Health Breaking News: Link 247

Health Breaking News Links, as part of the research project PEAH (Policies for Equitable Access to Health), aim to focus on the latest challenges by trade and governments rules to equitable access to health in resource-limited settings

Health Breaking News: Link 247

 

RCEP negotiators must fix the damaging provisions that remain a threat to public health 

The building blocks of Sustainable Development – Reporting back from the HLPF 

Ilona Kickbusch: Health diplomacy at the G20—success or failure? 

What US Budget Cuts To Global Health Could Mean For Future Funding 

A Trump Administration Proposal Would Put Clean Drinking Water out of Reach for Millions Around the World  

A Funding Effort to Build a Stronger, More Diverse Climate Movement 

Neoliberalism has conned us into fighting climate change as individuals 

Fossil fuel subsidies racking up trillions in health costs 

Cities set the pace on fighting poverty, climate change but who will pay? 

South Sudan prevents famine but world still facing historic hunger threat  

The Case For Nations To Act On Medicines Access 

Access To Medicines For All By 2030: New WHO Strategic Framework Sets Vision 

WHO urges action against HIV drug resistance threat 

AIDS-related deaths decline; 19.5 million people on life-saving treatment – UN report 

MSF sounds alarm over high numbers of people dying with AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa 

Dying of AIDS in 2017  

HIV ACTIVISTS DENOUNCE VIIV FOR DENYING 3.5 MILLION PEOPLE ACCESS TO OPTIMAL TREATMENT 

Bristol-Myers Squibb, Medicines Patent Pool Extend Licence for Atazanavir to 122 Developing Countries 

Four African Countries Approaching Control of Their HIV Epidemics as U.S. Continues Its Commitment to PEPFAR 

New vaccine enters the battle against Aids 

HIV treatment: Strategies to reach the next 10 million patients 

WHO Prequalifies First Generic Hepatitis C Drug And First HIV Self-Test  

Growing concerns of hepatitis E in Europe 

Making the case for malaria eradication in a tight budgetary environment 

KEI and Médecins Sans Frontières propose contractual terms to protect access and affordability of Zika vaccine 

The life and death struggle against cholera in Yemen 

Gearing up for disease outbreak: the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control  

Medicaid Expansion Reduced Unpaid Medical Debt And Increased Financial Satisfaction 

Orphan Diseases Or Population Health? Policy Choices Drive Venture Capital Investments 

We Need To Raise The Bar To Improve Cancer Treatments. What’s The Best Way To Do It? 

Backstory: Philanthropy’s Part in a Major Advance in Cancer Treatment 

Cost of diabetes care in Africa could triple by 2030 

 

Wide Area Malaria Vector Suppression

Richard Howe writes: Only one aircraft equipped with a pair of high pressure aerosol generators would be capable of treating over one million acres per night, using only 1/10 of the recommended amount of insecticide

By Richard Howe

 Application Dynamics 

School of hard knocks, aviation trades, pilot and aircraft mechanic

Punta Gorda, Florida USA

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this opinion piece are solely those of the author and are not associated with Policies for Equitable Access to Health - PEAH. PEAH refuses any responsibility or liability for the content, style or form of this post, which remain solely the responsibility of the author

Wide Area Malaria Vector Suppression 

 

Africa is the only continent that has not defeated malaria, and a host of vector-borne pathogens. Why not?

The endemic nature of this problem is due to ineffective intervention methods, that only exacerbate attempts to eliminate vector transmission by inducing resistance to insecticides, creating super bugs in the process. The solution, wide area vector suppression for the purpose of breaking the transmission cycle long enough to eliminate the ability of humans to infect the mosquitoes. Here in Florida where I live, up until about 1950 there was transmission of malaria, smallpox and dengue. The mosquitoes that transmitted these diseases are still here, however modern mosquito control methods removed pathogens from the human population who in turn, used to infected the mosquitoes.

The solution, quit squandering limited resources on ineffective interventions and dedicate them for elimination of the mosquito. How do you accomplish this? Using an aircraft equipped with a pair of high pressure aerosol generators. This method is capable of treating over one million acres per night using only one aircraft, dispensing insecticide. The system I would use has a demonstrated ability to accomplish this task using only 1/10 of the recommended amount of insecticide. The reason this works at dramatically reduced rates has to do with the fact it is a relatively new, and patented technology, that I have 20 million acres of experience with.

