The number of lives lost due to viral hepatitis infections is increasing and already accounts for 3,500 deaths daily, according to this report by the World Health Organization (WHO). This is the first consolidated WHO report on viral hepatitis epidemiology, service coverage and product access, with improved data for action. …
In what could prove to be a setback to the pulse polio campaign in this district, an infant died after he was administered polio drops at Kulan today. However, the health authorities, while admitting that polio drops were administered to the victim, have maintained that the child died due to …
Although vaccination has almost eliminated measles in parts of the world, the disease remains a major killer in some high birth rate countries of the Sahel. On the basis of measles dynamics for industrialized countries, high birth rate regions should experience regular annual epidemics. Here, however, we show that measles …
india's National Polio Surveillance Programme reported 471 polio cases until December 14, 2007. Although this is lower than the 676 cases reported in 2006, there is reason for concern. There has been a sharp rise in the number of polio cases caused by a particular virus strain
The final report of the third National Family Health Survey (nfhs-3) is out, but doubts remain whether it will be used to improve national health policies. Although 100-odd research papers have been written using data from the previous two national family health surveys
the Union ministry of health and family welfare has given the go-ahead for including an expensive vaccine into the country's immunisation programme despite the absence of scientific data. A meeting of the national technical advisory group on immunization (ntagi) held in July 16, 2007, decided that Haemophilus influenzae b (hib) …
the polio vaccine administered at present may be unsafe. There is a controversy brewing over its potency. Experts in India say that the monovalent oral vaccine (mopv1) is being used without assessing its safety. It was introduced in the country in 2005 after it was given a fast track licence …
Jacob Puliyel and colleagues highlight the importance of ensuring appropriate ethical standards are adhered to in the course of scientific studies. In our study of the fi eld effi cacy of monovalent oral type 1 poliovirus vaccine (mOPV1), we analysed existing surveillance data from acute flaccid paralysis (AFP) cases collected …
We are shocked and dismayed that The Lancet should have published the paper on the protective efficacy of monovalent oral type 1 poliovirus vaccine by Nicholas Grassly and colleagues (April 21, p 1356),1 having overlooked the serious ethical issues. (Correspondence) involved.
AT the time of independence, India faced the twin problems of acute and chronic undernutrition of its children. This was essentially a result of low dietary intake because of poverty and low purchasing power, high prevalence of infection because of poor access to safe drinking water, sanitation and health care …
As the Rift Valley fever grips Kenya, at least 75 people have died and another 183 infected since the disease was first reported in November 2006. More than 500 livestock have so far died from the disease and the outbreak has forced the closure of livestock markets in the North …
Children in western Uttar Pradesh (UP) will now be vaccinated every month against polio. This was recommended by the India Expert Advisory Group (IEAG), at a meeting held between December 11-12, 2006, to stem the rise of polio cases. IEAG emphasises that the programme is not a failure. They attribute …
This report examines the progress that has been made to improving America’s ability to respond to health threats and help identify ongoing areas of vulnerability.
function map() { var popurl="image/20061231/25-map.jpg" winpops=window.open(popurl,"","width=550,height=600,scrollbars=yes") } Cripple effect Moradabad district in western Uttar Pradesh (up) holds a dubious distinction: this year it has registered the highest number of polio cases of any district in the country. When this magazine went to press, officials there were gearing up for a …
gpei began in 1988. The polio eradication programme involved administering multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine to all children in affected areas. The doses were administered in pulses: all children below the age of three in an area were inoculated simultaneously. us $5 billion have been spent under the …
IF only paucity of funds was the only problem. But it is not. Amar Singh, Moradabad’s immunisation officer, has a simple explanation for the recent spurt: “This is the epidemic year.” He might be right; the disease has been seen to follow a cyclic pattern. Every fourth year sees a …
INITIALLY, it was said polio was not getting eradicated due to Muslims resisting vaccination. Nobody buys this anymore: of 474 cases in up this year, 190 are Hindus. Regardless of religion, a majority of the victims are poor. "Many do not vaccinate because of deep frustration with the programme, and …
CONTROVERSIES dog the viability of ‘eradication’, the nature of the vaccine, and the ways to implement the programme. But India is moving on with the oral polio vaccination (opv). gpei experts maintain that if the virus could be rooted out in Congo (with routine immunisation at 0 per cent), in …
Following the diagnosis of four cases of yellow fever in Ivory Coast, who has called for an immediate vaccination programme in the country. According to who, about 20 per cent of the population is likely to get the disease, with half of them dying, if there is a yellow fever …
