PrEP1519 is the first demonstration study in Latin America exploring acceptability, use, and persistence of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) amongst adolescent men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW) aged 15-19 years. The study is ongoing in three cities in Brazil: Salvador, São Paulo, and Belo Horizonte.  During the COVID-19 pandemic, the PrEP1519 study team ensured a contingency… Read More

About two-thirds of maternal deaths, newborn deaths and stillbirths could be prevented by 2035 if the current level of care by professional midwives educated and regulated to international standards was scaled up to provide universal access, finds a new study led by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), WHO, and the International Confederation of Midwives  published today in the Lancet… Read More

The theme of this year’s World AIDS Day is “Global solidarity, resilient services”. At the 2016 UN High-level Meeting on ending AIDS, member states committed to a 75% reduction of TB deaths among people living with HIV by 2020, compared with 2010. Estimates for 2019 suggest that there has been some notable progress with a 63% reduction; however, the target for 2020… Read More

In this Q&A, Dr Collins Tabu, head of Kenya’s National Vaccines and Immunization Program, reflects on the country’s malaria vaccine pilot experience on the recent 1st anniversary of RTS,S/AS01 introduction, particularly in the context of COVID-19. 1. Kenya recently marked the first anniversary of the introduction of the malaria vaccine in Kenya. Why is that milestone important? Malaria is a… Read More

Birth defects or congenital anomalies are an invisible tragedy around the world. Every year an estimated 295 000 newborns die due to congenital anomalies during the first 28 days of life. The most common, severe congenital anomalies are heart defects, neural tube defects and Down’s syndrome. Congenital anomalies can cause miscarriage, stillbirth, and for those who survive, lifelong physical and… Read More

Many neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) result from diverse types of interactions and often complex cycles of transmission between humans and animals, both vertebrates and invertebrates, and changing social and environmental conditions. Ending the neglect to attain the Sustainable Development Goals: a road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021–2030 was endorsed by the Seventy-third World Health Assembly last week. The road… Read More

Thailand’s key population-led health services (KPLHS) are a hallmark of the success of the country’s HIV response. In Thailand, KPLHS refer to a defined set of HIV-related health services for key populations designed and delivered by trained and qualified lay providers, who are often members of key populations. These services are needs-based, demand driven and client-centered, and include HIV testing,… Read More