Health
Who Urges African Countries To Tackle Cervical Cancer
The World Health Health the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa has called on countries to act swiftly to improve essential health services to adequately address cervical cancer in the region which is home to 19 of the 20 countries globally with high burden of the disease
It noted that about 70 000 cervical cancer deaths could be averted annually in the African region bolster efforts to end the disease by 2030 by urgently steppingup to increased access to critical services for timely detection, care and prevention.
It made the call at the health leaders and donors meeting for the Seventy-third session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa held in Gaborone, Botswana.
Under the WHO global targets to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem by 2023, countries need to vaccinate 90% of women and girls with the human papilloma virus vaccine, attain 70% cancer screening, and have 90% of women and girls with cancer on treatment.
Currently, 26 countries in the African region have introduced the human papilloma virus vaccine and only 31% of girls by the age of 15 received the first of the vaccine in the region in 2022. Just 16 countries have introduced human papillomavirus-based screening at the sub-national level.
To meet the 2030 global targets, vaccination coverage should reach 90% of women and girls in 20 countries by 2024; and in at least 10 countries, national screening rates should reach 25% of women aged 30–49 years; and treatment rate increased to 25% in these countries.
“The health and well-being of women is the health and well-being of our nations. Women are healthy when they feel valued, acknowledged, appreciated and empowered. In turn healthy women contribute to healthy families, communities and societies. It is for that reason that as African First Ladies we are committed to ensure cervical cancer elimination is achieved within one generation,” said H.E. Mrs Neo Jane Masisi, First Lady of Botswana
Nonetheless, the region has made progress in recent years against cervical cancer. For example, nearly 40% of countries that provide the first dose of the vaccine to girls have reached 70% coverage.
“Cancer illness is painfully devastating and affects families profoundly. But through early detection, care and prevention with vaccines, women and girls in our region can be protected from cervical cancer,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa. “Scaling up the efforts for better access to cancer control services is a top priority for WHO in its support to national health priorities to defeat diseases and improve the health and well-being of the region’s population.”
WHO is working with partners and donors to support governments to prioritize cervical cancer control to ensure increased access to screening, vaccination and treatment. The Organization is also bolstering strategies such as single-dose vaccination, integrating human papillomavirus vaccine into existing health programmes to expand prevention and treatment.
In addition, working collaboratively with communities, youth organizations, NGOs and the private sector is critical in widening access to cancer control services. Cervical cancer, mainly caused by human papillomavirus, is the fourth most common in women worldwide, causing over 300 000 deaths annually.
“The burden of cervical cancer disproportionately affects women in lower income countries, where HPV vaccine access has been limited,” said Chris Elias, president of Global Development at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.”The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is committed to supporting the WHO African Region as they build a strong foundation for HPV vaccination programs and ensure that these highly effective, life-saving tools are reaching the girls and women who need them most.”
Two United States scientists who unraveled the human micro RNA have won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2024.
Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun won the coveted prize for their work on microRNA as their discoveries help explain how complex life emerged on earth and how the human body is made up of a wide variety of different tissues.
MicroRNAs influence how genes – the instructions for life – are controlled inside organisms, including humans.
Every cell in the human body contains the same raw genetic information, locked in our DNA.
However, despite starting with the identical genetic information, the cells of the human body are wildly different in form and function.
The electrical impulses of nerve cells are distinct from the rhythmic beating of heart cells. The metabolic powerhouse that is a liver cell is distinct to a kidney cell, which filters urea out of the blood.
The light-sensing abilities of cells in the retina are different in skillset to white blood cells that produce antibodies to fight infection.
So much variety can arise from the same starting material because of gene expression.
The US scientists were the first to discover microRNAs and how they exerted control on how genes are expressed differently in different tissues.
The medicine and physiology prize winners are selected by the Nobel Assembly of Sweden’s Karolinska Institute.
They said: “Their groundbreaking discovery revealed a completely new principle of gene regulation that turned out to be essential for multicellular organisms, including humans.
