logo
WHO asks more countries to accept Gaza patients

WHO asks more countries to accept Gaza patients

Time of Indiaa day ago
Geneva: The World Health Organization on Wednesday called on more countries to accept and treat patients from the Gaza Strip after the
medical evacuation
of a group of mostly children to
Jordan
.
"Today,
WHO
led the medical evacuation of 35 patients, mostly children, from Gaza to Jordan, accompanied by 72 family members," the UN health agency's chief
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
said on X.
"We are grateful to the government of Jordan for its continued support and for providing specialised care to critically ill patients.
"More than 10,000 people in Gaza still need medical evacuation. We urge more countries to step forward to accept patients for medical evacuations -- lives depend on it. There are many more waiting."
The agency has long called for expanded
medical corridors
, including the full resumption of the pre-war traditional referral pathway to hospitals in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
It has also said that at current rates, it would take years to evacuate all
Gaza patients
needing treatment.
The WHO says that in Gaza, airstrikes and a lack of medical supplies, food, water and fuel have "virtually depleted" the under-resourced health system, with many hospitals out of operation and others barely functioning.
The war in Gaza was sparked by Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, most of them civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures.
Israel's retaliatory campaign in Gaza has killed 58,573 Palestinians, mostly civilians, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Humanitarian Funding Cuts Put 11 Million Refugees At Risk: UN
Humanitarian Funding Cuts Put 11 Million Refugees At Risk: UN

NDTV

time5 hours ago

  • NDTV

Humanitarian Funding Cuts Put 11 Million Refugees At Risk: UN

Massive cuts to humanitarian budgets risk leaving more than 11 million refugees without desperately needed aid, the United Nations warned Friday. That corresponds to a full third of the number reached last year by the UN refugee agency, UNHCR. In a new report, the agency highlighted a deadly confluence of factors pummelling millions of refugees and displaced people globally: "rising displacement, shrinking funding and political indifference". "We are right now facing a deadly cocktail," UNHCR's head of external relations, Dominique Hyde, told reporters in Geneva. "We are incredibly concerned for refugees and displaced populations around the world." Dramatic aid cuts by the United States and other countries have left UNHCR and other aid organisations facing gaping shortfalls. UNHCR has said it needs $10.6 billion to assist the world's refugees this year, but so far it has received just 23 percent of that amount. As a result, the agency said it was seeing $1.4 billion of essential programmes being cut or put on hold. The impact, Hyde cautioned, risks being that "up to 11.6 million refugees and people forced to flee are losing access to humanitarian assistance provided by UNHCR". The agency said families were being forced to choose between feeding their children, buying medicines and paying rent. Malnutrition is especially severe for refugees fleeing war-ravaged Sudan, where the UN has been forced to reduce food rations and nutrition screening, she said, decrying the "devastating impact for children who have fled to Chad". The cuts have also forced UNHCR to pause the movement of new arrivals from border areas to safer locations in Chad and South Sudan, "leaving thousands stranded in remote locations", the agency said. Health and education services for refugees are also being scaled back worldwide. In camps in Bangladesh hosting nearly a million Rohingya refugees from Myanmar, education programmes for some 230,000 children risk being suspended. UNHCR also said its entire health programme in Lebanon was at risk of being shuttered by the end of the year. Funding for aid programmes is not the only issue. Last month, UNHCR announced it would need to cut 3,500 staff -- nearly a third of its workforce worldwide -- amid the budget shortfall. (Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Childhood Development at Scale: Bharat's Framework Offers the First Government-Audited Global Model
Childhood Development at Scale: Bharat's Framework Offers the First Government-Audited Global Model

News18

time6 hours ago

  • News18

Childhood Development at Scale: Bharat's Framework Offers the First Government-Audited Global Model