UNICEF reports 300,000 children die of malaria each year in Nigeria, in addition to a 11% maternal mortality. Harvard Health Policy Review, fall of 2001 Vol 2, reports 300 million cases of malaria annually in Nigeria with 2 to 3 million deaths. Humans are the smartest animals on God’s green Earth. Over a century ago a couple of bicycle mechanics invented the airplane. The first flight was only 123 feet, now you can get on an airliner and fly with 500 other people half way around the world on one tank of gas. 48 years ago my future wife and I were at Cape Canaveral and witnessed the launch of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on mankind’s first trip to the moon. And we are not capable of eliminating vector transmission of one of the smallest insects in the world. This oversight is not a question of ability, but will, in my opinion. It is imperative, we work smart and not hard. From my perspective, what the NGO community is doing is like watching an episode of the 1920’s film version of the Keystone Cops. To keep doing the same thing and expecting different results is, as Albert Einstein said, one definition of insanity. What is trending now are vaccines to accomplish elimination of vector diseases. Scientists have been working on this since World War 2 and it has not happened yet. These viruses and parasites are just too adaptable. In my opinion it is a fool’s errand. The Gates Foundation is spending hundreds of millions of dollars on this project that could be better utilized to simply break the transmission cycle. The cost of wide area vector suppression will only be a few pennies an acre, using the enhanced technology and application methods that I have developed over the years.

I would like to recommend a pilot program to prove concept. This should be done in the most endemic area of Nigeria, perhaps in the Southwestern part of the Country. Operationally it is imperative to find an insecticide that has not developed resistance. This presents a challenge because over the years every class of insecticide used in Africa has become resistant. I suspect we may have to formulate  a new compound for this effort, we are not going to win the war shooting blank ammunition. I have some ideas on how this can be accomplished and am confident it is possible.

The question, is the NGO community up to the challenge?

 

Health Breaking News: Link 246

Health Breaking News Links, as part of the research project PEAH (Policies for Equitable Access to Health), aim to focus on the latest challenges by trade and governments rules to equitable access to health in resource-limited settings

Health Breaking News: Link 246

 

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OMS Assemblea Mondiale 2017

‘I envision a world in which everyone can lead healthy and productive lives, regardless of who they are or where they live. I believe the global commitment to sustainable development – enshrined in the Sustainable Development Goals – offers a unique opportunity to address the social, economic and political determinants of health and improve the health and wellbeing of people everywhere’

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus WHO’s Director General

by Daniele Dionisio

Membro, European Parliament Working Group on Innovation, Access to Medicines and Poverty-Related Diseases

Responsabile Progetto Policies for Equitable Access to Health – PEAH 

70ma Assemblea Mondiale OMS Risoluzioni Principali

 

Dal 22 al 31 maggio scorso Ginevra ha ospitato i lavori della 70ma Assemblea Mondiale OMS. Fervido di dibattito e di partecipazione, l’evento si è concluso con diverse risoluzioni adottate dagli stati membri, tra cui quella inerente la diagnosi, la terapia e la prevenzione delle malattie cancerose. Al riguardo, i governi sono stati chiamati all’implementazione dei programmi nazionali di prevenzione e controllo oncologico, oltre alla promozione di ricerca sul campo per cure basate sull’equità di accesso, mentre all’OMS è stata richiesta fattiva collaborazione con attori esterni per lo sviluppo di nuovi presidi farmacologici efficaci e alla portata di tutti.

Tra le altre risoluzioni adottate, è da menzionare quella relativa all’impegno dei governi per l’integrazione, la prevenzione  e l’assistenza per la sordità e la perdita dell’udito.

L’Assemblea ha inoltre eletto il nuovo Direttore Generale OMS nella persona  del Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, già ministro della salute e degli affari esteri in Etiopia.

Di seguito una selezione delle restanti decisioni assunte dall’Assemblea:

  • Incremento del 3% delle contribuzioni all’OMS da parte degli stati membri

Come effetto, il budget programmatico dell’Agenzia per il biennio 2018-2019 è salito a 4.421,5 milioni di dollari (inclusivi di 28 milioni di dollari corrispondenti al suddetto 3%). in linea con gli Obiettivi di Sviluppo Sostenibile (SDGs), ciò consentirà maggiori investimenti per il nuovo ‘Health Emergencies Programme’ di OMS (69,1 milioni di dollari) e per la lotta contro la resistenza microbica agli antibiotici (23,2 milioni di dollari).

Sebbene sensibilmente inferiore al 10% di incremento sperato dall’Agenzia, il compromesso ha comunque consentito ad OMS prospettive di maggiore operatività ed autonomia (con augurabile parziale svincolo dai condizionamenti imposti dai donatori privati). Sarà compito del Direttore Generale vigilare sulla continuità dei finanziamenti pubblici nel prossimo biennio.

  • Nuova agenda programmatica per l’ufficio regionale OMS per l’Africa

I nuovi programmi, volti alla soluzione di problematiche tuttora endemiche in molti Paesi del continente, includeranno particolare attenzione alla salute adolescenziale e alla realizzazione di efficaci piani di approccio alle emergenze sanitarie.

Contestualmente, l’OMS aiuterà I Paesi nello sviluppo di strategie e soluzioni basate sull’evidenza per le tossicodipendenze,  i disturbi mentali, le necessità di immunizzazione, e i servizi per la salute riproduttiva e sessuale nell’ambito dei programmi mirati agli adolescenti. L’Agenzia aprirà nel 2018-2019 centri qualificati per la formazione delle comunità in tema di emergenze sanitarie.

