CNS: December 2016

Let no child die of pneumonia

Clarity Sibanda, CNS Correspondent, Zimbabwe

The Global Coalition Against Childhood Pneumonia (GCACP) says pneumonia is the most deadly infectious disease for children under the age of 5 worldwide and although statistics from 2000 to 2015 reveal that the annual death toll from childhood pneumonia decreased from 1.7 million deaths annually to 920,000 in 2015. 2,500 children still die from pneumonia every day. This amounts to 16% of all child deaths.

Fighting pneumonia, the number one killer of children

Francis Okoye, CNS Correspondent, Nigeria
[First published in nigeriapoliticsmagazine.com ]

Medical and media experts gathered recently in a webinar hosted by Citizen News Service to deliberate on how to address the world’s deadliest childhood infection: pneumonia. According to the Global coalition against childhood pneumonia (GCACP), pneumonia is the most deadly infectious illness for children under age 5 worldwide. Even though from 2000 to 2015,the annual death toll from childhood pneumonia decreased from 1.7 million deaths annually to 920,000 in 2015, approximately 2,5000 children still die from pneumonia every day.

Lung cancer: Ensuring the right treatment at the right time to the right patient

Shobha Shukla, Citizen News Service - CNS

Dr Navneet Singh, PGIMER (L), Shobha Shukla, CNS (C)
and Dr Marzi Mehta, surgical oncologist (R)

Lung cancer is the most common cancer worldwide. In 2012, there were an estimated 1.8 million new lung cancer cases (13% of all cancers diagnosed), and 1.59 million deaths (19.4% of the total cancer deaths). According to the latest cancer registry data released by the Indian Council of Medical Research, 0.114 million new lung cancer cases (83,000 in males and 31,000 in females) are estimated during 2016 in India.

Intergrated responses are key to improve the outcomes on youth SRHR

Rahul Kumar Dwivedi, CNS Correspondent, India

To improve coordination and responses on youths Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), a state level inter-sectoral coordination meet is convened today under the auspices of Citizen News Service (CNS) in collaboration with Youth Champion Initiative (YCI) and FPA India. Around 50 representatives from government agencies (National Heath Mission, SIFPSA, Health & Family Welfare, Education) and other sectors such as (Youth, Women, PLHIV, Medical Professionals, NGOs, and Media), met to discuss integrated responses for ensuring sexual and reproductive health and rights for the young people.

[Listen or download this podcast here] This is the audio recording of a webinar in lead up to World Cancer Day 2017, on breast cancer related issues. Panel of experts included: Priya Kanayson, Advocacy Officer, NCD Alliance; Dr Pooja Ramakant, Associate Professor, Department of Endocrine and Breast Surgery, King George's Medical University (KGMU); Prof Anand Mishra, Head of the Department of Endocrine and Breast Surgery, KGMU; and Bret Miller, 6 years breast-cancer-survivor and founder of Male Breast Cancer Coalition. [Listen or download this podcast here]

[Webinar] Are we on track to reduce #BreastCancer deaths by 1/3 by 2030?

Stronger health systems necessary to address pneumonia- a major killer of children under 5

Citizen News Service - CNS

Despite being preventable and treatable, it is unacceptable that Pneumonia continues to be a leading infectious killer for children under five years globally. Dr Ajay Mishra, Senior Director and Head of Paediatrics, Nelson Hospital in Lucknow, said in a webinar (recording, podcast) that "while pneumonia in children is preventable and treatable, it still remains the number one killer of children below the age of 5 years, killing 760,000 children aged 1-59 months in 2015.

[Click here to listen or download this audio recording/ podcast] This is a audio recording of a webinar [watch recording] on world's leading infectious killer of children under the age of five years: Pneumonia. Click here to listen or download this audio recording/ podcast.

[Webinar] Ending preventable #Pneumonia deaths by 2030

Saving lives from TB-HIV co-infection through integrated care

Josephine Chinele, CNS Correspondent, Malawi

Over 50% of people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Malawi develop TB at some point of time and 7% of TB patients die whilst on treatment. International Union against TB and Lung Disease Press Statement titled TB 2016 and AIDS 2016: Jointly Tackling the Co-epidemic released in July this year says that these diseases together make up a co-epidemic, posing unique challenges to individuals and communities that bear the burden of both diseases at the same time.

Why The World cannot fight AIDS by ignoring TB?

Francis Okoye, CNS Correspondent, Nigeria

Medical and historical evidence now abound, showing that the world cannot fight AIDS by ignoring TB. In 2015, the world recorded 10.4 million new TB cases of which people living with HIV (PLHIV) accounted for 1.2 million (11%) cases. There were an estimated 1.4 million TB deaths, with 400,000 deaths resulting from TB disease among PLHIV.

World AIDS Day 2016: Let HIV/AIDS produce no more orphans

Alice Sagwidza-Tembe, CNS Correspondent, Swaziland

Leafing through my birthday good wishes from friends, family and foes, on my Facebook, WhatsApp, Tweet, Instagram, Skype and other social media accounts, I realised hundreds of postings were well designed cards, songs, articles about the World AIDS Day commemoration.

[Watch recording or listen to podcast] Breast cancer is the most common, killer cancer in women. 'Men have breasts too' and less than 1% of breast cancer occur in men. If urgent measures are not taken, in next decade: 19.7 million cases of breast cancer will occur and 5.8 million women will die. But governments have promised to deliver on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, one of which is to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like breast cancer by one-third.

Tackling TB-HIV: The importance of integrated care

Shobha Shukla, Citizen News Service - CNS

Both TB and HIV pose serious health risks. But when these two infections join together, the result is a potentially lethal co-epidemic of TB-HIV. Their coexistence is similar to opposites attracting each other despite glaring differences like two unlike poles of a magnet. They are two linked epidemics that must be fought together, in order to make significant progress in ending both.

HIV/AIDS: I have come a long way, we have come a long way

Dr Diana Wangari, CNS Special Correspondent, Kenya

Jacqueline Wambui

On the frontlines of advocating for people living with HIV and AIDS in Kenya is Jacqueline Wambui. Gambol is an activist working with the National Empowerment Network of People living with HIV and AIDS (PLHIV) in Kenya and is an AVAC fellow. She shares with CNS special correspondent, Dr Diana Wangari, her personal experience of dealing with HIV. “I am HIV positive and it took me six months to find that out.” This is the beginning of Jacqueline Wambui’s story who tested positive in 2004. “It started off as what one might refer to as the constant cold—I always seemed to have a cold, or at least similar symptoms. My friends would often ask me ‘How is it that you are always unwell’.

Integrated care is critical to saving lives from TB-HIV co-infection

Aarti Dhar, CNS Correspondent, India

(First published in theindiasaga.com)
Tuberculosis (TB) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) pose a serious health risk. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the risk of developing TB is estimated to be between 26 and 31 times greater in people living with HIV (PLHIV). In 2015, there were an estimated 10.4 million new TB cases worldwide, of which PHLIV accounted for 1.2 million (11%) cases.

HIV prevention research: A bimonthly injection to keep HIV away?

Shobha Shukla, CNS (Citizen News Service)

Dr Suwat Chariyalertsak, Director, RIHES, CMU

Pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP, is a relatively new concept of "treatment as prevention" against HIV for those HIV uninfected persons who might be at risk of contracting the virus. Currently, only Truvada, a two-drug (Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate/ Emtricitabine - TDF/FTC) combination pill, is available to be taken for PrEP. Approved by US FDA in July 2012, Truvada is 100% effective in preventing HIV in those who take this once a day pill at least 4 or more days a week.

[Call to register] Webinar for media on world's leading infectious killer of children < 5: Pneumonia

[Watch recording] [Listen or download podcast]

World's leading infectious killer of children under the age of five years, is Pneumonia. Pneumonia, a common respiratory illness, also has potentially serious outcomes for the elderly. According to Stop Pneumonia, the most vulnerable children are in poor and rural communities, underlining the need to improve equitable access to high quality care, diagnostics, and treatment for all children.