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Thursday, March 2, 2017
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Wellness Pilipinas!: WHO News: Continues to work with Nigerian (Nigeria...: Years of violent conflict have deprived millions of people in north-eastern Nigeria, northern Cameroon, western Chad and south-east Niger of...
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
Innovative, coordinated response helps end yellow fever outbreak in Angola, DR Congo – UN agency
With concerted response, Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have successfully controlled one of the world’s largest and most challenging outbreaks of yellow fever, the United Nations health agency announced.
No new confirmed cases reported from both countries for the past six months
“We are able to declare the end of one of the largest and most challenging yellow fever outbreaks in recent years through the strong and coordinated response by national authorities, local health workers and partners,” said Matshidiso Moeti, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, commending the unprecedented and immense response.
Since it was first detected in Angola in December 2015, the outbreak claimed at least 965 lives in the two countries, with thousands more suspected.
According to WHO, more than 41,000 volunteers and 8,000 vaccination teams with more than 56 non-governmental organizations undertook emergency inoculation campaigns, immunizing more than 30 million people.
The scale of response was so massive that the global stockpiles of yellow fever vaccines were exhausted several times.
In the first six months of 2016 alone, the partners delivered more than 19 million doses of the vaccine – three times the six million doses usually put aside for an outbreak.
The announcement by DRC proclaiming the end of the outbreak was made yesterday. It followed a similar announcement by Angola on controlling the disease last December.
Introduction of an innovative emergency response
The first cases in this outbreak were identified on 5 December 2015 in Viana, Luanda Province, Angola. It spread to the entire country and to neighbouring DRC, where local transmission was established in March 2016.
One of the major achievements of the response was the introduction of an innovative dose-sparing strategy – using one fifth of a regular dose of the yellow fever vaccine.
This technique, approved by WHO’s global vaccine expert group, ensured protection of as many people as possible from the immediate threat of a major urban outbreak.
For instance, in the DRC capital of Kinshasa, WHO supported the Ministry of Health to vaccinate 10.7 million people using this dose-sparing strategy as a short-term measure that will provide immunity against yellow fever for at least 12 months and likely longer.
ination campaigns, WHO and partners continue to provide support to the two countries to strengthen disease surveillance, control the spread of mosquitoes and engage with communities so that they can protect themselves.However, with new threats posed by climate change, increased mobility of people within and across, and the resurgence of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, risks of yellow fever epidemics are increasing.
“Yellow Fever outbreaks like the one in Angola and the DR Congo could become more frequent in many parts of the world unless coordinated measures are taken to protect people most at risk,” said Ibrahima Socé Fall, WHO Regional Emergency Director.
“Therefore we need to implement a strong preventive approach to vaccinate the population at risk across the region.”
In one such response, WHO and its partners recently developed a new strategy calling for the Elimination of Yellow fever Epidemics to strengthen global action and integrate lessons learnt from the Angola and DR Congo outbreak.
Source: United Nations News Centre - Innovative, coordinated response helps end yellow fever outbreak in Angola, DR Congo – UN agency: "With concerted response, Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) have successfully controlled one of the world’s largest and most challenging outbreaks of yellow fever, the United Nations health agency announced.
No new confirmed cases reported from both countries for the past six months
“We are able to declare the end of one of the largest and most challenging yellow fever outbreaks in recent years through the strong and coordinated response by national authorities, local health workers and partners,” said Matshidiso Moeti, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, commending the unprecedented and immense response.
Since it was first detected in Angola in December 2015, the outbreak claimed at least 965 lives in the two countries, with thousands more suspected.
According to WHO, more than 41,000 volunteers and 8,000 vaccination teams with more than 56 non-governmental organizations undertook emergency inoculation campaigns, immunizing more than 30 million people.
The scale of response was so massive that the global stockpiles of yellow fever vaccines were exhausted several times.
RELATED: With 18 million doses exhausted, global stockpile of yellow fever vaccine running low
In the first six months of 2016 alone, the partners delivered more than 19 million doses of the vaccine – three times the six million doses usually put aside for an outbreak.
As the biggest emergency yellow fever vaccination campaign ever held in Africa gets underway in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), vaccines and supplies arrive in the capital Kinshasa and are loaded onto trucks to be dispatched to where they are needed. Photo: WHO/E. Kabambi
The announcement by DRC proclaiming the end of the outbreak was made yesterday. It followed a similar announcement by Angola on controlling the disease last December.
Introduction of an innovative emergency response
The first cases in this outbreak were identified on 5 December 2015 in Viana, Luanda Province, Angola. It spread to the entire country and to neighbouring DRC, where local transmission was established in March 2016.
One of the major achievements of the response was the introduction of an innovative dose-sparing strategy – using one fifth of a regular dose of the yellow fever vaccine.
This technique, approved by WHO’s global vaccine expert group, ensured protection of as many people as possible from the immediate threat of a major urban outbreak.
