The Grammar of Leprosy: Temporal Politics and the Impossible Subject

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 1-26
Author(s):  
Laura A. Meek
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
World Health ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Temporal Framing ◽  
The Past ◽  
Research Article ◽  
The World ◽  
Potential Problems

This research article critically interrogates the implications and unintended consequences of the World Health Organization’s purported elimination of leprosy as a public health problem. I explore how leprosy has been portrayed (for nearly a century) as something from the past, recalcitrantly lingering on into the present, but surely about to be gone—a temporal framing I call the ‘grammar of leprosy’. I recount the experiences of Daniel, my interlocutor in Tanzania, whose existence became a problem for his doctors. This problem they ultimately resolved by fabricating negative test results in order to record what they already knew: leprosy had been eliminated. I also analyse how researchers working for Novartis (the supplier of leprosy’s cure) continue to push for an always imminent ‘elimination’, while field researchers repeatedly caution about the potential problems of this approach. Finally, I reveal how the grammar of leprosy operates through a complex set of temporal politics, pulling into its orbit and being enabled by multiple interwoven temporalities. I conclude that—due to this grammar, the impossible subjects it produces, and the temporal politics through which it operates—leprosy elimination campaigns may have dire consequences for the lives of people with leprosy today, impeding rather than enabling treatment.

scholarly journals SARS: current overview, aetiology and epidemiology

2003 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 46-55
Author(s):  
Semra Čavaljuga ◽  
Michael Faulde ◽  
Jerrold J. Scharninghausen
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
The United States ◽  
Air Travel ◽  
World Health ◽  
New Disease ◽  
The Past ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
The World ◽  
Public Health Authorities

At this moment, public health authorities, physicians and scientists around the world are struggling to cope with a severe and rapidly spreading new disease in humans called severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS. According to World Health Organisation (WHO) this appears to be the first severe and easily transmissible new disease to emerge in the 21st century. Though much about the disease remains poorly understood, including the details of the causative virus, we do know that it has features that allow it to spread rapidly along international air travel routes. As of 10 May 2003, a cumulative 7296 probable SARS cases with 526 deaths have been reported from 30 countries on three continents (WHO, ProMED). In the past week, more than 1000 new probable cases and 96 deaths were reported globally. This represents an increase of 119 new cases and 8 new deaths compared with 9 May 2003 (China (85), Taiwan (23), and Hong Kong (7) represented the overwhelming majority, with one additional case each reported from France, Malaysia, Singapore, and the United States). Only in China, as of 10 May 2003 (WHO) total of 4884 with 235 deaths have been reported. Some outbreaks have reassuring features.

scholarly journals Trachoma Prevalence After Discontinuation of Mass Azithromycin Distribution

2020 ◽  
Vol 221 (Supplement_5) ◽  
pp. S519-S524
Author(s):  
William Godwin ◽  
Joaquin M Prada ◽  
Paul Emerson ◽  
P J Hooper ◽  
Ana Bakhtiari ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Diagnostic Tests ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
World Health ◽  
Simulation Based ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Program Cycle ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Oral Azithromycin

Abstract Background As the World Health Organization seeks to eliminate trachoma by 2020, countries are beginning to control the transmission of trachomatous inflammation–follicular (TF) and discontinue mass drug administration (MDA) with oral azithromycin. We evaluated the effect of MDA discontinuation on TF1–9 prevalence at the district level. Methods We extracted from the available data districts with an impact survey at the end of their program cycle that initiated discontinuation of MDA (TF1–9 prevalence <5%), followed by a surveillance survey conducted to determine whether TF1–9 prevalence remained below the 5% threshold, warranting discontinuation of MDA. Two independent analyses were performed, 1 regression based and 1 simulation based, that assessed the change in TF1–9 from the impact survey to the surveillance survey. Results Of the 220 districts included, TF1–9 prevalence increased to >5% from impact to surveillance survey in 9% of districts. Regression analysis indicated that impact survey TF1–9 prevalence was a significant predictor of surveillance survey TF1–9 prevalence. The proportion of simulations with >5% TF1–9 prevalence in the surveillance survey was 2%, assuming the survey was conducted 4 years after MDA. Conclusion An increase in TF1–9 prevalence may represent disease resurgence but could also be due to measurement error. Improved diagnostic tests are crucial to elimination of TF1–9 as a public health problem.

scholarly journals Lipid Metabolism as a Targetable Metabolic Vulnerability in Colorectal Cancer

Cancers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 301
Author(s):  
Yekaterina Zaytseva
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Colorectal Cancer ◽  
Lipid Metabolism ◽  
World Health Organization ◽  
Health Problem ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
World Health ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization

