News Room
| EPN in the news |
ReACT website: public awareness on World Health DayOn May 18th 2011, EPN partner ReACT published a summary of EPN activities on raising awareness on antimicrobial resistance during the World Health Day in April 2011. The summary highlights activities in Kenya, Zambia and Cameroon. EPN is now on facebook Alarm over rising drug resistanceOn April 27th 2011, the Daily Nation, one of Kenya's leading newspapers, published an article on the rise of drug resistance. The article mentions the 84-page situational analysis of antibiotic use and resistance in Kenya, involving researchers from Kemri, the Livestock Ministry, Kenyatta National Hospital, and the universities of Nairobi, Aga Khan, and Maseno. It indicates that over-use, misuse, self-medication, wrong prescriptions, and over-the-counter sales of antibiotics are causing the drug resistance, and shows that germs that have been easy to kill are now fighting back — and winning — against administered antibiotics. Other studies, such as the one on perceptions on AMR and antibiotic use, by Ecumenical Pharmaceutical Network, and studies by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board, and the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention are also mentioned in the article. World Health Day 2011April 7th 2011 was World Health Day, an initiative of the WHO. This year, the theme was Antimicrobial Resistance. EPN actively took part in this day, as a partner of the national organizing committee in Kenya, together with the WHO, Government of Kenya (Department of Health Promotion) and other partners. Events were held at Riruta Health Centre in Dagoretti, Nairobi. Radio spots were aired on local radio Citizen and the Women News Network reported on the day: FBO Leaders in Action interview with Donna KusemererwaThe HRH Global Resource Center (http://www.hrhresourcecenter.org), CapacityPlus's digital library of human resources for health information, has published an FBO Leaders in Action Interview with Donna Kusemererwa, Executive Director of EPN. In this interview, Ms Kusemererwa shares her insights on the role of FBOs in training and developing new capacity for human resources for health. Difaem magazine on 30 years EPNThe recently published magazine Gesundheit in der Einen Welt contains an interesting feature on 30 years EPN. Former Executive Director Eva Ombaka talks about the history of the network and the work that has been accomplished in the last 3 decades. Interview about EPN on German website Pillen-Checker.deThe German website www.pillen-checker.de targets youth and contains critical information about pharmaceutical products and promotion of medicines. The website aims to motivate youths to question their own consumer behaviour. They recently conducted an interview with EPN. The interview (in German) talks about how EPN works, the role of the Essential Medicines list, rational use of medicines, etc. EPN joins the Medicus Mundi International NetworkEPN’s application to join MMI was received positively by the MMI Secretariat at the end of June 2010. During the MMI Assembly on November 5th 2010 in Amsterdam, EPN was officially admitted to the network. Medicus Mundi International is a Network of private not-for-profit organizations working in the field of international health cooperation and advocacy. Abuse of antibiotics Local and international pharmacists have expressed fears over the abuse of antibiotics, saying if the trend would continue at the present rate, curable infectious diseases, would be sending majority of the people to the grave early. Campaign to tackle antimicrobial resistance set for WHA launchA new global campaign to help tackle the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) will be launched at the World Health Assembly's annual meeting next week. The Ecumenical Pharmaceutical Network (EPN) and ReAct: Action on Antibiotic Resistance will launch their Fight AMR Campaign in a bid to stimulate... EPN and UON Host a public education forum on antimicrobial resistanceNAIROBI -- The Ecumenical Pharmaceutical Network (EPN) and University of Nairobi (UON) College of Health Science, will host a public education forum to discuss the growing problem of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and explore ways of preserving the effectiveness of the available medicines. The public forum will take place on 13th August 2009 at 2.00- 400pm at the University of Nairobi (UON), School of Medicine, Kenyatta National Hospital, Lecture Theatre 3(LT3). Chronic drug shortage crippling EA health centersEast Africa’s primary care health centres frequently run of critical medicines such as antibiotics and antimalarials, leaving thousands at risk of dying. Although the situation is better in district and provincial hospitals, many of these institutions also suffer serious stock-outs. Transparency in procurementEva Ombaka, coordinator of the Ecumenical Pharmaceutical Network and a member of MeTA's International Advisory Group, has looked at the current status of medicines procurement and notes that it is a complex process involving many stakeholders who can affect it or whose work can be markedly changed by it. Many issues must also be addressed if the provision of equitable, quality, and efficient pharmaceutical care is to occur. EPN Coordinator wins Olle Hansson Award 2007The Olle Hansson Award which recognizes the contribution of individuals from developing countries in promoting the concepts of essential drugs and their rational use and increasing awareness among consumers of the dangers of irrational and hazardous drugs has been awarded to Dr Eva Ombaka this year. KENYA: Church Unity Needed to Curb HIV/AIDS, Leaders SaysNAIROBI, January 27, 2006 (CISA) -Delegates attending a weeklong workshop on the HIV/AIDS for church leaders have stressed the need for churches to network to curb the scourge. "Many a time, we, as church leaders, have tackled the issue on individual basis rather than face it ecumenically", said the 25 delegates from Kenya, Ghana, Rwanda, Cameroon, and Burkina Faso. The workshop, which opened in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, on January 23 and ends on January 27, is organized by the Ecumenical Pharmaceutical Network (EPN). PEPFAR: US is tackling HIV drug supply in wrong way, say Christian hospitalsAn organisation representing front-line mission hospitals in 22 developing countries says that the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) threatens to create unsustainable and wasteful two-tier treatment systems because of the insistence on using branded antiretrovirals already approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). |
