scholarly journals COVID-19 in pastoral contexts in the greater Horn of Africa: Implications and recommendations

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Evan F. Griffith ◽  
Loupa Pius ◽  
Pablo Manzano ◽  
Christine C. Jost
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
One Health ◽  
World Health ◽  
Intersectoral Collaboration ◽  
Horn Of Africa ◽  
Public Health Response ◽  
Effective Response ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
The World ◽  
Greater Horn Of Africa

Abstract COVID-19 is a global pandemic that continues to spread around the world, including to Africa where cases are steadily increasing. The African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention is leading the pandemic response in Africa, with direction from the World Health Organization guidelines for critical preparedness, readiness, and response actions. These are written for national governments, lacking nuance for population and local differences. In the greater Horn of Africa, conditions unique to pastoralists such as inherent mobility and limited health and service infrastructure will influence the dynamics of COVID-19. In this paper, we present a One Health approach to the pandemic, consisting of interdisciplinary and intersectoral collaboration focused on the determinants of health and health outcomes amongst pastoralists. Our contextualized public health strategy includes community One Health teams and suggestions for where to implement targeted public health measures. We also analyse the interaction of COVID-19 impacts, including those caused directly by the disease and those that result from control efforts, with ongoing shocks and vulnerabilities in the region (e.g. desert locusts, livestock disease outbreaks, floods, conflict, and development displacement). We give recommendations on how to prepare for and respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and its secondary impacts on pastoral areas. Given that the full impact of COVID-19 on pastoral areas is unknown currently, our health recommendations focus on disease prevention and understanding disease epidemiology. We emphasize targeting pastoral toponymies with public health measures to secure market access and mobility while combating the direct health impacts of COVID-19. A contextualized approach for the COVID-19 public health response in pastoral areas in the Greater Horn of Africa, including how the pandemic will interact with existing shocks and vulnerabilities, is required for an effective response, while protecting pastoral livelihoods and food, income, and nutrition security.

scholarly journals Novel coronavirus associated with severe respiratory disease: Case definition and public health measures

2012 ◽  
Vol 17 (39) ◽  
Author(s):  
N Danielsson ◽  
collective on behalf of the ECDC Internal Response Team ◽  
M Catchpole
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Case Definition ◽  
World Health ◽  
Public Health Response ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
Health Response ◽  
Disease Case ◽  
The World ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization

Two cases of rapidly progressive acute respiratory infection in adults associated with a novel coronavirus have generated an international public health response. The two infections were acquired three months apart, probably in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. An interim case definition has been elaborated and was published on the World Health Organization website on 25 September 2012.

scholarly journals Vietnamese Public Health Practices in the Advent of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons for Developing Countries

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 163-164
Author(s):  
Jeconiah Louis Dreisbach
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Short Communication ◽  
Health Policies ◽  
World Health ◽  
Public Health Policies ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization

The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) presents a great challenge to developing countries with limited access to public health measures in grassroots communities. The World Health Organization lauded the Vietnamese government for its proactive and steady investment in health facilities that mitigate the risk of the infectious disease in Vietnam. This short communication presents cases that could benchmark public health policies in developing countries.

scholarly journals Does sunlight drive seasonality of TB in Vietnam? A retrospective environmental ecological study of Tuberculosis seasonality in Vietnam from 2010-2015

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Bonell ◽  
Lucie Contamin ◽  
Pham Quang Thai ◽  
Hoang Thi Thanh Thuy ◽  
Rogier H van Doorn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Vitamin D ◽  
Time Series ◽  
Linear Model ◽  
World Health ◽  
Infection Prevalence ◽  
The South ◽  
Mixed Effect ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
The World

Abstract Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a major global health burden, with an estimated quarter of the world’s population being infected. The World Health Organization (WHO) launched the “End TB Strategy” in 2014 emphasising knowing the epidemic. WHO ranks Vietnam 12 th in the world of high burden countries. TB spatial and temporal patterns have been observed globally with evidence of Vitamin D playing a role in seasonality. We explored the presence of temporal and spatial clustering of TB in Vietnam and their determinants to aid public health measures. Methods: Data were collected by the National TB program of Vietnam from 2010-2015 and linked to the following datasets: socio-demographic characteristics; climatic variables; influenza-like-illness (ILI) incidence; geospatial data. The TB dataset was aggregated by province and quarter. Descriptive time series analyses using LOESS regression were completed per province to determine seasonality and trend. Harmonic regression was used to determine the amplitude of seasonality by province. A mixed-effect linear model was used with province and year as random effects and all other variables as fixed effects. Results: There were 610,676 cases of TB notified between 2010-2015 in Vietnam. Heat maps of TB incidence per quarter per province showed substantial temporal and geospatial variation. Time series analysis demonstrated seasonality throughout the country, with peaks in spring/summer and troughs in autumn/winter. Incidence was consistently higher in the south, the three provinces with the highest incidence per 100,000 population were Tay Ninh, An Giang and Ho Chi Minh City. However, relative seasonal amplitude was more pronounced in the north. Mixed-effect linear model confirmed that TB incidence was associated with time and latitude. Of the demographic, socio-economic and health related variables, population density, percentage of those under 15 years of age, and HIV infection prevalence per province were associated with TB incidence. Of the climate variables, absolute humidity, average temperature and sunlight were associated with TB incidence. Conclusion : Preventative public health measures should be focused in the south of Viet Nam where incidence is highest. Vitamin D is unlikely to be a strong driver of seasonality but supplementation may play a role in a package of interventions.

