Global health briefs - January 2016
January / February 2016 | Volume 15, Issue 1
G-Finder reports global health funds rise
The Global Funding of Innovation for Neglected Diseases (G-FINDER) 2014 survey reports that investments rose to $3.4 billion, including $165 million for Ebola research and development. NIH support accounts for about 38 percent of the total. G-Finder is produced by the nonprofit Policy Cures, with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
WHO studies tobacco marketing in LMICs
Populations in low-income countries see over 80 times more tobacco advertisements than those in high-income countries, especially in urban communities, a WHO study found. The survey included nearly 12,000 people in 16 countries.
Alzheimer's biomarker tool available
Scientists aiming to improve early diagnosis, monitoring and treatment efficacy in Alzheimer's disease can access global scientific reports and meta-analyses on fluid and imaging biomarkers in a new database, AlzBiomarker. The resource was compiled by an international collaboration.
WHO says 3.2 billion people risk malaria
Although the number of malaria cases fell globally in 2015, about 3.2 billion people - nearly half the population - remain at risk, according to the WHO's World Malaria Report 2015. An estimated 438,000 people have died in the past year, down 60 percent since 2000. Africa carries the heaviest burden, accounting for about 90 percent of malaria incidence and death, where a third of at-risk people have no bed nets or indoor spraying.
WHO assesses foodborne disease burden
Foodborne diseases strike 600 million people annually and kill about 420,000, mainly in Africa and Asia, according to the WHO. A global study assessed diseases stemming from 31 hazards, including 11 diarrheal pathogens, 7 invasive infectious agents, 10 helminths and 3 chemicals.
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