Despite incredible medical advances in our treatment of HIV since the 1980s, we know that myths, fear and stigma continue to perpetuate the epidemic in the UK. People still avoid HIV testing for fear of the result, or simply because they don’t think HIV is an issue anymore. This causes alarming rates of late diagnosis and […]
Ten years ago, I was based in South Africa and involved in scaling up treatment for people with HIV. That country has one of the highest rates of HIV infection in the world – of 38 million people infected with HIV worldwide, around seven million of them live in South Africa. While I was there, I […]
As a mum of three, I know just how dirty a family car can get. My children are grown up now but I remember long car journeys from where we lived in St Albans all the way to Cornwall on holiday. It was the usual happy chaos, with the kids fighting for legroom, the dog […]
When does the flu season start and why should people have the jab done now? How long does it take to ‘work’? The Flu season tends to begin as the months get colder. The vaccine can take between 10 to 14 days to become effective so the sooner eligible individuals receive their jab once vaccine […]
Organising a successful mass vaccination takes much more than just providing a vaccine to those in need. In the contexts where MSF traditionally works, infrastructures are often weak, especially when it comes to communication. In these instances, it’s a real challenge to make people aware of the service we provide. In August 2016, MSF participated […]
Read More… from HOW TO | Vaccinate 710,000 people in 10 days
Will our Indian summer make the flu season any worse? In my opinion, yes, but not for the reasons you might think. The flu virus is not more likely to thrive as balmy September makes way for mild, if wet, October. Unlike bacteria, which do proliferate in warmer temperatures, viruses are less affected by the […]
When Ebola broke out in March 2014, Pardis Sabeti and her team got to work sequencing the virus’s genome, learning how it mutated and spread. Sabeti immediately released her research online, so virus trackers and scientists from around the world could join in the urgent fight. In this talk, she shows how open cooperation […]
Read More… from How we’ll fight the next deadly virus | Pardis Sabeti
Community ART groups is a patient-led initiative that gives support to people living with AIDS. By helping with the distribution of drugs to those less able, vital ART (Anti-retroviral) drugs are able to reach those most in need. MSF provides medical aid where it is needed most. To donate to MSF, please click here. To […]
Read More… from Fighting AIDS Saving Lives | Community ART groups
Is hepatitis B infection a problem that will gradually fizzle out over time? On initial reflection, it is easy to think it might be. We have a cheap, safe and effective vaccine, and a choice of antiviral drugs that can successfully suppress the virus. We can also intervene reliably to prevent transmission from mothers to […]
Our bodies are designed to keep out infection, using an armoury that includes a tough outer layer of skin, tiny hair-like structures in the respiratory tract that propel microbes away from the lungs and gut flora that repel unpleasant bugs. The micro-organisms attempting to penetrate these fortifications include bacteria, viruses, fungi – such as candida – and protozoa, like the […]