Public Health Wednesdays (PHW)- Africa & Asia Health Check

ASIA 

INDIA SAYS YES TO LABELS

“About 6 million people die of tobacco use globally every year and India accounts for 1/6th of the total deaths. ”

— Sanchita, Sharma Health & Science Editor for Hindustan Times

The Independent

 A solid blow but not a final one from India’s Supreme Court. The Supreme Court decided to put some much-needed brakes with the issue of larger health warnings on cigarettes sold in India, like the picture below. A lower court had ruled in favor for Tobacco Hero, Phillip Morris International to not increase the current surface available for health warnings. They will be back in court on March 12th.

THE PHILIPPINES

“In 2016, Obesity cost the Philippines between $500 million and $1 billion, or equivalent to between 4 percent and 8 percent of its health-care spending. ”

— Business Mirror, 2016

The Philippine government will impose higher taxes on sugar sweetened drinks as a way to target obesity. 

JAPAN APPROVES COCA-COLA FOR LAXATIVES

Nope, Japan has a better answer for your constipation needs

The Japanese government has approved of this new Coca Cola has a healthy laxative. It helps to suppress fat and make you do the number 2. We should note here it is for the elderly, but you guess right, young people are consuming the beverage. Anyway, if you drink more than one a day, you can guess the consequences 

Dr. David Machiels, product development director, R&D, Coca-Cola Asia Pacific

Coca-Cola has released a laxative-enhanced and purportedly healthy cola beverage in Japan.

THAILAND UPDATE ON WHITENING THE PENIS TREND

So about the Whitening of the Penis situation, the Minister of Health relesed a Twitter statement few days ago

““Dr Thongchai Keeratihuttayakorn of the Thai Health Ministry said: “Penis laser whitening is not necessary, wastes money and may give more negative effects than positive ones.””

— Twitter

AFRICA

South Sudan is starting the year with suspected cases of (VHFs)Viral Haemorrhagic Fever, Nigeria with Meningitis and Necrotizing Fasciitis in São Tomé and Príncipe. 

“Viral haemorrhagic fever is a general term for a severe illness, sometimes associated with bleeding, that may be caused by a number of viruses. The term is usually applied to disease caused by Arenaviridae (Lassa fever, Junin and Machupo), Bunyaviridae (Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, Rift Valley Fever, Hantaan haemorrhagic fevers), Filoviridae (Ebola and Marburg) and Flaviviridae (yellow fever, dengue, Omsk haemorrhagic fever, Kyasanur forest disease).”

— World Health Organization

Google this word  "Necrotizing Fasciitis" for photos, be warned the photos are VERY GRAPHIC

ZAMBIA

CHOLERA

What is cholera? What are the symptoms? Is there a vaccine? Watch the video and find out more information.

Day 10 into 2018, Zambia has a cumulative total of 2905 cholera cases and a total of 67 deaths. The Zambian government has placed curfews, banned meetings at public gatherings such as churches and schools. In addition to these reactive methods to the Cholera public health emergency, the Zambian government has stopped issuing Zambian passports and birth certificates.
 

“Over 124 infections were documented in 24 hours from January 8th- January 9th.”

Meanwhile lack of sanitation is causing a cholera crisis in Zambia. The government has taken extraordinary measures in the capital Lusaka to wipe out the disease. And as Mutuna Chanda reports, the outbreak isn't just affecting people's health.

Economic consequences to the reactionary behaviors of Zambia’s lack of dealing with the issues and not the symptoms, is neighboring country of Namibia banning all food imports from Zambia. Zambia is one of Namibia’s top four trading partners, exports to Namibia totaled around $322 million in 2016.

THE REAL ISSUE

 

UPDATE ON MADAGASCAR AND THE PLAGUE

We touched on Madagascar and the plague some months back, you can catch up here

Director General of WHO, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus has included an outline for a plague free Madagascar that includes a request for an added $4 million in funding.

See you next PHW

Public Health Wednesdays (PHW)- Africa & Asia Health Check

AFRICA

MALI

This picture represents the cholera outbreak in 1854 and John Snow, the father of modern epidemiology, was able to trace the source and help contain the epidemic.

