Industry News

The global burden of Group B streptococcus is far higher than previously recognized, linked to over half a million preterm births annually, and leading to nearly 100,000 newborn deaths, at least 46,000 stillbirths, and significant long-term disability. Although the bacterium is harmless for most pregnant women who carry it, it can be extremely serious when it passes to babies during pregnancy, childbirth or in the early weeks of life. New vaccines are urgently needed to reduce deaths associated with Group B strep and protect the lives and health of infants around the world.

New ACT-Accelerator strategic plan sets out urgent actions to address crucial gaps in access to COVID-19 tests, treatments, vaccines and personal protective equipment in low- and middle-income countries, using the latest epidemiological, supply and market information.

The COVID-19 Pandemic has brought into focus the stark reality of the large and growing inequities across the globe in access to health care and health products: for every 100 people in high-income countries, 133 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, while in low-income countries, only 4 doses per 100 people have been administered.

WHO has launched a new interactive chatbot on women’s health. The first set of messages to be included relates to breast cancer, in time for Breast Cancer Awareness Month, observed in October every year.

Vaccination certificates are nothing new. They are health documents that record a vaccination event - traditionally as a paper card - with key details including the date, product and batch number of the vaccine administered.

The people of Afghanistan need our support now more than ever. Our organizations are committed to helping and protecting them. We will stay in Afghanistan and we will deliver.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has been made aware of correspondences being circulated by scammers (acting under the name of Capital Finance, Inc. London), falsely notifying recipients of such correspondences that they have been selected as a beneficiary/winner of a US$1 million lottery compensation prize payment for losses and damages suffered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The global secretariat of the Global Validation Advisory Committee (GVAC) on the validation of elimination of mother-to-child transmission (EMTCT) of HIV, syphilis and hepatitis B virus (HBV) has considered the appointment of four new members to the committee. The new members represent the GVAC’s expanded expertise in epidemiology and response for elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HBV, in line with the incorporation of HBV for ‘triple elimination’ in the global processes and structures for EMTCT validation.

23 million children missed out on basic childhood vaccines through routine health services in 2020, the highest number since 2009 and 3.7 million more than in 2019

The World Health Organization (WHO) has updated its patient care guidelines to include interleukin-6 receptor blockers, a class of medicines that are lifesaving in patients who are severely or critically ill with COVID-19, especially when administered alongside corticosteroids.