Page 61 – Public Health Update

Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2022 Key Indicators Report

by Public Health Update November 24, 2022

Overview

The 2022 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) was implemented by New ERA under the aegis of the Ministry of Health and Population (MOHP). Data collection took place from January 5 to June 22, 2022. ICF provided technical assistance through The DHS Program, which is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and offers financial support and technical assistance for population and health surveys in countries worldwide. Suaahara II, USAID’s integrated nutrition activity, supported the ethical review process of the survey in Nepal.

This Key Indicators Report presents a first look at selected findings from the 2022 NDHS. A comprehensive analysis of the data will be presented in a final report in 2023.

Survey Objectives

The primary objective of the 2022 NDHS is to present up-to-date estimates of basic demographic and health indicators. The NDHS provides a comprehensive overview of population, maternal, and child health issues in Nepal. Specifically, the 2022 NDHS collected information on fertility levels, marriage, fertility preferences, awareness and use of family planning methods, breastfeeding practices, nutrition, maternal and child health, childhood mortality, awareness and behavior regarding HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), women’s empowerment and domestic violence, fistula, mental health, accident and injury, disability, food insecurity, and other health-related issues such as smoking, knowledge of tuberculosis, and prevalence of hypertension.

The information collected through the 2022 NDHS is intended to assist policymakers and program managers in designing and evaluating programs and strategies for improving the health of Nepal’s population. The 2022 NDHS also provides indicators relevant to the Nepal Health Sector Strategy 2016– 22, the next health sector strategic plan under development, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for Nepal.

Sample Design

The sampling frame used for the 2022 NDHS is an updated version of the frame of the Nepal Population and Housing Census (NPHC) conducted in 2011, provided by the Central Bureau of Statistics. The smallest administrative unit in Nepal is the sub ward. The census frame includes a complete list of Nepal’s 36,020 sub-wards. Each sub-ward has a residence type (urban or rural) and a measure of size is the number of households.

Facts & trends

Fertility

There has been a steady decline in the Total Fertility Rate from 4.8 births per woman in the 1996 NFHS to 2.1 births per woman in the 2022 NDHS.

Fertility is low among adolescents (71 births per 1,000 women age 15–19), peaks at 160 births per1,000 among women age 20–24, and then deceases thereafter.

Overall, 14% of women age 15–19 have ever been pregnant, including 10% who have had a live birth, 2% who have had a pregnancy loss, and 4% who are currently pregnant.

Teenage pregnancy is highest in Karnali Province (21%), followed by Madhesh Province (20%), and lowest in Bagmati Province (8%).

Ten percent (10%) of women want another child soon (within the next 2 years), 13% want to have another child later (in 2 or more years), and 1% want another child but have not decided when.

Fifty-three percent (53%) of women want no more children, 17% are sterilized, and 3% stated that they are infecund.

Family Planning

Use of any family planning method among currently married women rose from 29% in 1996 to 57% in 2022. Over the same period, use of modern methods of contraception increased from 26% in 1996 to 44% in 2006. It has held steady at 43% from 2011 through 2022.

Fifty-seven (57%) of currently married women are using a method of contraception; 43% are using a modern method, and 15% are using a traditional method.

The most popular modern methods used are female sterilization (13%), injectables (9%), and implants (6%).

Withdrawal is by far the most common traditional method used; 13% of currently married women use this method compared with 2% who use the rhythm method.

Twenty-one percent (21%) of currently married women in Nepal have an unmet need for family planning services.

Early Childhood Mortality

Between the 1996 NFHS and the 2022 NDHS surveys, under-5 mortality declined from 118 to 33 deaths per 1,000 live births, infant mortality declined from 78 to 28 deaths per 1,000 live births, and neonatal mortality declined from 50 to 21 deaths per 1,000 live births. Notably, however, between the 2016 and 2022 NDHS the neonatal mortality did not change.

During the 5 years immediately preceding the survey, the overall under-5 mortality rate was 33 deaths per 1,000 live births.
The infant mortality rate was 28 deaths per 1,000 live births.
The child mortality rate was 5 deaths per 1,000 children surviving to age 12 months.
The neonatal mortality rate was 21 deaths per 1,000 live births, during the 5 years immediately preceding the survey.
Eighty-five percent (85%) of all deaths among children under age 5 in Nepal take place before a child’s first birthday, with 64% occurring during the first month of life.

