Nipah patient critical in Kerala's Palakkad; containment zone declared
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Hans India
6 hours ago
- Hans India
Yemen launches campaign to vaccinate 1.3 million children against polio resurgence
Aden, July 13: Yemen's internationally recognised government has launched a three-day polio vaccination campaign, as the war-ravaged country is battling a resurgence of the disease, according to local media reports. Nearly 7,000 health teams will administer oral vaccines door-to-door or at health facilities, focusing on 120 high-risk districts, reports Xinhua, quoting the state-run Saba news agency. The drive, targeting 1.35 million children across 12 provinces under the government's control, came as data from the World Health Organization and UNICEF showed that 282 variant polio cases have been reported in the country since 2021, 98 per cent of which in children under the age of 5, with national polio immunisation coverage dropping to 46 per cent in 2023 amid war-disrupted healthcare. "Yemen remains at high risk for poliovirus outbreaks due to protracted conflict, weakened health systems and low routine immunisation coverage," said Acting WHO Representative in Yemen Ferima Coulbibaly-Zerbo in a joint statement issued by the WHO and UNICEF. "With poliovirus continuing to circulate and cases confirmed in 2025, these campaigns are essential to interrupt transmission and protect every child from the debilitating effects of polio," she said. "With confirmed cases of polio among Yemeni children, an imminent threat persists, especially for every unvaccinated child. But, through vaccination, we can keep our children safe," UNICEF Representative to Yemen Peter Hawkins said in the statement. Yemen has been engulfed in conflict since 2014 when Houthi forces seized control of the capital Sanaa and much of the country's north, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in support of the internationally recognised government in 2015. The conflict has created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with millions of Yemenis facing food insecurity and lacking access to basic services. Multiple rounds of peace talks have failed to produce a political settlement.
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Business Standard
7 hours ago
- Business Standard
WHO issues first global clinical guide on mosquito-borne diseases: Details
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released its first-ever integrated guidelines on the clinical management of arboviral diseases, including dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and yellow fever in a major step towards strengthening global response to mosquito-borne viral diseases. The new guidelines, launched earlier this month, aim to help frontline healthcare providers and hospitals manage both mild and severe cases of these diseases using standardised, evidence-based protocols. With arboviral infections posing a growing threat across tropical and subtropical regions, the WHO said the guidelines would also support policymakers and health administrators in boosting epidemic and pandemic preparedness. What are arboviral diseases? According to WHO, arboviral diseases are most commonly transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. These include dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and yellow fever. The Aedes aegypti mosquito is capable of spreading multiple viruses in the same region, often at the same time. These infections affect more than half of the global population, with over 5.6 billion people currently at risk. The diseases often begin with flu-like symptoms such as fever, joint pain, and rash, making clinical diagnosis difficult in the absence of laboratory tests. In some cases, complications can be severe or life-threatening. Why WHO's integrated guidelines on arboviral diseases are needed According to WHO, outbreaks of arboviral diseases are becoming more frequent, widespread, and severe, driven by a combination of ecological, social, and economic factors. As a result, the geographical range of these infections is expanding rapidly. The clinical challenge is compounded by the fact that dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and yellow fever often begin with similar early symptoms making it difficult to distinguish between them, especially in regions where diagnostic tools are limited. In some areas, multiple arboviruses may be circulating at the same time. In this context, the WHO guidelines offer a unified, evidence-based approach to diagnosis and care. They are also intended as a practical reference for policymakers, health system leaders, and hospital administrators in developing national and regional preparedness strategies for future outbreaks and pandemics. Key recommendations by WHO According to WHO, the new guidelines offer clinical management protocols for four of the most common and widespread arboviral infections in humans: dengue, chikungunya, Zika, and yellow fever. For patients with non-severe, suspected or confirmed arboviral disease: Use protocolised oral fluid treatment to prevent dehydration Use paracetamol or metamizole for treating pain or fever Avoid non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), irrespective of severity Avoid corticosteroids in non-severe cases Use crystalloid fluids (not colloids) for intravenous hydration Monitor capillary refill time and lactate levels to guide fluid management Use passive leg raise test in patients with shock to assess fluid responsiveness Avoid corticosteroids and immunoglobulin therapies in severe cases Avoid platelet transfusion in patients with low platelet counts unless active bleeding is present Use intravenous N-acetylcysteine in cases of liver failure caused by yellow fever Use experimental therapies like monoclonal immunoglobulin TY014 and sofosbuvir for yellow fever only in research settings The WHO noted that the recommendations are based on the latest available evidence and will be updated as new data emerges. These guidelines are seen as a critical step in harmonising care and improving outcomes in regions where arboviral diseases are endemic or emerging.
India.com
9 hours ago
- India.com
Bad news for ex Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina as her daughter Saima Wazed put on..., Yunus government accuses her of...
New Delhi: Saima Wazed, daughter of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Haisna and the Regional Director for WHO South East Asia, has been sent on indefinite leave by the World Health Organisation (WHO). According to the reports, the move comes amid Bangladesh's interim government's claim that she was involved in corruption during Hasina's regime. Health Policy Watch reported that WHO Director General Tedros Ghebreyesus has circulated an email informing the staff that Wazed would be on leave from July 11. His email further said that Dr Catharina Boehme, WHO's assistant director-general, would replace Wazed in the UN health agency's South-East Asia Regional Office (SEARO). Saima Wazed: All You Need To Know Saima Wazed is the daughter of Bangladesh's former prime minister Sheikh Hasina. She was born 9 December 1972 She served as the South East Asian regional director for the World Health Organization from November 1, 2023 to July 11, 2025. Saima Wazed graduated from Barry University. She is a licensed school psychologist. Wazed organized the first South Asian conference on Autism in 2011 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. She is the chairperson of National Advisory Committee on Autism and Neurodevelopmental disorders. She campaigned for 'Comprehensive and Coordinated Efforts for the Management of Autism Spectrum Disorders' resolution at the World Health Assembly which adopted the resolution, Autism Speaks praised her for spearheading 'a truly global push for support for this resolution'. She had been drafted as a global autism advocate of World Health Organization's (WHO) 25-member Expert Advisory Panel on mental health for 4 years in 2014. In November, 2016, Wazed had been elected as chairperson of International Jury Board meeting of UNESCO for Digital Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities. In April 2017, Wazed was designated as WHO Champion for Autism' in South-East Asia. In July, 2017 she became the WHO's goodwill ambassador for autism in the South-East Asia Region. Since 2022, Wazed has been a member of the Commission for Universal Health convened by Chatham House and co-chaired by Helen Clark and Jakaya Kikwete. Charges Against Wazed Bangladesh Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) lodged cases against Wazed in connection with her academic qualification while seeking the high-profile job earlier this year. According to ACC's charges, Wazed used her mother's influence to achieve the position of the regional chief of the WHO. As per the report, she falsely stated she held an honorary position at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, a claim the university has refuted. Wazed is also accused of being involved in extensive corruption during her mother's tenure as Bangladesh's leader. According to the ACC, she used her influence and connections to unlawfully obtain approximately $2.8 million from multiple banks, channeling the money through the Shuchona Foundation, an organization she formerly led.
