Institut Tropical et de Santé Publique Suisse (Swiss TPH)

18.12.2024

Feasibility and acceptability of the Problem Management for Moms programme for improving maternal mental health in Zambia: an open-label trial

Swiss TPH "A study by the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) and partners has shown that a new, locally adapted mental health intervention for women with young children in Zambia led to a 50% reduction in mental health symptoms. The intervention also empowered the women, resulting in a positive impact on the relationship with their children and their economic situation. The findings, published yesterday in The Lancet Psychiatry, represent an important step towards improving maternal mental health in sub-Saharan Africa, where evidence-based interventions, particularly for young mothers, are limited."

13.12.2024

Emma Hodcroft, chercheuse au Swiss TPH, désignée par Nature comme l'une des trois «People to Watch in 2025»

Swiss TPH "Emma Hodcroft, responsable de groupe au Swiss TPH et professeure adjointe à l'Université de Bâle, a été désignée comme l'une des trois personnes à suivre pour façonner la science en 2025 par la célèbre revue Nature. Elle a été citée aux côtés de Mark Thomson, le prochain directeur général du CERN, et de Donald Trump, le presidente désigné des États-Unis."

13.12.2024

R. Geigy Award 2024: Cutting-Edge Research to Control Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases in Côte D’Ivoire

New insecticides to control malaria and dengue fever

Swiss TPH "The 13th R. Geigy Award 2024 goes to West Africa. Scientists from the Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'Ivoire (CSRS) are being honored with the award, which is endowed with CHF 20,000. Siaka Koné is being rewarded for his achievements in establishing long-term cohorts and demographic and health surveillance systems in rural Côte d'Ivoire. Julien Zahouli, Emmanuelle Lisro, Laurence Yao and Marc Adou for their work on the validation of the effect of insecticides on various disease vectors. The award is presented every two years in memory of Rudolf Geigy, founder of Swiss TPH."

13.12.2024

Leading House Africa

Swiss TPH "Swiss TPH, supported by the University of Basel, is the Leading House for bilateral research collaboration with partner institutions in Africa. Mandated by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation (SERI) in 2017, the Leading House Basel promotes and fosters scientific cooperation with key institutions in Africa for the funding period 2021-2024. In 2024, Swiss TPH, supported by the University of Basel's Innovation Garage and the Center for Development and Environment (CDE) at University of Bern, was confirmed to continue as the Leading House Africa from 2025-2028."

13.12.2024

Swiss TPH Symposium: Femmes et genre dans la santé mondiale

Swiss TPH "Aujourd'hui, le 20 novembre 2024, l'Institut Tropical et de Santé Publique Suisse (Swiss TPH) organise un symposium intitulé « Women and Gender in Global Health » à Allschwil près de Bâle. Le symposium réunit environ 160 spécialistes issus du monde universitaire, de l'administration publique, d'organisations internationales et du secteur privé. L'objectif du symposium est de partager des idées et de développer des solutions innovantes pour améliorer la santé et le bien-être des femmes et des filles dans le monde. Dans le monde entier, les femmes sont confrontées à des conditions inégales en matière de leur santé. D'une part, des facteurs socioculturels tels que l'inégalité des rapports de pouvoir entre les hommes et les femmes, l'inégalité des possibilités éducatives et financières, et la violence liée au genre empêchent souvent les femmes d'accéder à des soins de santé de qualité."

29.10.2024

20 Years of Pioneering HIV and Chronic Disease Care in Rural Tanzania

Swiss TPH "The Chronic Diseases Clinic of Ifakara (CDCI) is celebrating its 20th anniversary, marking two decades of providing healthcare, health training and clinical research in rural Tanzania. Established through a collaboration between Swiss and Tanzanian institutions to support individuals living with HIV/AIDS, CDCI has evolved into a leading model for HIV care in rural Africa. To honour this milestone, the clinic hosted a two-day event focused on HIV/AIDS and non-communicable diseases (NCDs)."

04.10.2024

Swiss TPH Symposium: Defining the Noma Research Agenda

Swiss TPH "On 20 September 2024, the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) organised a symposium entitled “Defining the noma research agenda” in Allschwil near Basel. The symposium brought together around 100 scientists, public health experts, politicians, health advocates as well as noma survivors. The aim of the symposium was to join forces against noma – a severe and rapidly progressing condition primarily affecting children living in extreme poverty – and define a common research agenda."