Maternal Care

The percentage of women who received antenatal care from skilled provider for their most recent live birth in the 2 years preceding the survey increased from 25% in 1996 to 94% in 2022. Similarly, those who made four or more ANC visits increased from 9% in 1996 to 81% in 2022. The percentage of live births that are assisted by a skilled provider has increased markedly, from 10% in 1996 to 80% in 2022).

Ninety-four percent (94%) of women reported receiving antenatal care from a skilled provider for their most recent live birth or stillbirth in the 2-year period preceding the survey.
Four in five women (81%) had at least four ANC visits for their most recent live birth.
Overall, 96% of women took iron-containing supplements during their most recent pregnancy.
Overall, 93% of women with a live birth in the 2 years preceding the survey received sufficient doses of tetanus toxoid injections to protect their baby against neonatal tetanus.
Overall, 79% of live births and still births in the 2 years preceding the survey were delivered in health facilities.
Four in five (80%) live births and stillbirths were delivered by skilled providers.
Overall, 70% of women with a live birth or stillbirth in the 2 years preceding the survey received a postnatal check within the 2 days after delivery.

Vaccination coverage

The percentage of children age 12–23 months who are fully vaccinated (received all the basic antigens) has fluctuated over time, rising from 43% in 1996 to a peak of 87% in 2011, then decreasing to 78% in 2016, and increasing slightly to 80% in 2022. The percentage of children age 12–23 months who did not receive any vaccinations has also fluctuated, notably increasing slightly from 1% in 2016 to 4% in 2022.

Overall, 80% of children age 12–23 months are fully vaccinated with basic antigens.
Ninety-five percent (95%) of children age 12–23 months received BCG vaccine, 89% received the third dose of DTP-HepB-Hib, 86% received the third dose of OPV, and 89% received a dose of MR.
Slightly more than half of the children age 12–23 months (52%) are fully vaccinated according to the national schedule.
Eighty-five percent (85%) of children received the second dose of fIPV, 81% received the third dose of PCV, 72% received the 2nd dose of RV, and 81% received a dose of JE vaccine.
Four percent (4%) of children age 12–23 months have received no vaccinations.

Child Nutrition Status

The prevalence of stunting has declined from 57% in 1996 to 25% in 2022. During this same period, the prevalence of wasting declined from 15% to 8%, and the prevalence of overweight was steady at 1%.

According to the three anthropometric indices: 25% of children under age 5 are stunted, 8% are wasted, and 19% are underweight. One percent of children under 5 are overweight.

Infant and Young Child feeding

Exclusive breastfeeding among children age 0–5 months has fluctuated widely—declining from 75% in 1996 to 53% in 2006, then rising to 70% in 2011, and declining to 56% in 2022.

Fifty-five percent (55%) of children age 0–23 months engaged in early initiation of breastfeeding.
Seventy-eight percent (78%) of children age 6–23 months met the minimum dietary diversity requirement.
Fifty-six percent (56%) of children under 6 months were exclusively breastfeed.
Forty-three percent (43%) of children age 6–23 months were fed a sweet beverage.
Sixty-nine percent (69%) of children age 6–23 months consumed unhealthy foods.

Anemia

The prevalence of anemia among children age 6–59 months has decreased from 48% in 2006 to 43% in 2022. However, the trend has not been consistently downward—in 2016, 53% of children were anemic. The prevalence of anemia among women age 15–49 increased from 36% in 2006 to 41% in 2016 and declined to 34% in 2022.

Fourty three (43)% of children age 6–59 months are anemic, including 25% who are mildly anemic, 18% who are moderately anemic, and less than 1% who are severely anemic.
Thirty four (34)% of women are anemic, including 18% who are mildly anemic, 15% who
are moderately anemic, and 1% who are severely anemic.
Women living in the terai ecological zone are more likely to be anemic (45%) than those living in hills (20%) and mountain (23%) regions. More than half of the women (52%) are anemic in Madhesh Province, which is in the terai ecological zone.

HIV

Sixty-five percent (65%) of young women and 88% of young men know that consistent use of condoms can reduce the risk of getting HIV.
Sixty-nine percent (69%) of young women and 85% of young men know that having just one uninfected partner can reduce the chance of getting HIV.
Only 16% of young women and 27% of young men have a thorough knowledge of HIV prevention methods.
Overall, 10% of women and 13% of men age 15–49 have ever been tested for HIV.
Three percent (3%) of women and 2% of men age 15–49 were tested for HIV in the 12-month period preceding the survey and received the results of the last test they took.

Disability

Overall, 71% of the de facto household population age 5 or older have no difficulty in any of the functional domains.
Among the de facto household population age 5 or older 23% have some difficulty in at least one functional domain, 5% have a lot of difficulty, and 1% cannot do at least one domain.
Six percent (6%) of the de facto household members age 5 or older have a lot of difficulty or cannot function at all in at least one of the functional domains.
Among the de facto household population age 5 and older, the most common disability reported is difficulty seeing (15% ) followed by difficulty walking or climbing steps (12%).

Ministry of Health and Population, Nepal; New ERA; and ICF. 2022. Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2022: Key Indicators Report. Kathmandu, Nepal: Ministry of Health and Population, Nepal.

Download Report

Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2022 | Key Indicators

by Public Health Update November 24, 2022

written by Public Health Update

The Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) Nepal disseminated the key indicators of the Nepal Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2022.

Recommended: NEPAL HEALTH FACILITY SURVEY 2021(FINAL REPORT)

Nepal Demographic and Health Survey 2022 Key Indicators Report

Nearly 40 million children are dangerously susceptible to growing measles threat

by Public Health Update November 24, 2022

written by Public Health Update

23 November 2022 Joint News Release

Measles vaccination coverage has steadily declined since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, a record high of nearly 40 million children missed a measles vaccine dose: 25 million children missed their first dose and an additional 14.7 million children missed their second dose, a joint publication by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports. This decline is a significant setback in global progress towards achieving and maintaining measles elimination and leaves millions of children susceptible to infection.

In 2021, there were an estimated 9 million cases and 128 000 deaths from measles worldwide. Twenty-two countries experienced large and disruptive outbreaks. Declines in vaccine coverage, weakened measles surveillance, and continued interruptions and delays in immunization activities due to COVID-19, as well as persistent large outbreaks in 2022, mean that measles is an imminent threat in every region of the world.

“The paradox of the pandemic is that while vaccines against COVID-19 were developed in record time and deployed in the largest vaccination campaign in history, routine immunization programmes were badly disrupted, and millions of kids missed out on life-saving vaccinations against deadly diseases like measles,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Getting immunization programmes back on track is absolutely critical. Behind every statistic in this report is a child at risk of a preventable disease.”

The situation is grave: measles is one of the most contagious human viruses but is almost entirely preventable through vaccination. Coverage of 95% or greater of 2 doses of measles-containing vaccine is needed to create herd immunity in order to protect communities and achieve and maintain measles elimination. The world is well under that, with only 81% of children receiving their first measles-containing vaccine dose, and only 71% of children receiving their second measles-containing vaccine dose. These are the lowest global coverage rates of the first dose of measles vaccination since 2008, although coverage varies by country.

Urgent global action needed

Measles anywhere is a threat everywhere, as the virus can quickly spread to multiple communities and across international borders. No WHO region has achieved and sustained measles elimination. Since 2016, 10 countries that had previously eliminated measles experienced outbreaks and reestablished transmission.

“The record number of children under-immunized and susceptible to measles shows the profound damage immunization systems have sustained during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky. “Measles outbreaks illustrate weaknesses in immunization programs, but public health officials can use outbreak response to identify communities at risk, understand causes of under-vaccination, and help deliver locally tailored solutions to ensure vaccinations are available to all.”

In 2021, nearly 61 million measles vaccine doses were postponed or missed due to COVID-19-related delays in immunization campaigns in 18 countries. Delays increase the risk of measles outbreaks, so the time for public health officials to accelerate vaccination efforts and strengthen surveillance is now. CDC and WHO urge coordinated and collaborative action from all partners at global, regional, national, and local levels to prioritize efforts to find and immunize all unprotected children, including those who were missed during the last two years.

Measles outbreaks illustrate weaknesses in immunization programs and other essential health services. To mitigate risk of outbreaks, countries and global stakeholders must invest in robust surveillance systems. Under the Immunization Agenda 2030 global immunization strategy, global immunization partners remain committed to supporting investments in strengthening surveillance as a means to detect outbreaks quickly, respond with urgency, and immunize all children who are not yet protected from vaccine-preventable diseases.

