Latest news with #Rubella
Irish Independent
5 days ago
- Health
- Irish Independent
Disability advocate Ann Kennedy defies illness to stage first art exhibit in 17 years
Ann Kennedy, who was born in 1952, has fond memories from when she last exhibited in Bray, in 2008, when she recalled eating pizza on Albert Walk, with friends and family, before returning home only to lapse into a terribly difficult period. As she said herself: 'I ceased all creative work for 10 full years'. That creative slump was brought on by her illness, which she so candidly described in her memoir, Unprotected, which details the difficulties she has faced in life due to being born with Rubella. Congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) is an illness in infants that results from maternal infection with rubella virus during pregnancy. A child can be born with severe hearing loss and/or visual impairment, congenital cataracts, heart defects, and gradually develop a myriad of other significant challenges. Ann shares this same birth experience with her twin sister, Margaret. In 2017, she told the Irish Independent: 'I woke at seven this morning, and I was crying. I'm depressed and feel utterly hopeless. That often happens. Sometimes we think of ending it all; we are so terribly weary of fighting.' Those heartbreaking words were written when she and her sister, both then 64, admitted they were struggling to get the professional help and support they needed. As children growing up in Killiney, they had to battle with a hearing impairment, and by their early 20s, had followed their own paths. Ann was doing animation in London, collaborating on projects such as the Watership Down movie and promotions for Pink Floyd, while Margaret trained as a nurse at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Ann returned to Ireland and became an accomplished artist and award-winning writer and illustrator of children's books but when the sisters were in their 40s, they encountered health issues that had a serious impact on their ability to function. Over the next few years, they were both tested and it was discovered that some of their health problems included Parkinson's disease and muscle myopathy (muscle wasting disease), which requires them to use wheelchairs most of the time. They moved to Greystones but left in 2015, after what Ann described as 'dreadful years' in an open letter, which ended with the parting words: 'I never wish to see the place again and hope I can erase the memory from my mind swiftly once I do leave.' Thankfully, her memories of Bray are more florid as she makes a welcome return with her new exhibition, 'All in the Brain'. The exhibition of works slowly began to take form years after that visit in 2008 and the ensuing slump, when 'one day,' she said, 'being brave, I visited an art shop'. ADVERTISEMENT Learn more "I began again,' she said of the new exhibition. 'It was now all in the brain and the brain would have to perform in some fashion. I knew this was going to be different and punctuated with hesitancy, despondency and confusion. Grave self-doubt enveloped me. I worked from a perspective of loss. What I produced were experimentations, learning to capture my inadequacy and hopefully some adequacy. I gave myself permission to fail in the hope I could achieve.' While she admits she 'caved many times and withered', her strength and perseverance has brought the new body of work which will be on display at the gallery until Sunday, August 3. 'I propose to show a body of creative painting that defy my personal reason. I propose to offer hope to the community of sick, older people and those with disability that if you want to paint, then paint. The work will be eclectic as personal strength is returning and styles keep changing. I begin making decisions again, abandon some and accept others. It's all in the learning,' she said. 'A decade of inaction through ill health and mystery requires opening my personal Pandora's Box. Gold may not be in fact gold, but nothing can change a person who creates through love and abandon. That is my gold, silver and bronze. Even if not in equal proportions.' The opening reception for All in the Brain is on Sunday, July 27, from 3-5pm.
