The World Health Organization (WHO) has updated its living guideline on COVID-19 therapeutics to include convalescent plasma. For non-severe COVID-19 patients, WHO recommends against its use, while it should only be used within clinical trials for severe and critical COVID-19 patients. Convalescent plasma is a transfusion of blood plasma from someone who has recovered from COVID-19. Current evidence shows that convalescent plasma does not improve survival or reduce the need for mechanical ventilation, while it has significant costs. An independent panel of experts,
Members of the pharmaceutical society of Nigeria at the 2021 Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria in Port Harcourt commended RxAll a health tech company for the introduction of RxScanner into the country’s market at the unveiling of the product during the PSN conference held in Port Harcourt recently. Commenting on the unveiling of the product after the presentation, Pharmacist Olusola Porter, UCH Ibadan said “this technology will positively impact the counterfeit drug market in Africa, especially Nigeria while Pharmacist Uchechukwu Eloere of
Only 27% of health workers in Africa have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, leaving the bulk of the workforce on the frontlines against the pandemic unprotected, a preliminary analysis by World Health Organization (WHO) shows. Analysis of data reported from 25 countries finds that since March 2021, 1.3 million health workers were fully vaccinated, with just six countries reaching more than 90%, while nine countries have fully vaccinated less than 40%. In sharp contrast, a recent WHO global study of 22
European Medicines Agency’s (EMA) human medicines committee has recommended granting an extension of indication for the COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty to include use in children aged 5 to 11. The vaccine, developed by BioNTech and Pfizer, is already approved for use in adults and children aged 12 and above. In children from 5 to 11 years of age, the dose of Comirnaty will be lower than that used in people aged 12 and above (10 µg compared with 30 µg).
Africa’s sharp increase in diabetes is clashing with the COVID-19 pandemic and poor access to vaccines. Africa’s death rates from COVID-19 infections are significantly higher in patients with diabetes, according to a preliminary analysis which the World Health Organization (WHO) presented today in advance of the World Diabetes Day on 14 November. “COVID-19 is delivering a clear message: fighting the diabetes epidemic in Africa is in many ways as critical as the battle against the current pandemic,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti,
Leading fruit juice brand, Chivita has held its 3rd Annual Chivita World Juice Day. This year’s edition of the event provided the platform to educate and encourage consumers to be focused in taking control of their own well-being with fruit juices as part of their daily nutrition for wellness. It was also an opportunity to showcase creative expressions with Chivita fruit juices from mixologists, availing discerning consumers the license to create their own exciting recipes and experience the combos to boost
Ifeoma Joy Okoye, Professor of Radiology, College of Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka has stressed the need for patients who have been diagnosed with breast cancer or even metastatic breast cancer to have the right information and expectations. “It is our duty to encourage them to have open conversations with their healthcare teams to understand how they can be supported but also how they can participate in their own care – taking an active role in their treatment can help
Merck and Merck and Ridgeback Biotherapeutics today announced that the submission of an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for molnupiravir, an investigational oral antiviral medicine, for the treatment of mild-to-moderate COVID-19 in adults who are at risk for progressing to severe COVID-19 and/or hospitalization. The companies are actively working with regulatory agencies worldwide to submit applications for emergency use or marketing authorization in the coming months. The submission is based on positive results
At least one in seven children in sub-Saharan Africa experiences significant psychological hardship. As the world marks World Mental Health Day, UNICEF and WHO shine a light on the need for increased investment and access to mental health prevention and response services on the continent. Children and adolescents are always at risk of developing mental health problems, especially vulnerable children facing poverty, discrimination and violence. The lack of access to basic social, health and education services, combined with wide-reaching structural inequalities,
Worldwide, it is estimated only 1 in 10 people who need palliative care are receiving it and global demand for care for people with life threatening illnesses will continue to grow as populations age and the burden of noncommunicable diseases rises. By 2060, the need for palliative care is expected to nearly double. The world therefore needs urgent and concerted action to scale up access to quality palliative care services. To address this need, WHO is releasing two new resources to