The Health News United Kingdom August 10 2017

Overview

• The UK has pledged £100 million to the global fight against polio, in an attempt to eradicate the debilitating disease by 2020. Polio has been reduced by more than 99.9% but still exists in just three countries: Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan. There have been eight new cases this year in total.
• UK health officials are putting a temporary limit on who can have a hepatitis B vaccination because stocks are running low. The move is in response to the wider, global shortage of the jab caused by manufacturing issues. UK travellers are being told they may not be able to get it before they leave Britain for higher-risk countries.
  
• Sir James Munby, head of the family courts in England and Wales society should be “ashamed” for not protecting a suicidal girl has approved a care plan for her. The girl, known as X, will be moved to a special unit on Thursday after doctors managed to find her a place. The secure unit where the seventeen-year-old has been living has spent £125,000 on extra staff to care for her.

News on Health Professional Radio. Today is the 10th of August 2017. Read by Tabetha Moreto. Health News

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/aug/04/uk-pledges-100m-global-efforts-eradicate-polio

The UK has pledged one hundred million pounds to the global fight against polio, in an attempt to eradicate the debilitating disease by two thousand twenty. The cash, to be announced by the international development secretary, Priti Patel, on Friday, will fund the immunisation of forty five million children a year until two thousand twenty. The last case of polio is likely to be announced in two thousand seventeen. Thirty years ago, more than three hundred fifty thousand people a year were disabled by polio, with the highly contagious virus present in more than one twenty five countries. Since then, polio has been reduced by more than ninety nine point nine percent. It still exists in just three countries: Afghanistan, Nigeria and Pakistan. There have been eight new cases this year in total.

The last case of polio in Nigeria was in July two thousand sixteen , so it could potentially be declared polio-free in two thousand nineteen said Jim Calverley, the polio lead at Results UK.

Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, one of five partners of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, a private-public partnership that includes the World Health Organization, said the world was close to ending polio: “It’s fantastic to see such a generous pledge from the UK to the global effort to eradicate polio. With the steadfast commitment of key partners like the UK government and dedicated health care workers around the world, we are very close to ending polio forever. “Thanks to the generosity of the British public, children everywhere can live healthier, more prosperous lives and thrive in a polio-free world.”

http://www.bbc.com/news/health-40854630

UK health officials are putting a temporary limit on who can have a hepatitis B vaccination because stocks are running low. The move is in response to the wider, global shortage of the jab caused by manufacturing issues. UK travellers are being told they may not be able to get it before they leave Britain for higher-risk countries. Babies and high-risk groups will be prioritised under the measures that are expected to continue into two thousand eighteen. A spokeswoman for Public Health England said: “All those who need to have a hepatitis B vaccine will be offered it in due course.”

But she said some people wanting to be vaccinated now may not be able to have the jab.

All UK infants should be vaccinated because the infection can persist for many years in children and can eventually lead to complications, such as scarring of the liver or liver cancer.

The chance of catching hepatitis B, which is spread by contact with infected blood and other body fluids, is very low in the UK.

You can protect yourself from hepatitis B by avoid having unprotected sex, avoid having tattooing, piercing and acupuncture in an unhygienic environment with unsterilised equipment and avoid exposure to contaminated needles or not sharing needles.Travellers may also want to consider taking a sterile medical equipment kit if travelling to areas with poor resources.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-40855771

A judge who said society should be “ashamed” for not protecting a suicidal girl has approved a care plan for her. The girl, known as X, will be moved to a special unit on Thursday after doctors managed to find her a place. Sir James Munby, head of the family courts in England and Wales, said the provision of care “should not be dependent” on legal involvement.

The secure unit where the seventeen-year-old has been living has spent one hundred twenty five thousand pounds on extra staff to care for her.

The unit – which has not been named – said the Youth Justice Board “failed” to provide additional resources to maintain X’s safety despite repeated requests.The details were revealed in the latest judgement in her case.Three social care staff were said to be off work suffering from “stress and anxiety” due to the “unusual experiences” they had observed with the girl.

Sir James, who previously criticised the lack of supervision available for the girl, said the latest development was “not a matter for congratulation”.

He spoke out last Thursday to say there would be “blood on our hands” if the teenager did not receive adequate supervision upon her release from secure custody.He made his comments after finding out a secure unit place had not been found for the girl, who had made several suicide attempts. In Sir James’ judgement, he said: “I feel shame and embarrassment; shame, as a human being, as a citizen and as an agent of the State… that I can do no more for X.”

The judgement in the case of X – who is in the formal care of Cumbria County Council – revealed she was convicted at a youth court and has been detained in custody for almost six months.