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
India sends 300,000 Measles and Rubella vaccine doses to Bolivia amid outbreak
New Delhi: India on Thursday dispatched a consignment of 300,000 doses of Measles and Rubella vaccines, along with medical supplies, to Bolivia to help the country deal with a growing outbreak of the disease. "India dispatched a consignment of 300,000 doses of Measles & Rubella vaccines along with ancillary supplies to support Bolivia in managing the outbreak of the disease. India stands by its friends in the Global South," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X. The shipment arrives at a crucial time as Bolivia has declared a National Health Emergency due to a resurgence of measles cases in several areas. So far, 60 confirmed cases have been reported, according to Xinhua. "After urgently convening the National Strategic Council for Health Emergencies, in response to the measles epidemic that the country is experiencing and the high risk of the disease spreading, we have decided to declare a National Health Emergency with the firm intention of protecting the health and lives of the Bolivian people," Bolivian President Luis Arce Catacora announced on social media, as quoted by Xinhua. The emergency move aims to stop the virus from spreading through mass vaccination efforts and a coordinated response involving local governments, regional bodies, and international organisations. According to Catacora, this step will improve the country's response capacity, activate emergency protocols, and ensure that vaccines are available, especially for children under five. He urged the public to cooperate with health authorities and ensure full immunisation. "Our duty is clear: to protect our children and the entire population from a threat that has already raised health alerts across the continent," he said. Bolivia's Health Minister Maria Renee Castro also expressed concern, stressing the severity of the situation and the risks faced by vulnerable groups. "It is essential that parents get their children vaccinated. The country has 500,000 doses, specifically for girls and boys," Castro said, according to Xinhua. She added that measles is a highly contagious viral illness that can cause serious complications, including pneumonia, encephalitis, or even death, particularly among children with malnutrition or weak immune systems. According to Xinhua, the recent rise in measles cases in Bolivia has been linked to falling vaccination rates, disruptions in healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic, misinformation, and lack of continuity in prevention programmes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Bolivian President Luis Arce Catacora on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, where the two leaders reviewed the progress of bilateral cooperation and explored new areas of partnership, especially in the field of critical minerals. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, "The two leaders reviewed bilateral cooperation and expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved." They also discussed collaboration in trade and commerce, Digital Public Infrastructure and UPI, health and pharmaceuticals, traditional medicine, small and medium industries, training, and capacity building. "Both leaders recognized the potential for enhanced collaboration in the critical minerals sector and developing sustainable and mutually beneficial partnerships in the field," the statement said. The MEA noted that both sides "expressed satisfaction over the ongoing development cooperation between the two countries, including through Quick Impact Projects and capacity-building initiatives under the ITEC scholarship programmes." Prime Minister Modi also conveyed India's support for the people of Bolivia following the deadly floods that affected La Paz and other regions earlier this year. "Prime Minister expressed solidarity with the people of Bolivia in the wake of the severe flooding that occurred in March-April 2025 in Laz Paz and several other parts of the country," the MEA said. He further congratulated Bolivia on joining the International Solar Alliance and extended greetings on the upcoming national milestone. "Prime Minister conveyed his warm greetings to the people and Government of Bolivia on the occasion of the country's bicentennial celebration, marking 200 years of independence on 6th August 2025," the statement added. (ANI)
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Business Standard
17-07-2025
- Health
- Business Standard
Govt sends 300K Measles, Rubella vaccine doses to Bolivia amid outbreak
India on Thursday dispatched a consignment of 300,000 doses of Measles and Rubella vaccines, along with medical supplies, to Bolivia to help the country deal with a growing outbreak of the disease. "India dispatched a consignment of 300,000 doses of Measles & Rubella vaccines along with ancillary supplies to support Bolivia in managing the outbreak of the disease. India stands by its friends in the Global South," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X. The shipment arrives at a crucial time as Bolivia has declared a National Health Emergency due to a resurgence of measles cases in several areas. So far, 60 confirmed cases have been reported, according to Xinhua. "After urgently convening the National Strategic Council for Health Emergencies, in response to the measles epidemic that the country is experiencing and the high risk of the disease spreading, we have decided to declare a National Health Emergency with the firm intention of protecting the health and lives of the Bolivian people," Bolivian President Luis Arce Catacora announced on social media, as quoted by Xinhua. The emergency move aims to stop the virus from spreading through mass vaccination efforts and a coordinated response involving local governments, regional bodies, and international organisations. According to Catacora, this step will improve the country's response capacity, activate emergency protocols, and ensure that vaccines are available, especially for children under five. He urged the public to cooperate with health authorities and ensure full immunisation. "Our duty is clear: to protect our children and the entire population from a threat that has already raised health alerts across the continent," he said. Bolivia's Health Minister Maria Renee Castro also expressed concern, stressing the severity of the situation and the risks faced by vulnerable groups. "It is essential that parents get their children vaccinated. The country has 500,000 doses, specifically for girls and boys," Castro said, according to Xinhua. She added that measles is a highly contagious viral illness that can cause serious complications, including pneumonia, encephalitis, or even death, particularly among children with malnutrition or weak immune systems. According to Xinhua, the recent rise in measles cases in Bolivia has been linked to falling vaccination rates, disruptions in healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic, misinformation, and lack of continuity in prevention programmes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Bolivian President Luis Arce Catacora on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, where the two leaders reviewed the progress of bilateral cooperation and explored new areas of partnership, especially in the field of critical minerals. