Global Health
SAGE revises roadmap for COVID-19 vaccination use
After a meeting in March 2023, WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunisation (SAGE) revised the roadmap for prioritising vaccines
Quadripartite calls for One Health action for “safer world”
In March 2023 the heads of the Quadripartite organisations working on One Health issued a call for greater global action for a safer world.
COVID-19 vaccine not linked to menstruation changes in study
A study released in iScience suggests that COVID-19 infection was a greater factor than COVID-19 vaccination in observed changes to a patient’s menstrual cycle.
The politics of pandemics: WHO questions data secrecy
After we reported in March 2023 that possibly critical data concerning the Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market had been quietly released on GISAID,
Vaccine equity as good as it sounds, study suggests
In a study published in Nature Communications, researchers investigate the socioeconomic benefits of a set of “idealised” vaccine distribution scenarios
Queensland’s quest for an Australian cattle vaccine
Researchers at the University of Queensland are pursuing an experimental vaccine to tackle a venereal disease that “causes cattle infertility and costs the industry hundreds of millions of dollars”. Bovine trichomoniasis protozoa vaccines are available in other...
Maternal vaccination information in New Zealand
A study in Midwifery in February 2023 examines the quality of maternal vaccination information available in pregnancy to patients in Aotearoa/New Zealand. The authors suggest that, although there is no fee to get vaccinated in the country, “less than half of all...
African leaders unite on routine immunisation goals
In February 2023, at a meeting of the African Union in Addis Ababa, African Heads of State agreed on the need to “revamp routine immunisation” across the continent. This comes after the disruptions caused largely by the COVID-19 pandemic, which have been observed...
Montenegro’s “Health Caravan” promotes immunisation
In February 2023 WHO announced a collaboration with Montenegro’s Ministry of Health and Institute of Public Health (IPH) to launch a new initiative: the “Health Caravan”. This is an element of the American Rescue Plan COVID-19 Response Activity in Montenegro, financed...
Dr Jean Kaseya appointed Director General of Africa CDC
Dr Jean Kaseya was announced the new Director General of Africa CDC at the African Union summit in February 2023. He was approved by African heads of state during the meeting in Addis Ababa. Currently, Africa CDC is making the transition from a technical institute of...
French study explores vaccination and housing situation
A paper published in Nature Communications Medicine in February 2023 examines the results of a study investigating how a person’s housing situation might factor into their vaccination status. With limited global data on this relationship, the authors concluded from...
Exclusive interview with the US BIOLOGIC team
Next up in our series of interviews in preparation for the World Vaccine Congress in Washington this April are our speakers from US BIOLOGIC: Dr Jolieke van Oosterwijk and Chris Przybyszewski. We were delighted that they took the time to answer our questions and give...
Gavi appoints Dr Muhammad Ali Pate as CEO
In February 2023 Gavi announced the conclusion of a process that had begun in 2021: appointing a CEO to succeed Dr Seth Berkley. Dr Muhammad Ali Pate was Global Director, Health, Nutrition, and Population (HNP) Global Practice of the World Bank and Director of Global...
Health inequity or vaccine hesitancy: understanding barriers
A report in Nature Human Behaviour in February 2023 examines reporting oversights in examining the factors behind vaccine intentions and uptake. The authors emphasise the importance of language evolution to “reflect social and structural inequities”. “To achieve...
Exclusive interview with Dr Francesca Micoli
With just under 10 weeks to go until the World Vaccine Congress in Washington this April we are already getting prepared and meeting some of our amazing speakers. We are delighted to share our first interview for this Congress, a conversation with Dr Francesca Micoli...
UNEP report “Bracing for Superbugs”: AMR and One Health
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) released a report in February 2023 that addresses the role of the environment in the development and distribution of the problem of AMR. The report advocates for a One Health approach to tackling this challenge, while...
Africa CDC hosts Biomanufacturing Workforce workshop
Between 7th and 9th February 2023 30 partner organisations came together to participate in the first Biomanufacturing Workforce Development workshop. Hosted by Africa CDC, Insitut Pasteur de Dakar (IPD), and the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) the...
The Pandemic Fund invites submissions for projects
In February 2023 the World Bank Pandemic Fund announced that the Governing Board had approved $300 million for a first round of funding to help “developing countries better prepare for and respond to future pandemics”. The Fund is also inviting eligible countries to...
UK announces progress on bovine TB vaccine and test
In February 2023 the UK Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) announced that field trials for a cattle vaccine against bovine tuberculosis (bTB) were moving to the second phase. This phase will assess the safety of the CattleBCG vaccine and the safety and performance...
IVAC runs vaccine hesitancy training course in India
In December 2022 the International Vaccine Access Centre was able to conduct a test run of its newly developed training course on vaccine hesitancy. With a grant from the Sabin Vaccine Institute the course is aimed at healthcare workers, who can take it online or in...