RELATED: UN coordinating effort to vaccinate 14 million people in two African countries
For instance, in the DRC capital of Kinshasa, WHO supported the Ministry of Health to vaccinate 10.7 million people using this dose-sparing strategy as a short-term measure that will provide immunity against yellow fever for at least 12 months and likely longer.
ination campaigns, WHO and partners continue to provide support to the two countries to strengthen disease surveillance, control the spread of mosquitoes and engage with communities so that they can protect themselves.
However, with new threats posed by climate change, increased mobility of people within and across, and the resurgence of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, risks of yellow fever epidemics are increasing.
“Yellow Fever outbreaks like the one in Angola and the DR Congo could become more frequent in many parts of the world unless coordinated measures are taken to protect people most at risk,” said Ibrahima Socé Fall, WHO Regional Emergency Director.
“Therefore we need to implement a strong preventive approach to vaccinate the population at risk across the region.”
In one such response, WHO and its partners recently developed a new strategy calling for the Elimination of Yellow fever Epidemics to strengthen global action and integrate lessons learnt from the Angola and DR Congo outbreak."
'via Blog this'
Saturday, February 18, 2017
Peace Leadership on Climate Change by Amb. Zara: Clarify things before living together to manage co...
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Wellness Pilipinas!: HEALTH: 10 Ways to improve the quality of care in ...
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Wednesday, February 8, 2017
WELLNESS TIP: A handful of grapes twice a day could protect against Alzheimer's
"Eating a handful of grapes twice a day could slow the ravages of Alzheimer’s disease and boost memory, according to new research.
Scientists found that eating grapes regularly can protect against decline in the areas of the brain affected by Alzheimer’s.
The study of people with early memory decline also found that grapes boosted attention and memory performance, with significant change within six months of eating grapes twice a day.
The pilot study, carried out by the University of California, Los Angeles, took 10 randomly-selected people – half men, half women – with an average age of 72 who were suffering early memory decline.
Some were given whole grape powder equivalent to two-and-a-quarter cups (72g) of grapes per day while others were given a placebo powder.
Their cognitive performance was measured at the start of the study and six months later, as well as changes in brain metabolism, assessed by brain PET scans.
Low metabolic activity in these areas of the brain is a hallmark of early stage Alzheimer’s disease.
The results showed that eating grapes preserved healthy metabolic activity in regions of the brain affected by the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as beneficial changes in regional brain metabolism that correlated to improvements in cognition and working memory performance.
In contrast, those who took the placebo had significant metabolic decline in the critical regions of the brain.
Scientists know that grape polyphenols help promote antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.
Research suggests that grapes may help support brain health by reducing oxidative stress, promoting healthy blood flow, maintaining levels of a key brain chemical that promotes memory and exerting anti-inflammatory effects.
Dr Daniel Silverman, lead author of the study, published in Experimental Gerontology, said: “The study examines the impact of grapes as a whole fruit versus isolated compounds and the results suggest that regular intake of grapes may provide a protective effect against early decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
“This pilot study contributes to the growing evidence that supports a beneficial role for grapes in neurologic and cardiovascular health, however more clinical studies with larger groups of subjects are needed to confirm the effects observed here.”
The study was commissioned by the California Table Grape Commission.
Source: A handful of grapes twice a day could protect against Alzheimer's, study suggests:
'via Blog this'
Scientists found that eating grapes regularly can protect against decline in the areas of the brain affected by Alzheimer’s.
The study of people with early memory decline also found that grapes boosted attention and memory performance, with significant change within six months of eating grapes twice a day.
The pilot study, carried out by the University of California, Los Angeles, took 10 randomly-selected people – half men, half women – with an average age of 72 who were suffering early memory decline.
Some were given whole grape powder equivalent to two-and-a-quarter cups (72g) of grapes per day while others were given a placebo powder.
Their cognitive performance was measured at the start of the study and six months later, as well as changes in brain metabolism, assessed by brain PET scans.
Low metabolic activity in these areas of the brain is a hallmark of early stage Alzheimer’s disease.
The results showed that eating grapes preserved healthy metabolic activity in regions of the brain affected by the earliest stages of Alzheimer’s disease, as well as beneficial changes in regional brain metabolism that correlated to improvements in cognition and working memory performance.
In contrast, those who took the placebo had significant metabolic decline in the critical regions of the brain.
Scientists know that grape polyphenols help promote antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities.
Research suggests that grapes may help support brain health by reducing oxidative stress, promoting healthy blood flow, maintaining levels of a key brain chemical that promotes memory and exerting anti-inflammatory effects.
Dr Daniel Silverman, lead author of the study, published in Experimental Gerontology, said: “The study examines the impact of grapes as a whole fruit versus isolated compounds and the results suggest that regular intake of grapes may provide a protective effect against early decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease.
“This pilot study contributes to the growing evidence that supports a beneficial role for grapes in neurologic and cardiovascular health, however more clinical studies with larger groups of subjects are needed to confirm the effects observed here.”
The study was commissioned by the California Table Grape Commission.
Source: A handful of grapes twice a day could protect against Alzheimer's, study suggests:
'via Blog this'
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