WHO News Release

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November 24, 2022 0 comments

Health in Data Non- Communicable Diseases (NCDs)Public Health Update Reports Research & Publication

Oral Health Country Profile 2022: Nepal

by Public Health Update November 23, 2022

written by Public Health Update

Overview

WHO’s Global oral health status report (GOHSR) provides the first-ever comprehensive picture of oral disease burden and highlights challenges and opportunities to accelerate progress towards universal coverage for oral health. This includes introducing oral health profiles of countries based on the latest available data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) project, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and global WHO surveys. It emphasizes the global impact of oral disease on our health and well-being and highlights stark inequalities, with a higher disease burden for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged population groups within and across societies.

The Oral Health Nepal 2022 country profile will serve as a reference for policy-makers and an orientation for a wide range of stakeholders across different sectors to guide advocacy towards better prioritization of oral health in national context.

Oral Disease Burden: Prevalence of oral diseases (2019)

Prevalence of untreated caries of deciduous teeth in children 1-9 years: 51.2%
Prevalence of untreated caries of permanent teeth in people 5+ years: 31.5%
Prevalence of severe periodontal disease in people 15+ years: 14.8 %
Prevalence of edentulism in people 20+ years: 1.4%

Lip and oral cavity cancer, all ages (2020)

Total Number of new cases: Female (236), Male (608), Total (844)
Incidence rate (per 100 000 population): Female (1.7), Male (5.5), Total ( 3.4)

Risk Factors for Oral Diseases

Per capita availability of sugar (g/day): Total (18.5)
Prevalence of current tobacco use, 15+ years (%): Female (13.8), Male (49.1), Total (31.5)
Per capita alcohol consumption, 15+ years (liters of pure alcohol/year): Female (0.3), Male (1.1), Total (0.6)

Economic impact related to treatment and prevention of oral diseases (2019)

Total expenditure on dental healthcare in million: 89 US$
Per capita expenditure on dental healthcare: 3.1 US$
Total productivity losses due to 5 oral diseases in million: 54 US$
Affordability of fluoride toothpaste: unaffordable
Number of labour days needed to buy annual supply of fluoride toothpaste per person: 1.8

Please refer WHO Global oral health status report for source of data with proper referencing.

Download Country Profile (PDF File)
WHO Global oral health status report

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November 23, 2022 0 comments

International Plan, Policy & Guidelines Non- Communicable Diseases (NCDs)Public Health Public Health Update Reports

Global Oral Health Status Report: Towards UHC for Oral Health by 2030

by Public Health Update November 23, 2022

written by Public Health Update

Overview

The WHO Global oral health status report reviews the most recent data on major oral diseases, risk factors, health system challenges and opportunities for reform. The report’s clear conclusion is that the status of global oral health is alarming and requires urgent action. The report will serve as a reference for policy-makers and an orientation for a wide range of stakeholders across different sectors to guide advocacy towards better prioritization of oral health in global, regional and national contexts. In addition, the report provides, as a separate online resource, the first-ever country oral health profiles for all 194 WHO Member States, giving unique insights into key areas and markers of oral health that are relevant for decision-makers.

Aims

The report has three broad aims:

outline the global public health importance and impact of oral diseases over the life course;
contribute to the process of implementing the World Health Assembly 74.5 resolution on oral health at global, regional and country levels by providing baseline information; and
encourage commitment and action from governments, United Nations (UN) organizations and nonstate actors such as nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), academic institutions, philanthropic foundations, private-sector entities and other stakeholders to address oral diseases in the context of global health agendas.

Highlights

The report shows that almost half of the world’s population (45% or 3.5 billion people) suffer from oral diseases, with 3 out of every 4 affected people living in low- and middle-income countries. Global cases of oral diseases have increased by 1 billion over the last 30 years—a clear indication that many people do not have access to prevention and treatment of oral diseases.
The most common oral diseases are dental caries (tooth decay), severe gum disease, tooth loss and oral cancers. Untreated dental caries is the single most common condition globally, affecting an estimated 2.5 billion people. Severe gum disease ̶ a major cause of total tooth loss ̶ is estimated to affect 1 billion people worldwide. About 380 000 new cases of oral cancers are diagnosed every year.
The report underscores the glaring inequalities in access to oral health services, with a huge burden of oral diseases and conditions affecting the most vulnerable and disadvantaged populations. People on low incomes, people living with disabilities, older people living alone or in care homes, those living in remote and rural communities and people from minority groups carry a higher burden of oral diseases.
This pattern of inequalities is similar to other noncommunicable diseases such as cancers, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and mental disorders. Risk factors common to noncommunicable diseases such as high sugar intake, all forms of tobacco use, and harmful use of alcohol all contribute to the global oral health crisis.

