Category: Malaria/ Tuberculosis

Africa, Blog, child health, featured, Infectious Diseases, Malaria/ Tuberculosis, Volunteering

First Malaria Vaccine Rolls Out in Malawi

It is heartening to see progress in the fight against malaria. Over the past thirty years and with hundreds of millions of dollars invested thus far, the RTS,S malaria vaccine was officially rolled out yesterday in Malawi. In 2017, I wrote about the vaccine trials that began in 2009 and the announcement of the three countries that had been chosen for the vaccine rollout: Kenya, Malawi, and Ghana. In clinical trials, the vaccine was found to prevent approximately 4 in 10 malaria cases, including 3 in 10 cases of life-threatening severe malaria. Now two years later the vaccine is officially in use to curb the unnecessary deaths of hundreds of thousands of African children under the age of five. The Malaria Vaccine Implementation Program will continue through 2022.

Continue reading “First Malaria Vaccine Rolls Out in Malawi”

Jennifer JamesLeave a comment
Africa, Asia, Blog, Infectious Diseases, Malaria/ Tuberculosis, Vaccines

3 Ways You Can Help On World Malaria Day

Today is World Malaria Day. This year’s theme: End Malaria for Good. While 6.8 million malaria deaths were averted between 2000 – 2015, there are still 3.2 billion people who are susceptible to contracting the disease every day and a half million children die from malaria every year.  There is a long way to go to save more lives especially for children under the age … Continue reading 3 Ways You Can Help On World Malaria Day

Jennifer JamesLeave a comment
Africa, Blog, child health, Children, Infectious Diseases, Malaria/ Tuberculosis, Vaccines

Three African Countries Chosen for First Malaria Vaccine Trials

For decades, there has been consistent chatter, research, and hope for a potential malaria vaccine. Now, all three are finally coming to fruition to roll out the world’s first clinical malaria vaccine trials. The World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO/AFRO) announced today that Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi have been chosen for the WHO-coordinated pilot implementation program that will make the world’s first malaria vaccine … Continue reading Three African Countries Chosen for First Malaria Vaccine Trials

Jennifer James1 Comment
Africa, Blog, Children, Malaria/ Tuberculosis

Researchers Say Donor Funding Will Make Malaria Drugs More Affordable

Sub-Saharan Africa has the highest burden of malaria sickness and death. In fact, 90 percent of all malaria deaths occur in Africa  according to the World Health Organization. Children under the age of five are particularly susceptible of dying from malaria and adults can be completely debilitated by the infectious disease as it zaps their energy little by little for weeks. It is important, then, that those who live in malaria prone areas have the medicinal options needed to fight off the disease.

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley and New York University business schools have written a recent paper showing that more donor funding from U.S. multilateral agencies such as the World Bank and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria as well as from foundations like the Clinton Foundation and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation are critical to keeping the price of malaria drugs low for poor people to afford. Buying these Artemisinin Combination Therapies (ACTs) is literally a matter between life and death.

Continue reading “Researchers Say Donor Funding Will Make Malaria Drugs More Affordable”

Jennifer JamesLeave a comment
Africa, Asia, Blog, Children, Frontline Health Workers, Malaria/ Tuberculosis, Maternal Health, newborn health, Women and Girls

Kicking Off World Health Worker Week Through Photos and Stories #WHWWeek

To kick off World Health Worker Week (April 5 – 11) we are sharing photos and stories of some of the health workers we’ve met around the world over the years who work tirelessly to keep women, children, and families healthy and most importantly alive.

In the sub-Saharan and Asian countries where we have met these health workers, many of the ailments they treat every day can cause severe illness in their patients and even death. That is why it is important to not only provide the much-needed resources and support health workers need to do their jobs effectively and train many more health workers, it’s also important to thank them for the work they do. That is why World Health Worker Week was started — to celebrate health workers, but also to acknowledge the challenges they face every day and help rally the world’s global health community, civil society, and governments to fix those health worker challenges.

Continue reading “Kicking Off World Health Worker Week Through Photos and Stories #WHWWeek”

Jennifer JamesLeave a comment
Africa, Cervical Cancer, Children, featured, Frontline Health Workers, HIV / AIDS, Malaria/ Tuberculosis, Maternal Health, Preterm Birth, Women and Girls

Botswana Receives First White Space Telemedicine Service to Reach Rural Populations

One of the beautiful aspects of Africa is its beautiful, wide expanses. All over the continent you will be awed by how far-reaching your eyes can see especially when traveling through its spectacular countryside. But as much as it is beautiful, the size of Africa also poses a significant problem because without modern infrastructure, including the Internet, and transport to major cities, those who live in the deepest, far-reaching rural areas are not privy to the best medical care they can receive.

In Botswana, this is about to change.

In partnership with the University of Pennsylvania, Microsoft, the University of Botswana, and other global partners, the Botswana-University Hub (BUP) has launched a new project, “Project Kgolagano,” to bring telemedicine to rural areas in the country to help diagnose maternal health cases as well as HIV, cervical cancer, and TB cases.

Using TV white spaces (unused broadcasting frequencies in the wireless spectrum) Internet broadband is able to reach even the most remote villages in developing countries. In fact, it has been reported that Microsoft and Google are both chasing white spaces in Africa where only 16 percent of the continent’s population is online. This is where solar power can be game-changing to keep Africa online despite its energy shortcomings. Just look at Kenya where Microsoft helped provide broadband Internet in rural areas even when electricity was nonexistent or very scarce.