“Cholera is an acute, diarrheal illness caused by infection of the intestine with the bacterium Vibrio cholerae”

— CDC (Centers for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

I felt like I wanted Death after contracting Cholera, you look like Death. 

University of Maryland School of Medicine has data to support that giving a stronger single dose of the cholera live oral vaccine can be an effective tool in controlling outbreaks. Normally patients take two doses (PAINFUL DOSES). Mali helped with this research, the 150 Malian participants are key to this new breakthrough in defeating Cholera. Hopefully we do not have a repeat of the events that occurred in the Philippines. The Vaccination was developed by UMSOM's Center for Vaccine Development (CVD) and licensed and manufactured by PaxVax.

GHANA

JOHNSON & JOHNSON

Johnson & Johnson teamed up with GHANA AIDS, Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana, and local community partners to provide education and testing for the local community of Koforidua a few days ago. 

JOHNSON & JOHNSON SOFT POWER

Medical Diplomacy(Health Diplomacy) can be so conviencing and seductive. A blind eye would be so thrilled that a multinational coporations paused for a day in December to help with HIV Testing, Education and Wrap around services.  Can you imagine that, HIV/AIDS awareness in December? 

“PAGING JOHNSON & JOHNSON: YOU STILL HAVE A BABY POWDER PROBLEM .....”

— California resident Eva Echeverria’s ovarian cancer, Her $417 million that you owe her, The 4,800 related lawsuits and the extra$300 million you still owe folk in Missouri

Their presence was really to soften the questions and doubts for the clinical study and testing of the new HIV global vaccine.  Yup, A new HIV global vaccine that included 2,600 women from South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Malawi.

Corporations also gain from Soft Power. Soft Power is not just reserved for states in International Relations. Nike continues to make you “Do It”.  This begs the question….

“What the hell are you doing? Why the hell, are you not DOING IT? Nike enjoys $ 30.6 billion in revenue by selling the idea of DOING IT”

— Water & Cassava

African States do not seem to understand that Medical Diplomacy(Health Diplomacy) from International Corporations that come from Global North spaces helps to feed in to the narratives of helping the “Other”.  The narratives of the “other” in Global health kills more people than the disease.  After all the testing, they sell it back to Africa  states making billions in profit. I am not sure why noone finds capitalism and medical diplomacy to be disturbing. 
 

“ Remember our message for PHWs is proactive and not reactive to wellness, right?”

— Water & Cassava

Vaccine epidemiology in Africa must be conducted by Africans. Partipants from African countries in terms of research does not count as full contribution to solving the problem. I am arguing that everything that goes into a Research center for Vaccine epidemiology including the building should be by Africans.  Africans must start to invest heavily into education and reserach towards public health matters that impact their spaces. 

Watch the video of my husband explaining this concept. He was brutally taking away from the community by savage uncivilized barbarians that were nothing but thugs and cowards. I would also like to add that the savage creatures that assassinated my belated husband, American Freedom Fighter/Activist/Political Theorist/Revolutionary/Deputy Chairman of the Black Panther Party (Chicago Chapter) was the Chicago Police Department. He was resisting arrest asleep in bed with his child and partner.

Hampton founded the Chicago chapter of the Black Panther Party in November 1968 where he immediately established a community service program. This included the provision of free breakfasts for schoolchildren and a medical clinic that did not charge patients for treatment. Hampton also taught political education classes and instigated a community control of police.

WHO REPORT -AFRICA

Uganda can celebrate- No more Marburg virus

Ghana has the case of the H1N1 Flu

South Africa is still trying to sort out Listeriosis 

Zambia has a case of Cholera

Senegal has Dengue fever

ASIA

SPERM STRUGGLES IN CHINA AND INDIA

Last Public Health Wednesday, we mentioned the severity of Air polltuion and brain developement for Southeast Asian infants. Recent reports show that the air pollution in China and India are affecting the quality of sperm for men in the region.
 

BANGLADESH

I am not sure why this is not reported. I do know if there is drama with: India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh it will be reported. 

