Global Health Progress

The First Lady, Jeannette Kagame, was this week honoured with a Leadership Award by the by Global Health Progress Initiative, in recognition of her outstanding efforts in promoting health care. During the ceremony, Mrs Kagame was celebrated as a role model, in offering leadership to the improvement of the health sector not just in Rwanda but continentally.

Cerebrospinal meningitis killed 78 people in Kano since the outbreak of the disease in December last year, according to reports released by the state’s ministry of health yesterday. Also, 2999 others were hospitalized across the 44 local government councils of the state. State commissioner for health Hajiya Aisha Isiyaku Kiru, who released the report, however told newsmen in Kano yesterday that the outbreak was now under control largely due to sustained measures by the state government.

Tuberculosis has been described as a major health problem in Nigeria, with Nigeria ranked fifth among the 22 high TB burden countries, which collectively contribute 80% of the global burden of the disease. The nation’s health minister, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin, who disclosed this yesterday in Abuja to mark this year’s World Tuberculosis Day, said that about 460,000 TB cases occur annually in Nigeria, according to World Health Organisation estimates and that the number of cases has increased from 31,264 in 2002 to 90,307 in 2008.

RIO DE JANEIRO — The number of people infected with both tuberculosis and HIV is twice what researchers previously thought, top health officials said Tuesday. The World Health Organization’s annual report on TB, presented in Rio, indicates that there were 1.37 million cases of people with both TB and HIV in 2007, the latest year for which statistics are available. About 700,000 people were infected with both in 2006, according to a report released by WHO last year.

In its Corporate Responsibility Report published today, GSK reiterated its commitment to running its business responsibly and transparently. GSK provided an update on how it will work to improve access to medicines in the developing world and further details about initiatives outlined in February. The company announced additional steps to build on its commitment to the transparency of clinical research data and the public disclosure of its financial interactions with healthcare professionals. It also reported a substantive increase in its level of charitable support.

World TB Day is about celebrating the lives and stories of people affected by TB: women, men and children who have taken TB treatment; nurses; doctors; researchers; community workers–anyone who has contributed towards the global fight against TB.

Amanda George is communications officer at the British Red Cross. In advance of World TB Day, March 24, 2009, she travelled to Kazakhstan to visit the Kazakh Red Crescent TB and HIV co-infection project funded by AstraZeneca through the British Red Cross. The Red Cross’ community-based holistic approach complements national TB programs and supports some of the most vulnerable communities affected by TB and TB/HIV, contributing to the stabilization and reduction of TB in Central Asia.

Many infants in poor and middle-income countries get their vaccines weeks later than doctors recommend and therefore face increased risks of sickness and death, according to a new study in The Lancet.

The First Lady, Mrs Jeannette Kagame yesterday received a leadership award from Global Health Progress Initiative (GHPI) for her dedication towards improving access of healthcare and treatment for Rwandans.

At a colourful ceremony that was held at Kigali Serena Hotel, the award was presented by the Director General of International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations, Alicia D. Greenidge.

Jose Julio Divino, MPH, communications and advocacy manager of the Lilly MDR-TB Partnership based in Geneva, Switzerland, discusses the need for advocacy for TB; a disease that claims the lives of 4,500 people each day.