Continue reading “Botswana Receives First White Space Telemedicine Service to Reach Rural Populations”

Jennifer JamesLeave a comment
Malaria Photo by Paolo Patruno
Africa, Asia, Malaria/ Tuberculosis

New 6-Year Global Strategy Launches to Further Curb Malaria Deaths

Malaria Photo by Paolo Patruno
Photo: Paolo Patruno www.paolopatrunophoto.org

Since 2001 malaria deaths have fallen by 4.3 million. This is due in part because of a concerted scale-up of malaria prevention and control efforts, especially across sub-Saharan Africa. Increased funding has made this scale-up and global malaria prevention partnerships possible, and yet the funding falls short of the estimated $5.1 billion annually needed to eradicate malaria worldwide.

The President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) was signed by George W. Bush in 2005. Upon its official launch in 2006, the primary goal of the Initiative was to reduce malaria deaths by 50 percent across 15 hard-hit countries in sub-Saharan Africa where over 90 percent of all malaria deaths occur. Since then, major milestones have been reached. Malaria mortality decreased by 54 percent in the World Health Organization Africa region and also by 58 percent among children under the age of five. This is significant because malaria remains one of the three largest killers of children globally. Malaria prevention funding also rose from $30 million in 2006 to $669 million by 2015. Insecticide treated bednets also rose from 29 percent to 55 percent.

Continue reading “New 6-Year Global Strategy Launches to Further Curb Malaria Deaths”

Jennifer JamesLeave a comment
Africa, HIV / AIDS, Malaria/ Tuberculosis, Maternal Health, Women and Girls

Zambians Head to the Polls: Candidates’ Stance on Health Care

This morning as most Americans were asleep Zambians headed to the polls to elect either the candidate of the ruling party, Edgar Lungu of the Patriotic Front founded in 1991 by the late President Michael Sata, or the leading opposition candidate representing the United Party for National Development, Hakainde Hichilema. Political observers say the race is close and there is no definitive leader at this point. Polls close at 6 … Continue reading Zambians Head to the Polls: Candidates’ Stance on Health Care

Jennifer JamesLeave a comment
Africa, Blog, Frontline Health Workers, Malaria/ Tuberculosis, Maternal Health, Women and Girls

Photo of the Week: Frontline Health Workers Count #Zambia

I walked quickly beside Dismus Mwalukwanda on a sandy path bordered by overgrown shrubbery leading through the bush to rural homes outside of Lusaka, Zambia’s capital. Mwalukwanda, 43, is a frontline health worker for the Njovo Village and took me to visit a family whose young children he has treated often for malaria. Mwalukwand is in charge of helping families in his area make steps … Continue reading Photo of the Week: Frontline Health Workers Count #Zambia

Jennifer JamesLeave a comment
Africa, Blog, Malaria/ Tuberculosis

Researcher Advocates New Way to Develop Malaria Vaccine

Currently there is no effective vaccine to protect against malaria even though the disease kills 600,000 people annually and 3.4 billion people worldwide are at risk of contracting the debilitating and potentially fatal disease. 90 percent of all malaria deaths occur in sub-Saharan Africa according to the World Health Organization. The Malaria Vaccine Technology Roadmap set a strategic goal in 2006 to develop and license a … Continue reading Researcher Advocates New Way to Develop Malaria Vaccine

Jennifer JamesLeave a comment
Africa, Blog, Malaria/ Tuberculosis

President’s Malaria Initiative Releases New Report

For those of you who love global health data, the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) launched its latest report, the Eighth Annual Report to Congress, last week. Drawing on cumulative country data gathered over the course of fiscal year 2013 as well as over the last eight years when PMI launched we learn pertinent milestones that have been achieved to scale malaria control efforts such as: More than 21 million … Continue reading President’s Malaria Initiative Releases New Report

Jennifer JamesLeave a comment
Action Campaigns, Africa, Blog, Communicable Disease, Malaria/ Tuberculosis

Malaria No More Launches #MalariaSucks Campaign

As you might know last Friday marked World Malaria Day, a day to encourage the global health community, the private sector, governments, NGOs, and everyday, ordinary people to keep up the fight to help defeat malaria. Every minute a child dies of malaria somewhere in the world, most of whom live in sub-Saharan Africa. In fact, 90% of children who die from malaria live in … Continue reading Malaria No More Launches #MalariaSucks Campaign

Jennifer James1 Comment
Africa, Blog, Malaria/ Tuberculosis

New Needle-Free Malaria Test Could Be a Game Changer

One of the most effective advancements in malaria testing has been the rapid diagnostic test. Easy to use and inexpensive it cut the wait time for diagnostics drastically and has made testing and treatment easier for frontline health workers around the world particularly in sub-Saharan Africa where the prevalence of malaria is the highest. In countries like Zambia, for example, malaria treatments are up and … Continue reading New Needle-Free Malaria Test Could Be a Game Changer

Jennifer JamesLeave a comment
Africa, Blog, Malaria/ Tuberculosis

Increased International Travel Spurs U.S. Malaria Cases

I travel to many malaria endemic countries and to be completely honest I do not take my malaria medicine as I should. They tend to make me ill, so I just roll the dice and hope for the best. That might not be the smartest thing to do, especially knowing that there has been a marked increase in the number of malaria cases reported in … Continue reading Increased International Travel Spurs U.S. Malaria Cases

Jennifer James3 Comments
Africa, Blog, Malaria/ Tuberculosis

[Photos] Inside a Malaria Treatment Center

I have been told enough harrowing personal stories and have read enough reports to understand contracting malaria isn’t a cakewalk. And for children (especially those under the age of five) and expectant mothers malaria can be deadly. Fortunately with rapid diagnosis and malaria treatments children as well as adults can experience speedy recoveries from a disease that is both debilitating and potentially fatal. While in … Continue reading [Photos] Inside a Malaria Treatment Center

Jennifer James2 Comments