However, they pointed out that many of the public health measures that have been critical during monkeypox outbreaks in high-income countries remain unavailable in much of Africa.

“As the monkeypox outbreak declines in Europe and North America, we have a responsibility to deploy effective tools for viral control on a global level – not just in wealthy nations,” the researchers said.

“These tools include research into understanding transmission dynamics in African settings and the inclusion of endemic countries in vaccine trials.”

Although case numbers are now declining, it is still important to understand the “transmission dynamics” of the virus – for example, how it spreads from one person to another and how quickly symptoms appear – to help inform policy decisions and future interventions.

Since the international outbreak of monkeypox in May 2022, more than 70,000 cases have been recorded globally, with just over 3,500 cases in the UK.

Also read: Tuberculosis cases rise globally for the first time in years, says WHO

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

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World Heart Day is today: Here is the history, significance and theme

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Cardiovascular diseases are the biggest cause of death in the world and India. It is for that reason that September 29 is marked as World Heart Day. The day hopes to promote awareness about the risks of heart diseases and how to prevent them. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, patients with cardiovascular issues have faced an even greater risk of developing severe infections due to their co-morbidities.

History

Heart diseases have been one of the leading causes of mortality globally for decades. In 1999, the World Heart Federation (WHF) in association with the World Health Organization (WHO) decided to mark World Heart Day on the last Sunday of September. The first World Heart Day was observed in 2000.

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In 2012, world leaders committed to reducing the global burden of deaths from non-communicable diseases, like heart conditions, diabetes, asthma, cancer and stroke, by 25 percent. As part of this drive, global stakeholders pushed for the greater importance of World Heart Day as cardiovascular diseases account for nearly half of all deaths from non-communicable diseases in a year. Since then, World Heart Day has been observed on September 29 with more than 90 countries participating in the event.

Significance

Nearly 1.9 crore people die from various heart conditions each year. Of these, 25.66 lakh deaths were in India alone. But a vast majority of these deaths from heart diseases are completely preventable or can be delayed significantly through timely lifestyle and medical intervention. In its recent report titled ‘Invisible numbers – the true scale of non-communicable diseases’, the global health body stated that 86 percent of the deaths from heart diseases could be prevented.

Theme 

The theme for World Heart Day 2022 is ‘Use Heart For Every Heart’, which focuses on encouraging individuals to make healthy and right decisions to improve their cardiovascular health. The theme highlights the benefits that such actions would have on society as a whole, nature and the patients themselves.

ALSO READ: Today is National Forest Martyrs Day — here’s the history, significance and all you need to know

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow