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WHO unveils list of essential diagnostic tests to improve health outcomes

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 Today, many people are unable to get tested for diseases because they cannot access diagnostic services. Many are incorrectly diagnosed. As a result, they do not receive the treatment they need and, in some cases, may actually receive the wrong treatment. For example, an estimated 46% of adults with Type 2 diabetes worldwide are undiagnosed, risking serious health complications and higher health costs. Late diagnosis of infectious diseases such as HIV and tuberculosis increases the risk of spread and makes them more difficult to treat. To address this gap, the World Health Organization (WHO) today published its first Essential Diagnostics List, a catalogue of the tests needed to diagnose the most common conditions as well as a number of global priority diseases. “An accurate diagnosis is the first step to getting effective treatment,” says Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “No one should suffer or die because of a lack of diagnostic service...
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Poor development outcomes affecting natural resources governance in Africa

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Africa has been slow to convert its natural resources endowments to tangible development outcomes because of weaknesses in governance, according to the fifth edition of the African Governance Report published by the UN Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).  The report launched during the ongoing ECA Conference of Ministers in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) argues that the good governance of natural resources in Africa requires institutions that have both the proper mandate and capacity to manage resources efficiently. They also require the capabilities to formulate, implement and enforce sound policies and regulations.  Abdalla Hamdok, ECA Deputy Executive Secretary and Chief Economist, said although natural resources had become a central activity on the continent, there remains serious challenges to achieving sustainable and inclusive growth with value-added outputs. He explained that good governance is th...
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Lagos State Government commences free health mission programme

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Dr. Jide Idris, Commissioner for Health, Lagos State The Lagos State Government has announced the planned commencement of another round of its free medical expedition programme tagged ‘The Eko Health Mission’ which offers free health services to residents including consultation and treatment for common ailments as well as screening for hypertension, diabetes, eye care and provision of eye glasses, dental care, family planning services,HIV counseling and testing amongst others.   The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris in a press statement released  by   Mrs.  Adeola Salako,  Director, Public Affairs. According to the statement ,  the Eko Health Mission programme will hold between the 15th of May and the 31st of August, 2018 visiting selected local government and local council development areas of the State.   Idris added that the medical mission team will be visiting selected local government and local council developm...
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WHO to eliminate industrially-produced trans-fatty acids from global food supply

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 .., Elimination of these harmful compounds is possible by 2023 The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced plans to eliminate industrially- produced  trans -fatty acids from the global food supply.  Eliminating trans fats is key to protecting health and saving lives: WHO estimates that every year, trans fat intake leads to more than 500,000 deaths of people from cardiovascular disease.   Industrially-produced trans fats are contained in hardened vegetable fats, such as margarine and ghee, and are often present in snack food, baked foods, and fried foods. Manufacturers often use them as they have a longer shelf life than other fats. But healthier alternatives can be used that would not affect taste or cost of food.   “WHO calls on governments to use the  REPLACE  action package to eliminate industrially-produced  trans -fatty acids from the food supply,” said WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Implementing the six s...
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Largest cholera vaccine drive in history to target spike in outbreaks in Africa

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  A spate of cholera outbreaks across Africa has prompted the largest cholera vaccination drive in history, with more than two million people across the continent set to receive oral cholera vaccine (OCV).    The vaccines, funded by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, were sourced from the global stockpile and are being used to carry out five major campaigns in Zambia, Uganda, Malawi, South Sudan and Nigeria. The campaigns, which will be completed by mid-June, are being implemented by the respective Ministries of Health supported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners of the Global Task Force on Cholera Control (GTFCC), and mostly in reaction to recent cholera outbreaks. In the 15 years between 1997 and 2012 just 1.5 million doses of cholera vaccines were used worldwide. In 2017 alone almost 11 million were used, from Sierra Leone to Somalia to Bangladesh. In the first four months of 2018 over 15 million doses have already been approved for use worldwide...
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Mastercard, Unilever Break Down Barriers to Growth for Micro Entrepreneurs

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Jaza Duka benefits local communities by giving them quicker, more reliable access to the products they need most to support their families Mastercard and Unilever have announced that they will expand their strategic partnership to help micro entrepreneurs in Africa and other regions overcome the cash constraints that limit their ability to buy and sell more products and ultimately grow their businesses. In Kenya, the two companies have launched Jaza Duka ("fill up your store"). The initiative combines distribution data from Unilever and analysis by Mastercard, on how much inventory a store has bought from Unilever over time. The results from the analysis are used to provide a micro-credit eligibility recommendation to KCB Bank Kenya (KCB). This solves for the problem that banks usually require formal credit history or collateral, resulting in entrepreneurs borrowing from informal lenders at high interest rates and trapping them in a cycle of debt. If the micr...
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