Tag: global health

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Crisis Global Health Public Health

Opioids given and monitored by the government instead of various clinics?

In City of Vancouver, a pilot program began in providing Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid used to manage severe pain (it is about 50-100 times more potent than morphine). Public Health Agency of Canada | Agence de la santé publique du Canada finances the program and it is all legal – with the goal of harm reduction for those in need of the drug. This approach is aimed to reduce deaths and severe illnesses from illicit drugs by making the drugs safer for people who use them.

Last year, over 20+ United States Attorneys’​ Offices reject the current bankruptcy plan offered by Purdue Pharma L.P., who have ongoing claims against them for their role in the opioid epidemic in United States. This addiction crisis in the US has killed more than 450,000 Americans.

Today’s thoughts may be deeply controversial in the United States, but how can we provide harm reduction (ie reduce the overdoses) while at the same time providing quality care for those in need of such potent pain medication?

Categories
COVID-19 Pandemic Public Health

“No jab, No job” – latest on vaccine mandate in workplace

“No jab, No job” is being passed around the workplaces this week. Announcement is from Citi to adopt a COVID-19 vaccine mandate policy, marking first major bank with such policy.

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COVID-19 Pandemic Global Health

The death toll of COVID-19 pandemic reached 5 million people today

The global death toll of the COVID-19 pandemic reached 5 million people today, roughly under 2 years since first identification of novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2 (https://time.com/6112287/5-million-covid-deaths/). The pandemic is still not over until it is over everywhere.

The U.S., European Union, Britain and Brazil account for one-eighth of the global population, but almost half of reported deaths from the coronavirus. For example, US leads the world in the number of confirmed deaths from the virus with more than 745,800 people dead from COVID-19, then Brazil (with more than 607,000 deaths) and India (with more than 450,000 deaths) [https://www.npr.org/2021/11/01/1051020063/the-covid-19-pandemic-has-killed-5-million-people-globally].

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Mental Health Research

Reducing the Mental Health Weight on the Next Generation

Unaddressed mental health issues have been weighing on the young generation well before the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns. An estimated 13% of 10-19-year-olds live with a diagnosed mental disorder globally.

ONLY 2% of government health budgets are allocated to mental health spending globally, (UNICEF)

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Mental Health Research

Addressing the Mental Health Burden of the Next Generation

Can technology help to meet the mental health needs of the young (next) generation?

Recent news of $1.7 billion of student loans will be forgiven of US Public Service Workers and Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen providing testimony to US Senate Commerce Committee show an opportunity for better engagement to help the next generation through financial and technological efforts.

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Mental Health Research

Mental Health Impact – UNICEF’s State of the World’s Children

COVID-19 pandemic has raised concerns about mental health impact among everyone especially children and young adults. As we lead to the World Mental Health Day (Oct 10), let’s discuss latest thought leadership and global mental health reports this week.

Today’s discussion question:
How can healthcare and technology help to meet the mental health needs of the young generation?

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Crisis Global Health Public Health Research

2021 Conflict Research Society’s annual conference presentation

Yesterday, our paper addressing how disaster risk in conflict areas can be reduced to meet United Nations Sendai Framework disaster risk reduction priorities was presented at Conflict Research Society’s annual conference.

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COVID-19 Pandemic Global Health Mental Health

Latest rankings by Bloomberg News of Best and Worst Places to Be

Have you considered moving during the COVID-19 pandemic due to your local government’s response and/or local community’s caseload? Will FDA’s full approval of the Pfizer / BioNTech SE vaccine play a factor in the shift of US?

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COVID-19 Pandemic Public Health Research

FDA approves first COVID19 vaccine to-date

Monday morning and news arrived that FDA fully approves Pfizer / BioNTech SE Coronavirus Vaccine as the first COVID-19 vaccine for prevention of #COVID19 disease in 16 years of age and older.

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COVID-19 Pandemic Global Health Public Health Research

Third dose of COVID-19 shot?

COVID-19 vaccines are working to protect against death along with some protection against hospitalization and mild infections. The latter protections seem to be declining in effectiveness plus Delta variant (and Lamba variant) are some of the reasons why US announce approval of a third shot (dose) for US population at 8 months or later after receiving the first two doses of Pfizer/BioNTech SE & Moderna.

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