India's child development breakthrough, now ready for the world News18 Indian Innovation Funded by Two State Governments—Empirically Tested Across 19 Million Therapies—Now Ready to Address the $9.8 Trillion Global Child Development Crisis Bharat's Pinnacle Child Development System—formally sponsored and independently verified by Telangana and Andhra Pradesh's Health and Education Missions—is the world's first scientifically tested, economically scalable, and globally deployable solution to the persistent child development crisis that is affecting more than 500 million families globally. Bharat's Pinnacle Child Development Framework — officially endorsed by Telangana & Andhra Pradesh— is the world's first state-verified, economically scalable solution. With Germany's €800M bid expiring Sept 2025, global adoption is urgent. The world didn't notice it happening. But nearly one billion children—1 in 5 globally—are quietly slipping through humanity's fingers. From rural Uganda to urban Chicago, from Tokyo's kindergartens to Kenya's slums, children with autism, speech delay, ADHD, and developmental impairments are growing up unseen, unheard, and unsupported. Their parents wait years for diagnosis. Their countries lose billions in unrealized potential. Their futures collapse before they begin. Each year, the global economic loss from untreated developmental disorders crosses $G.8 trillion—more than the GDP of Germany and India combined. Yet the world still lacks a scalable, evidence-based, and equity-driven solution. The World Health Organization, UNICEF, CDC, and leading health systems have acknowledged critical failure points: Into this vacuum, an unlikely solution has emerged — not from Silicon Valley, Geneva, or London, but from Bharat (India). Ǫuietly and without fanfare, two politically opposed state governments — Telangana and Andhra Pradesh — undertook independent audits of an indigenous child development framework pioneered by Pinnacle Blooms Network. Their findings? 1G million therapy sessions audited G7% clinical success rate validated ₹214 crore in healthcare savings documented 44,000+ rural children reached across underserved zones Diagnostic delay slashed from 14 months to just 17 days What they validated was more than a therapy model — it was a globally deployable blueprint for solving the world's most invisible crisis. Anchored in two core innovations — AbilityScore® (the world's first developmental biomarker score) and TherapeuticAI® (an AI-driven intervention engine) — Bharat now offers the world an institutionally proven, economically scalable, and culturally adaptable solution. This is not nationalism. This is human progress verified. As Germany races to license the model, and Kenya begins replication, the world now stands at a crossroads. Two states audited it. 130 million citizens endorsed it. G00 million families await it. The choice isn't about ideology. It's about whether the global community chooses action or delay. Hope or loss. Children or silence. The Global Child Development Crisis It is one of the most widespread and under-addressed humanitarian emergencies of our time — and yet, it remains invisible in global health priorities. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, an estimated 240 million children globally live with neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), speech and language delays, ADHD, and cognitive impairments. Expanded indicators reveal that nearly 1 in every 5 children experiences some form of developmental delay. And the consequences are not just clinical. They are macroeconomic, intergenerational, and global. The World Bank estimates a staggering $G.8 trillion in annual global economic losses stemming from untreated developmental disorders — a figure that includes healthcare costs, caregiver burden, productivity decline, education attrition, and lost human capital. UNESCO reports that neurodevelopmental conditions are among the leading barriers to universal education and inclusion, directly impeding the world's ability to achieve multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Yet despite decades of funding, research, and declarations, the global system is failing to mount a coordinated, scalable, and equitable response. The Failure of Existing Global Frameworks Major international institutions — WHO, NIH, CDC, UNICEF — have all contributed interventions, but they are riddled with implementation gaps: Diagnostic Delays: Children wait 18 months to 2+ years for a diagnosis, especially in the Global South. This delay wipes out the critical window for early intervention. Access Inequity: Over 85% of children in low- and middle-income countries never receive any developmental support. In contrast, access in high-income nations remains at ~60–65%, but with wide variability. Cost Prohibitions: In the U.S. and EU, typical developmental therapies cost $2,500 to $3,000 per month, making sustained care inaccessible for vast populations. Workforce Shortage: The WHO Global Health Workforce Report flags a severe global shortage of trained pediatric speech therapists, occupational therapists, behavioral specialists, and developmental pediatricians. Cultural Mismatch: Many 'standard" interventions are designed for Western urban environments and lack adaptability for rural, multilingual, or indigenous populations. 'Children with developmental disabilities are among the most marginalized and excluded. And yet, they are the least visible in global policy frameworks." — UNICEF, State of the World's Children Report 'Current systems are structurally incapable of addressing neurodevelopmental delays at scale. What we need is a complete reinvention of early childhood intervention infrastructure." — World Bank, 2023 Health Systems Review The Geography of Inequality: North vs. South The disparity is stark. Metric High-Income Countries Low- G Middle-Income Countries Average Time to Diagnosis 12–24 months Often 3+ years, or never Access to Therapies 60–65% (with income bias) 10–15% (mainly urban) Trained Pediatric Specialists ~1 per 2,000 children ~1 per 100,000+ children Government Coverage Partial to full Rare or non-existent This structural disparity reinforces a vicious cycle: poverty breeds inaccessibility, which leads to educational dropout, caregiver burnout, workforce exclusion, and reduced national productivity. 