Barriers to delivering oral health services

Only a small percentage of the global population is covered by essential oral health services, and those with the greatest need often have the least access to services. The key barriers to delivering access to oral health services for all include:

Oral health care requires high out-of-pocket expenditures. This often leads to catastrophic costs and significant financial burden for families and communities.
The provision of oral health services largely relies on highly specialized providers using expensive high-tech equipment and materials, and these services are not well integrated with primary health care models.
Poor information and surveillance systems, combined with low priority for public oral health research are major bottlenecks to developing more effective oral health interventions and policies.

Opportunities to improve global oral health

The report showcases many promising opportunities to improve the state of global oral health including:

adopting a public health approach by addressing common risk factors through promoting a well-balanced diet low in sugars, stopping use of all forms of tobacco, reducing alcohol consumption and improving access to effective and affordable fluoride toothpaste.
planning oral health services as part of national health and improving integration of oral health services in primary health care as part of universal health coverage.
redefining oral health workforce models to respond to population needs and expanding competencies of non-dental healthcare workers to expand oral health service coverage; and
strengthening information systems by collecting and integrating oral health data into national health monitoring systems.

DOWNLOAD REPORT (Global Oral Health Status Report)

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November 23, 2022 0 comments

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)Global Health News Public Health News Public Health Update

Quadripartite launches a new platform to tackle antimicrobial resistance threat to human and animal health and ecosystems

by Public Health Update November 23, 2022

written by Public Health Update

The Antimicrobial Resistance Multi-Stakeholder Partnership Platform was launched today to ensure the growing threats and impacts of antimicrobial resistance are addressed globally.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organization ( WHO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), known as the Quadripartite are joining forces on this initiative to underscore the threat AMR presents to humans, animals, plants, ecosystems and livelihoods.

An estimated 1.3 million people around the world die each year directly due to bacterial antimicrobial resistance ( AMR). If no action is taken, that number could soar dramatically, bringing higher public health costs and pushing more people into poverty, especially in low-income countries, underscoring the need for the Platform to mobilise further coordinated efforts.

Antibiotics and other antimicrobials play a key role in the success of modern medicine and have greatly improved the health of humans and animals. But overuse and misuse has reduced their efficacy, with more pathogens developing the ability to survive the antimicrobials designed to eliminate them.

AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial agents. As a result of drug resistance, antibiotics and other antimicrobial agents become ineffective and infections become difficult or impossible to treat, increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death. Moreover, 1.3 billion people rely on livestock for their livelihoods and 20 million people depend on aquaculture, especially in low and middle-income countries. The spread of resistant strains of pathogens inexorably affects their livelihoods, as it increases animal suffering and losses. Applications to crops, as well as unproper disposal of unused and expired drugs and waste from industries and communities can lead to pollution of soils and streams that spread the trigger for unwanted microorganisms to develop resistance to tools meant to contain and eliminate them.

The new Antimicrobial Resistance Multi-Stakeholder Partnership Platform is an inclusive and international forum bringing together voices from all areas, sectors and perspectives through a holistic and system-wide One Health approach, for a shared vision responding to the need to improve coordination of efforts by a large number of stakeholders.

The Platform is a way to redouble collective efforts to save millions of lives and preserve the efficacy of antimicrobials for current and future generations by using them sustainably. The new Platform will engage and empower stakeholders across the One Health spectrum in an inclusive, transparent way to build consensus among public and private stakholders on the global AMR vision, gain knowledge to foster a collective understanding of AMR challenges and opportunities, and take multi-stakeholder actions to contain, combat and reverse AMR in line with the Global Action Plan and National Action Plans.

18 November 2022 News release Rome/Nairobi/Geneva/Paris

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November 23, 2022 1 comment

Public Health Public Health Notes Syllabus

Public Service Commission (Lok Sewa Aayog) Syllabus for Health Services

by Public Health Update November 21, 2022

written by Public Health Update

Public Service Commission (Lok Sewa Aayog) Syllabus for Health Services

The Public Service Commission (PSC) was established in Nepal for selecting meritorious candidates required by Government of Nepal for various vacant posts of the civil service. Public Service Commission as an independent constitutional body of Government. The syllabus for various positions under health services are enlisted here.

