From Dalhousie to Tanzania

 Copied from Dalhousie University Global Health Blog

From Dalhousie to Tanzania: An Interview with Queen Elizabeth Scholars Matt Jalink and Keisha Jefferies

 April 27, 2016 Maria Wilson

The Canadian Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholarship Program (QES) aims to build a dynamic community of young global leaders in Canada and across the Commonwealth. Queen Elizabeth Scholars engage in projects both at home and abroad, encompassing international education, discovery and inquiry, and professional experiences. Queen Elizabeth Scholars undertake projects that provide meaningful learning experiences, with the potential to create lasting impact. Dalhousie University has teamed up with its partners in the Caribbean, Uganda and Tanzania to develop an international student mobility project, funded by QES, for current Dalhousie students and students in other Commonwealth countries looking to study at Dal. The Global Health Office manages the relationship between our partner associations and Dalhousie, collaborating with many units across campus, and within the QES network, to make these projects possible.

We recently sat down with two Queen Elizabeth Scholars who are both heading to Tanzania this summer, Matt Jalink (Intern) and Keisha Jefferies (Scholar), to learn about their projects.

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World Malaria Day, 2016 (WHO Press Release)

From the WHO Website

On World Malaria Day, a push to eliminate malaria

News release

25 April 2016 | Geneva - A year after the World Health Assembly resolved to eliminate malaria from at least 35 countries by 2030, WHO is releasing a World Malaria Day report that shows this goal, although ambitious, is achievable.
In 2015, all countries in the WHO European Region reported, for the first time, zero indigenous cases of malaria, down from 90 000 cases in 1995. Outside this region, 8 countries reported zero cases of the disease in 2014: Argentina, Costa Rica, Iraq, Morocco, Oman, Paraguay, Sri Lanka and United Arab Emirates.
Another 8 countries each tallied fewer than 100 indigenous malaria cases in 2014. And a further 12 countries reported between 100 and 1000 indigenous malaria cases in 2014.
The “Global Technical Strategy for Malaria 2016-2030”, approved by the World Health Assembly in 2015, calls for the elimination of local transmission of malaria in at least 10 countries by 2020. WHO estimates that 21 countries are in a position to achieve this goal, including 6 countries in the African Region, where the burden of the disease is heaviest.

Shining a spotlight on countries moving toward elimination of malaria

“Our report shines a spotlight on countries that are well on their way to eliminating malaria,” said Dr Pedro Alonso, Director of the WHO Global Malaria Programme. “WHO commends these countries while also highlighting the urgent need for greater investment in settings with high rates of malaria transmission, particularly in Africa. Saving lives must be our first priority.”
Since the year 2000, malaria mortality rates have declined by 60% globally. In the WHO African Region, malaria mortality rates fell by 66% among all age groups and by 71% among children under 5 years.
The advances came through the use of core malaria control tools that have been widely deployed over the last decade: insecticide-treated bed-nets, indoor residual spraying, rapid diagnostic testing and artemisinin-based combination therapies.
But reaching the next level—elimination—will not be easy. Nearly half of the world’s population, 3.2 billion people, remain at risk of malaria. Last year alone, 214 million new cases of the disease were reported in 95 countries and more than 400 000 people died of malaria.
The efficacy of the tools that secured the gains against malaria in the early years of this century is now threatened. Mosquito resistance to insecticides used in nets and indoor residual spraying is growing. So too is parasite resistance to a component of one of the most powerful antimalarial medicines. Further progress against malaria will likely require new tools that do not exist today, and the further refining of new technologies.
Last year, for the first time, the European Medicines Agency issued a positive scientific opinion on a malaria vaccine. In January 2016, WHO recommended large-scale pilot projects of the vaccine in several African countries, which could pave the way for wider deployment in the years ahead.

Strong political commitment and funding are vital

“New technologies must go hand in hand with strong political and financial commitment,” Dr Alonso added.
Vigorous leadership by the governments of affected countries is key. Governments must strengthen surveillance of cases to identify gaps in coverage and be prepared to take action based on the information received. As countries approach elimination, the ability to detect every infection becomes increasingly important.
Reaching the goals of the “Global Technical Strategy” will require a steep increase in global and domestic funding—from $2.5 billion today to an estimated $8.7 billion annually by 2030.
Through robust financing and political will, affected countries can speed progress towards malaria elimination and contribute to the broader development agenda as laid out in the “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”.

Media contacts:

Christian Lindmeier
Communications Officer
Mobile: +41 79 500 65 52
Telephone: +41 22 791 19 48
E-mail: lindmeierch@who.int

Call for Abstracts-HIV Glasgow, 23-26 October 2016, Glasgow, UK

 

Another Scientific Meeting on HIV and Drug Therapy will be held in Glasgow, Scotland from the 23rd to 26th of October, 2016. Abstract are still accepted. For further information please follow this link.

Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway Visits PASADA

On the 12th of April 2016, Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway visited the Head Quarters of PASADA and St. Francis Xavier Dispensary all in the Chang'ombe Parish Compound in Temeke, Dar es Salaam.

Her Royal Highness was visiting in her capacity as an International Goodwill Ambassador for UNAIDS.

The main aim of the visit was to witness the good work being done by PASADA for the Youth through the Stepping Stones With Children (StStWC) and the fruits of the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) programs.

She was accompanied by The Ambassador of Norway Mrs. Hanne-Marie Kaarstad, UNAIDS Country Director, Dr. Warren Naamara, TACAIDS Chairperson Dr. Fatma Mrisho and
Bishop Eusebius Nzigilwa from the Archdiocese of Dar es Salaam.

Please look at the photos below;

 Her Royal Highness (center) getting explanations from Mr. Simon Yohana PASADA ED (back to the camera) and Dr. Warren Naamara UNAIDS Country Director (with the blue file) after her arrival at PASADA Headquarters in Chang'ombe,Temeke, Dar es Salaam

 Mr. Simon Yohana (first from left) explaining something to Her Royal Highness (in the red T-shirt) while Dr. Warren Naamara (3rd from left), Mr. Jovin Tesha (in a blue shirt) and Bishop Nzigilwa are listening at PASADA Headquarters in Chang'ombe,Temeke, Dar es Salaam

 Dr. Fatma Mrisho giving a word of thanks to Her Royal Highness after hearing testimonies from Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) beneficiaries at St. Francis Xavier Dispensary (Supported by PASADA) at Chang'ombe, Temeke, Dar es Salaam

 HRH listening to Dr. Warren Naamara in the Observation Room at PASADA Headquarters in Chang'ombe, Temeke, Dar es Salaam

 HRH listening to explanations from Dr. Daniel Magesa of PASADA and Dr. Warren Naamara on Antiretroviral Drugs

It was truly an honor for PASADA to host Her Royal Highness. 

Beat Diabetes

Beat #diabetes on World Health Day, 7 April 2016 View this email in your browser

World Health Day, 7 April 2016, focuses on beating #diabetes through prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care. Hundreds of millions of people around the world suffer from diabetes. The first ever WHO "Global Report on Diabetes", set to be released on 6 April 21.00 CET, will reveal a dramatic rise in the number of people with #diabetes worldwide. What is diabetes? Diabetes is a chronic disease that occurs either when the pancreas does not produce enough of the hormone that regulates blood sugar, called insulin, or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces.  Get involved!  Set-up your own local World Health Day event to spread awareness and educate local schools organizations and clubs on #diabetes. Perhaps even your local leaders? Register your event or find an event near you!

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