08.08.2024

Décès dus à la chaleur

Swiss TPH "Les décès dus à la chaleur sont recensés chaque année à l’échelle cantonale et nationale. Ce monitorage s’inscrit dans la stratégie d’adaptation aux changements climatiques de la Confédération. La chronologie actuelle couvre la période de 1980 à 2023. Les températures élevées peuvent être éprouvantes pour la santé humaine et causer des décès. Ces dernières décennies, les températures moyennes estivales ont augmenté en raison du changement climatique. Cette tendance persistera à l’avenir. En été 2023, 542 décès ont été causés par la chaleur, dont environ la moitié survenus durant la canicule (14 jours) de la deuxième moitié du mois d’août."

07.06.2024

Chronic Pain and Pastoralists in Ethiopia

Swiss TPH "Chronic pain is a significant global health concern and access to pain control is a basic human right. While the burden of chronic pain is well described in high-income countries, there is limited data in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), in particular in marginalized communities such as pastoralists. A study by Swiss TPH and partners published yesterday in the peer-reviewed journal PAIN now found that there is a high prevalence of chronic pain among Somali pastoralists in Ethiopia, especially among women and the older population."

07.06.2024

Ministers of Health from Rwanda and Senegal Visit Swiss TPH

Swiss TPH "In the end of May, Sabin Nsanzimana, Minister of Health from Rwanda and Ibrahima Sy, Ministre de la Santé et de l'Action Sociale from Senegal, visited Swiss TPH. The delegations discussed health sector priorities in their respective countries as well as current and potential future collaborations with Swiss TPH in the fields of research, education and services. The two ministers – both Swiss TPH alumni – also took the time to interact with students."

07.06.2024

Not Just a Sneeze: Pollen Increase Blood Pressure

Swiss TPH "Pollen allergies affect an estimated fifth of the world’s population. Researchers from Swiss TPH now found that high pollen concentrations on average increase blood pressure in allergic people. This effect highlights a significant public health concern as pollen seasons lengthen and intensify due to climate change. The results were published today in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Research."

07.06.2024

Swiss TPH Annual Report 2023 Is Out Now!

Swiss TPH "We are thrilled to present to you the Swiss TPH Annual Report 2023, which reflects on the past year and includes institutional highlights and milestones, key facts and figures, an interview with Lutz Hegemann of Novartis and member of our Board of Governors on public-private partnerships, a closer look at how science guides policy, and much more. We would like to thank all of our staff and students, partners and funders for their continued trust and support in working together towards our mission to improve the health and well-being of people around the world."

05.05.2024

154 Million Deaths Averted: Contribution of Vaccination over the Past 50 Years

Swiss TPH "In 1974, the World Health Organization launched its Expanded Programme on Immunization. Now, 50 years later, a study shows that an estimated 154 million deaths have been averted thanks to vaccination. In 2024, a child under 10 years of age is 40% more likely to survive to their next birthday. The study published today in The Lancet was led by Swiss TPH in collaboration with WHO and numerous research organisations."

03.05.2024

Accelerating the Fight against Malaria - World Malaria Day 2024

Swiss TPH "With over 600,000 deaths in 2022, malaria remains one of the biggest health threats particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Against this background, the Multilateral Initiative on Malaria (MIM Society) 8th Pan-African Malaria Conference is currently taking place in Kigali, Rwanda. Coinciding with this years’ World Malaria Day, the conference brings together 1,500 people from around the world to shape future strategies in the fight against malaria. About 30 researchers and students are representing Swiss TPH at the event."

03.05.2024

CALINA Study Shows Positive Efficacy and Safety Data for a Novel Treatment for Small Babies

Swiss TPH "Novartis and Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) announce positive data from their phase II/III CALINA study, demonstrating that a novel formulation of Coartem® (artemether-lumefantrine) developed for babies weighing less than 5kg with malaria has the required pharmacokinetic profile and good efficacy and safety. The trial was conducted in several African countries. Swiss TPH was in charge of carrying out the study in the Democratic Republic of the Congo."