Le attività menzionate includeranno pragmatici indicatori di performance in ordine all’ appropriatezza e all’efficacia gestionale dei singoli programmi.

  • Implementazione dei piani di azione contro la resistenza microbica

Preso atto dei progressi, i delegati hanno condiviso la necessità che gli sforzi comprendano, oltre allo sviluppo di nuovi antibiotici, migliori capacità diagnostiche e di prevenzione, e il rafforzamento dei sistemi sanitari. Contestualmente, è stata adottata una risoluzione per il controllo della sepsi, quale condizione a rischio vita di solito determinata da infezioni batteriche. La risoluzione richiede ad OMS di esercitare azione guida sulla prevenzione e gestione degli eventi settici, e di supportare i Paesi nell’acquisizione e consolidamento di capacità, strategie e mezzi idonei alla riduzione dei casi di sepsi. OMS dovrà collaborare con le altre Agenzie delle Nazioni Unite anche al fine di realizzare terapie sicure e di qualità  e renderle equamente fruibili da tutti.

  • Accesso alle medicine

Questa tematica è stata oggetto di forti contrasti per il desiderio di alcuni stati membri (es. India) che fosse inserito nell’agenda assembleare il report finale dell’UN High Level Panel on Access to Medicines del settembre 2016, nonostante l’ostilità di altri (es. USA, Regno Unito, Giappone). Alla fine l’Assemblea ha posposto la tematica all’ordine del giorno dell’ OMS Executive Board Meeting del prossimo gennaio 2018.

  • Collaborazione OMS/ILO/OECD

Gli stati membri hanno aderito a un piano quinquennale di collaborazione fra OMS, International Labor Organization (ILO) e Organization for Economic  Cooperation and Development (OECD) per migliorare il divario fra la realtà presente e le attese circa la forza lavoro necessaria per la salute pubblica, specialmente nei Paesi a risorse limitate.  Se le risorse umane sono indispensabili per gli SDGs correlati alla salute, difficilmente essi saranno conseguiti con l’attuale deficit di 17 milioni di operatori sanitari globali (medici, infermieri e ostetriche inclusi).

  • Polio

Preso atto che la sfida consiste nel come eradicare gli ultimi casi di polio pianificando nel contempo l’abbandono di programmi esclusivamente centrati sulla malattia, un ‘polio transition planning document’ è stato rilasciato da OMS durante i lavori assembleari. Il documento illustra potenziali rischi – finanziari, programmatici e di staff – connessi all’accantonamento della propria ‘Global Polio Eradication Initiative’ (GPEI). GPEI è infatti così embricata con altri programmi vaccinali (ma pure di sorveglianza e di ‘laboratory funding’) da prevedersi, in caso di dismissione, pesanti battute d’arresto in campagne vaccinali per morbillo, rosolia, difterite, tetano e pertosse, che sono essenziali nei Paesi in transizione dalla polio. L’Africa ne sarebbe particolarmente colpita poiché il 90 percento circa delle infrastrutture e staff dedicati alle vaccinazioni è finanziato tramite GPEI.

 

PER APPROFONDIRE

8 takeaways from the 70h World Health Assembly https://www.devex.com/news/8-takeaways-from-the-70th-world-health-assembly-90362

The next WHO director-general is Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus https://www.devex.com/news/the-next-who-director-general-is-tedros-adhanom-ghebreyesus-90330

Nuovi Obiettivi di Sviluppo Sostenibile: Zoppi senza Radicali Svolte di ‘Governance’ http://www.peah.it/2015/10/nuovi-obiettivi-di-sviluppo-sostenibile-zoppi-senza-radicali-svolte-di-governance/

Tedros’ fundraising strategy for WHO, global health https://www.devex.com/news/tedros-fundraising-strategy-for-who-global-health-90364

WHO: polio transition planning http://apps.who.int/gb/ebwha/pdf_files/WHA70/A70_14Add1-en.pdf

Global polio eradication initiative http://polioeradication.org/

THE UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY-GENERAL’S HIGH-LEVEL PANEL ON ACCESS TO MEDICINES REPORT: final report http://www.unsgaccessmeds.org/final-report/

Antibiotico-resistenza: l’impegno di OMS http://www.toscanamedica.org/95-toscana-medica/politiche-per-l-equo-accesso-alla-salute/491-antibiotico-resistenza-l-impegno-dell-oms

 

 

Health Breaking News: Link 245

Health Breaking News Links, as part of the research project PEAH (Policies for Equitable Access to Health), aim to focus on the latest challenges by trade and governments rules to equitable access to health in resource-limited settings

Health Breaking News: Link 245

 

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23-26 July 2017, Paris, France: 9th IAS Conference news 

The Messenger Also Matters: Value-Based Payment Can Support Outreach To Vulnerable Populations 

UNPO newsletter: June 2017 edition