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Tag: South-East Asia

  • Monkeypox circumstances concentrated amongst males who’ve intercourse with males: WHO’s regional director

    With monkeypox illness being declared a public well being emergency of worldwide concern, the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Regional Director, Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, mentioned that with circumstances concentrated amongst males who’ve intercourse with males, it’s potential to curtail additional unfold of the illness with centered efforts amongst at-risk inhabitants

    The WHO on Sunday referred to as on international locations in South – East Asia Region to strengthen surveillance and public well being measures for monkeypox.

    “Monkeypox has been spreading rapidly and to many countries that have not seen it before, which is a matter of great concern. However, with cases concentrated among men who have sex with men, it is possible to curtail further spread of the disease with focussed efforts among at-risk population,” Dr Poonam, Regional Director, South-East Asia Region, mentioned.

    ALSO READ | Monkeypox in India, what now?

    Globally, over 16,000 circumstances of monkeypox have been reported from 75 international locations. In the WHO South-East Asia Region, 4 circumstances of monkeypox have been reported, three from India and one from Thailand. The circumstances in India are amongst nationals who returned dwelling from the Middle East, whereas in Thailand a global residing within the nation has been confirmed optimistic for monkeypox.

    The Regional Director mentioned, “Importantly, our focussed efforts and measures should be sensitive, devoid of stigma or discrimination.”

    The resolution to time period monkeypox as a public well being emergency of worldwide concern (PHEIC) was introduced by Dr Tedros, Director-General WHO, yesterday, a day after he convened one more assembly of the IHR emergency committee to overview the multi-country outbreak.

    “Though the risk of monkeypox globally and in the region is moderate, the potential of its further international spread is real. Also, there are still many unknowns about the virus. We need to stay alert and prepared to roll out intense response to curtail further spread of monkeypox,” Dr Khetrapal Singh mentioned.

    ALSO READ | How quick are monkeypox circumstances multiplying | Infographics

    Since the beginning of the outbreak, WHO has been supporting international locations to evaluate threat, and provoke public well being measures, whereas additionally constructing and facilitating testing capacities within the area.

    Engaging and defending the affected communities; intensifying surveillance and public well being measures; strengthening medical administration and an infection prevention and management in hospitals and clinics; and accelerating analysis into the usage of vaccines, therapeutics and different instruments, are among the many key measures that must be scaled-up, the Regional Director mentioned.

    Monkeypox virus is transmitted from contaminated animals to people through oblique or direct contact. Human-to-human transmission can happen by means of direct contact with infectious pores and skin or lesions, together with face-to-face, skin-to-skin, and respiratory droplets. In the present outbreak international locations and amongst the reported monkeypox circumstances, transmission seems to be occurring primarily by means of shut bodily contact, together with sexual contact. Transmission can even happen from contaminated supplies comparable to linens, bedding, electronics, clothes, which have infectious pores and skin particles.

    FIRST MONKEYPOX CASE IN DELHI

    The first case of monkeypox virus has been detected in Delhi, in line with information company PTI. The affected person, who has been admitted to the town’s Maulana Azad Medical College, has no historical past of overseas journey.

    — ENDS —

  • ‘Scale up routine immunisation providers together with Covid-19 vaccination’: WHO to South-East Asia

    Express News Service

    NEW DELHI: The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Saturday referred to as for extra vital steps within the South-East Asia Region to revive common immunisation charges to pre-Covid instances, stressing that regardless of concerted efforts by international locations, challenges and gaps persist. 

    Highlighting India’s routine immunisation protection, the world well being physique stated that decline was witnessed in 2020. However, it added that in 2021, India offered near 2 billion doses of Covid-19 and different childhood vaccines taken collectively, over 5 instances extra vaccines administered within the nation through the 12 months than in 2020. 

    Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director WHO South-East Asia, recommended the area for administering a billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines to this point since January 2021, when the primary dose of vaccine was issued within the area.

    “As we focus on further scaling up Covid-19 vaccination coverage, we must also do all we can to ensure no child is deprived of life-saving vaccines offered under routine immunisation services,” she added.

    Many counties have demonstrated that routine immunisation will be maintained or scaled up together with Covid-19 vaccination, she stated.

    “This speaks for a very committed health workforce which has to manage considerable challenges.”

    Though India noticed a decline in routine immunisation in 2020, it picked up subsequently.

    In India, periodic intensification of routine immunisation is carried out by way of ‘Mission Indradhanush’. WHO has supported detailed mapping and categorisation of low protection areas in states, guiding brief and medium-term plans to enhance protection in all such locations, the assertion added. Bangladesh, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand maintained excessive vaccination charges of over 95 per cent DTP3 protection all through the Covid -19 pandemic.

    Bhutan witnessed a slight decline in 2020 however surpassed its pre-pandemic protection of 97 per cent to 98 per cent DTP3 in 2021, a press release stated.

    Globally, DTP3 (third dose of vaccines for diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) in one-year-old youngsters is a proxy indicator for immunisation protection, it stated.