04.04.2024

Une nouvelle découverte dévoile le mécanisme d'invasion du paludisme

Découverte d'un élément clé de l'invasion du paludisme

Swiss TPH "Une récente découverte permet de mieux comprendre comment le parasite du paludisme, Plasmodium falciparum, envahit les globules rouges humains. L'étude, menée par l'Institut Tropical et de Santé Publique Suisse (Swiss TPH) et le Griffith University's Institute for Glycomics, révèle le rôle d'un sucre appelé acide sialique dans ce processus d'invasion. Les résultats, publiés hier dans Cell Reports, ont des implications majeures pour le développement de vaccins et de médicaments contre le paludisme. Avec 249 millions de cas de paludisme et 608 000 décès en 2022, le paludisme reste une menace sanitaire mondiale persistante. Le parasite du paludisme Plasmodium falciparum est la principale cause de paludisme grave et responsable de la plus grande partie des décès dus au paludisme."

02.04.2024

Parasitic Worms and Liver Disease in Rural Laos

Swiss TPH "A study published by Swiss TPH and partners in Lao PDR has revealed high rates of Steatotic Liver Disease in a rural region where liver fluke infections and diabetes are prevalent. Surprisingly, an infection with parasitic worms was inversely associated with the prevalence of Steatotic Liver Disease. The study sheds some light on the important interplay between infectious and non-communicable diseases."

01.03.2024

Noma: giving a face to a deadly disease

On December 15, 2023, the World Health Organization officially added noma to the list of neglected tropical diseases, which will make it easier to combat and research this poverty-related disease. Swiss TPH and the University of Basel both played a key role in ensuring noma was recognized in this manner. By Christian Heuss

SwissTPH "Many people prefer to look the other way when it comes to this disease, as the sight of young children suffering from its effects is unbearable. It causes open wounds on the face and whole sections of the cheek appear to have been eaten away. Children who survive the disease remain disfigured throughout their lives and struggle with speech disorders and eating problems. Noma typically affects children between two and six years of age. The disease starts seemingly harmless as sore gums and mild bad breath. At this stage, the disease would be easy to cure with a broad-spectrum antibiotic. If left untreated, the infection spreads to tissue necrosis within a few days. First soft tissues die, then cartilage structures and bones are attacked and literally eaten away by the infection."

01.03.2024

Swiss TPH Symposium: Improving Access to Healthcare in LMICs

Summary of the Symposium 8 February 2024

SwissTPH "Access to drugs, diagnostics and vaccines remains a challenge in many in low- and middle-income countries. Today, 8 February 2024, Swiss TPH hosted a symposium bringing together 350 experts and key players from academia, the pharmaceutical industry, politics and product development partnerships to assess current strategies and foster synergies in research, drug development and medicines’ implementation.

02.02.2024

Reducing Health Inequities in the Prevention of Cervical Cancer

Swiss TPH "Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer related deaths among women in sub-Saharan Africa. Women living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are six times more likely to develop cervical cancer than those who are HIV negative. To tackle this issue, Swiss TPH together with partners developed the Cervical Cancer Prevention and Care Cascade – a framework to enhance cervical cancer screening programmes for women living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa."

12.01.2024

EMA Recommends Arpraziquantel for Treatment of Schistosomiasis in Preschool-Aged Children

Swiss TPH "Arpraziquantel, developed by the Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium, receives positive scientific opinion by the European Medicines Agency for the treatment of schistosomiasis in preschool-aged children. The Consortium's work to develop, register, and provide access to arpraziquantel is a tangible contribution to the elimination of schistosomiasis as a public health problem. As a member of the consortium, Swiss TPH conducted the clinical trials together with local partners."

12.01.2024

Swiss TPH's Centre for Tropical and Travel Medicine Now in the “Turmhaus” at Aeschenplatz

Swiss TPH "On Tuesday, 9 January 2024, the new location of the Centre for Tropical and Travel Medicine was officially opened in the “Turmhaus” at Aeschenplatz 2. The Centre for Tropical and Travel Medicine is part of the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH). Eva Herzog, President of the Swiss Council of States and President of the Board of Governors of Swiss TPH, gave a welcome address to guests from the healthcare sector, politics and academia. Lukas Engelberger, Cantonal Councillor Basel-Stadt, was also among the guests."

