Nearly 40 million children are dangerously susceptible to growing measles threat

Measles vaccination coverage has steadily declined. In 2021, 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, according to a joint publication by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

This decline is a significant setback in global progress toward 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. No less than 22 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. 

In the views of the WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, “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.

“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 percent 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 percent of children receiving their first measles-containing vaccine dose, and only 71 percent 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 the coverage varies by country.

The WHO notes that urgent global action is needed now that measles 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.

In the views of CDC Director Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky, “The record number of children under-immunized and susceptible to measles shows the profound damage immunization systems have sustained during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

Measles outbreaks illustrate weaknesses in immunization programmes, 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 the 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. 

Scientists create male and female cells from one individual

By Sola Charles

Scientists have devised a tool that could generate XX and XY cells from a single person for the first time. This unique set of cells could help researchers tackle long-standing questions about how sex chromosomes affect disease and the role they play in early development.

Benjamin Reubinoff, a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Hadassah Medical Centre in Israel, and his team began the project to overcome barriers facing investigations of sex differences in humans. 

Currently, there are two major ones, according to Reubinoff: the difficulty of separating chromosomal and hormonal effects and the inability to pinpoint the effects of X and Y chromosomes while ruling out contributions from the rest of a person’s genetic makeup. 

“The main reason for doing this study was the lack of a good model to study differences between males and females in humans. There have been animal models, but a model in humans was not available.”

To create such a model, Reubinoff, and Ithai Waldhorn and their colleagues first obtained white blood cells previously collected from a person with Klinefelter syndrome, a condition in which male individuals are born with an extra X chromosome. 

The cells came from the repositories of the Coriell Institute for Medical Research, where people donate samples for use in a wide range of biomedical research projects. 

The donor had a rare “mosaic” form of the condition, in which some of their cells had three sex chromosomes (XXY), some had two X chromosomes, and some had one X and one Y. The researchers reprogrammed all three cell types into induced pluripotent stem cells, which have the capacity to self-renew and develop into neurons, muscle cells or other cell types.

Ultimately the team generated XX and XY cells that—apart from their sex chromosomes—were genetically identical. The researchers then conducted a series of experiments replicating findings from prior studies with other models. They confirmed previously reported differences in genes that were turned on in XX or XY cells. 

They also coaxed their stem cells to develop into immature versions of neurons and found evidence of previously reported sex differences in early neural development. “It was reassuring to see that the model really shows differences between the sexes that were reported from other systems,” Reubinoff says. The story is published in Stem Cell Reports.

Bolanle Raheem: Women Ministry says killing is crime against humanity, as NRHJN seeks psychological tests for policemen

The late Mrs Omobolanle Raheem

By Sola Charles

The Federal Ministry of Women Affairs has described the killing of Lagos lawyer Mrs. Omobolanle Raheem, by a trigger-happy policeman in Lagos as a crime against humanity, even as the Network of Reproductive Health Journalists of Nigeria, NRHJN, has called for mandatory psychological tests for all policemen in Nigeria to determine their state of mental health.

In a statement condemning the killing, the Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline K. Tallen, said all Nigerian women were demanding justice as a crime against one woman is a crime against all women.

Dame Pauline Tallen

Her words: “It is still unbelievable that a Police Officer who is supposed to be protecting lives has turned out to be a murderer.  How do we explain how an ASP attached to Ajiwe Police Station, Ajah, Lagos State pull a trigger at a vehicle with women and children resulting in the death of a female Lawyer Mrs. Omobolanle Raheem, on Christmas Day?

“As the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, we are still in shock and strongly condemn this dastardly act. We view it as a crime against humanity in all its ramifications. Nigerian women demand justice as a crime against one woman is a crime against all.”

 Tallen noted that although, the ministry was glad that the Inspector General of Police has condemned the unfortunate incident. Women were demanding stiffer penalties as a deterrent measure to forestall any such occurrence in the future. 

“While we are monitoring with keen interest the next line of action, we sympathize with the family of our sister at this time. This is indeed a great loss not only to her family and the legal profession but Nigerian women.”

 

NRHJN seeks psychological tests for policemen

In a related development, the Network of Reproductive Health Journalists of Nigeria, NRHJN, had called for mandatory psychological testing for all members of the Nigeria Police.

 In a statement, Mrs. Yinka Shokunbi and Mrs. Sekinal Lawal, President and National Secretary of the Network respectively, observed that even though the IGP has waded into the incident and ordered the speedy trial of all the men found culpable in the killing, it will be expedient that the Police conduct regular and periodic psychological checks within its rank and file.

Mrs Yinka Shokunbi

According to the Network, psychological testing of the police had become crucial as it is essential in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions and disorders.

 “It is disheartening and very unwarranted the gruesome killing of innocent lawyer and mother of one, Mrs. Bolanle Raheem by a policeman at Ajah, Lagos State on Christmas Day, Sunday, Dec. 25, 2022. The death of Bolanle Raheem from a gunshot wound according to a news report is the second by the policemen from this same Ajiwe Police station, Ajah, Lagos within a month.

 “While the hierarchy of the Police has made arrests and sent the trigger-happy policemen behind the bars awaiting trial, members of the Network of Reproductive Health Journalists of Nigeria demand that the Nigeria Police Force does more than send such evil men behind the bars. Members of the Network cannot understand why a policeman would pull the trigger if mentally stable and balanced.”

Mrs Sekinat Lawal

 According to the Network, “The incessant killings of innocent men and women and youths by the disbanded SARS was what was responsible for the 2020 anti-SARS protest in the country in which several young people were killed and the nation is yet to heal from the aftermath that is seeing thousands of young people fleeing the country in the "Japa" syndrome. 

 “The country is now counting its numerous losses following the mass exodus of young professionals due to hardship and unwarranted killings by the policemen. The killing of a pregnant woman in the presence of her family on a day of joy is heartless, inhuman, unjust, and dastardly to say the least.

 “We demand that the IGP ordered for a thorough investigation of the Ajiwe Police station and the claims that the station is notorious and find a way to include regular medical checkups including psychological checks on all members of the police who interface with the public. Enough is enough before another ‘#ENDSARS’ happens!”

 The late Bolanle Raheem was shot dead on Christmas day around Ajah under a bridge in Lagos when a policeman among those who mounted roadblocks at the spot reportedly opened fire on the vehicle conveying the deceased and her family as they were returning from Church, killing Bolanle who was said to be pregnant at the time. Rather than save the life of the woman after the shooting, the policemen reportedly took to their heels