Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who will assume the role of director-general of the World Trade Organization (WTO) next month, has cast a spotlight on vaccine nationalism and warned that progress in combating COVID-19 will be hindered without equitable access to vaccines. Okonjo-Iweala, a Nigerian-American development economist, said “both on a human health basis, as well as an […]
vaccination
Four million vaccinations against COVID-19 but concerns remain
India has carried out four million vaccinations against COVID-19. It achieved this milestone faster than any other country in the world, the Union Health Ministry claims. The country launched its vaccination drive on January 16th and accomplished the feat of four million vaccinations within eighteen days, according to official data. By comparison, Israel and the […]
What can India’s history of bird flu tell us about the current outbreak?
Detection of the bird flu strains H5N1 and H5N8 amongst several states has resulted in India culling tens of thousands of poultry birds. The outbreak which officials detected over a week ago is reported to have several epicentres across states including Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh. At least six Indian states which identified the […]
Routine childhood vaccination linked to improved schooling among adults in India
Routine childhood vaccination has been found to have links to improved schooling among adults in India amongst a wealth of other benefits, according to a study assessing educational attainment. The study published in the Social Science & Medicine journal found that routine immunisation in childhood could be linked to improved educational outcomes among adults in […]
India at the centre of the vaccination campaign?
India could be at the centre of the global vaccination campaign against COVID-19, experts state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi alluded to this recently. “Our scientists are very confident of succeeding in their endeavour of developing a vaccine against COVID-19,” he said. “There are names of vaccines from different countries doing the rounds in the market, […]
Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine safe and effective, research suggests
Research published yesterday in The Lancet suggests that the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine is safe and effective against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes the disease COVID-19. The Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine – ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 – is approximately seventy percent effective in protecting against COVID-19. Analysing data from four ongoing clinical trials, researchers found […]
COVID vaccine drive: Modi gives announcement
India will commence a COVID vaccine drive once scientists give the go-ahead, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced. In a statement on Friday to leaders of India’s different political parties, the Prime Minister said healthcare and other frontline workers and the elderly would be prioritised for vaccination against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) […]
2022 vision: Gates on when the pandemic could end
Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has said the COVID-19 pandemic could well end in 2022 – on the proviso that “we do a brilliant job.” In an interview with Surojit Gupta of Times News Network, Gates said “if we do a brilliant job, we end the pandemic in 2022. If we are lucky to have a […]
A vaccine is the only option to contain COVID
The point at which India can claim to have achieved herd immunity against COVID-19 is “far away” for the country’s population. This is according to Rajesh Bhushan, an official at the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. He has claimed that the only way India can achieve a level of immunity across the population […]
Routine immunisation in a pandemic: Interview with Dr Badri Patnaik
Experts have voiced concerns about the potential for the COVID-19 pandemic to disrupt routine immunisation services – and a possible resurgence of vaccine-preventable diseases. Health Issues India talks to Dr Badri Patnaik, Head Medical, India and South Asia for Sanofi Pasteur on these themes. The World Health Organization and GAVI, among other organizations, have spoken […]