12.01.2024

Lutte contre la surprescription d’antibiotiques chez les enfants : une innovation helvético-tanzanienne aux résultats prometteurs

Swiss TPH "Une étude à grande échelle du projet DYNAMIC montre des résultats prometteurs : l’utilisation du nouvel outil numérique de décision clinique a permis de réduire de deux à trois fois la prescription d’antibiotiques. Ces résultats, qui viennent d’être publiés dans la prestigieuse revue scientifique Nature Medicine, marquent une étape importante dans l’endiguement de la résistance aux antibiotiques."

12.01.2024

Limited Trust in Health Systems Hinders Universal Health Coverage

Swiss TPH "A series of papers in the Lancet Global Health published yesterday finds that only one-quarter of people thinks their health system works well. The People’s Voice Survey analysed people’s views and trust in the system in 15 countries, adding a missing component to how one evaluates health system performance. Swiss TPH contributed to these studies, which were led by the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Quality Evidence for Health System Transformation (QuEST) network."

19.12.2023

Milestone in the Fight Against Sleeping Sickness

Swiss TPH "The European Medicines Agency has adopted a positive opinion of fexinidazole for the treatment of T.b. rhodesiense sleeping sickness, found in Eastern and Southern Africa. The positive opinion is followed a clinical trial conducted by the HAT-r-ACC Consortium, of which Swiss TPH is a part. This is an important milestone in the fight against this acute and lethal form of the neglected tropical disease."

04.12.2023

Kelly Chibale: Learning to Fail Your Way to Success

Swiss TPH "Kelly Chibale was – to say the least – not born into science. Yet, he has become one of the most influential researchers in the field of drug discovery and development globally. Born in a rural part of Zambia, Kelly’s childhood was a struggle for bare survival. There was no running water, let alone television to provide entertainment. Instead, dusty roads, poverty and violence. “Education, which was free at the time, was the only way out of poverty for me,” Kelly Chibale recalls. Secondary school awakened in him a talent and fascination for chemistry. Mixing liquids to make them appear in new colours turned out to be a real miracle."

09.11.2023

The Politics of Pandemics: Navigating the Global Landscape

by Jürg Utzinger, Professor of Epidemiology and Director of Swiss TPH

Swiss TPH "The politics of pandemics is about more than just health. It is about how we work across sectors, balancing the complex interplay between health, politics and conflicts, ensuring equity and security in times of crisis. The lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic should guide us towards a safer and more resilient future. Proactive global health governance, based on science, diplomacy and solidarity, is key to tackling future crises. (...) The political dimension of pandemics is reflected in how nations choose to share data and information, allocate resources and work together for a common goal. Countries that foster diplomatic relations and support international initiatives are better equipped to respond effectively to pandemics. A new International Treaty on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response will be discussed at next year’s World Health Assembly, including roles and responsibilities on how to deal with pandemics by the international community."

09.11.2023

Long-term Partnership in Tanzania Improves Access to Healthcare

Swiss TPH "The Health Promotion and System Strengthening (HPSS) project, funded by SDC and implemented by Swiss TPH, supported the Government of Tanzania in addressing major challenges of the health system. Over the past 12 years, the project improved access, quality, and affordability of healthcare with innovative solutions, like the "improved Community Health Fund" (iCHF), which provides affordable health insurance for low-income populations. HPSS substantially strengthened the pharmaceutical sector, health technology management, and health promotion, recognising the importance of community involvement for lasting improvements."

29.09.2023

30 Years of R&D Towards New Drugs for Tropical Diseases

Swiss TPH "In today’s interconnected world marked by complex challenges, looking back serves as a compass for charting the way forward. As we celebrate the 80th anniversary of the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), it is an opportune moment to reflect on our journey. Join me as I delve into one notable aspect of our history: the research and development (R&D) of new drugs for tropical diseases."

08.09.2023

Des scientifiques appliquent la théorie des jeux pour combattre la rage

Swiss TPH "L’élimination de la rage en Afrique pourrait être à portée de main grâce à une approche plus coordonnée de «One Health». Une étude innovatrice menée par le Swiss TPH et ses partenaires applique la théorie des jeux pour relever les défis de la rage et identifier des stratégies efficaces pour les pays touchés. L’article publié aujourd’hui dans Nature Communications démontre qu’une approche plus coordonnée pourrait mettre fin à cette maladie mortelle et se traduire par des gains sanitaires, économiques et sociaux majeurs. La rage est une maladie tropicale négligée (Neglected Tropical Disease, NTD) qui cause encore environ 59000 décès par an, dont beaucoup d’enfants. La maladie se transmet presque exclusivement par des morsures de chien, et une fois les symptômes apparus, elle est mortelle à 100. La rage peut être évitée en vaccinant les chiens et en évitant les morsures de chiens."

