Green cover: A dust mitigation strategy. Green cover: A dust mitigation strategy. Content Editor: Dr. Aishwarya April 22, 2024 Social Trends Environmental Health, Dust Mitigation, One Health. MCD recommends planting of trees in schools, open areas and on the roadside this year. The horticulture department has released notices for the zonal offices to detail on their specific measures to implement the task. MCD also aims to carpet or repair 50km of internal roads by Oct as part of dust mitigation measures. Work is being implemented under non-plan head, funds received from MLAs or M ukhyamantri S adak P unarniraman Y ojna, said by officials. Water sprinklers, jet machines and anti-smog guns are being sprayed to mitigate dust pollution.

OptiBP- Smartphone App for Blood Pressure estimation OptiBP- Smartphone App for Blood Pressure estimation Content Editor: Dr. Ranjitha R May 9, 2023 WHO - News Section Digital Health, Research finding, WHO A multi-country study assessing the accuracy of an app, OptiBP, which estimates blood pressure through the camera of a smartphone by reading optical pulse waves was rolled out. It was identified by WHO as innovative health technology for low-resource settings , that will be incorporated into the health system during routine antenatal care. It will be one of the digital health interventions for health system strengthening but needs evaluation and evidence for its appropriate integration. The study will evaluate these tools effectiveness and accuracy in as many contexts as possible in future.

CDC approves Flumist vaccine for self administration Content Editor: Dr. Tanya October 2, 2024 at 2:31:14 PM CDC, Influenza, Vaccines Flumist, a live attenuated vaccine , has been approved for self administration for adults aged 18 years and above or for administration by a caregiver for those aged 2-17 years This shall increase both convenience and accessibility, thereby favoring vaccine acceptance.. The vaccine can be procured online through the Flumist Online program. Adults aged 18 years and above have to complete an online questionnaire which is then reviewed by the pharmacist before shipment of the vaccine. Click here to read more Previous Next

WHO’s recent guidelines on the prevention and management of acute malnutrition: A critical analysis WHO’s recent guidelines on the prevention and management of acute malnutrition: A critical analysis Content Editor: Dr. Tanya July 3, 2024 The Lancet Severe Acute Malnutrition, Ready To Use Therapeutic Food, RUTF, SAM A study by Sachdev et al, focuses on critically analyzing the latest guidelines by WHO on the prevention and management of wasting and nutritional edema (acute malnutrition) in infants and children under 5 years. The following are the recommendations according to the guidelines: Post stabilization of SAM children when they are being shifted into the rehabilitation phase, a transition from F-75 to ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) over 2–3 days, is recommended with the proposed energy intake of 100–135 kcal/kg/day. 150–220 kcal/ kg/day of RUTF until anthropometric recovery and resolution of nutritional edema for infants and children with severe wasting or nutritional edema. Health gaps highlighted in the study are: Absence of proper guidelines regarding the transition from product-based RUTF to home diets. Lack of recommendation on timing and type of diet that should be started and their management over time. No clarity regarding the outer limit of providing RUTF In case the child does not achieve the minimum anthropometric measures during recovery. There is a lack of focus on home-based diets. Addressing these gaps is important as they can inadvertently lead to adverse consequences of overfeeding. Click here to read more.

NIMHANS bags the Nelson Mandela Award for 2024 Content Editor: Dr. Swathi Shenoy June 8, 2024 at 12:30:00 PM Health Promotion, Awards, Mental health The WHO has awarded NIMHANS with the prestigious Nelson Mandela Award for 2024. The Nelson Mandela Award, established in 2019, is awarded to individuals or institutes that have made exceptional health promotion contributions. Dr. Pratima Murthy, the director of NIMHANS, has expressed that this prestigious recognition will serve as a catalyst, further strengthening their unwavering commitment to health promotion. NIMHANS, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary of formation, has been a center of innovation, education, mental health and neuroscience patient care. One of the striding initiatives included the Telemanas, which has handled 10 lakh calls since October 2022. Click here to read more. Previous Next

Cases of Nipah on the rise in Bangladesh Cases of Nipah on the rise in Bangladesh Content Editor: Dr. KH Reddy March 6, 2024 WHO News Section Outbreak, Nipah virus, Bangladesh, Zoonotic disease In Bangladesh, outbreaks of the Nipah virus (NiV) are seasonal. Cases often take place between December and April, coinciding with the collection and ingestion of date palm sap , which is known to be associated with disease incidence. Two epidemiologically discrete cases of Nipah were reported by the Bangladesh national focal point for International Health Regulations on January 30 and February 7, 2024. The first case was a 38-year-old man, admitted on Jan 11, confirmed as NiV on Jan 21, and passed away on Jan 28. Both of these cases gave a positive history of consumption of raw date palm sap. All 158 (91+67) close and community contacts in both cases tested negative for NiV. In response, WHO has called for measures to prevent bats’ access to date palm sap . It also released advisories reiterating that date palm juice should be boiled before consumption and fruits with bat bites should always be discarded. WHO assessed regional level risk (India, Myanmar) to be moderate but the global risk of NiV to be low.