“It is now known that the human genome codes for over 1,000 microRNAs.”
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has begun acting to curb effects of antibiotic pollution.
The new guidance on wastewater and solid waste management for antibiotic manufacturing sheds light on this important but neglected challenge ahead of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Meeting on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) taking place on 26 September 2024.
The emergence and spread of AMR caused by antibiotic pollution could undermine the effectiveness of antibiotics globally, including the medicines produced at the manufacturing sites responsible for the pollution.
Despite high antibiotic pollution levels being widely documented, the issue is largely unregulated and quality assurance criteria typically do not address environmental emissions. In addition, once distributed, there is a lack of information provided to consumers on how to dispose of antibiotics when they are not used, for example, when they expire or when a course is finished but there is still antibiotic left over.
“Pharmaceutical waste from antibiotic manufacturing can facilitate the emergence of new drug-resistant bacteria, which can spread globally and threaten our health. Controlling pollution from antibiotic production contributes to keeping these life-saving medicines effective for everyone,” said Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for AMR ad interim.
Globally, there is a lack of accessible information on the environmental damage caused by manufacturing of medicines.
“The guidance provides an independent and impartial scientific basis for regulators, procurers, inspectors, and industry themselves to include robust antibiotic pollution control in their standards,” said Dr Maria Neira, Director, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, WHO. “Critically, the strong focus on transparency will equip buyers, investors and the general public to make decisions that account for manufacturers’ efforts to control antibiotic pollution.”
In a concerted effort to curb brain drain, the Kebbi State Government has harmonised medical doctors’ salaries to be at par with their colleagues in the federal government’s tertiary health facilities.
Kebbi State Commissioner for Health, Musa Inusa-Isma’il, disclosed this at the handing over of ambulances to the state-owned health facilities at the Ministry of Health in Birnin Kebbi yesterday.
Inusa Isma’il, according to a statement by Ahmed Idris, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, said the essence of the harmonisation was to retain the existing medical doctors and attract more to the services of the state.
According to him, the doctors across the state had already started enjoying the new salaries from August 2024.
He said the release of the vehicles was in fulfilment of Governor Nasir Idris’ promise to uplift health care services in the state.
“His Excellency said I should inform you, the beneficiaries of this gesture, that the vehicle should be strictly used for the intended purpose. It should not be used for anything else.
“If there is no referral case, each of the vehicles must be parked at the hospital by 6 pm. The governor said you should warn your drivers against reckless driving as well as violating the instructions.
“We should also do everything possible to reciprocate the gesture by working according to the terms and conditions attached,” he advised.
The benefiting health facilities included Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital, Birnin Kebbi; State Teaching Hospital, Kalgo; General Hospital, Argungu; General Hospital, Yauri; General Hospital, Zuru; and General Hospital, Bunza.
In his speech, the permanent secretary of the ministry, Dr Shehu Koko, recalled that the ambulances were handed over to the ministry last Friday by the governor for the onward handover to the benefiting hospitals.
He observed that the ambulances would go a long way in improving the referral system in the state, adding that delays in reaching the secondary and tertiary facilities would be eliminated.
The permanent secretary attributed the high rate of maternal mortality in the country to delays in getting to the health facilities for proper medical care.
“We believe with the provision of these ambulances, part of the gaps we have in our referral system will be addressed, whereby patients who require secondary healthcare could be easily transported to secondary and tertiary health centres, where they can get such help,” he said.
In a goodwill message, Commissioner for Information and Culture Alhaji Yakubu Ahmed expressed gratitude to the governor for the support he has given to the ministry to excel.
While advising the beneficiaries to use the vehicles judiciously, the commissioner advised that services and maintenance of the vehicles must be prompt to derive the maximum benefits from the vehicles.
The commissioner also highlighted some achievements recorded by the government in the last year, including beautification of the state capital, completion of a multimillion-naira ultramodern state secretariat, road construction, construction and renovation of classrooms and upgrading of some health facilities, among others.