08.08.2023

The long road to schistosomiasis elimination in Zanzibar: A systematic review covering 100 years of research, interventions and control milestones

A new study by Swiss TPH and partners

Science Direct "Zanzibar is among the few places in sub-Saharan Africa where interruption of Schistosoma transmission seems an achievable goal. A new study by Swiss TPH and partners reviews 100 years of research and efforts to control schistosomiasis in Zanzibar. We have contributed to these efforts through our long-standing research into the disease. The review identify milestones in the fight against the parasitic worm disease. A major achievement was the reduction of infected individuals from historically over 50% to under 5% in 2020, leading to a substantial improvement in the health for the Zanzibari population. While challenges remain, the results published in Advances in Parasitology suggest that with sustained commitments, the transmission of the disease could be stopped by 2030."

07.08.2023

Moderate Temperatures Also Cause Death – Not Only Extreme Heat

Swiss TPH "Recent analyses by Swiss TPH show that not only heat waves, but also moderately hot temperatures, contribute to heat-related fatalities. On behalf of the Swiss federal government, Swiss TPH now monitors heat-related deaths in Switzerland on an annual basis. This monitoring provides a long-term record of the effects of climate change on health and helps to identify adaptation measures."

24.05.2023

Le nouveau traitement contre les infections par des vers parasites chez l’homme montre une grande efficacité

Communiqué de presse

Swiss TPH "Un nouveau candidat médicament donne des résultats prometteurs dans le traitement des infections par des vers parasites. Des chercheurs du Swiss TPH ont testé l’efficacité et la sécurité de l’emodepside contre les trois plus importants helminthes transmis par le sol sur l’île Pemba en Tanzanie. L’emodepside est le premier nouveau médicament prometteur contre les infections par des vers parasites depuis plusieurs décennies. Le Swiss TPH travaillera désormais avec Bayer afin de poursuivre le développement du médicament."

02.05.2023

Time to Deliver Zero Malaria: Invest, Innovate, Implement

Swiss TPH "Although malaria can be prevented and treated, global investment in the fight against the disease is declining. World Malaria Day is therefore a reminder that the goal of a malaria-free world must remain on the political agenda, both in Switzerland and on a global scale. To mark the day, Swiss TPH experts hosted a panel discussion on 25 April 2023 to discuss the current work on malaria tools and interventions and future priorities."

28.04.2023

New Midwife Care Model Improves Well-Being of Vulnerable Families

Swiss TPH "A new home-based midwife care model has shown promise in improving the well-being of women in vulnerable family situations and preventing early chronic childhood stress according to a new study published recently in BMC Health Services Research. The new model of care resulted from a partnership between the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) and Familystart in Basel, Switzerland. Such a model of care could be applied to all Swiss cantons."

03.04.2023

Mathematical Modelling to Inform Next-Generation Malaria Interventions

Swiss TPH "Global progress against malaria has stagnated and novel medical interventions are urgently needed. In a new publication, researchers from Swiss TPH and the Gates Medical Research Institute describe how modelling evidence is crucial for accelerating the development of new malaria vaccines, monoclonal antibodies and chemoprevention. Results were published today in Communications Medicine from Nature."

03.04.2023

Swiss TPH Symposium on Tuberculosis: A Call to Action

Swiss TPH "More than 10 million people fall sick with tuberculosis (TB) every year. The disease remains one of the world’s biggest killers with 1.6 million annual deaths. In recent years, efforts and funding to fight TB have been overshadowed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) is currently holding a 2-day symposium in Allschwil, Switzerland in order to share the latest findings in TB research, raise public awareness and drive policy change. Scientists, experts and decision-makers are discussing findings and ideas to spark the global efforts to eliminate TB as a public health problem by 2030."