Challenges and innovations in India's vector-borne disease control: A comprehensive review Challenges and innovations in India's vector-borne disease control: A comprehensive review Content Editor: Dr. Sumana July 8, 2024 British Medical Journal Vector control, Infectious diseases, Research findings A review article published in BMJ highlights several challenges in India's vector-borne disease (VBD) control program , including insecticide resistance and changes in vector behaviour like outdoor biting. Insecticide resistance compromises current control measures, while altered biting and resting patterns reduce the effectiveness of traditional methods. Climate change also affects vector distribution and disease transmission. Current strategies in India use biological control agents, chemical insecticides, and environmental management to combat VBDs , but they face issues like resistance, limited resources, and behavioural changes in vectors. Similar challenges are seen globally, emphasising the need for innovative tools and international collaboration. Potential novel tools mentioned include: Insecticide-treated nets with synergists, Neonicotinoids for indoor spraying, New larvicide formulations like Bacillus sphaericus, Attractive toxic sugar baits, and Endectocides like ivermectin. Other promising approaches are insecticidal paints, spatial repellents, insecticide-treated wearables, and genetic modification technologies such as Sterile Insect Technique and Wolbachia transfection. These innovations aim to enhance vector control and address the emerging challenges effectively and enhance the effectiveness of global VBD control efforts. Click here to read more

Updates in polio Content Editor: Dr. Chinmay Kelkar March 30, 2024 at 3:00:00 PM Polio eradication, International health news, WHO The polio advocate, Paul Alexander, who contracted polio at age 6 and spent over 70 years in an iron lung, has passed away. Alexander became a lawyer, author, and tireless advocate for ending polio through vaccination efforts worldwide. Also, o n International Women's Day, the global polio eradication program recognized the crucial contributions of female health workers, leaders, and partners to progress against the disease. Their advocacy, vaccination work, and collaboration have been instrumental to their success. Though polio vaccination campaigns continue globally, several countries have reported new cases of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2), which can emerge in under-immunized communities: Angola: 1 cVDPV2 sample Côte d'Ivoire: 4 cVDPV2 samples Mali: 1 cVDPV2 case Nigeria: 1 cVDPV2 case Sierra Leone: 1 cVDPV2 sample Yemen: 3 cVDPV2 cases In response to the detection of cVDPV2 in wastewater samples from September 2023 to January 2024, Sudan's health ministry will launch a polio immunization campaign in April 2024. Previous Next

Reduction in stunting in India- Joint Malnutrition Estimates Content Editor: Anubhav Mondal Child nutrition, stunting, obesity, wasting The prevalence of stunting among children under 5 years in India has come down from 41.6 % in 2012 to 31.7% in 2022; absolute numbers dropped from 52 lakh to 36 lakhs. Globally, the prevalence of stunting has dropped from 26.3% in 2012 to 22.3% in 2022. The prevalence of wasting in India has also registered a decline to 18.7% in 2022, while obesity prevalence has marginally increased from 2.2% in 2012 to 2.8% in 2022. The global prevalence of obesity is rising amongst those under 5. 5.6% has been reported to be obese in 2022 compared to 5.5% in 2012. Joint Malnutrition Estimates released by UNICEF, WHO, and World Bank, say that most countries are not on track to achieve World Health Assembly global nutrition targets and 2030 Sustainable Development Goals 2 target. This report comes in accordance to the NFHS-5 survey, where the prevalence of stunting was 35.5% in 2019-2020 Only one-third of the countries are on track to halve the number of children affected by stunting by 2030. Previous Next

Assessing TAK-003: A new frontier in Dengue prevention Assessing TAK-003: A new frontier in Dengue prevention Content Editor: Dr. Gurumurthy May 15, 2024 WHO News Section Vaccine, Infective disease, Dengue Dengue, a significant global health issue, has led to the development of TAK-003 (Qdenga) by Takeda Pharmaceuticals. This live attenuated tetravalent vaccine, utilizing a chimeric approach with serotype 2 as the backbone and elements from serotypes 1, 3, and 4, is designed to combat all four dengue virus strains. It will be available as either a reconstituted solution or a single-use vial or syringe. TAK-003 is administered in two 0.5 ml subcutaneous doses three months apart and is licensed for individuals aged 4 and older. Tested in the TIDES clinical trial across Asia and Latin America, the vaccine demonstrated 80.2% efficacy against dengue and 90% against hospitalization during the first 11 months post-vaccination. However, its efficacy against DENV-3 and DENV-4 was lower in those not previously exposed to the virus, leading to its recommendation in regions with high dengue transmission. TAK-003 is well-tolerated, with adverse effects comparable to placebo, and is contraindicated in pregnant or lactating women, the immunocompromised, and those allergic to its components. Endorsed for use in endemic regions by WHO for children aged 6-16 , it is also advised for travelers previously infected with dengue and individuals with specific comorbid conditions. Despite some efficacy challenges over time, TAK-003 remains a critical tool in reducing the global burden of dengue. Click here to read more.