• A case-control study conducted across 26 hospitals in the United States sheds light on the effectiveness of the maternal COVID-19 vaccine in protecting infants<6 months from hospitalization.

• Maternal vaccination status was determined in women who had received at least two doses of the mRNA vaccine, at least one of which happened during pregnancy, or one dose of the viral vector vaccine followed by at least one dose of the mRNA vaccine during pregnancy.

• 377 cases and 339 controls were selected. 

• Vaccine effectiveness (VE) was determined as (1 – adjusted odds ratio) x 100%.

• The VE was: 

1. 35%(15%–51%) among infants aged six months

2. 54%(32%–68%)  among infants aged three months 

• Maternal vaccination significantly reduced the odds of COVID-19-related hospitalization among infants <6 months.

Click here to read more. 

Content Editor: Dr Urmimala Maiti

Centre for Disease Control and Prevention

• One of the key UN Sustainable Development Goals is universal access to essential medicines (UN's SDG 3).

• However, the progress towards universal access to essential medicines is lagging in 2023.  

• The World Health Organization's 2025 target of "an additional billion people accessing medicines without financial hardship" is less than halfway achieved.  

• The 2023 UN General Assembly (UNGA 78) is expected to bring outcomes that may significantly impact this issue. 

• This assembly will provide a pivotal opportunity for change, including:

1. Demanding new policies

2. Increasing investments

3. Global partnerships 

• The UNGA 78 includes the SDG Summit and the U.N. high-level meetings, which were held in the month of September 2023. 

• The focus was on:

1. Meaningful private sector involvement 

2. Concrete action to bridge gaps in access 

3. Aid in achieving global health objectives

• A remarkable example was Viatris, a global medicines supplier, which reached a billion patients in 2022, emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts.

Content Editor: Dr. Sangya Chaudhary

United Nations News Section

• One of the final decisions of the G20 over climate change was to triple the 2030 renewable energy target.

• The joint statement highlighted that $5.8-5.9T is needed for 2030 climate goals in low and middle-income countries.

• Although India champions a green agenda, no clear fossil fuel phase-out plan exists.

• Also, there has been an expression of reluctance against phasing out fossil fuels.

• Despite the country's increase in renewable energy capacity, coal fuels 70% of Indian electricity.

• G20 countries contribute 85% of global GDP and 80% of emissions.

• Also, India and China blocked a call during the COP 26 summit in Glasgow in 2021 to include phasing out coal use in the final declaration.

• However, transitioning to renewable energy is beneficial for the health of the individuals. 

Content Editor: Dr. Purnoor Kaur

International Health News

• The Defeating Antibiotic Resistance through Transformative Solutions (DARTS) project received a $104 million grant from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

• The project is being conducted to combat drug-resistant bacteria through the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H). 

• It is being led by Harvard Medical School.

• The project targets compact diagnostic tools for challenging bacterial strains and screening for new antibiotics.

• It aims to develop diagnostic platforms that will enable:

1. Rapid detection of antibiotic-resistant bacteria 

2. Real-time identification of effective antibiotics  

3. Insights into resistance mechanisms.

• Furthermore, ARPA-H aims for user-friendly platforms to enhance antibiotic stewardship in healthcare. 

Content Editor: Dr. Purnoor Kaur

Centre for Infectious Disease Research and Policy

• The increase in cholera activity can be linked to an increase in extreme weather events connected to:

1. Climate change

2. Conflict

3. Population displacement

4. Weakening healthcare systems

• The rising demand for cholera materials has posed a hurdle to worldwide disease control efforts.

• Since October 2022, the International Coordinating Group (ICG), the organization supplying emergency vaccines, has halted the normal two-dose vaccination schedule in cholera epidemic response campaigns in favor of a single-dose approach.

• WHO is assisting nations in responding to cholera outbreaks on an emergency basis.

• WHO has requested US$160.4 million for cholera response under the global strategic preparedness, readiness, and response plan.

• The WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies has also released US$ 16.6 million for cholera response in 2022 and 2023.

• Long-term development, including water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH), is the long-term solution for preventing cholera, as stated by the World Health Organization.

Content Editor: Anubhav Mondal

WHO news section