27.01.2023

Les experts appellent à une coopération renforcée entre la santé humaine, animale et environnementale

Communiqué de presse

Swiss TPH "La pandémie de COVID-19 a révélé les faiblesses des réseaux mondiaux de sécurité sanitaire. Une approche globale «One Health» est essentielle pour prévenir, surveiller et répondre aux futures crises sanitaires. C'est ce que soutiennent les auteurs d'une série de quatre articles publiés hier dans The Lancet. Le Swiss TPH, avec sa longue expérience dans le domaine One Health, a contribué à cette série. (...) Jakob Zinsstag, responsable de l'unité Human and Animal Health du Swiss TPH et auteur principal du premier article de la série, a déclaré : «Il existe des évidences claires des avantages en termes de vies humaines et animales sauvées et d'économies financières d'une collaboration étroite en matière de santé à l'interface homme-animal-environnement.»

18.01.2023

Supporting countries on their path to universal health coverage

Swiss TPH designs and implements health insurance solutions

Swiss TPH "Every year, 100 million people are pushed into poverty because they have to pay out of pocket for healthcare. To make sure that people can access health services without financial hardship, many countries have committed to ensuring universal health coverage and social protection. Swiss TPH provides tailor-made support to these countries."

18.01.2023

R. Geigy Award 2022 Goes to Three Researchers for Work on Malaria and Tuberculosis Control in Africa

Swiss TPH " Researchers Lorenz Hofer and Mgeni Tambwe are trying to stop malaria transmission in Tanzania. Astrid Knoblauch is distributing drugs to combat tuberculosis with the help of drones in Madagascar. For this, the R. Geigy Foundation awards them with the 12th R. Geigy Award 2022, endowed with CHF 20,000. In memory of the biologist and founder of the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), Rudolf Geigy, the Foundation awards this prize every two years to young researchers and public health specialists who distinguish themselves through outstanding achievements in the field of poverty-related and neglected tropical diseases."

16.01.2023

Eva Herzog Elected as New President of the Swiss TPH Board of Governors

Swiss TPH "The governments of the two Basel cantons have elected Eva Herzog, member of the Council of States of Canton Basel-Stadt, as the new President of the Board of Governors of the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH). Herzog will begin her new role on 1 January 2023. The Board of Governors is the highest decision-making and supervisory body of Swiss TPH. The President is jointly elected by the governments of both Canton Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft."

16.01.2023

Jürg Utzinger Elected New President of the R. Geigy Foundation

Swiss TPH "The R. Geigy Foundation Board elected Jürg Utzinger, Director of the Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH), as the new President of the R. Geigy Foundation as of 1 January 2023, succeeding Marcel Tanner, who chaired the Foundation for 25 years. "I am delighted to be leading the R. Geigy Foundation as President from January 2023," said Utzinger. "Over the past decades, the R. Geigy Foundation has developed into a strategically important vessel for Swiss TPH. Especially young researchers have been able to benefit from targeted start-up funding, which allowed them to propel their potential."

02.12.2022

New Project to Improve the Care of Patients with Non-Communicable Diseases in Kosovo

Swiss TPH "Diabetes affects about half a billion people worldwide, most of them in low- and middle-income countries. Every year, 1.5 million deaths are directly attributed to diabetes, and both the number of cases and the prevalence of diabetes are constantly increasing. In Kosovo, diabetes is highly prevalent, yet often poorly controlled or undiagnosed. A new project funded by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and implemented by Swiss TPH aims to tackle the burden of non-communicable diseases in Kosovo by supporting the development of a sustainable health system that provides high quality, affordable and integrated care for affected patients."

02.12.2022

Improving Diagnosis for Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis

Swiss TPH "Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the world’s biggest infectious disease killers. It is a complicated disease to diagnose and treat, even more so when it affects organs outside of the lung. A clinical trial in Tanzania tested a diagnostic algorithm including point-of-care ultrasound to increase the proportion of correctly managed patients. While the proportion of correctly managed patients could not be increased, the study indicates that this diagnostic algorithm could be a feasible approach to increase confirmation of TB. This is the first clinical randomized controlled trial successfully conducted at the St. Francis Referral Hospital in Ifakara, highlighting the excellent clinical research knowhow and collaboration between the Ifakara Health Institute, Swiss TPH, and other partners. The results were published in the peer-reviewed journal Clinical Infectious Diseases."