    Nepal considerably revived routine immunisation protection for DTP3 from 84 per cent in 2020 to 91 per cent in 2021. These six international locations have additionally achieved excessive COVID-19 vaccination protection, it stated.

    All international locations within the South-East Asia Region targeted on routine immunisation whereas prioritising important providers through the pandemic and concerted efforts proceed to be made to scale-up vaccination protection, specializing in figuring out and vaccinating ‘missed youngsters’, the world well being physique stated.

    Efforts for measles and rubella elimination, a flagship precedence within the Region, continued through the pandemic. Nepal considerably elevated the protection for the second dose of measles and rubella vaccine from 76 per cent in 2019 to 87 per cent in 2021. Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, and Sri Lanka maintained their respective protection charges all through the pandemic, the assertion stated.

    To revitalise routine immunisation protection following the Covid-19 pandemic, WHO convened a South-East Asia Regional Working Group on Immunization in March this 12 months, specializing in programme intensification, it stated.

    Strengthening catch-up campaigns, monitoring unvaccinated and under-vaccinated youngsters, combining COVID-19 vaccination with routine immunisation, coaching well being staff and addressing issues of communities have been harassed, the assertion stated.

    “WHO is aware of the efforts and supports the Member States to improve routine immunisation coverage. With stepped-up efforts in recent months, we hoped to see a quick scale-up of DTP3 coverage to the pre-pandemic level of 91 per cent in 2019 from 82 per cent in 2021 and second dose measles and rubella vaccine coverage to beyond 83 per cent in 2019 from 78 per cent in 2021,” Dr Khetrapal stated.

    NEW DELHI: The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Saturday referred to as for extra vital steps within the South-East Asia Region to revive common immunisation charges to pre-Covid instances, stressing that regardless of concerted efforts by international locations, challenges and gaps persist. 

    Highlighting India’s routine immunisation protection, the world well being physique stated that decline was witnessed in 2020. However, it added that in 2021, India offered near 2 billion doses of Covid-19 and different childhood vaccines taken collectively, over 5 instances extra vaccines administered within the nation through the 12 months than in 2020. 

    Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director WHO South-East Asia, recommended the area for administering a billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines to this point since January 2021, when the primary dose of vaccine was issued within the area.

    “As we focus on further scaling up Covid-19 vaccination coverage, we must also do all we can to ensure no child is deprived of life-saving vaccines offered under routine immunisation services,” she added.

    Many counties have demonstrated that routine immunisation will be maintained or scaled up together with Covid-19 vaccination, she stated.

    “This speaks for a very committed health workforce which has to manage considerable challenges.”

    Though India noticed a decline in routine immunisation in 2020, it picked up subsequently.

    In India, periodic intensification of routine immunisation is carried out by way of ‘Mission Indradhanush’. WHO has supported detailed mapping and categorisation of low protection areas in states, guiding brief and medium-term plans to enhance protection in all such locations, the assertion added. Bangladesh, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand maintained excessive vaccination charges of over 95 per cent DTP3 protection all through the Covid -19 pandemic.

    Bhutan witnessed a slight decline in 2020 however surpassed its pre-pandemic protection of 97 per cent to 98 per cent DTP3 in 2021, a press release stated.

    Globally, DTP3 (third dose of vaccines for diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis) in one-year-old youngsters is a proxy indicator for immunisation protection, it stated.

    Nepal considerably revived routine immunisation protection for DTP3 from 84 per cent in 2020 to 91 per cent in 2021. These six international locations have additionally achieved excessive COVID-19 vaccination protection, it stated.

    All international locations within the South-East Asia Region targeted on routine immunisation whereas prioritising important providers through the pandemic and concerted efforts proceed to be made to scale-up vaccination protection, specializing in figuring out and vaccinating ‘missed youngsters’, the world well being physique stated.

    Efforts for measles and rubella elimination, a flagship precedence within the Region, continued through the pandemic. Nepal considerably elevated the protection for the second dose of measles and rubella vaccine from 76 per cent in 2019 to 87 per cent in 2021. Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, and Sri Lanka maintained their respective protection charges all through the pandemic, the assertion stated.

    To revitalise routine immunisation protection following the Covid-19 pandemic, WHO convened a South-East Asia Regional Working Group on Immunization in March this 12 months, specializing in programme intensification, it stated.

    Strengthening catch-up campaigns, monitoring unvaccinated and under-vaccinated youngsters, combining COVID-19 vaccination with routine immunisation, coaching well being staff and addressing issues of communities have been harassed, the assertion stated.

    “WHO is aware of the efforts and supports the Member States to improve routine immunisation coverage. With stepped-up efforts in recent months, we hoped to see a quick scale-up of DTP3 coverage to the pre-pandemic level of 91 per cent in 2019 from 82 per cent in 2021 and second dose measles and rubella vaccine coverage to beyond 83 per cent in 2019 from 78 per cent in 2021,” Dr Khetrapal stated.