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UNICEF and Plateau State Intensify Cholera Immunization Campaign Amidst High Turnout

UNICEF and Plateau State Intensify Cholera Immunization Campaign Amidst High Turnout

The Plateau State Ministry of Health, in collaboration with UNICEF and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, is intensifying its oral cholera vaccination campaign in the Jos North and Mangu local government areas. This initiative follows a cholera outbreak in July that resulted in 18 fatalities and hundreds of infections. Health officials report significant community participation and smooth operations across both councils. The campaign aims to vaccinate 731,000 individuals aged one year and above in Jos North, with over 695,000 already immunized. The strategy includes early community engagement through traditional leaders, utilizing fixed vaccination posts in hospitals, mobile units, and house-to-house teams to reach all demographics. Plateau State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Nicholas Ba’amlong, publicly took the vaccine to encourage residents and noted that no new cases have been recorded in the past two to three weeks, attributing this progress to swift government intervention and suppor...

Pennsylvania reports third measles-related death of 2026

Pennsylvania reports third measles-related death of 2026

Pennsylvania reported its third measles-related death of the year after a woman, 40, died from complications related to the disease.

International Medical Corps Seeks Community Mobilization Officer in Nigeria

International Medical Corps Seeks Community Mobilization Officer in Nigeria

The International Medical Corps (IMC) is actively recruiting for an Officer, Community Mobilization position in Nigeria. This role is central to IMC's efforts to provide humanitarian assistance and strengthen health systems in the region. The successful candidate will be responsible for overseeing and technically supporting Community Mobilizers and other staff involved in community-based health and hygiene promotion, as well as broader community mobilization initiatives. Key responsibilities include leading community sensitization and mobilization interventions, planning and implementing daily activities, and monitoring and reporting on these efforts. The officer will also collaborate with various IMC sector staff, such as those in health, nutrition, and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH), to support community-based activities. This position is crucial for ensuring effective outreach and engagement with vulnerable populations in Nigeria, aligning with IMC's global mission to deliver life-saving healthca...

Woman dies of complications from measles in western Pennsylvania

Woman dies of complications from measles in western Pennsylvania

By David French NEW YORK, Sept 13 (Reuters) - The death toll in Pennsylvania's measles outbreak rose this weekend with a county coroner's report of a woman's death from complications related to the disease.

Pennsylvania officials report state's 3rd death involving measles

Pennsylvania officials report state's 3rd death involving measles

A Pennsylvania woman's death is the state's third this year involving the measles virus

Kenya Intensifies Cholera Preparedness Amidst Looming El Niño Rains

Kenya Intensifies Cholera Preparedness Amidst Looming El Niño Rains

Kenya's Ministry of Health has issued a warning regarding a heightened risk of waterborne diseases, including cholera, as the country anticipates increased rainfall due to the El Niño weather phenomenon. Principal Secretary for Health and Professional Standards, Mary Muthoni, stated that heavy rains could lead to a surge in cases of cholera, typhoid, dysentery, and other diarrheal diseases, particularly in urban areas and informal settlements where sanitation and access to clean water are already challenging. Muthoni urged county governments, water service providers, and residents to bolster preventive measures. These include intensifying water quality monitoring, repairing sewage leakages, safeguarding drinking water sources, and ensuring proper waste disposal to prevent contamination. Health facilities have also been directed to review their preparedness, ensuring adequate stocks of oral rehydration salts, essential medicines, and infection prevention materials, along with sufficient staffing and effecti...

New Investment Aims to Combat Diarrheal Deaths with AI Diagnostics and New Drugs Amid Climate Change

New Investment Aims to Combat Diarrheal Deaths with AI Diagnostics and New Drugs Amid Climate Change

A new €21 million investment is funding four distinct projects aimed at combating diarrheal diseases, which claim over one million lives annually and are projected to cause an additional 48,000 childhood deaths by 2030 due to climate change. Warmer waters and flooding accelerate the transmission of pathogens like cholera and rotavirus, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. The initiative seeks to shift from reactive treatment to rapid, localized defense by developing new drugs and changing how clinicians deploy them. One key project involves testing an offline AI diagnostic tool that provides treatment recommendations in under five minutes, crucial for areas with unreliable internet and rising antibiotic resistance. Other projects are advancing a new cholera drug through Phase III trials.

Mosquito-borne illnesses increasing in US. See map of affected states

Mosquito-borne illnesses increasing in US. See map of affected states

State and federal officials have warned about surges in multiple mosquito-borne illnesses this season. See which states have been most affected.

Rochester Democrat and Chronicle

Wayne County confirms first 2 measles cases. Here's what to know

Wayne County confirms first 2 measles cases. Here's what to know

Wayne County Public Health said the overall risk to the public remains low, especially for people who are fully vaccinated.

Nigeria Initiates Local Production of Dual-Active Mosquito Nets to Combat Malaria

Nigeria Initiates Local Production of Dual-Active Mosquito Nets to Combat Malaria

Nigeria has begun the local production of next-generation dual-active ingredient insecticide-treated mosquito nets. This initiative aims to bolster malaria prevention efforts and enhance domestic manufacturing capabilities within the country. The facility, Health Textiles Nigeria FZE, is wholly owned by Vestergaard Sàrl and is the first of its kind in Nigeria to produce these specific nets. The product, PermaNet® Dual, is designed to address the increasing challenge of insecticide resistance and received prequalification from the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2023. The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare announced this development, highlighting its alignment with the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII). This move is expected to significantly contribute to the country's fight against malaria, a disease that disproportionately affects the African Region, accounting for the majority of global cases and deaths.

Gates Foundation Seeks Senior Program Officer for Integrated NTD Surveillance

Gates Foundation Seeks Senior Program Officer for Integrated NTD Surveillance

The Gates Foundation is actively seeking a Senior Program Officer (SPO) for Integrated Surveillance of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). This role, situated within the NTD Upstream team, will spearhead innovation in post-validation NTD surveillance. The SPO will be responsible for conceptualizing research, generating evidence, and building consensus within the global health community to define evidence-based strategies for integrated, post-elimination surveillance of NTDs. A key aspect of the position involves defining and shaping the necessary investments to advance this progress. The role carries a dual mandate: driving disease-specific surveillance innovation to meet the precision requirements of NTD control and elimination programs, while also ensuring that developed systems and tools contribute to and benefit from a broader integrated surveillance infrastructure designed to serve all disease programs from a shared backbone. This 18-month Limited Term Employment position offers relocation support to ...

CDC Issues Alert on Nationwide Increase in Rabies Exposures and Surging Vaccine Demand

CDC Issues Alert on Nationwide Increase in Rabies Exposures and Surging Vaccine Demand

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a health advisory regarding a nationwide increase in rabies exposures. From July through August, the CDC observed a 17% rise in rabies-related inquiries compared to the same period last year. Additionally, at least eight state health departments have reported an increase in administering post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for rabies, or errors in its administration. This surge in exposures includes mass events, such as one in North Carolina where nearly 300 people were potentially exposed to rabid baby goats from a mobile petting zoo. The CDC highlights that while there is currently no shortage of human rabies vaccine or immunoglobulin, the use of these critical treatments has significantly increased this year, with rabies vaccines up by an estimated 33% and immunoglobulins by 76% compared to last year. The agency emphasizes the importance of appropriate PEP administration to ensure these life-saving vaccines remain available and to avoid un...