Capsules

EBOLA

Back in Sierra Leone

A new case of Ebola has been confirmed in Sierra Leone, reflecting the ongoing risk of new flare-up in the affected countries. The Sierra Leone government acted rapidly. Through the country’s new emergency operations centre, a joint team of local authorities, the World Health Organisation and other partners are investigating the origin of the case, identifying contacts and initiating control measures. WHO said in a statement that Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone remain at high risk of outbreaks in the coming months due to the virus persisting in survivors after recovery.

DRUG VIGIL

Europe’s new plan of action

The Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee has adopted a 'Strategy on measuring the impact of pharmacovigilance activities’, said the European Medicines Agency. A number of activities are carried out to ensure medicines are used safely. These include planning of risk-minimisation measures before a medicine is authorised, collection/ management of adverse reaction reports, detection/management of new safety signals and studies to generate data on the use of medicines. The information could help regulators advise patients and doctors on best use of a medicine.

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STILLBIRTHS

2.6 million in 2015!

Approximately 2.6 million babies were stillborn in 2015, or around 7,200 every day globally. Fall in stillbirth rates since the year 2000 are failing to keep pace with the fall in childhood and maternal mortality rates, say authors of The Lancet’s new Ending Preventable Stillbirths Series. Of the 2.6 million stillbirths (which happen during the final trimester of pregnancy or after 28 weeks gestation), half occur during the birthing process. While 98 per cent of stillbirths occur in low- and middle-income countries, they also remain a problem for high-income countries.

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