In a groundbreaking development, vaccine patches are being tested in the Gambia as a potential alternative to traditional injections. The World Health Organization (WHO) has been working on developing these vaccine microarray patches (MAPS) for several years, with early data showing promising results in protecting children from measles.
Dr. Birgitte Giersing, team lead at WHO’s Vaccine Product and Delivery Research Unit, believes that these patches could be a major breakthrough in increasing vaccine coverage, especially in low-resource settings. The patches are easier to deliver than traditional vaccines that require injections, making them particularly useful in outbreaks or humanitarian emergency situations.
The patches could play a crucial role in combating diseases like measles and rubella, which saw a drop in vaccination coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Giersing highlighted the acceptability advantage of the patches, as people may be more willing to be vaccinated through a patch rather than a needle.
In other health news, WHO has published the first global guidelines to prevent infections caused by catheters placed in minor blood vessels during medical procedures. Poor practices in catheter use can lead to serious conditions like sepsis, with high mortality rates among affected patients.
The new guidelines include recommendations for health workers to improve education and training in infection prevention and control. WHO Assistant Director-General Dr. Bruce Aylward emphasized the importance of implementing clean care practices to save lives and prevent unnecessary suffering.
Meanwhile, rights experts have raised concerns about the treatment of a former Guantanamo Bay detainee facing terrorism charges in Algeria. Saeed Bakhouche, who was transferred from the US detention center to Algeria, is at risk of unfair treatment and torture in Algerian prisons. The experts are calling for the case against him to be thrown out to ensure a fair trial.