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, "The two leaders reviewed bilateral cooperation and expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved." They also discussed collaboration in trade and commerce, Digital Public Infrastructure and UPI, health and pharmaceuticals, traditional medicine, small and medium industries, training, and capacity building. "Both leaders recognized the potential for enhanced collaboration in the critical minerals sector and developing sustainable and mutually beneficial partnerships in the field," the statement said. The MEA noted that both sides "expressed satisfaction over the ongoing development cooperation between the two countries, including through Quick Impact Projects and capacity-building initiatives under the ITEC scholarship programmes." Prime Minister Modi also conveyed India's support for the people of Bolivia following the deadly floods that affected La Paz and other regions earlier this year. "Prime Minister expressed solidarity with the people of Bolivia in the wake of the severe flooding that occurred in March-April 2025 in Laz Paz and several other parts of the country," the MEA said. He further congratulated Bolivia on joining the International Solar Alliance and extended greetings on the upcoming national milestone. "Prime Minister conveyed his warm greetings to the people and Government of Bolivia on the occasion of the country's bicentennial celebration, marking 200 years of independence on 6th August 2025," the statement added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Times of Oman
17-07-2025
- Health
- Times of Oman
India sends 300,000 Measles and Rubella vaccine doses to Bolivia amid outbreak
New Delhi: India on Thursday dispatched a consignment of 300,000 doses of Measles and Rubella vaccines, along with medical supplies, to Bolivia to help the country deal with a growing outbreak of the disease. "India dispatched a consignment of 300,000 doses of Measles & Rubella vaccines along with ancillary supplies to support Bolivia in managing the outbreak of the disease. India stands by its friends in the Global South," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X. The shipment arrives at a crucial time as Bolivia has declared a National Health Emergency due to a resurgence of measles cases in several areas. So far, 60 confirmed cases have been reported, according to Xinhua. "After urgently convening the National Strategic Council for Health Emergencies, in response to the measles epidemic that the country is experiencing and the high risk of the disease spreading, we have decided to declare a National Health Emergency with the firm intention of protecting the health and lives of the Bolivian people," Bolivian President Luis Arce Catacora announced on social media, as quoted by Xinhua. The emergency move aims to stop the virus from spreading through mass vaccination efforts and a coordinated response involving local governments, regional bodies, and international organisations. According to Catacora, this step will improve the country's response capacity, activate emergency protocols, and ensure that vaccines are available, especially for children under five. He urged the public to cooperate with health authorities and ensure full immunisation. "Our duty is clear: to protect our children and the entire population from a threat that has already raised health alerts across the continent," he said. Bolivia's Health Minister Maria Renee Castro also expressed concern, stressing the severity of the situation and the risks faced by vulnerable groups. "It is essential that parents get their children vaccinated. The country has 500,000 doses, specifically for girls and boys," Castro said, according to Xinhua. She added that measles is a highly contagious viral illness that can cause serious complications, including pneumonia, encephalitis, or even death, particularly among children with malnutrition or weak immune systems. According to Xinhua, the recent rise in measles cases in Bolivia has been linked to falling vaccination rates, disruptions in healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic, misinformation, and lack of continuity in prevention programmes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Bolivian President Luis Arce Catacora on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, where the two leaders reviewed the progress of bilateral cooperation and explored new areas of partnership, especially in the field of critical minerals. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, "The two leaders reviewed bilateral cooperation and expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved." They also discussed collaboration in trade and commerce, Digital Public Infrastructure and UPI, health and pharmaceuticals, traditional medicine, small and medium industries, training, and capacity building. "Both leaders recognized the potential for enhanced collaboration in the critical minerals sector and developing sustainable and mutually beneficial partnerships in the field," the statement said. The MEA noted that both sides "expressed satisfaction over the ongoing development cooperation between the two countries, including through Quick Impact Projects and capacity-building initiatives under the ITEC scholarship programmes." Prime Minister Modi also conveyed India's support for the people of Bolivia following the deadly floods that affected La Paz and other regions earlier this year. "Prime Minister expressed solidarity with the people of Bolivia in the wake of the severe flooding that occurred in March-April 2025 in Laz Paz and several other parts of the country," the MEA said. He further congratulated Bolivia on joining the International Solar Alliance and extended greetings on the upcoming national milestone. "Prime Minister conveyed his warm greetings to the people and Government of Bolivia on the occasion of the country's bicentennial celebration, marking 200 years of independence on 6th August 2025," the statement added.
