"Two Existing Technologies Could Fight Covid Now" Published in the Wall Street Journal

/

AA&D Executive Director, Tom Nicholson, and Senior Clinician, Dr. Salmaan Keshavjee, discuss in their recent Wall Street Journal article a strategy involving two well-established technologies to reduce COVID transmission and decrease severe disease and death. The first, GUV lighting, has been used for centuries to deactivate airborne infectious disease in crowded indoor settings and are currently on and providing a layer of protection in facilities across the country. The second, BCG vaccine, has been taken for almost a century by hundreds of millions of people with almost no side effects and studies so far have shown BCG to be a helpful vaccine against COVID-19 and to increase the efficacy of other vaccines. These two tools should be included in the United State's pandemic strategy as we protect our essential workers and begin the process of a safe reopening.

Read the November 16, 2020 article, "Two Existing Technologies Could Fight Covid Now," HERE.


GUV Lights Turned on at the Salvation Army of Central Oklahoma

GUV Lights Turned on at the Salvation Army of Central Oklahoma

Child-Friendly Bedaquiline Now Available from Stop TB Partnership's GDF Pediatric DR-TB Initiative

/

On June 11, 2020, the Stop TB Partnership’s Global Drug Facility (GDF) announced that child-friendly bedaquiline 20 mg tablets are now available from the GDF Pediatric DR-TB Initiative. Recently, the US FDA approved this regimen in children who are older than 5 years of age and weighing more than 15 kilograms. Rather than injection-based medicines, this is an oral regimen, meaning children will now benefit from the same optimized treatments being provided to adults.

When procured via GDF, a six-month treatment course of child-friendly bedaquiline costs USD 200 for children 5-12 years of age, bringing the total cost of a 5-drug, 12-month DR-TB regimen to about USD 1,175. This addition of pediatric bedaquiline brings the total number of child-friendly DR-TB medicines supplied by the GDF to nine.

Dr. Luccica Ditiu, Executive Director of the Stop TB Partnership, urged the global TB community to have a “renewed focus to find, diagnose, and treat all the children with DR-TB” now that “TB suppliers and GDF have brought forward optimized formulations and a mechanism to accelerate the uptake of child-friendly formulations by National TB Programs.”

Duke Sanford School of Public Policy writes article on AA&D's Participation in the START Coalition

/

On May 12, the START Coalition, an alliance of experts from academia, healthcare, business, and technology announced a pilot program to equip communities with robust data and customized testing, reporting, and prevention strategies to combat COVID-19. Sanford School of Public Policy highlighted AA&D Executive’s Director, Tom Nicholson, and his role as a member of the steering committee on the START Coalition. To read the piece, please click here.

AA&D Collaborates with Durban University of Technology to Provide Medical Withdrawal Program for Homeless Individuals in Durban During Lockdown

/

A recent piece published by the Durban University of Technology (DUT) described the work AA&D and DUT are doing to address drug withdrawal during South Africa’s current national lockdown. As a large number of the homeless in lockdown are experiencing symptoms from from drug withdrawal, AA&D and DUT have created a medical team including nurses and social workers to provide health and psychosocial services to people who use drugs.

AA&D Supports Infectious Disease Screening and Placement of Over 2,500 Homeless Individuals in Durban as South Africa Prepares for a Lockdown

/

AA&D is on the front lines supporting COVID-19 screening efforts amongst homeless individuals. On March 26th, South Africa entered a 21-day lockdown period to prevent further spread of COVID-19. AA&D took a key role in the lead up to the lockdown, by serving on the City's Homeless Task Team to select a reception center, 10 decentralized sites, and the coordination of screening and placement of over 2,500 homeless individuals. 

Between March 27-March 29, homeless individuals were screened for COVID-19, TB, and HIV and underwent an assessment by a team of health and social workers from the Departments of Health and Social Development. Individuals were then assigned to sites based on their presence of symptoms and past history of medical conditions. 

Upon placement into the 10 decentralized sites, AA&D is working alongside the City and the Department of Health to coordinate the ongoing medical care that will be provided for the duration of the lockdown, including specialized treatment for those experiencing symptoms of drug withdrawal. It is expected that close to 40% of this group will experience symptoms of withdrawal during this period. AA&D is coordinating  care from the public and private sector partners to ensure that patients are screened for withdrawal symptoms and is coordinating a team of specialists that will visit each site on a daily basis to monitor and respond to the needs of drug users in Durban. 

This comprehensive health screening provides a great opportunity to establish contact with this population and to treat acute needs while establishing mechanisms for delivery of care across public and private sectors that will extend beyond the COVID-19 crisis.

IMG_5994.jpg
IMG_5755.jpg
IMG_6039.jpg
309cca8e-bad6-456e-9820-58b745495bf6.JPG

Zero TB Initiative featured by New York Times Editorial Board

/

The Zero TB Initiative has “pushed beyond cynicism to forge a new consensus” towards comprehensive strategies to eliminate tuberculosis (TB), according to the New York Times editorial board.

The Zero TB Initiative, a global coalition of non-profits, research institutions, public and private entities, and patient advocacy groups, seeks to eliminate TB globally through its comprehensive approach. This “Search-Treat-Prevent” strategy emphasizes the need to search actively for people with TB, extend treatment all people who need it, and prevent further transmission and progression of the disease.