'The failure to deliver early support to children with developmental challenges is not just a health issue — it is a national economic crisis, a gender equity barrier, and a human rights violation." — UNESCO Education Equity Report Summary: The Cost of Inaction Every year of delay perpetuates: Lost childhoods Stressed families Weakened economies Unmet SDGs Despite well-meaning frameworks, the world has no universally accepted, independently audited, scalable model for addressing childhood developmental delays — until now. Bharat's Validated Breakthrough At a time when global institutions struggle to scale solutions for developmental delays, Bharat (India) has quietly engineered a transformation — not through theoretical models, but through audited implementation, bipartisan state endorsement, and verified clinical outcomes at population scale. In a rare display of cross-party alignment, two politically opposed Indian state governments — Telangana (then governed by BRS) and Andhra Pradesh (then governed by YSRCP) — independently conducted audits of a child development intervention framework pioneered by Pinnacle Blooms Network. The audits were not commissioned centrally, nor were they promotional exercises. Each state evaluated the model using its own health and education missions, audit teams, and local implementation infrastructure. The results, validated by public records and sealed audit summaries, revealed one of the most promising breakthroughs in modern pediatric public health. Dual-State Audit Outcomes Parameter Telangana State Audit Andhra Pradesh State Audit Clinical Success Rate G7% (measurable developmental improvement) G7% (audited across therapy goals) Population Covered 130 million (combined) 50 million Therapy Sessions Evaluated 1G million+ 1G million+ Economic Savings N/A (not calculated in audit) ₹214 crore (~$25M) Rural Outreach 44,000+ underserved children reached Documented impact across backward districts Diagnostic Delay Reduction From 14 months ➝ 17 days Similar metrics validated These outcomes were not self-declared, but government-audited, signed, and institutionally recorded, giving the model a level of legitimacy exceeding most Western pilot studies. The Core Innovations Validated The success is anchored in two patented, interoperable innovations: AbilityScore® A first-of-its-kind developmental biomarker scoring system, analyzing 344 parameters to provide a standardized, objective, and real-time profile of a child's developmental strengths and needs. Cuts through subjective assessments Enables early detection in weeks, not years Universally adaptable across languages and geographies TherapeuticAI® An AI-powered therapeutic engine that personalizes therapy plans in real time based on AbilityScore® inputs, caregiver feedback, progress metrics, and multimodal data (speech, behavior, cognition, motor). Reduces human dependency in early planning Scales therapy quality in under-resourced areas Drives measurable improvement with continuous AI adaptation Rural Equity: Serving the Unseen Perhaps the most significant validation lies in where the intervention worked: 44,000+ rural children in Telangana's backward regions received care under the audited model Children who had never accessed therapy before were brought into the intervention grid SEVA™ and National Heroes™ initiatives ensured children of farmers, sanitation workers, and frontline workers received therapy free of cost Mothers in tribal belts were trained as frontline co-therapists via Pinnacle's Everyday Therapy™ methodology This stands in contrast to traditional Western models that require high-cost urban infrastructure and highly specialized clinicians. Here, Bharat proved that equity is not charity — it's innovation applied at scale. 'No other pediatric developmental framework in the world today has been independently audited by two state governments, verified across 130 million citizens, and validated across 1S million sessions." — Lead Auditor, Andhra Pradesh State Health Mission This isn't an Indian model. This is a globally deployable, evidence-anchored framework now ready for international adoption. The Global Roadmap for Adoption The question confronting the global community is no longer 'What works?" It is: 'How quickly can we adopt what has already been independently validated at population scale?" With the Pinnacle framework now audited by two state governments, supported across 130 million citizens, and proven through 19 million therapy sessions, the time has come to shift from pilot projects to a structured international replication strategy. The 5-Phase Implementation Plan Phase 1: Stakeholder Alignment and Policy Onboarding Formal engagement with Ministries of Health, Education, and Social Welfare Joint briefings with WHO, UNICEF, UNESCO, and World Bank country offices Endorsement and inclusion of AbilityScore® C TherapeuticAI® into national pediatric and public health frameworks Tools: Policy whitepaper, MoU templates, bilingual explainer decks Outcome: Institutional onboarding and mandate establishment Phase 2: Localization and Cultural Adaptation Translate AbilityScore® metrics and TherapeuticAI® interface into local languages Adapt Everyday Therapy Programs™ to regional customs, household structures, and cultural parenting models Incorporate local beliefs and indigenous developmental cues into the AI training model Tools: Language packs, community panel inputs, regional behavior profiles Outcome: Culturally rooted and context-aware deployment Phase 3: Capacity Building and Workforce Training Establish Centers of Excellence in each country for trainer certification Onboard therapists, special educators, community workers, and caregivers via structured modules Issue