It's World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day!
Chagas disease
Chikungunya
Dengue
Dracunculiasis
Leishmaniasis
Leprosy
Elephantiasis
Mycetoma
River blindness
Rabies
Sleeping sickness
Trachoma
...
& other neglected tropical diseases affect 1 BILLION people 🌍! bit.ly/3scvAhl
Neglected tropical diseases are:
1️⃣Responsible for thousands of preventable deaths
2️⃣Found in🌍's poorest regions
3️⃣Caused by viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi & toxins
4️⃣Associated with stigma & social exclusion
5️⃣43 countries eliminated at least 1 of these diseases
Leprosy is a chronic but curable disease caused by infection mainly of the skin, peripheral nerves, mucosa of the upper respiratory tract & eyes bit.ly/3scvAhl
In this picture: A newly diagnosed leprosy patient is shown how to use his multidrug therapy in 🇮🇳. #BeatNTDs
Dracunculiasis (commonly known as Guinea worm disease) is a crippling parasitic disease. It is transmitted exclusively when people drink water contaminated with parasite-infected water fleas. 👉bit.ly/3scvAhl#BeatNTDs
Soil-transmitted helminthiases infections are among the most common infections 🌍 and affect the poorest and most deprived communities.
They are transmitted by eggs present in human faeces which in turn contaminate soil in areas where sanitation is poor. 👉bit.ly/3scvAhl
Lymphatic filariasis infection, commonly known as elephantiasis, occurs when filarial parasites are transmitted to humans through mosquitoes. 👉bit.ly/3scvAhl#BeatNTDs
Human African trypanosomiasis, also known as sleeping sickness, is a vector-borne parasitic disease. bit.ly/3scvAhl
In this photo: A mobile team of national health workers performing systematic screening of population for human sleeping sickness in Bodo village, #Chad.
Trachoma the leading cause of infectious blindness in the world. It is caused by Chlamydia trachomatis. The disease is transmitted through contact with eye and nose discharge of infected people, particularly young children 👉bit.ly/3scvAhl#BeatNTDs
Taeniasis or cysticercosis is an infection caused by adult tapeworms in human intestines – can be the result of eating undercooked pork. 👉bit.ly/3scvAhl
Buruli ulcer is a debilitating mycobacterial skin infection causing severe destruction of the skin, bone and soft tissue. Early detection of Buruli ulcer disease is crucial to prevent complications and surgery. 👉bit.ly/3scvAhl#BeatNTDs
Chagas disease is a life-threatening illness transmitted to humans through contact with vector insects (triatomine bugs known as ‘kissing bugs’), ingestion of contaminated food, infected blood transfusions, congenital transmission, organ transplantation or laboratory accidents.
Foodborne trematodiases: People become infected through the consumption of raw fish, crustaceans or vegetables that harbour the parasite larvae 👉bit.ly/3scvAhl#BeatNTDs
In this photo: Man cleaning fish in Thanh Hóa province, #VietNam
Visceral leishmaniasis, also known as kala-azar, is transmitted through the bites of infected female sandflies.
It causes irregular bouts of fever, substantial weight loss, swelling of the spleen and liver and anaemia. If untreated, fatality rate can be high. #BeatNCDs
Onchocerciasis – or “river blindness” – is a parasitic disease caused by a filarial worm transmitted by repeated bites of infected blackflies 👉bit.ly/3scvAhl#BeatNTDs
Yaws is a neglected tropical disease that affects the skin, bone & cartilage and can cause chronic disfigurement and disability.👉bit.ly/3scvAhl
In this photo: Health care worker preparing medication in a yaws treatment campaign in West Akim district, #Ghana. #BeatNTDs
Schistosomiasis is an acute and chronic parasitic disease caused by blood flukes (trematode worms). Schistosomiasis causes anaemia, stunting and reduces children’s ability to learn.
LIVE: Media briefing with @DrTedros on outcome of the #mpox Emergency Committee meeting x.com/i/broadcasts/1…
"#Mpox has been reported in #DRC for more than a decade, and the number of cases reported each year has increased steadily over that period.
Last year, reported cases increased significantly, and already the number of cases reported so far this year has exceeded last year’s total, with more than 14,000 cases and 524 deaths.
