2564 research outputs found
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A Médecins Sans Frontières Ethics Framework for Humanitarian Innovation
No full textKiran Jobanputra and colleagues describe an ethics framework to support the ethics oversight of innovation projects in medical humanitarian contexts
Analysis of Diagnostic Findings From the European Mobile Laboratory in Guéckédou, Guinea, March 2014 Through March 2015
No full text A unit of the European Mobile Laboratory (EMLab) consortium was deployed to the Ebola virus disease (EVD) treatment unit in Guéckédou, Guinea, from March 2014 through March 2015
Ending the HIV/AIDS Epidemic in Low- and Middle-Income Countries by 2030: Is It Possible?
No full textThe international community has committed to ending the epidemics of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, and neglected tropical infections by 2030, and this bold stance deserves universal support. In this paper, we discuss whether this ambitious goal is achievable for HIV/AIDS and what is needed to further accelerate progress. The joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) 90-90-90 targets and the related strategy are built upon currently available health technologies that can diagnose HIV infection and suppress viral replication in all people with HIV. Nonetheless, there is much work to be done in ensuring equitable access to these HIV services for key populations and those who remain outside the rims of the traditional health services. Identifying a cure and a preventive vaccine would further help accelerate progress in ending the epidemic. Other disease control programmes could learn from the response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic
Case-Fatality Rates and Sequelae Resulting from Neisseria Meningitidis Serogroup C Epidemic, Niger, 2015
No full textWe describe clinical symptoms, case-fatality rates, and prevalence of sequelae during an outbreak of Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C infection in a rural district of Niger. During home visits, we established that household contacts of reported case-patients were at higher risk for developing meningitis than the general population
Optimal Health and Disease Management Using Spatial Uncertainty: A Geographic Characterization of Emergent Artemisinin-Resistant Plasmodium Falciparum Distributions in Southeast Asia
No full textArtemisinin-resistant Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites are now present across much of mainland Southeast Asia, where ongoing surveys are measuring and mapping their spatial distribution. These efforts require substantial resources. Here we propose a generic 'smart surveillance' methodology to identify optimal candidate sites for future sampling and thus map the distribution of artemisinin resistance most efficiently
An Optimised Age-Based Dosing Regimen for Single Low-Dose Primaquine For Blocking Malaria Transmission in Cambodia
No full textIn 2012, the World Health Organization recommended the addition of single low-dose primaquine (SLDPQ, 0.25 mg base/kg body weight) to artemisinin combination therapies to block the transmission of Plasmodium falciparum without testing for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency. The targeted group was non-pregnant patients aged ≥ 1 year (later changed to ≥ 6 months) with acute uncomplicated falciparum malaria, primarily in countries with artemisinin-resistant P. falciparum (ARPf). No dosing regimen was suggested, leaving malaria control programmes and clinicians in limbo. Therefore, we designed a user-friendly, age-based SLDPQ regimen for Cambodia, the country most affected by ARPf
Leprosy Trends at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Mumbai, India, From 2008 to 2015
No full textLeprosy remains an important cause of preventable disabilities. After the advent of multidrug therapy, new leprosy cases have come down dramatically. Despite this achievement, India, which contributes 60% of the global leprosy burden, faces some challenges to eliminate the disease, including active transmission in the community and delayed diagnosis of leprosy patients
Fighting Poor-Quality Medicines in Low- And Middle-Income Countries: The Importance of Advocacy and Pedagogy
No full textThe globalization of pharmaceutical production has not been accompanied by a strengthening and harmonization of the regulatory systems worldwide. Thus, the global market is characterized today by a situation of multiple standards, and patients in low- and middle-income countries are exposed to the risk of receiving poor-quality medicines. Among those who first raised the alarm on this problem, there were pioneering humanitarian groups, who were in a privileged position to witness the gap in quality of medicines between high-income countries and low- and middle-income countries. Despite an increasing awareness of the problem and the launch of some positive initiatives, the divide in pharmaceutical quality between the North and the South remains important, and insufficiently addressed. More advocacy is needed for universal access to quality-assured medicines. It should target all those who are strongly "involved" with medicines: regulators, international organizations, journalists, purchasers, prescribers, program managers, policy makers, public health actors and the patients. Advocacy should be based on evidence from research and monitoring programs, and technical concepts should be translated in lay language through communication tools that address all the stakeholders. The fight to ensure universal access to quality medicines needs the participation of all, and can only be successful if grounded in common understanding
Prediction of Cholera Dynamics in Haiti Following the Passage of Hurricane Matthew
No full textFollowing the landfall of Hurricane Matthew in Haiti on October 3, 2016, an increase of suspected cholera cases was reported in both the southern part of the island (with Grande-Anse and Le Sud departments reporting 1349 and 1533 cases respectively between 5 October and 6 November) and also in the capital, Port-au-Prince (438 cases reported over the same period). The hurricane caused the displacement of about 175,000 people, the vast majority of which remained in their department of origin; however, about 10% appear to have displaced to the capital Port-au-Prince. In this context, a mass OCV vaccination campaign was planned, starting on November 8 and targeting 816,999 individuals in Grande-Anse and Le Sud. The aim of this study is to provide additional information to health actors responding to the post-hurricane cholera outbreak in Haiti. To this end, we calibrated a mechanistic model of cholera transmission on currently available data for Haiti in order to forecast the spatio-temporal dynamics of the cholera epidemic at the departmental level from November 2016 to January 2017. Model outputs have been translated into operational recommendations, with a focus on the scheduled OCV campaign
High Seroconversion Rates in Trypanosoma Cruzi Chronic Infection Treated with Benznidazole in People Under 16 Years in Guatemala
No full textGeographical, epidemiological, and environmental differences associated with therapeutic response to Chagas etiological treatment have been previously discussed. This study describes high seroconversion rates 72 months after benznidazole treatment in patients under 16 years from a project implemented by Doctors without Borders in Guatemala