02.12.2022

World AIDS Day 2022 - Equity for all!

Swiss TPH "(...) For this years’ World AIDS Day, CDCI and the Ifakara Health Institute have teamed up with the district AIDS coordinator in Ifakara to celebrate World AIDS Day – to meet people in the community and raise a loud voice for equity for those infected with HIV or at risk to become infected. During the day, HIV testing will be offered together with other preventive health measures, and people living with HIV will share how HIV has affected their lives and how they manage to live a normal life in the community. Games for children, dances and theatre plays will convey the message of U=U (undetectable equals untransmittable), claiming equity for all!"

06.11.2022

Current Recommended Treatment against Whipworm Shows Better Results than New Drug Combination

Swiss TPH "Swiss TPH researchers tested two different drug combinations against the parasitic worm Trichuris trichiura on Pemba Island, Tanzania. Findings show that a new treatment combination (moxidectin and albendazole) is inferior compared to the current recommended treatment combination (ivermectin and albendazole). However, moxidectin might serve as an alternative in areas in which ivermectin is not readily available or potentially where there are resistances against ivermectin. Results were published on 28 October in the Lancet Infectious Diseases Journal. More than 1.5 billion people worldwide are infected with soil-transmitted helminths. The infections occur mainly in tropical and subtropical areas in sub-Saharan Africa, the Americas, China and East Asia and is closely linked to poverty. Infections can lead to nutrient deficiency, anaemia, and impaired growth, thus children and adolescents are especially vulnerable to these detrimental effects. Soil-transmitted helminth infections are caused by several species of parasitic worms. One of them is the whipworm Trichuris trichiura."

05.11.2022

Multiscale transmission dynamics of rabies in Africa: The urban-rural interface

Swiss TPH "Researchers at Swiss TPH have launched a new project focused on rabies control in Chad with the help of artificial intelligence. Read more about how the research project takes a transdisciplinary One Health approach and uses public engagement and multilingual communication to achieve results. Dog mediated rabies, although entirely preventable, kills every year over 25,000 people in Africa. It has been demonstrated that rabies transmission can be interrupted with successful dog mass vaccination in N’Djamena, the capital city of Chad. However, most of the strategies to control and eliminate human rabies still stagnate mainly due to a lack of resources to support such interventions. One way that we can tackle rabies in Africa is by introducing relatively new, low-cost interventions, which is what our research project on Rabies Control in Chad aims to address."

07.10.2022

Organizations that bring science to impact – new actors for Sustainable Development?

Swiss TPH "Currently, world leaders are convening at the 77th United Nations General Assembly in New York. In parallel, the Science Summit is being held, with the central theme being the role and contribution of science in attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Jasmina Saric reflects on the emergence, role and future of organisations that combine research and implementation for sustainable development. New findings on this topic will be presented at the Science Summit in a session convened by Swiss TPH."

12.09.2022

Coping with emerging public health problems

Interview with Nicole Probst-Hensch, Head of the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at Swiss TPH

Swiss TPH "Around a quarter of the population in Switzerland suffers from chronic diseases. These are some of the most frequent causes of death and cause physical and mental stress as well as high health care costs. Swiss TPH has extensive expertise in long-term studies involving biobanks that conduct research into chronic diseases and the impact of behavioural and environmental factors. Samples stored in biobanks and linked to the health data of the sample donors supply the evidence for successful prevention and health promotion. They also help us to understand the long-term health impacts of air pollution, heatwaves, traffic noise or chemicals. Swiss TPH is therefore making an important contribution to health monitoring in collaboration with other research institutions. In addition, biobanks are also the bedrock of medical progress in the early detection and diagnosis of chronic diseases, especially in cooperation with private companies."

04.08.2022

The significance of effective communication in times of COVID-19

Swiss TPH "Access to information is a basic human right. In times of crisis, timely and accurate information plays an important role in controlling a situation. Our partners of the AQH project share how effective communication saved lives during the COVID-19 pandemic in Kosovo. In Kosovo, as in many other places worldwide, the COVID-19 pandemic was accompanied by another contagious phenomenon, namely disinformation or fake news. Conspiracy theories around COVID-19 vaccines also met interest in Kosovo and the wider Balkan region."