The Times article highlights the urgent need for action to eliminate this disease, which kills more than 1.8 million people annually, as well as recent successes in the fight to end TB accomplished by ZTBI partners. In light of the recent United Nations General Assembly meeting on September 26, which is one of only a handful of General Assembly meetings devoted to a single disease, there is new pressure on policymakers to direct much-needed resources towards researching and implementing effective strategies to combat TB.

An NYT Editorial Commentary is an important spotlight on not only the seriousness of the problem that TB presents, but also the clear way forward that has been successful when implemented in the past. The full article can be viewed here.

AA&D reports: Protests in Durban following needle exchange closure

/

Durban, South Africa

On Tuesday, a group of over 50 people marched in solidarity along Durbans south-central neighborhoods, raising awareness of the citys recent decision to suspend the only legal needle syringe program (NSP) in Durban.

Led by a local branch of South Africas Network of People Who Use Drugs, this peaceful demonstration brought together members from civil society, the local university, drug users, media, and members of law enforcement to show their support for a critical public health program serving the entire community’s interest to be a healthy, resilient city.

As participants danced, raised their voices, and sang traditional isiZulu songs of struggle, several onlookers said that they too knew someone who has become sick or even died because of sharing needles.

The city stated that a trade permit must be issued before the program resumes activity. The concern suggested was that needles and other materials provided by NSP programs pose a health risk to the community and that a proper disposal plan must be outlined before the program is reinstated.

The NSP, started by Monique Marks, a professor and human rights advocate who heads the Urban Futures Center at the Durban University of Technology, has served as a critical resource for over a thousand drug users seeking clean needles, counseling, and peer support.

Following the march, members of the TB/HIV care network and the Urban Futures Center delivered a public statement and petition to the Mayor’s office requesting that the NSP be reinstated as a critical program to support drug users, their families, and the communities where they live and work.

Note on the passing of our dear friend and AA&D colleague Aaron Plourde

/

A note from AA&D:

It is with great sadness that we at AA&D note the passing of our friend Aaron Plourde, who worked as our media officer from 2016-2018, from cancer. He was a generous, conscientious, and devoted friend who had a drive to help others in his work, from carpentry to communications, the wellbeing and happiness of others was at the front of his mind. In his spirit, we hope to continue to spread a message of hope and optimism in our work. Aaron leaves behind a wonderful family--  his wife Julia and two children.

Please consider donating in his memory to his youcaring site -- given the family’s long and costly battle against his cancer.

https://www.youcaring.com/aaronplourde-1107531

We will miss Aaron deeply.

The AA&D team in Durham and around the world

AA&D launches new tool to map global TB drug supply efforts

/

In March of 2018, Advance Access & Delivery (AA&D) and the Lilly MDR-TB Partnership launched the first of its kind, web-based platform, the TB Drug Access Atlas. This tool highlights over 40 global projects addressing challenges related to the supply and access of quality-assured, second-line drugs for MDR-TB. This interactive platform gives users a first hand look at the burden of MDR-TB at the global and country levels and showcases projects that are working to address one or more of the following seven market indicators: affordability, delivery challenges, forecasting, market incentives, procurement, regimen complexity and regulatory complexity.

One of the intended outcomes of this tool is provide a snapshot of where opportunities exists to leverage resources in a direction that will improve access to medicines for those most in need.

Projects captured on the TB Drug Access Atlas represent activities ongoing or planned between 2014-2020. The database is organized by market indicator and geography and will be updated at regular intervals throughout the year. Please send any questions or comments to tbatlas@advanceaccessanddelivery.org.

 

Kenan-Biddle Partnership team holds group discussion with community health workers in North Carolina

/

Members from the Kenan Biddle Partnership team met with a group of community health workers that are supported by the Center for New North Carolinians (CNNC) as part of ongoing discussions to better understand the challenges faced by refugees and immigrant communities when accessing healthcare and social services across the state of North Carolina.

This project is supported by The Refugee Community Partnership, a community-driven organization based in Carrboro, NC focused on intentional support for relocated families in North Carolina and Advance Access & Delivery, a non-profit based in Durham, NC committed to fighting double standards in healthcare policies and access to medicines.

The project aims to create a robust set of training materials that can be used by community organizations working to accompany individuals and families that are new to North Carolina. Through a series of interviews and focus groups, team members have met with volunteers, community health workers, and the leaders of refugee support programs to hear first-hand how they are addressing service barriers within their communities. The team will use this information collected to create a training package to be shared widely with community partners.

The team’s meeting in Greensboro explored the complexities that are often faced when working with refugee and immigrant communities to access even the most basic healthcare services. Several of the community health workers underscored the importance of resourcefulness, flexibility, and compassion in their roles.

Kenan-Biddle Partnership grant to help improve health and wellness among refugee communities

/
 
refugees-sign.jpg

AA&D, in partnership with students and researchers at Duke University and the University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, are working on an initiative addressing health and wellness among refugee communities in the Triangle area thanks to a Kenan-Biddle Partnership grant. While many state-supported services are available upon arrival, few are sustained beyond the first six months. Long-term, community-based support for refugee communities is often patchwork at best, leading to significant gaps in access to critical health and social services. This collaborative initiative aims to address these issues to improve overall refugee services.

Read more from Duke Center for International Development
Read more from UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health