scholarly journals SSHAP: 6 Ways to Incorporate Social Context and Trust in Infodemic Management

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan Schmidt-Sane ◽  
Tabitha Hrynick ◽  
Jennifer Cole ◽  
Santiago Ripoll ◽  
Olivia Tulloch
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Social Context ◽  
World Health ◽  
Social Scientists ◽  
Public Health Response ◽  
Participatory Approaches ◽  
Health Response ◽  
The World ◽  
Local Solutions ◽  
Health Organization

Information epidemiology or infodemiology is the study of infodemics - defined by the World Health Organization as an overabundance of information, some accurate and some not, that occurs during a pandemic or other significant event that may impact public health. Infodemic management is the practice of infodemiology and may sit within the risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) pillar of a public health response. However, it is relevant to all aspects of preparedness and response, including the development and evaluation of interventions. Social scientists have much to contribute to infodemic management as, while it must be data and evidence driven, it must also be built on a thorough understanding of affected communities in order to develop participatory approaches, reinforce local capacity and support local solutions.

scholarly journals Wayfaring in Taiwan during COVID-19: Reflections on Political Ontologies of Disease and Geopolitics

2021 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott Simon
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Indigenous Peoples ◽  
Broad Spectrum ◽  
Pacific Islanders ◽  
World Health ◽  
The Political ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
Ethnic Tensions ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization

What are the political and ontological implications of COVID‑19? I had plenty of time to reflect on this from March to July after I ended fieldwork in Guam and unexpectedly spent four months in Taiwan. Because of Taiwan’s proximity to China, where the pandemic began, it initially seemed as if it would be among the most serious cases. Instead, Taiwan’s public health measures allowed it to become one of the few places in the world relatively untouched by the virus. The experience of Taiwan with COVID‑19 was shaped most of all by tense relations with China and the non-recognition of the country by the World Health Organization (WHO). There are also intriguing differences within Taiwan where historically Chinese settler groups and Indigenous peoples related to other Pacific Islanders find their place in the world through a broad spectrum of non-Western ontologies. In travelogue genre, I reflect upon their different stories and practices of worlding as fears of the pandemic ontributed to a heightened sense of crisis, ethnic tensions, and a rise in nationalism. This reveals important ontological differences that will continue to influence the geopolitics of the region even beyond the current pandemic.

scholarly journals Mental Status of Dental Students during Lockdown Due to Covid-19 Pandemic - A Cross Sectional Study in Western Maharashtra

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 532-535
Author(s):  
Seema Suresh Valekar ◽  
Sandesh Ashok Phaphe ◽  
Karishma Rajiv Sarode
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Mental Status ◽  
Dental Students ◽  
World Health ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Public Health Response ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Dental Practitioners ◽  
The World

BACKGROUND Since the World Health Organization declared coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) a pandemic, it has become a major challenge to public health all around the world. The situation is physically as well as mentally challenging for dental practitioners, teaching faculty, and dental students. We wanted to determine the stress among dental students due to the lockdown. This will aid us in determining the amendments to be made to help students manage the stress in such a critical situation the world is facing. METHODS This is a cross-sectional quantitative study done using a voluntarily filled online questionnaire. The survey was conducted on undergraduate dental students of School of Dental Sciences, Karad. Third and final year students were included in the study as they are more into clinical practice. Out of 163 students, 118 students responded to the questionnaire. RESULTS 93 % of the total respondents reported that the period of lockdown will have an impact on the mental wellbeing of the students. Stress due to loss of academic year, patients missing appointments, dentist’s being at high risk was found to be 97 %, 75 %, 89.8 % respectively. CONCLUSIONS A significant number of dental students had disturbed mental wellbeing during the period of lockdown. Supporting the mental health of all health care workers must be a critical part of the public health response, and special efforts should be directed to vulnerable sectors. KEY WORDS Mental Status, Students, Covid-19, Epidemic

scholarly journals Pseudoscientific Treatments in the COVID-19 Pandemic: Flattening the "Infodemic" Curve Also Saves Lives