Axios
30-06-2025
- Health
- Axios
New docs get schooled in old diseases as vax rates fall
Rush University Medical Center in Chicago is adding a new twist to its curriculum for medical students and residents, using AI tools and learning modules to teach how to more quickly identify measles rashes on different skin tones. Why it matters: It's another reminder that diseases once thought to have been eradicated are showing up with increased frequency in clinics and ERs, posing challenges for younger physicians and health workers who thought they were relegated to history. Lingering vaccine hesitancy and distrust of the medical establishment stoked by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are leading some health systems to add training on old scourges that were practically wiped out by immunization campaigns and increased surveillance. "You're taught these things in medical school, and you're taught from a very academic perspective with the sense of measles was eradicated in 2000," said Nicholas Cozzi, EMS medical director at Rush. "Now we're having a resurgence, the highest in 25 years, and you might have not reviewed that since the first year of medical school," he added. "It's a new paradigm and a new normal that we have to adapt to." The big picture: The focus is particularly acute on childhood illnesses such as measles, chicken pox, invasive strep pneumoniae and pertussis, experts told Axios. Polio and diphtheria, covered by the DTap vaccine, are also a concern. An unvaccinated 10-year-old boy died in Germany after contracting diphtheria, once the leading cause of premature death of children. Rubella — a less easily transmitted infection covered by the MMR vaccine — can also be a threat, because of the way it can infect a fetus during pregnancy, said Catherine Troisi, professor at UTHealth Houston School of Public Health and chair-elect of the International Network of Epidemiology in Policy. Vaccination rates for U.S. kindergartners were down slightly in 2023-24 for the DTap, polio, chickenpox and MMR shots, according to CDC data. Zoom in: Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, said rotavirus is another old disease that's being introduced to younger doctors. "That virus dominated my residency [in the 1970s]. We had 400 kids admitted every winter," Offit said. That was before a vaccine was licensed in 2006 and virtually eliminated 70,000 hospitalizations with severe diarrhea annually, he added. "Now it's the rare child who ever gets admitted. Most pediatric residents have never seen a case of rotavirus-induced dehydration in the hospital," he said. Between the lines: Incidents such as the measles outbreak in Texas and Kennedy's recent changes to federal vaccine policy are heightening vigilance and forcing updates to physician training. It will likely take time for medical schools and residency programs to formally change their training, Troisi pointed out. Medical professionals are being advised to stay current on public health advisories, ask patients about travel histories and be on guard for less likely conditions that may present as more common ailments. They may also have to brush up on best practices for spinal taps in infants and toddlers, an invasive diagnostic tool that is seldom used today but can quickly turn up telltale signs such as inflamed membranes, said Adrianna Cadilla, a pediatric infectious diseases specialist at Nemours Children's Health in Orlando. "When I trained, I would hear my attendings tell us about how often they had to do lumbar punctures because that was when Hemophilus influenza type B was running rampant," Cadilla said. "I only got to do probably one every ER shift, but that was a lot in comparison to now." The hospital is using simulations to get medical students and residents more experienced in doing spinal tap on infants and wriggling older children, she said. What to watch: New outbreaks could force more on-the-fly adjustments, especially in areas with low vaccination rates and the prospect of fewer recommended childhood immunizations.