Federal PSC Syllabus

S. No	Level	Group	Sub-group	Position	1st Paper	2nd Paper	Seats
1	8th	Others	Biomedical Engineering	biomedical engineer	1st Paper		Open
2	9th	Medicine	Endocrinology	Consultant Endocrinologist	1st Paper	2nd Paper	Open/Internal Competition
3	7th	Medical Laboratory Technology	Medical Microbiology	Microbiologist	1st Paper		Open/Internal Competition
4	8th	Homeopathy	–	Homeopathic Doctor	1st Paper		Open
5	9th	Surgery	Kidney Transplant	Consultant Kidney Transplant	1st Paper	2nd Paper	Open/Internal Competition
6	11th	Pathology	Microbiologist	Chief Consultant Microbiologist	1st Paper	2nd Paper	Open/Internal Competition
7	9th	Medical Laboratory Technology	Medical Microbiology	Chief Microbiologist	1st Paper	2nd Paper	Open/Internal Competition
8	9th	Medicine	Clinical Genetics	Consultant Clinical Genetics	1st Paper	2nd Paper	Open/Internal Competiiton
9	9th	Surgery	Sports and Arthroscopic Surgery	Consultant Sports and Arthroscopic surgery	1st Paper	2nd Paper	Open/Internal Competition
10	9th	Surgery	Orthoplasty and Reconstruction Surgeon Surgery	Consultant Orthoplasty and Reconstruction Surgeon	1st Paper	2nd Paper	Open/Internal Competition
11	9th	Medicine	Pulmonology	Consultant Pulmonologist	1st Paper	2nd Paper	Open/Internal Competition
12	9th	Dentistry	Oral and maxillofacial Surgery	Consultant Oral and maxillofacial Surgeon	1st Paper	2nd Paper	Open/Internal Competition
13	9th	Surgery	Spinal Surgery	Consultant Spinal Surgeon	1st Paper	2nd Paper	Open/Internal Competition
14	9th	Dentistry	General Dental	–	1st Paper	2nd Paper	Open Internal Competition
15	4th	Medical records	–	Junior Medical Recorders Assistant	1st Paper		Open/Internal Competition
16	9th	Physiotherapy	–	उप-Chief Physiotherapist	1st Paper	2nd Paper	OpenInternal Competition
17	11th	Community/Public HealthNursing	–	–	1st Paper	2nd Paper	Open/Internal Competition
18	11th	Surgery	Neuro Surgery	Chief Consultant Neuro Surgeon	1st Paper	2nd Paper	OpenInternal
19	11th	Medicine	Tropical Medicine	Chief Consultant Tropical Medicine	1st Paper	2nd Paper	OpenInternal
20	11th	Medicine	Medical oncology	11th	1st Paper	2nd Paper	Open & Internal
21	11th	Medicine	Forensic Medicine	11th	1st Paper	2nd Paper	Open & Internal
22	5th	Health Education	–	Health Education Technician	1st Paper		Open/Internal Competition
23	9th	Ayurveda	Salya and Sanghyaharan	–	1st Paper	2nd Paper	Open & Internal
24	9th	Ayurveda	Shalakya	–	1st Paper	2nd Paper	Open & Internal
25	11th	Pharmacy	–	–	1st Paper	2nd Paper	Open & Internal
26	9th	Surgery	General Surgery	–	1st Paper	2nd Paper	Open & Internal
27	9th	Pathology	Histo-Pathology	–	1st Paper	2nd Paper	Open & Internal
28	9th	Pathology	Hematology	–	1st Paper	2nd Paper	Open & Internal
29	11th	Surgery	Cardiothoracic	–	1st Paper	2nd Paper	Open & Internal
30	11th	Medicine	Neurology	–	1st Paper	2nd Paper	Open & Internal

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

November 21, 2022 0 comments

Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)PH Important Day Public Health News

World Antimicrobial Awareness Week: Prevent antimicrobial resistance together

by Public Health Update November 18, 2022

written by Public Health Update

World Antimicrobial Awareness Week: Prevent antimicrobial resistance together By Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia.