Colorectal cancer (CRC), the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths according to the World Health Organization, remains a substantial public health problem worldwide [...]

scholarly journals COVID-19 in ophthalmic practice

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
KhP Takhchidi ◽  
NKh Takhchidi ◽  
MKh Movsesian
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Diabetes Mellitus ◽  
Distress Syndrome ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
World Health ◽  
The Past ◽  
Ocular Manifestations ◽  
The World ◽  
Coronavirus Infection ◽  
Health Organization

The end of 2019 in China was marked by the breakout of the new Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Gradually, the infection spread around the world and in March 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared Covid-19 a pandemic. The new coronavirus disease 2019 is highly contagious, causing respiratory distress syndrome and poses a huge threat to public health, especially in patients. with serious concomitant diseases such as diabetes mellitus, bronchial asthma, hypertension, etc. Many scientists have put forward the idea that COVID-19 can be transmitted through the eyes through contact and everyday life. Over the past six months, works on the ocular manifestations of coronavirus infection have begun to appear in the literature. We conducted a systematic review of scientific articles from the PubMed, e-Library, Scopus databases in order to conduct a meta-analysis of the effect of coronavirus infection on the eyes and its ophthalmological manifestations.

scholarly journals Role of Oral Health Directorate-Ministry of Health-Khartoum State-Sudan during COVID-19 Pandemic-May-2020

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wisam Gabani
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Oral Health ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
World Health ◽  
Leading Role ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Directorate ◽  
Pain And Suffering ◽  
Health Organization

The outbreak of COVID19 started from Wuhan, China, last December 2019 and have become a major challenging public health problem not only China but also all the countries around the world. On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization announced that this outbreak had constituted a public health emergency of international concern. Our traditions in Sudan have contributed a lot to the spread of the virus. The social life of our people is so much connected and there are some practices that they need to drop. The health system in Sudan is suffering a lot of problems makes it difficult to contain the situation easily. The Oral Health Directorate plays a major and leading role in reducing the pain and suffering of the patients complaining from oral and dental problems in respect to the current situation of the pandemic.

scholarly journals Forecasting trachoma control and identifying transmission-hotspots

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seth Blumberg ◽  
Joaquin M Prada ◽  
Christine Tedijanto ◽  
Michael S Deiner ◽  
William W Godwin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Local Control ◽  
Mass Drug Administration ◽  
Reproduction Number ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
World Health ◽  
Clinical Indicator ◽  
Tremendous Progress ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization

Abstract: Background Tremendous progress towards elimination of trachoma as a public health problem has been made. However, there are areas where the clinical indicator of disease, trachomatous inflammation—follicular (TF), remains prevalent. We quantify the progress that has been made, and forecast how TF prevalence will evolve with current interventions. We also determine the probability that a district is a transmission-hotspot based on its TF prevalence (i.e. reproduction number greater than one). Methods Data on trachoma prevalence comes from the GET2020 global repository organized by the World Health Organization and the International Trachoma Initiative. Forecasts of TF prevalence and the percent of districts achieving local control is achieved by regressing the coefficients of a fitted exponential distribution for the year-by-year distribution of TF prevalence. The probability of a district being a transmission-hotspot is extrapolated from the residuals of the regression. Results Forecasts suggest that with current interventions, 96.5% of surveyed districts will have TF prevalence among children aged 1-9 years <5% by 2030 (95% CI: 86.6-100.0%). Districts with TF prevalence < 20% appear unlikely to be transmission-hotspots. However, a district having TF prevalence of over 28% in 2016-2019 corresponds to at least 50% probability of being a transmission-hotspot. Conclusions Sustainable control of trachoma appears achievable. However there are transmission-hotspots that are not responding to annual mass drug administration of azithromycin and require enhanced treatment in order to reach local control

scholarly journals World Health Organization Strategies to Reduce Smoking

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (13) ◽  
pp. 7-11
Author(s):  
Nadia Aguilar Castro ◽  
Eduardo Hernández Martínez
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
World Health Organization ◽  
Educational Communication ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
World Health ◽  
Healthy Lifestyles ◽  
The World ◽  
Tobacco Epidemic ◽  
Health Organization

Today, tobacco is a serious public health problem considered a risk factor in chronic diseases and its complications. Tobacco habit is a risk factor completely modifiable, so it is important to quit this bad habit at all ages. Due to tobacco epidemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) established the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and the Monitor, Protect, Offer, Warn, Enforce and Raise (MPOWER) Brochures and the importance of the use of social marketing as a tool of educational communication to transmit health information clearly, and promote healthy lifestyles, reinforce knowledge, attitudes or behaviors.

