Global Health
WHO declares Egypt malaria-free after 100-year effort
In October 2024 WHO certified Egypt as malaria-free after a “nearly 100-year effort” by the government and people to end the disease. WHO described
Parliamentarians support Pandemic Agreement efforts
In October 2024, parliamentarians from across the world met at the UNITE Global Summit in Berlin to sign a statement in support of the WHO Pandemic Agreement
Study highlights facial palsy link to COVID-19 vaccines
A study in Emerging Infectious Diseases explores the association between COVID-19 vaccination and facial palsy (FP) in South Korea. The authors
“Promising” Rift Valley vaccine enters Phase II in Kenya
Phase II trials of a “promising” human vaccine candidate against Rift Valley fever are beginning in Kenya with CEPI support. CEPI reported in October 2024
EIB Global supports Akagera Medicines with €2 million
In October 2024 the European Investment Bank (EIB Global) announced €2 million financing for early-stage vaccine development in Rwanda by Akagera Medicines
WHO launches SPRP for Aedes-borne arboviruses
WHO announced in October 2024 that it is launching the Global Strategic Preparedness, Readiness, and Response Plan (SPRP) to tackle dengue and other Aedes-borne arboviruses. The Plan is intended to reduce the burden of disease, suffering, and deaths from dengue and...
Lassa fever study expands disease symptoms investigation
In October 2024, CEPI announced the expansion of research into Lassa fever in West Africa in a “pioneering study” to explore the variation in disease symptoms and how this compares to other “worrisome infections” in the region. The project, led by the Nigeria Centre...
Study of mRNA transfer programme hub finds weaknesses
A study in PLOS Global Public Health in September 2024 compares the WHO and Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) mRNA technology transfer programme with the approach and practices of current biopharmaceutical production. The programme launched in June 2021, with a hub in South...
Money matters at UNGA: Gavi’s funding updates
Gavi announced two major funding updates at the United Nations General Assembly High-level week 2024, revealing that it is making progress in its fundraising efforts for the upcoming strategic period. The first of these updates is that the European Commission has...
Grant to support leptospirosis vaccine development efforts
The University of Connecticut announced in September 2024 that a $3.8 million R01 grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), will support efforts to develop universal vaccine...
UK and US urge vaccination as influenza data revealed
In response to recent data on influenza-associated deaths in the United Kingdom and United States, experts from the UKHSA and the CDC are urging everyone who is eligible for a flu vaccine to get vaccinated. A survey from the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases...
An unlikely duo? WHO and TikTok partner on health content
WHO and TikTok announced a year-long collaboration to provide “reliable, science-based health information” in September 2024. The partnership seeks to address the challenges of misinformation and disinformation on digital channels by “promoting evidence-based content...
IAVI and Africa CDC sign MoU to protect against disease
In September 2024 Africa CDC and IAVI announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to enhance the continent’s capacity to fight disease, pandemic readiness, and supply resilience. This will involve expanding capabilities for locally driven research,...
Thought leader: CEPI steps up with new Biosecurity Strategy
At the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Week in September 2024, CEPI launched a new Biosecurity Strategy to bolster global health security and emphasise its commitment to addressing emerging epidemic threats. The strategy draws on the latest technologies and...
Study shows PCPs struggle to change patient vaccine beliefs
A study in Patient Education and Counselling explores the experiences of primary care physicians (PCPs) with vaccine-hesitant patients in the hope that specific challenges can be addressed to support efforts to increase vaccine acceptance. All the PCPs who...
WHO: progress on pandemic agreement negotiations
In September 2024, WHO described “significant progress” on government-led negotiations on a pandemic agreement after another round of discussions. These discussions took place at the 11th meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) between 9th and 20th...
EMA expansion of MVA-BN has implications for global response
In September 2024, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) announced its recommendation to extend the indication of the smallpox and mpox vaccine Imvanex to adolescents from 12 to 17 years of age. Imvanex, Bavarian Nordic’s MVA-BN, is authorised in the EU for the...
Japan and DRC agree on Lc16 mpox vaccine donations
In September 2024, Africa CDC offered congratulations to the Governments of Japan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for their agreement on the donation of Lc16 mpox vaccines and specialised inoculation needles. At a signing ceremony in Kinshasa, the two...
Global Fund to support DRC with $9.5 million against mpox
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria (the Global Fund) announced in September 2024 that it is responding to a request from the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) for support in its mpox response. The Global Fund will provide...
Gavi funds APA for 500,000 MVA-BN doses for Africa
In September 2024, Gavi and Bavarian Nordic announced an advance purchase agreement (APA) to secure 500,000 doses of MVA-BN mpox vaccine to be supplied to countries in Africa that are affected by the mpox outbreak. The doses are funded by Gavi’s First Response Fund...
