Health

Regulator Reviews AstraZeneca Shot, Blood Clot Links

Published

4 years ago

March 18, 2021

The world is awaiting a decision from Europe’s top medical regulator on its investigation into whether there is any evidence to show the AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine is linked to a small number of blood clots reported in people across the continent.

The European Medicines Agency’s expert committee is set to announce the results of its investigation later Thursday.

Earlier this week, more than a dozen countries including Germany, France, Spain and Italy suspended immunization using the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine after reports of unusual blood clots in several people among the 17 million who have received at least one dose in Europe.

Both the EMA and the World Health Organization have said there is no current evidence to suggest the vaccine was responsible and that the benefits of immunization far outweighed the potentially small risk of getting vaccinated.

AstraZeneca said after a careful review of its COVID-19 immunization data, it found no evidence of any increased risk of blood clots in any age group or gender in any country.

On Tuesday, EMA executive director Emer Cooke said the agency’s priority was the the vaccine’s safety and that it would consider issues including if extra warnings needed to be added for the AstraZeneca vaccine.

She noted the daily toll COVID-19 is continuing to take across the continent and said vaccines were critical to stopping its spread.

“We are worried that there may be an effect on the trust of the vaccines,” she said. “But our job is to make sure that the products that we authorize are safe and we can be trusted by the European citizens.”

The pause in vaccination using the AstraZeneca shot comes as COVID-19 is surging across the continent and as Britain is expecting major delays in its vaccine deliveries.

Tens of thousands of new daily cases have prompted new lockdown measures in Italy, caused hospitalizations in France to spike and led German officials to announce that a third wave of COVID-19 has begun.

Figures from the European Centers for Disease Prevention and Control this week show there are about 7 million unused AstraZeneca vaccines across the 27-nation EU.

The German government defended its decision to suspend the use of the AstraZeneca vaccine, saying it was based on expert advice.

Government spokeswoman Ulrike Demmer told reporters in Berlin on Wednesday that while she understood some might be worried by the move it should be seen as a sign that “trust in our control mechanisms is justified.”

“That’s why this step could also strengthen trust” in the vaccines, she said. “Concerns are taken seriously and examined. And as soon as these concerns are cleared up, a vaccine can be used again without hesitation.”

Germany would rely on the EMA decision for how to proceed, Health Ministry spokesman Hanno Kautz said.

“It’s clear that the EMA decision is binding and of course we will follow the EMA decision too,” Kautz said.

Any time vaccines are rolled out widely, scientists expect some serious health issues and deaths to be reported, simply because tens of millions of people are receiving the shots. Determining whether or not the vaccine is to blame can be difficult, since most of the people getting inoculated first are those most at risk of the coronavirus.

But because there are no long-term data on any of the COVID-19 vaccines, any potential signal of trouble must be thoroughly investigated.

Because clinical trials are only done in tens of thousands of people, extremely rare side effects often aren’t detected until vaccines are used in many millions of people, long after they have been licensed.

For example, it took nearly a year after vaccination campaigns began following the 2009 swine flu pandemic for European officials to notice an increase of narcolepsy in children and teenagers who got the GlaxoSmithKline vaccine.

And in the Philippines, the government in 2017 was forced to stop its national dengue vaccination program with a new shot developed by Sanofi Pasteur after about a year, when more than 130 children who were immunized died.

It turned out the vaccine worsened the effects of dengue in any children who hadn’t been previously infected.

“It’s right to investigate any potential signals of problems, but you can do that while you continue immunization,” said Michael Head, a senior research fellow in global health at the University of Southampton.

“The millions of doses being administered means we will see coincidental clusters of conditions,” he said. “If we pause the vaccine rollout every time there’s a possible signal, it won’t be much of a rollout.”

(AP)

Health

LASG FLags Off Polio Outbreak Response Campaign

Published

5 months ago

January 20, 2025

Editor

The Lagos State Government, through the Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, has launched the 2025 Polio Outbreak Response Campaign, reaffirming its commitment to eradicating polio and safeguarding the health of its children.

The ceremony, held at the Simpson Primary Healthcare Centre, was led by the First Lady of Lagos State, Dr. (Mrs.) Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, represented by Mrs. Widad Jumoke Mustafa, a member of the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO).

In her address, the First Lady emphasised the state government’s proactive measures to keep Lagos polio-free, highlighting the critical importance of the campaign in preventing the debilitating effects of poliomyelitis, which can result in paralysis or death.

The First Lady also called on parents, community leaders, and stakeholders to support the campaign by ensuring eligible children are vaccinated.

Targeting children aged 0-59 months, vaccination teams will administer the Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) to prevent virus transmission.

Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, the Special Adviser on Health, expressed gratitude to Lagosians for their continued cooperation in the fight against polio. While appreciating all healthcare workers and partners for their services, Mrs. Ogunyemi encouraged parents to present their children and wards for the exercise.

Also speaking, the Chairman of Lagos Mainland Local Government, Mrs. Omolola Rashidat Essien opined that Immunization is key in ensuring that children are kept safe from polio and other vaccine preventable diseases.

