In this section of the newsletter, we provide excerpts of and links to relevant and topical studies, opinion pieces, blogs, and other articles published on leading scientific platforms on health systems, medicine, and allied social sectors, and reputed media platforms.
Climate change increases cross-species viral transmission risk
Research Article published April 28, 2022 in Nature
The article shed light on zoonotic spillover—a mechanistic link between global environmental change and disease emergence. Thousands of virus species have the capacity to infect humans, but at present, are circulating silently in the wild. However, climate and land use change will produce opportunities for viral sharing among previously geographically-isolated species of wildlife. The article highlights an urgent need to pair surveillance efforts with biodiversity surveys.
Improving diversity in global health governing boards Â
Comment article published April 30, 2022 in The Lancet
The article is a commentary on the lack of geographical diversity in representation in global health governing bodies. The reviews include UN agencies, bilateral funders, charities, private sector companies, and non-governmental organisations. The report talks about the need for equal representation, as global health governing boards have oversight of agendas that directly impact the lives, health, and wellbeing of people. It calls for transparent criteria developed on representation and diversity that are responsive to the objectives and outcomes of specific global health institutions.
Research study published March 3, 2022 in BMC Research Notes This study was aimed at finding out the out of pocket expenditure (OOPE) and incidence of catastrophic expenditure on hospitalisation of persons infected with COVID-19. A primary survey of 492 randomly selected hospitalisations of individuals tested positive for COVID-19 in high-burden districts during August to November 2020 was carried out telephonically in Chhattisgarh state of India. The findings of the study showed that around 3 percent of hospitalisations in public hospitals and 59 percent in private hospitals resulted in catastrophic expenditure. It further showed that enrolment under publicly or privately funded health insurance was not effective in curtailing OOPE.