By Michael Gwarisa The future of the United States’ HIV response hangs in the balance after the House Appropriations Committee advanced a spending bill that would slash nearly $2 billion from federal HIV programs. Advocates and public health leaders are warning that if enacted, the cuts could dismantle decades of progress in the fight against
Read MoreBy Staff Reporter Childhood obesity is rapidly becoming one of the most pressing public health challenges worldwide, with millions of children now overweight or obese, according to a new global nutrition report. The report reveals that between 1990 and 2022, the number of children living with obesity soared from 31 million to 58 million, while
Read MoreBy Staff Reporter New research suggests that fathers who experienced high levels of stress during childhood may carry traces of that trauma in their sperm, potentially influencing their offspring — though scientists caution that more research is needed before drawing firm conclusions. The study, published on January 3, 2025, in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, examined
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By Staff Reporter UNAIDS welcomes the announcement by the US State Department that the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) will be supporting an initiative by the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria to provide lenacapavir to up to 2 million people in countries with high burdens of HIV. Lenacapavir, an American-based
Read MoreA Chinese tech firm is racing to deliver what could be the world’s first “gestation robot.” Kaiwa Technology, based in Guangzhou, has unveiled plans for a humanoid robot designed with an artificial womb embedded in its abdomen, capable of carrying a fetus through ten months of gestation and delivering a baby, according to Chinese media
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By Michael Gwarisa China has launched an aggressive response to a Chikungunya virus outbreak that has infected over 7,000 people, mainly in Foshan, Guangdong Province. The mosquito-borne virus, which causes fever and severe joint pain, has led to hospitalizations lasting up to a week. In a COVID-style response, authorities have deployed drones to locate mosquito
Read MoreBy Michael Gwarisa The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued updated guidelines strongly advising against the use of antibiotics to treat COVID-19 or influenza, emphasizing that these medications are ineffective against viral infections and contribute to the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The guidelines, outlined in a recent WHO evidence brief, stress that antibiotics
Read MoreBy Health Times Correspondent The International AIDS Society (IAS) has applauded a bipartisan effort in the U.S. Senate to safeguard the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) from a proposed $400 million funding cut that had originated from President Donald Trump’s rescission package. However, advocates caution that the battle is far from over.
Read MoreBy Michael Gwarisa In a landmark move that could transform the global fight against HIV, the World Health Organization (WHO) today issued new guidelines endorsing the use of injectable lenacapavir (LEN) administered twice a year as an additional pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) option. The announcement was made at the 13th International AIDS Society Conference (IAS 2025)
Read MoreBy Staff Reporter Gilead Sciences has come under fire after announcing a secretive deal to supply its long-acting injectable HIV prevention drug, lenacapavir (LEN-LA), to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. The agreement—shrouded in indefinite price secrecy—has been widely condemned by civil society organisations, health advocates, and global health experts who warn
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