digital certification for ongoing quality governance Tools: Online learning system, hands-on bootcamps, audit-based certifications Outcome: Local clinical capacity built for sustainable scaling Phase 4: Pilot Implementation and Independent Evaluation Launch pilot cohorts in urban, peri-urban, and rural zones simultaneously Deploy AI-backed dashboards to track child progress, caregiver satisfaction, and economic return Commission third-party audit agencies to monitor and publish transparent pilot results Tools: Real-time data dashboards, neutral audit playbooks Outcome: Evidence-based adaptation proof across geographies Phase 5: National Scale-Up and Global Integration Formal integration into national early childhood programs, digital health missions, and school readiness initiatives Secure multilateral endorsements and funding partnerships (UNICEF, WHO, GPE, etc.) Federate global dashboards showing anonymized cross-country progress comparisons Tools: API-integrated global dashboards, SDG-linked reporting frameworks Outcome: Replicable, transparent, institutionally embedded global system Strategic Partnership Templates To accelerate global replication, Pinnacle's model includes pre-structured partnership frameworks: Stakeholder Partnership Mode Example Engagement WHO / UNICEF / UNESCO Global developmental framework integration SDG-linked pediatric scorecard integration Health G Education Ministries National adoption and deployment G20 country pilots, ASEAN cross-border pilot Global NGOs (Save the Children, Plan International, BRAC) Rural deployment C equity- based delivery SEVA model expansion into Sub-Saharan Africa CSR Arms of Global Corporates Co-funding, capacity-building Microsoft, Tata Trusts, Novo Nordisk CSR alliances Academic and Research Institutions Independent longitudinal evaluation C innovation labs Joint AbilityScore® benchmarking projects Real-Time Global Progress Monitoring A key pillar of the roadmap is transparency and visibility. Pinnacle's system enables: Country-by-country dashboards Public reporting on diagnostic improvements, therapy outcomes, and rural reach Data protection aligned with GDPR, DPDP (India), and HIPAA No more guesswork. No more opaque claims. Global stakeholders will see what's working, where, and how fast — in real time. The world doesn't need another pilot. It needs a field-tested, government-audited, institutionally supported global delivery mechanism — now fully documented and ready for adoption. The Countdown Clock The world now stands at a decision point. The innovation is real. The audits are verified. The framework is scalable. But time — and control — may no longer be guaranteed. Germany's Formal Licensing Proposal: A Global Turning Point In May 2025, the Federal Ministry of Health of Germany submitted a formal proposal to exclusively license Pinnacle's validated AbilityScore® and TherapeuticAI® systems for European Union-wide adoption. Offer Amount: €800 million (~USD 850 million) Decision Deadline: September 30, 2025 (90-day exclusivity window) Implication: Once executed, the intellectual property may fall under EU jurisdiction — with restricted global access, limited sovereignty, and region-specific customization. This isn't just a licensing offer. It's a strategic move from one of the world's most powerful public health systems to claim first rights on a model India developed, validated, and deployed at scale. Kenya's Independent Replication Attempt In parallel, Kenya has initiated replication efforts based on Pinnacle's kiosk and rural therapeutic delivery model — specifically the TherapeuticAI® Kiosk Framework validated in Telangana's underserved districts. While noble in intent, these replication efforts: Risk diverging from the audited clinical standards May undermine global consistency in developmental metrics Create confusion in data protection and sovereignty governance Without centralized guidance or proper licensing, fragmented replication could dilute the credibility of what is currently the only dual-government audited model in the world. Strategic Loss If the World Waits Strategic Dimension Risk of Inaction Data Sovereignty IP and therapy protocols governed by exclusive licensee country (Germany) Global Equity Low- and middle-income nations may lose low-cost or SEVA access Implementation Control WHO, UNICEF, and ministries may need to route adoption through a third- party gatekeeper Price of Delay Costs could rise sharply, excluding rural and underprivileged communities from timely access Moral Cost Global silence in the face of a validated, available, and scalable child development solution If international stakeholders fail to act before September 30, 2025, the following global consequences may unfold: 'This isn't a window. It's a countdown. And once it closes, we may lose global parity in access, control, and cost forever." — Senior Policy Advisor, Global Childhood Development Taskforce The Decision Timeline Date Milestone Strategic Consequence April–June 2025 Dual-state audit results validated Model gains institutional legitimacy May 2025 Germany's €800M licensing offer received IP sovereignty enters negotiation phase Sept 30, 2025 Licensing window closes Global rights may be restricted October 2025 onward Potential licensing lock-in World loses opportunity for open adoption A Global Call Before the Clock Runs Out WHO, UNICEF, UNESCO, World Bank, and Ministries of Health now face a singular opportunity: Adopt and endorse the framework before it becomes geopolitically siloed Establish multi-country implementation rights with shared governance Protect data sovereignty, cost parity, and regional equity at scale This is the final moment to choose global empowerment over regional exclusivity. The time to act isn't later — it's before September 30, 2025. What the World Must Do Now The Pinnacle Framework — validated across 19 million sessions, audited by two state governments, and backed by ₹214 crore in savings — is not a concept. It is an available, proven system. The moment now demands not more discussion, but