Chronic kidney disease affects one in 10 of the adult population in the UK. Kidney disease causes hypertension, contributes to heart attacks and strokes, and is a marker for progression to dialysis. Continue reading
Getting set for London 2012
With less than 3 months to go until the London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games, we are warming up and getting ready to be involved in the ‘greatest show on earth’.
Welcoming 10,000 athletes and hundreds of thousands of visitors, the Games are a huge global gathering. They also provide a platform to raise the School’s profile, inspire our students, alumni & visitors, build existing and new partnerships, and highlight the relevance of our work in global and public health. Continue reading
In memoriam: Amanda Berger
Students and staff have paid tribute to Amanda Berger, who passed away on 14 April from an acute viral infection. Amanda was studying for her MSc in Public Health. Continue reading
Athena SWAN Bronze Award
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine has received a Bronze Award from Athena SWAN.
The Athena SWAN Charter awards, which have been running since 2006, recognise the commitment of institutions and science, engineering and technology departments to addressing gender inequalities, to tackling the unequal representation of women in science and to improving career progression for female academics. Continue reading
New evidence for seasonal malaria prevention in West Africa
Malaria remains one of the leading killers of children in Africa. Yet, the majority of malaria deaths in many parts of West Africa occur in the annual rainy season, which lasts just a few months.
The World Health Organization is considering a recommendation to implement a new strategy called “seasonal malaria chemoprevention” (SMC), which used to be known as “intermittent preventive treatment of malaria in children” (IPTc), in parts of Africa where malaria is seasonal. Continue reading
Low-cost urine test for HIV-associated TB
New research from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine has suggested that a simple urine test could speed up diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) for HIV patients. TB is the leading cause of death among HIV infected people in Africa. Continue reading
Rewarding our diverse talent
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine has just awarded two new Fellowships, jointly funded by the Wellcome Trust Institutional Strategic Support Fund (WT ISSF) and the School, to Sam Alsford, Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases (ITD), who works on Trypanosome molecular biology and to Mary DeSilva, Faculty of Epidemiology and Population Health (EPH), who works on global mental health. Continue reading
NHS reform: understanding the evidence base
Credit: iStockphoto.com/sureyya akin
The UK government’s plans to reform the National Health Service are at the heart of a new political storm. Health Secretary Andrew Lansley claims the Health and Social Care Bill, currently undergoing amendment in the House of Lords, will increase private-sector competition for NHS funding and reduce bureaucracy. He has the backing of the Prime Minister, but is facing growing opposition both in Westminster and from the health professions. More than 130,000 people have signed an online petition calling for the Bill to be dropped, the Royal Colleges are critical, and even influential voices within the Conservative party have called it an electoral liability. Continue reading
LSHTM on the bookshelf – February 2012
February brings us three new LSHTM books featuring alcohol, human rights and veterinary expeditions. Continue reading
Uncovering the myths and evidence around Olympics and trafficking
Misguided fear that sex trafficking will increase during the London Olympics could leave vulnerable women without access to health services and at risk of harm, according to experts who gathered at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine for a debate on the issue. Continue reading