Bionatura ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 1181-1184
Author(s):  
Estefanía Espín
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Scientific Information ◽  
Scientific Basis ◽  
Preventive Health ◽  
World Health ◽  
Effective Vaccine ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
Distorted Communication ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) recognized COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, as a pandemic. 1 This pandemic has claimed 640,016 lives worldwide, as officially reported to the WHO. 2 In parallel, an epidemic equally dangerous for human health; the "infodemic" spread. Infodemic is a term coined to define information excess, some accurate and some not, during an epidemic, which could damage public health. 3 Infodemic spreads rapidly, influencing the behavior of the population, avoiding their adherence to preventive health measures. The amplifying factor of the infodemic is mainly social media, whose users increased globally by 20-87%, during the pandemic. 4 Infodemic has been prejudicial due to: 1) distorted communication of facts with a weak scientific basis; and 2) diffusion of pseudoscientific theories. 5 In the context of a pandemic threatening our lives, in the absence of an effective vaccine or treatment, amid the constant updating of scientific information, as we learn more about SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19; a favorable scenario has been generated for infodemic.

scholarly journals COVID-19—A Novel Zoonotic Disease: A Review of the Disease, the Virus, and Public Health Measures

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 145-153
Author(s):  
John S. Mackenzie ◽  
David W. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
World Health Organization ◽  
Clinical Severity ◽  
World Health ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Unknown Etiology ◽  
Director General ◽  
Health Measures ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization

A cluster of cases of pneumonia of unknown etiology emerged in Wuhan, China, at the end of December 2019. The cluster was largely associated with a seafood and animal market. A novel Betacoronavirus was quickly identified as the causative agent, and it is shown to be related genetically to SARS-CoV and other bat-borne SARS-related Betacoronaviruses. The number of cases increased rapidly and spread to other provinces in China, as well as to another four countries. To help control the spread of the virus, a “cordon sanitaire ” was instituted for Wuhan on January 23, 2020, and subsequently extended to other cities in Hubei Province, and the outbreak declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the Director General of the World Health Organization on January 30, 2020. The virus was named SARS-CoV-2 by the International Committee for the Taxonomy of Viruses, and the disease it causes was named COVID-19 by the World Health Organization. This article described the evolution of the outbreak, and the known properties of the novel virus, SARS-CoV-2 and the clinical disease it causes, and the major public health measures being used to help control it’s spread. These measures include social distancing, intensive surveillance and quarantining of cases, contact tracing and isolation, cancellation of mass gatherings, and community containment. The virus is the third zoonotic coronavirus, after SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, but appears to be the only one with pandemic potential. However, a number of important properties of the virus are still not well understood, and there is an urgent need to learn more about its transmission dynamics, its spectrum of clinical severity, its wildlife origin, and its genetic stability. In addition, more research is needed on possible interventions, particularly therapeutic and vaccines.

scholarly journals Implementing the International Health Regulations (2005) in Europe

2006 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 3-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Rodier ◽  
M Hardiman ◽  
B Plotkin ◽  
B Ganter
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
International Health ◽  
World Health ◽  
Intersectoral Collaboration ◽  
The European Union ◽  
International Health Regulations ◽  
Public Health Response ◽  
Member States ◽  
Federal States ◽  
Health Regulations

The adoption of the International Health Regulations (2005) (also referred to as IHR(2005) or the revised Regulations) provides a remarkable new legal tool for the protection of international public health. Upon entry into force on 15 June 2007, Article 2 (‘Purpose and scope‘) provides that the overall focus of the efforts of States Parties (and World Health Organization's efforts) under the revised Regulations will be to prevent, protect against, control and provide a public health response to the international spread of disease in ways that are commensurate with the public health risks and which avoid unnecessary interference with international traffic. Health measures under the revised Regulations will be implemented with respect for travellers’ human rights, with several specific new requirements in this area. To comply with the IHR (2005), States Parties (WHO member states that will be bound by the IHR(2005)) will have to have core public health capacities in disease surveillance and response, as well as additional capacities at designated international ports, airports and land crossings. This unique collective commitment will require close collaboration between WHO and the States Parties, but also intersectoral collaboration within the States themselves, including collaboration among different administrative or governmental levels, a particular issue for federal states, and horizontally across ministries and disciplines. Collaboration among States Parties is a key aspect of the revised Regulations, whether among neighbours, or with trading partners, members of regional economic integration organisations or other regional groups, or simply members of the international community. This collaboration is particularly relevant for the Member States of the European Union.

scholarly journals WHO gives guidance on threat of bioterrorism

2002 ◽  
Vol 6 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
B Twisselmann
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
World Health Organization ◽  
World Health ◽  
Chemical Weapons ◽  
Public Health Response ◽  
Member States ◽  
Health Response ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
National Preparedness

In recent months, several member states of the World Health Organization (WHO) have sought advice on the threat of bioterrorist attacks, as reported in last week’s Weekly Epidemiological Record (1). WHO’s guidance to countries on strengthening national preparedness and effective responses to such events is set out in the document Public health response to biological and chemical weapons.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document