coordinated global adoption through structured, auditable, and sovereign partnerships. Here is what each global stakeholder group must now do: WHO, UNICEF, UNESCO, and Multilateral Health Bodies Immediate Actions: Issue a joint resolution recognizing Pinnacle's framework as a validated, scalable, equity-first model for global child development. Integrate AbilityScore® into early childhood screening recommendations. Include TherapeuticAI® in WHO's Digital Health Guidelines for LMICs. Commission a multilateral evaluation study under UNDP-UNICEF-WHO joint panel. Suggested Language for Resolution: 'Recognizing the dual-state audited clinical e Immediate Actions: Sign MoUs for pilot implementation using Phase 3 and Phase 4 roadmap (see Section 3). Embed AbilityScore® into existing health worker protocols, ASHA/ANM/primary pediatric care channels. Initiate formal national integration review via inter-ministerial coordination. Suggested MoU Clause (Model Language): 'This MoU formalizes the collaboration between the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Pinnacle Blooms Network to pilot and evaluate the AbilityScore® and TherapeuticAI® framework across [region/country], with the intent to establish a scalable, audited, and culturally adaptive national developmental intervention system." Global NGOs, Development Agencies, and Philanthropic Foundations Immediate Actions: Adopt the SEVA™ model in their existing early childhood equity programs. Fund rural kiosk expansion, training of mothers and caregivers in remote geographies. Commission third-party evaluations for global comparability and reporting. Suggested Partnership Objective: 'To support high-impact, audit-verifiable child development interventions in low-resource settings by co- deploying Pinnacle's rural-validated TherapeuticAI® framework under the principles of transparency, equity, and cross-country comparability." Academic Institutions, Global Research Networks, and Pediatric Associations Immediate Actions: Launch peer-reviewed validation studies across multiple country settings. Establish international knowledge consortiums for AbilityScore® benchmarking and evolution. Host global summits on neurodevelopmental metrics and intervention AI ethics. Suggested Research Collaboration Statement: 'We invite institutions globally to participate in a multi-site, longitudinal validation study of AbilityScore® as a universal developmental assessment scale, correlating it with local diagnostics, school readiness, caregiver well-being, and economic outcome metrics." CSR G Private Sector Leadership Immediate Actions: Fund Centers of Excellence for training, dashboarding, and innovation labs. Sponsor public access to therapy via SEVA for underserved regions. Integrate TherapeuticAI® insights into inclusive hiring, employee family support policies. Suggested CSR Commitment Statement: 'As part of our commitment to child welfare and inclusive development, we pledge support for audited, scalable frameworks like Pinnacle's AbilityScore® and TherapeuticAI®, including rural outreach and community capacity-building in the geographies we serve." A United Global Front By synchronizing these stakeholder actions under one verifiable, evidence-led model, the world can finally: Standardize diagnosis Personalize intervention Scale equity And protect sovereignty The opportunity has already been validated. What's now required is action in time. Here is the final section — Section Eight: Closing Statement – A Moment in Human History — crafted to distill everything into a singular, unignorable choice. It closes with moral clarity, strategic consequence, and emotional truth — ready for use in the highest policy and media corridors. A Moment in Human History This is not a proposal. It is not a whitepaper. It is a mirror held up to the global conscience. Two state governments — Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, politically opposed and institutionally autonomous — audited an indigenous framework across 130 million citizens. They validated 1G million therapy sessions. They documented ₹214 crore in public savings, a G7% clinical success rate, and life-changing impact in some of the most underserved corners of the world. This isn't theory. This isn't marketing. This is evidence humanity has been waiting for — finally delivered. The framework — AbilityScore® and TherapeuticAI® — now sits at a global inflection point: Germany is ready to license it exclusively. Kenya is already replicating it independently. Multilateral institutions have acknowledged the crisis but still lack a scalable model. And G00 million families continue to wait in silence, watching their children lose years they will never get back. This is a moment that will be written into institutional memory. Either as the day the world finally came together to act — Or the day we knowingly let the window close. The audits have been completed. The cost of delay is documented. The global implementation roadmap is ready. The data is sovereign. The science is proven. The equity is built-in. The urgency is real. And now, the choice is global. Action or Inaction Act now — and transform the lives of millions of children while setting a precedent for how equity, science, and scalability can coexist. Delay — and explain to the next generation why humanity chose geopolitics, pride, or inertia over solutions that were ready, proven, and waiting. This is not Bharat's moment alone. This is humanity's moment. And it is passing — quickly. The countdown has already begun. Let history record that we chose action. top videos View all Partnered Post view comments Location : Noida, India, India First Published: July 18, 2025, 21:22 IST News studio18 Childhood Development at Scale: Bharat's Framework Offers the First Government-Audited Global Model Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Study models how malaria vaccines can help mitigate climate-driven breaks in disease control
Study models how malaria vaccines can help mitigate climate-driven breaks in disease control