scholarly journals Forecasting trachoma control and identifying transmission-hotspots

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seth Blumberg ◽  
Joaquin M Prada ◽  
Christine Tedijanto ◽  
Michael S Deiner ◽  
William W. Godwin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Local Control ◽  
Mass Drug Administration ◽  
Reproduction Number ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
World Health ◽  
Clinical Indicator ◽  
Tremendous Progress ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization

AbstractBackgroundTremendous progress towards elimination of trachoma as a public health problem has been made. However, there are areas where the clinical indicator of disease, trachomatous inflammation—follicular (TF), remains prevalent. We quantify the progress that has been made, and forecast how TF prevalence will evolve with current interventions. We also determine the probability that a district is a transmission-hotspot based on its TF prevalence (i.e. reproduction number greater than one).MethodsData on trachoma prevalence comes from the GET2020 global repository organized by the World Health Organization and the International Trachoma Initiative. Forecasts of TF prevalence and the percent of districts achieving local control is achieved by regressing the coefficients of a fitted exponential distribution for the year-by-year distribution of TF prevalence. The probability of a district being a transmission-hotspot is extrapolated from the residuals of the regression.ResultsForecasts suggest that with current interventions, 96.5% of surveyed districts will have TF prevalence among children aged 1-9 years <5% by 2030 (95% CI: 86.6-100.0%). Districts with TF prevalence < 20% appear unlikely to be transmission-hotspots. However, a district having TF prevalence of over 28% in 2016-2019 corresponds to at least 50% probability of being a transmission-hotspot.ConclusionsSustainable control of trachoma appears achievable. However there are transmission-hotspots that are not responding to annual mass drug administration of azithromycin and require enhanced treatment in order to reach local control

scholarly journals Violence a global public health problem

2006 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 277-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda L. Dahlberg ◽  
Etienne G. Krug
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Ecological Model ◽  
Health Sector ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
World Health ◽  
General Description ◽  
Global Public Health ◽  
The World ◽  
Health Organization

This article is a version of the Introduction to the World Report on Violence and Health, published by the World Health Organization (WHO). It presents a general description about this phenomenon and points some basic questions: concepts and definitions about the theme; the state of knowledge about it; nature and typology on violence; proposal of a quantitative and qualitative approach of an ecological model; responsibilities and functions of the public health sector and its potentiality to prevent and reduce violence in the world; the responsibilities of the nations and the policy makers in a intersetorial point of view; difficulties and obstacles for actuation and challenges for the health sector.

Proposal for the Universalization of Humanized Care in Health Centers: Oncological Individuals

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-65
Author(s):  
Maria Luiza Raduan Meinberg ◽  
◽  
Ana Cristyna Saad Murad ◽  
Isabela Daher Anbar ◽  
João Pedro Daher Anbar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Standard Model ◽  
Public Health Problem ◽  
World Health ◽  
Material Resources ◽  
Cancer Services ◽  
The World ◽  
Review Model ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Health Legislation

Introduction: Cancer is the main public health problem in the world and is already among the top four causes of death before the age of 70 in most countries. In this context, the interest in quality in the care of cancer services is evident. Because of this, several techniques and methods for this measurement are beginning to emerge, but so far there is no valid and reliable methodological strategy of consensus among researchers, except for the HUMAS and QUALISUS (Brazil) scale. Objective: To present the main strategies and criteria to propose a standard model for the validation of humanized care of oncological individuals from Brazil to the world, based on HUMAS international and QUALISUS in Brazil. Methods: The present study followed a review model of the main national and international public health legislation from Brazil (QUALISUS), WHO (World Health Organization), Health Professional Humanization Scale (HUMAS), and scientific articles. Results: Due to the automation of care, the concept of humanization of care has been increasingly discussed in the scientific literature. Respect for the patient's dignity, uniqueness, individuality, and humanity, as well as adequate working conditions and sufficient human and material resources, are the key elements of the humanization of care that were highlighted in this study's proposal. The factors that can contribute the most to the humanization process are the affection in the service, the friendliness and the smile, and the ones that can make it more difficult are the bad mood, the noise, and the punctual non-attendance. Conclusion: This study presented the main strategies and criteria to propose a standard model for the validation of humanized care of oncological individuals from Brazil to the world, strongly pointing out that hospital humanization must be experienced and felt by all who work in the hospital and need to reflect on the care offered to clients and their families.

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