Today, and throughout World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW), WHO is highlighting the urgent need for sustained multisectoral action to prevent and contain antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines, making infections harder to treat and increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness and death. New global estimates show that in 2019, nearly 5 million human deaths worldwide were associated with bacterial AMR, of which 1.3 million human deaths were directly attributable to bacterial AMR. In a high-impact scenario, AMR will reduce global annual GDP by 3.8% by 2050. If left unchecked, in the next decade, it could result in a GDP shortfall of US$ 3.4 trillion annually, pushing 24 million more people into extreme poverty. Since 2014, preventing and combating AMR has been one of eight Flagship Priorities of the WHO South-East Asia Region, which is at high risk for the emergence and spread of AMR. All Member States continue to implement national action plans to address AMR, and in each Member State, a multisectoral working group or coordination committee on AMR has been established, in alignment with the Global Action Plan on AMR, adopted in 2015. Most Member States continue to implement national monitoring systems for resistance pathogens and antimicrobial consumption as well as foster stewardship in human health. All Member States are enrolled in the Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (GLASS) AMR and the South-East Asia Region is the only WHO Region in which all countries carry out the annual Tracking AMR Country Self-Assessment Surveys, which this year was expanded to include the environment sector for the first time. Despite this progress, countries of the Region continue to face an array of multisectoral challenges, as highlighted in a review of progress launched at the Seventy-fifth Session of the WHO Regional Committee for South-East Asia in September 2022.

Such challenges include unsafe disposal of medicine and pharmaceutical waste, inadequate regulation of antimicrobial use in food production, insufficient infection prevention and control in health facilities, and inadequate access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene in homes and health facilities. The climate crisis is creating additional breeding grounds for antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. In recognition of these and other challenges, for this year’s WAAW, the One Health Quadripartite – which includes WHO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) – is highlighting the urgent need to increase One Health action to address AMR, with the theme ‘preventing antimicrobial resistance together’. The Region has several priorities.First, accelerating implementation of national multisectoral action plans, for which adequate, sustained and reliable financing must be allocated – domestic, international and global. Second, improving surveillance of antimicrobial-resistant infections and strengthening laboratory capacity. This is critical to know the true extent of the problem, and to effectively target energy and resources. Third, developing and enforcing regulations on the appropriate use of antimicrobial medicines in all relevant sectors – human, animal, plant, food safety and environment – while ensuring such regulations promote and facilitate access for appropriate antimicrobial use. Fourth, stepping-up investments in adequate water, sanitation and hygiene, a critical health intervention in and of itself, but which will also have significant impact on the tsunami of environmental pollution and contamination-driven antimicrobial resistance. Time is of the essence.

The development of a new antimicrobial can take 10-15 years and cost more than US$ 1 billion. Few are in the pipeline. For the foreseeable future, we must accelerate One Health action while continuing to increase national, Regional, international and global awareness and support – precisely as Indonesia achieved during its presidency of the G20 group of nations, which resulted in a Call to Action to increase One Health efforts to address AMR. Today, throughout WAAW and beyond, WHO reaffirms its commitment to support all countries of the Region to prevent and contain AMR together, across sectors, partners, stakeholders and the public.

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November 18, 2022 1 comment

Competition Public Health Public Health Events Public Health Update Universal Health Coverage

WHO Art and Creative Contest “UHC We Want”

by Public Health Update November 17, 2022

written by Public Health Update

To celebrate International Day for Universal Health Coverage 2022, World Health Organization Regional Office for South-East Asia is organizing an art competition “UHC We Want” to promote ownership and engagement of youth in the Region for UHC; and to raise public awareness on the significance of UHC for health, well-being and quality of human capital.

Concept

Universal Health Coverage (UHC) means that “all individuals and communities receive the health services they need without suffering financial hardship. It includes the full spectrum of essential, quality health services, from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation, and palliative care across the life course”.

The campaign “UHC We Want” reflects visionary demand of youth for the current and future universal health coverage system and practices, including access to care, quality of care, financial protection. It may include gaps between current and desirable universal health coverage.

Competition Categories

Drawing & Painting (Submission of photograph of original work in high resolution). Please explain how the photo illustrates UHC in 50 words.
Digital Art and photograph (in JPG format-under 5 MB). Please explain how the photo illustrates UHC in 50 words.
Short Video clip (must not exceed 2 minutes in length with minimum resolution of 1080 pixels and must be communicative and easy for international audiences)

Competition criteria

Participants must be under-25 youth, national and resident of Member countries of WHO South-East Asia Region.
A participant can submit only one artwork in each category.
Entrant must be individual, except for the Short Video Clip category which allows a team of maximum three youth members.
Artwork must be original and must not contain any component with intellectual property protection.
Artwork must be relevant to the theme “UHC We Want”.
Entries will be judged by three age groups: under 12, 13–18, and 19–25
Winners will be selected by a WHO panel in the Regional Office for South-East Asia
WHO reserves the right to use the submitted artwork in its not-for-profit information products.
In each age group and category, three winners will be selected, and will be awarded in addition to a certificate of merit.
The deadline for submissions is Wednesday, 07 December 2022.
Submit your entry at https://bit.ly/UHC-We-Want
For inquiries, please write to sehsd@who.int or call on +91 11 43040147