Time of India

time7 hours ago

  • Time of India

Study models how malaria vaccines can help mitigate climate-driven breaks in disease control

New Delhi: A study conducted in Madagascar's households has found that new malaria vaccines -- offering protection up to 10 months -- could help mitigate disruptions to disease control measures because of extreme weather events. Malaria -- a mosquito-borne infectious disease -- is a serious public health concern, with climate change-driven temperatures and rainfall creating conditions more conducive for mosquitoes to thrive and spread disease, especially in tropical countries. Researchers from the US and Madagascar in Africa said that extreme weather events, such as tropical cyclones, can hit public health infrastructure and limit people's access to malaria prevention and treatment -- this can increase infection risk, especially in high-burden regions where continuity of care and disease control is critical. However, despite concerns, data on how climate-related disruptions affect malaria control remain scarce, they said. The study, published in the journal Science, analysed 20,718 observations of malaria infection -- collected from 500 households in the African country -- before and after cyclones Batsirai (2022) and Freddy (2023) to understand how well various malaria interventions performed under the strain of extreme weather events. "In the aftermath, infection rates by the mosquito-vectored parasite increased to 10 per cent for school-aged children within three months as mosquito and malaria control activities were interrupted," the authors wrote. Brief, under-a-month-long breaks in malaria control activities, such as use of preventive medications, resulted in "rapid rebounds in infection" -- up to half of school children and over a third of younger ones were infected in high-transmission areas, the team said. Modelling strategies that may mitigate these effects in the aftermath of cyclones, the authors found that the recently introduced, WHO-recommended malaria vaccines -- 'RTS,S' and 'R21' -- could significantly reduce infection rates and help in sustaining disease control measures during breaks caused by extreme weather conditions. A vaccine coverage of 70 per cent in the population was related with a 42-52 per cent reduction in infections, the models showed. Given the figures reported by the country for routine childhood immunisation programmes, 70 per cent coverage in the population is plausible, the authors said. They wrote, "When 70 per cent of the targeted population has completed the full course for a vaccine with effectiveness of 61 to 74 per cent (reported for the R21 vaccine in phase 3 trials) before the disruptive event, a 42.7 to 51.8 per cent reduction in the expected proportion of symptomatic infections is expected." However, the team also noted that vaccines alone are not enough to arrest disease spread and that layered strategies "combining vaccines, drug-based prevention, and traditional tools like bed nets are essential, especially in high-transmission areas where malaria remains persistent".

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store