Reading Time: 6 mins In recent years, there is a significant increase in the measles cases at the global level. This is mainly attributed to the increase in the vaccine hesitancy. This led to the World Health Organisation to declare “vaccine hesitancy” as one of the 10 deadly threats to global health in 2019. Yet, it still remains a threat to the international community given the increasing misinformation in the current Information Age.
Reading Time: 8 mins This year, an individual (London Patient) was treated in London and was completely cured of HIV. CCR5-delta 32 technique, based on stem cell transplant involving the use of CCR5-delta 32 homozygous donor cells, was used to cure him. This is significant progress as only two individuals have currently been cured of HIV…
Reading Time: 6 mins Despite the emergence of newer killer pathogens like Ebola, M. tuberculosis still remains the top pathogenic killer. In spite of being discovered as early as the 1880s, the pathogen continues to affect millions of people – even more than malaria. Recently, WHO highlighted India’s position as the country with the highest-burden of this preventable and curable disease.
Reading Time: 6 mins
The Prime Minister had inaugurated the national Animal Disease Control Program at Uttar Pradesh’s Mathura. It aims to eradicate 2 major diseases affecting the Indian livestock- Foot and Mouth Disease/ FMD and the Brucellosis. Both these diseases are of major concern, especially to the dairy industry.
Reading Time: 6 mins The member nations of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia have postponed the deadline for achieving the eradication of measles and rubella. India accounts for 36% of the global measles cases. The major campaign undertaken by the Indian government is currently facing challenges due to the reluctance of the public and also because of its vast coverage. The deadline has been postponed mainly due to these hindrances. The government needs to address these issues to make India free from the two major childhood killers – measles and rubella
Reading Time: 6 mins
As per the records, the world’s one-third of the rabies deaths are from India. According to the Health Ministry, India is the hotbed for human rabies. India is currently facing a shortage of ant-rabies vaccines in certain part of the country. The National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority has asked the manufacturers and marketers to rush stocks to the areas that are suffering from a severe shortage of anti-rabies vaccines. In India, approximately 20,000 deaths are caused due to vaccine-preventable fatality each year. Therefore, rapid response to this issue is a need of the hour.
Reading Time: 5 mins The Zika virus has hit Jaipur, Rajasthan and it has the risk of spreading to other areas as well. With the number of cases rising steadily, the central government has sent an Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) Team to Rajasthan to intensify vector control measures. Notably, a broad range of initiatives are being taken by authorities to control Zika, however, they are being viewed as a delayed response to an epidemic.
Reading Time: 6 mins A recent investigation revealed that the world’s largest veterinary drug-maker, Zoetis, was selling antibiotics as growth promoters to poultry farmers in India. Zoetis halted such practice in the US since the US prohibited the use of antibiotics as growth-promoters in early 2017…