As many of you who tune into our regular press conferences know, WHO has been working on the mpox outbreak in Africa and raising the alarm that this is something that should concern us all"-@DrTedros
@DrTedros "Last week I announced that I was convening an Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations to evaluate the upsurge of #mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other countries in Africa"-@DrTedros
Media briefing on pandemic, preparedness and response and other developments at the #WHA77 with @DrTedros x.com/i/broadcasts/1…
"Today, the nations of the world made history at the World Health Assembly.
After two years of negotiations, they adopted a strong package of amendments to the International Health Regulations, based on the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The IHR was last updated 19 years ago. The amendments adopted today strengthen global preparedness, surveillance and response to public health emergencies, including pandemics"-@DrTedros #WHA77
"And although the #PandemicAccord has not yet been finalized, the Health Assembly has charted the way forward.
It has agreed to extend the mandate of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body, to finalize negotiations on the Pandemic Agreement as soon as possible, and by next year’s World Health Assembly at the latest"-@DrTedros #WHA77
In an historic development, the #WHA77 today agreed a package of critical amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR), and made concrete commitments to completing negotiations on a global pandemic agreement within a year.
⬇️ bit.ly/4bElM55
These critical actions have been taken in order to ensure comprehensive, robust systems are in place in all countries to protect the health and safety of all people everywhere from the risk of future outbreaks and pandemics.
⬇️ bit.ly/4bElM55
These decisions represent two important steps by countries, taken in tandem with one another on the final day of #WHA77, to build on lessons learned from several global health emergencies, including the #COVID19 pandemic.
⬇️ bit.ly/4bElM55
LIVE: @DrTedros' briefing on the health situation in #Gaza to the @UN Security Council twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1…
"Let me be clear from the outset that I fully understand the anger, grief and fear of the Israeli people following the horrific, barbaric and unjustifiable attacks by Hamas and other armed groups on Israeli civilians on the 7th of October.
The killing of 1,400 people, and injuries to more than 7,200 others, is bad enough. For the survivors and families of victims, the mental health consequences will endure for a long time to come.
WHO is gravely concerned for the health and well-being of Israeli hostages in Gaza, many of whom are older people, children and those with urgent medical needs"-@DrTedros
@DrTedros @UN "Two weeks ago, I spoke with families of hostages, and I will meet them in Geneva next week. I feel their heartache and fear"-@DrTedros
Media briefing on the health situation in Gaza and Israel, and other global health issues with @DrTedros twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1…
"We are running out of words to describe the horror unfolding in Gaza.
Since Hamas’s horrific attacks on Israel on the 7th of October, more than 10,000 people have been killed, including over 8,500 in Gaza and 1400 in Israel. In both Israel and Gaza, 70% of those killed are women and children"-@DrTedros
"More than 21,000 are injured and more than 1.4 million people in Gaza have been displaced.
The situation on the ground, in Gaza, is indescribable.
Hospitals crammed with the injured, lying in corridors;
Morgues overflowing;
Doctors performing surgery without anaesthesia;
Thousands of people seeking shelter from the bombardment;
Families crammed into overcrowded schools, desperate for food and water;
Toilets overflowing and the risk of disease outbreaks spreading;
And everywhere, fear, death, destruction, loss"-@DrTedros
#TraditionalMedicine has been at the frontiers of medicine & science laying the foundation for conventional medical texts.
#DYK: Nearly 40% of pharmaceutical products have a natural product base, incl.:
💊aspirin
💊artemisinin
💊contraceptive pills
💊childhood cancer treatments
In 1969, Tu Youyou was tasked to search for antimalarial drugs. She turned to ancient Chinese #TraditionalMedicine books & discovered artemisinin. In 2015, Tu Youyou was awarded the Nobel Prize for her work on #malaria, which has saved millions of lives.
https://t.co/hqqn1D2idWbit.ly/47s1wlj
Derived from wild Mexican yam, norethindrone is one of the first active ingredients in birth control pills.
When Dr Luis Miramontes stabilised the synthetic hormone, norethindrone, he was unaware of his major contribution to women’s health and history.
📌 https://t.co/MbSbU8fHnfbit.ly/47s1wlj