The People's Republic of Bangladesh, UNICEF, WHO, GAVI ( Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) and the Vaccine Alliance launched a DTAP childhood immunization campaign for all Rohingya children below 6 years of age living on the Myanmar border.

Childhood Immunizations

SOUTHEAST ASIA

Apparently there is Super Malaria. I swear no one told me of a weak malaria, medium strength malaria and regular malaria. I have suffered from regular malaria and that is just pure hell. I mean you feel like death. 

THIS IS THE DYING PART I WAS TRYING TO MAKE YOU UNDERSTAND.

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, I PRESENT TO YOU THE EVIL KNOWN AS THE ANOPHELES MOSQUITO. SHE GIVES YOU MALARIA. 

“Female mosquitoes bit you not males. Males are vegetarians. ”

— Water & Cassava

Quinine is BITTER AND NASTYYYY.

The Supermalaria parasite appears to originate from Southeast Asia and it is only a matter of time before Africa gets Supermalaria. This strand is resistant to all current treatment.

UPDATE ON THE PHILIPPINES 

Last week, we reported that the Philippines halted the Dengue Fever vaccination Dengvaxia. The Ministry of Health, will take Sanofi to court for $59 million because Sanofi was not honest about the side effects.

Oh, The real drama is that former President Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Cojuangco Aquino II received an invitation from the Senate to attend the next hearing on the vaccine. It was his administration, his okay for Sanofi to carry out the vaccinations and his mess.

           CHINA AND ZAMBIA                    ANYTIME YOU NEED A FRIEND...

Mariah Carey's official music video for 'Anytime You Need A Friend'. Click to listen to Mariah Carey on Spotify: http://smarturl.it/MariahCareySpotify?IQid=MCareyAYNF As featured on Greatest Hits.

So in Africa & Asian Global Health coporation, China will help construct a national public health laboratory in Zambia. Let us wait and see just how this works. Bravo to Zambia for appreciating the severity of their public health issues. 

Before we go, on the behalf of ESE & SEGYE, Water & Cassava, Keeka & Lisu and The Cocoyams & would like you to honor and observe December 12th as Universal Health Coverage Day. 

However, the conversation continues in Tokyo, Japan. The city will host the forum targeting this issue for the entire week of Dec 12th- Dec 15th with the Government of Japan, World Bank, World Health Organization, UNICEF, UHC2030 and JICA as hosts.

See you next PHW!

Public Health Wednesdays- The M Word (Monkey Pox & Marbug Virus)

    MONKEY POX

Monkey Pox

Monkey Pox does not come from this guy or any of his 260 relatives. Monkey Pox comes from rodents. 

The United States and Monkey Pox

In 2003, local residents in Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin had cases of Monkey Pox. Here is the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report(MMWR) for that incident. 

The United States banned six rodents to fight the infectious monkey pox in 2003

Monkey Pox Reported Cases in Africa

Small outbreaks of monkey pox have occurred in Sierra Leone, Congo, and Central African Republic. Nigeria has reported multiples cases of monkey pox throughout the country. The country of Cameroon's primate population experienced a monkey pox epidemic. Fatality rates are quite low and occur with younger populations and are rare. 

What is Nigeria doing about the outbreak?

How do you contract Monkey Pox? 

The monkey pox virus is transmitted to people from various wild animals but has limited secondary spread through human-to-human transmission.

Symptoms  

• Fever
• Headache
• Muscle aches
• Backache
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Chills
• Exhaustion

Outbreaks can be controlled with a host of options

To understand more on the Monkey Pox
 

MARBUG VIRUS -UGANDA

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW?

A severe, highly fatal virus called Marburg has infected and killed three people in Uganda. While that's a small number of infections, any cases of Marburg are cause for concern given the virus' high fatality rates and similarities to the deadly Ebola virus. Here's what you should know.

WHO Report on the Marbug Virus

How is Uganda handling an outbreak?

They are doing well, they have one more mandatory cycle to complete and it should be declared under control. 

There are still reported cases of the Dengue Fever in Burkina Faso though reported cases are dropping. Madagascar is taking control of the plague, far from over but relief is on the way. 

See you next PHW-Public Health Wednesday