November 17, 2022 0 comments

Global Health News Outbreak News Public Health News

WHO releases first data on global vaccine market since COVID-19

by Public Health Update November 14, 2022

written by Public Health Update

9 November 2022 News release (WHO)

This is the first report to capture the implications of COVID-19 for vaccine markets.
Despite progress in recent decades, global market vaccine dynamics are not fully conducive to the development, supply and access for vital vaccines for public health.
Vaccines prioritized by WHO are not being developed or fully invested in due to limited profit potential.
Lower-income countries have struggled to access critical vaccines – such as against COVID-19 in 2021 and cervical cancer vaccine – that are in-demand by wealthier countries.
Some regions depend almost entirely on others for vaccine supply.
WHO calls on governments, manufacturers and partners to take ambitious action to guarantee equitable access to vaccines and improve responses to future pandemics.

WHO’s Global Vaccine Market Report 2022, shows that inequitable distribution is not unique to COVID-19 vaccines, with poorer countries consistently struggling to access vaccines that are in-demand by wealthier countries.

Limited vaccine supply and unequal distribution drive global disparities. The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine against cervical cancer has only been introduced in 41% of low-income countries, even though they represent much of the disease burden, compared to 83% of high-income countries.

Affordability is also an obstacle to vaccine access. While prices tend to be tiered by income, price disparities see middle-income countries paying as much – or even more – than wealthier ones for several vaccine products.

“The right to health includes the right to vaccines,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “And yet this new report shows that free-market dynamics are depriving some of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people of that right. WHO is calling for much-needed changes to the global vaccine market to save lives, prevent disease and prepare for future crises.”

Approximately 16 billion vaccine doses, worth US$ 141 billion, were supplied in 2021, almost three times the 2019 market volume (5.8 billion) and nearly three-and-a-half times the 2019 market value (US$ 38 billion). The increase was primarily driven by COVID-19 vaccines, showing the incredible potential of how vaccine manufacturing can be scaled up in response to health needs.

Although manufacturing capacity worldwide has increased, it remains highly concentrated. Ten manufacturers alone provide 70% of vaccine doses (excluding COVID-19). Several of the top 20 most widely used vaccines (such as PCV, HPV, measles and rubella containing vaccines) each currently rely mainly on two suppliers.

This concentrated manufacturing base leads to risk of shortages as well as regional supply insecurity. In 2021, the African and Eastern Mediterranean regions were dependent on manufacturers headquartered elsewhere for 90% of their procured vaccines. Entrenched intellectual property monopolies and limited technology transfer further limit the ability of building and using local manufacturing capacity.

The health of markets is also concerning for several of the vaccines commonly needed for emergencies, such as against cholera, typhoid, smallpox/monkeypox, Ebola, meningococcal disease, where demand surges with outbreaks and is hence less predictable. The continued limited investment in these vaccines could be devastating for people’s lives.

The report highlights the opportunities for more alignment of vaccine development, production and distribution with a public health agenda, towards achieving the Immunization Agenda 2030 (IA2030) goals and informing pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response efforts.

COVID-19 proved that vaccines can be developed and distributed rapidly, with a process lasting an average of ten years but never less than four years, compressed to 11 months. The pandemic also exposed the long-standing need to recognise vaccines as a fundamental and cost-effective public good rather than a commodity.

To drive ambitious action to deliver equitable access to vaccines, the report calls on governments to act on: clear immunization plans and more aggressive investment and stronger oversight of vaccine development, production and distribution; regional research and manufacturing hubs; and pre-agreeing rules for government collaboration in times of scarcity on issues such as vaccine distribution, intellectual property and the circulation of inputs and goods.

Recommended actions for industry include: focusing research efforts on WHO priority pathogens, ensuring transparency, facilitating technology transfer, and committing to specific equity-driven allocation measures. International organizations and partners should prioritize Immunization Agenda 2030 goals, support country-driven initiatives and push for the application of resolutions on market transparency.

9 November 2022 News release (WHO)

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November 14, 2022 0 comments

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