Dr. Abimbola Bowale, the Supervising Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Primary Health Care Board, who also spoke at the event, underscored the life-saving importance of immunization.

“All children aged 0-59 months need multiple doses of the polio vaccine to ensure full protection. Any child missed represents a potential risk for the poliovirus to spread. The vaccine is safe, effective, and crucial in keeping our communities polio-free,” he stated.

Dr. Bowale also outlined several strategies to ensure the success of the campaign, including fixed post teams stationed at primary healthcare centres and public health facilities, house-to-house visits, and a transit strategy to reach special locations such as places of worship, schools, motor parks, and other public venues.

The event concluded with Dr. (Mrs.) Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu officially launched the campaign, marking a renewed effort to maintain Lagos State’s polio-free status.

Headline

Lagos Cholera Cases Rise To 421

Published

1 year ago

June 22, 2024

Editor

The Lagos state suspected cholera cases have risen to 421.

The Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi disclosed this on his Instagram handle @profakinabayomi on Saturday.

“As of June 20, 2024, an additional four suspected cholera cases have been reported, as illustrated in the accompanying graph,” he wrote.

He noted that the Emergency Operations Centre in collaboration with all relevant partners is actively engaged in contact tracing, community-based surveillance, awareness campaigns, sample testing, and ensuring that confirmed cholera cases receive appropriate medical treatment.

On Friday, the commissioner confirmed 35 cases out of the 417 suspected cases and 24 deaths across 20 Local Government Areas in the state.

The cases were reported from Agege, Badagry, Ikeja, Mushin, Ajeromi-Ifelofun, Epe, Ikorodu, Ojo, Alimosho, and Eti-Osa.

Others were Kosofe, Oshodi-Isolo, Amuwo-Odofin, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos Island, Shomolu, Apapa, Ifako-Ijaiye, Lagos mainland, and Surulere.

Cholera is a food and water-borne disease caused by ingesting the bacteria— Vibrio cholerae — in contaminated water and food. Cholera can cause severe acute watery diarrhoea, and the severe forms of the disease can kill within hours if left untreated.

In Nigeria, cholera is an endemic and seasonal disease, occurring annually mostly during the rainy season and more frequently in areas with poor sanitation.

The World Health Organisation on Thursday announced a spike in cholera in several regions of the world, with almost 195,000 cases and over 1,900 deaths reported in 24 countries since the start of 2024.

WHO said the Eastern Mediterranean Region reported the highest number of cases, followed by the African Region, the Region of the Americas, the Southeast Asia Region, and the European Region.

The global health body, however, noted that there are no reported cases in the Western Region, according to its bulletin released on Wednesday.

It said it exhausted its global stockpile of Oral Cholera Vaccines by March but was able to exceed “the emergency target of five million doses in early June for the first time in 2024.”

Health

AUTISM: What You Need To Know

Published

1 year ago

April 6, 2024

Editor

By Silver Yeibake

Autism, commonly known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects communication, social interaction, and behavior. Autism is referred to as a spectrum condition since it can manifest in a variety of symptoms and abilities. While the actual cause of autism is unknown, evidence suggests that genetic and environmental factors interact to influence its development.

The risk factors include a sibling with autism, advanced age of parents, exposure to certain air pollutants and pesticides before birth, extreme prematurity, mothers with diabetes, immune system disorders or obesity, any difficulty with delivery leading to deprivation of oxygen to the baby’s brain, fever during pregnancy, lack of certain vitamins minerals during pregnancy, and certain genetic conditions, such as Down, fragile X, and Rett syndromes.

“Risk factors can not on their own cause a disease. However, they can increase the likelihood of that disease in a person.”

It is important to know that contrary to trending claims online, there is no scientific or medical evidence that vaccines or consumption of sugar are risk factors for autism.

Autism is defined by difficulties in social interaction and communication. Individuals with autism may struggle to grasp social cues, maintain eye contact, and engage in typical back-and-forth conversations. Some people may also engage in meaningless, repetitive actions, such as hand-flapping or rocking, and have strong interests in specific areas.

It is essential to remember that autism is a lifelong diagnosis, but with early intervention and adequate care, people with autism can live fulfilling lives.
Autism treatment frequently includes behavioral therapy, speech therapy, occupational therapy, and social skills training. Each individual with autism is unique, thus interventions should be tailored to meet their personal needs and strengths.

In spite of the difficulties that autism can cause, many people with autism possess unique talents and abilities. Some people may succeed in fields such as music, art, mathematics, or programming, thus it is important for society to acknowledge and honor the qualities and achievements of people with autism.

In summary, autism is a complicated and diverse disorder that affects individuals in various ways. By raising autism knowledge, understanding, and acceptance, we can build a more inclusive society in which people with autism can thrive and attain their full potential.

Dr. Yeibake, Weriwoyingipre Silver.
Senior Registrar,
Faculty Of Pediatrics,
WACP