The WHO Emergency Committee, meeting to see if it declares an international emergency for monkeypox
The Emergency Committee of the World Health Organization is meeting, for the second time, to analyze whether to declare an emergency of international concern due to monkeypox.
The director of the Organization, who is the one who convenes the committee to advise him, said at the beginning of the meeting that he continues to worry “the number of cases, in a growing number of countries.”
This year, more than 14,000 cases have been reported from 71 states across the six WHO regions.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Gebreyesus said that while there is an apparent downward trend in some countries, there is still an increase in others, with six countries reporting their first cases last week.
For now, the vast majority are still recorded among men who have sex with men.
“This pattern of transmission represents both an opportunity to implement specific public health interventions and a challenge, since in some countries affected communities face discrimination that puts his life in danger,” Tedros said.
The director general lamented that “the information that the countries of West and Central Africa share is still very scarce” and this poses a challenge to design interventions and control this disease.
The National Strike in Panama further complicates the situation of migrants who cross the Darién
IOM/Gem Cortes
Migrants queuing in Lajas Blancas, Panama, after crossing the Darién Gap
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The National Strike that Panama is experiencing, with multiple protests and the closure of the country’s main highways, is greatly complicating the situation of the hundreds of migrants who enter the country every day on their way north.
The closure of the highways meant that the companies of transport used by migrants to cross the country from the border with Colombia to the border with Costa Rica could not continue.
According to the National Immigration Service of Panama, during the year 2022 they have entered 48.430 personas, including 7,282 (15%) children and adolescents through the dangerous Darién Jungle. 58% of this population has Venezuelan nationality, followed by 7.9% from Haiti, 5.2% from Cuba, 3.3% from Ecuador and 3.2% from Senegal.
Given the closure of the Pan-American highway, the San Vicente Migratory Reception Station in the Darién Province (border with Colombia), with a maximum capacity of 250 people, has housed more than 900 people, exceeding capacity by more than one 300%. Given the saturation and sustained entry of 300 to 500 people on average per day through the jungle, the Panamanian State proceeded to temporarily reopen the Lajas Blancas Migratory Reception Station (with a capacity of 500 people) reaching a maximum of 1231. For its part, the Emberá indigenous community of Canaán Membrillo), with 350 inhabitants and accommodation capacity for up to 100 migrants, has received more than 3,300 people.
The uncertainty of the reopening of the roads and the saturation of the centers has led some migrants to continue their walking route to Panama City. Following negotiations with the leaders of the various roadblocks, a humanitarian corridor was established that has allowed more than 4,200 migrants to arrive by bus to the border with Costa Rica.
The UNICEF field team in Darien assures what there is a lack of food, gas, gasoline, cash, and that there are interruptions in the energy, telephone and water service for the populationwhich adds to the indefinite closure of schools and roads.
WHO welcomes international funding to expand malaria vaccine in Africa
GAVI
Malaria vaccine in Kenya
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The World Health Organization welcomes the launch of an international funding program to expand the malaria vaccine in Africa.
“The new funding opportunity from Gavi (the Vaccine Alliance) brings us one step closer to reaching millions of children across Africa with the life-saving RTS,S malaria vaccine,” said Dr. Matshidiso Moeti , regional director of the UN agency for Africa.
It’s almost $160 million that will help get more kids vaccinated by 2025, starting with Ghana, Kenya y Malawithe three African countries that have carried out a pilot program and then expanding to other countries where the disease is endemic.
Since the vaccine was introduced, it has been well accepted in African communities. Demand is high even in the context of COVID-19: The vaccination rate for the first dose is reaching between 73% and more than 90% coverage, depending on the country. To date, around 1.3 million children have benefited from the vaccine in the three pilot countries in Africa.
Vaccination against COVID-19 in Africa increased by 74% in June
UNICEF/Vincent Tremeau
A Senegalese man shows his COVID-19 vaccination card
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Doses of COVID-19 vaccines administered in Africa increased 74% in June 2022 compared to the previous month, following a sustained three-month decline between March and May.
According to the WHO, this is due to vaccination campaigns massive in 16 countries in June. In July, nineteen mass vaccination campaigns are being carried out.
The dramatic increase in the doses of vaccines administered has led to six countries to exceed the threshold of 10% of their population with the primary series. This has reduced the number of countries with less than 10% from 14 to eight.
As of July 10, 2022, 282 million people on the continent had completed their primary series, representing 21.1% of the African population.
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