Open in Browser     Swiss TPH News, September 2022   Tackling Chronic Diseases in Switzerland   Around a quarter of the population in Switzerland suffers from chronic diseases, which are some of the most frequent causes of physical and mental stress and death. Nicole Probst-Hensch, Head of the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at Swiss TPH who also leads the most extensive long-term study in Switzerland, talks about the importance of these studies, their impact on policy, as well as the expertise that Swiss TPH brings to the table. » Read more     Importance of Physical Activity on Children’s Health   The SOPHYA study of Swiss TPH investigated the physical activity of children and adolescents throughout Switzerland over a period of five years. Results showed that the environment and physical activity of the parents have a significant influence on physical activity during childhood and thus have a long-term impact on the health of children and later adulthood.   ARTICLE     SARS-CoV-2 Genomic Surveillance in Africa   A new study in Science shows how the rapid expansion of genomic surveillance in Africa enabled the continent to describe the introduction and spread of SARS-CoV-2 variants in African countries, leading to a real-time public health response. Swiss TPH contributed to these efforts as part of the SARS-CoV-2 surveillance programme in Equatorial Guinea.   ARTICLE     Experts Call for Global Climate Action   Climate change is an imminent threat to human health and well-being and to our planet. Urgent action is needed to reduce climate risks and secure a liveable future. Swiss TPH contributed to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report, which provides a detailed evaluation of the impact of climate change globally to support policy-makers on climate-related action.   ARTICLE     Improved Pandemic Preparedness in Switzerland   Swiss TPH brought together stakeholders from Switzerland and neighbouring countries to discuss the role of science and politics to enhance preparedness and response to future health emergencies. The overarching aim was to share and compare experiences and lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic across systems and settings.   ARTICLE     WHO Collaborating Centre for Verbal Autopsy   WHO has designated the Household Economics and Health Systems Research unit at Swiss TPH as the WHO Collaborating Centre for Verbal Autopsy. The primary objective of Verbal Autopsy is to describe the pattern of causes of death that occur outside of medical care. As such, it has become an essential public health tool for ascertaining and attributing causes of death at the population level in countries where a medical certificate is not easy to obtain.   DESIGNATION     Digital Tool Improves Quality of Care for Children   Digital tools are critical to improve the care for sick children, particularly in resource-constrained settings. Swiss TPH and partners were able to show the positive impact of a digital clinical decision support system on improving the management of childhood illness in primary care in Nigeria. The study, published in BMJ Open, supports the use of digital tools for health systems strengthening on a broader scale.   ARTICLE   Bringing Science to Impact: New Actors for Sustainable Development   At the Science Summit currently taking place in New York, the central theme is the role and contribution of science in achieving the SDGs. Jasmina Saric from Swiss TPH is attending and has reflected on the emergence, role and future of organisations that combine research and implementation for sustainable development on our blog. » Read more International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies   "Air pollution affects us all. We all need to breathe. This is one reason why air pollution is the most important environmental risk to public health worldwide," says Ron Kappeler, Swiss TPH researcher at LUDOK, the Swiss Literature Database on Air Pollution and Health. » Read more How Can We Prevent the Next Pandemic?   The Gates Notes Deep Dive brought together 33 graduate students who were invited to join Bill Gates for a session on the topic of pandemic prevention. Five graduate students from Swiss TPH had the unique opportunity to participate and shared their key takeaways on our blog. » Read more SSPH+ ScienceFlashTalk 2022   Congratulations to Shreya Shrikhande of Swiss TPH who won the SSPH+ ScienceFlashTalk Award where she presented the findings of her study on the association between apparent temperature and cardiovascular diseases in Puducherry, India. » Watch her talk Project Updates   Community Access to Rectal Artesunate for Malaria   Swiss TPH and partners conducted the CARAMAL project to understand how rectal artesunate could save the lives of children with severe malaria. A new paper describes the context and methodology of the project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria and Uganda. » Read more Maintenance and User Support of the openIMIS Platform   Swiss TPH is continuing the support for openIMIS on behalf of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). The open source software, initially developed by Swiss TPH, helps to digitize health financing processes, which strengthens access, efficiency and quality of health service delivery. » More about openIMIS Understanding 5G through Citizen Engagement   Swiss TPH is conducting research as part of the EU-funded GOLIAT project, which aims to monitor radiofrequency electromagnetic field exposure, particularly from 5G, to gain novel insights into its potential health effects and to understand how exposures and risks are perceived and best communicated by using citizen engagement. » Read more New Tools for Diagnosis and Treatment of Buruli Ulcer   The major burden of Buruli Ulcer is among children in West Africa, with most infections occurring in remote, rural areas, where access to healthcare is limited. A new project funded by the Botnar Research Centre for Child Health aims to improve diagnosis and treatment of Buruli Ulcer to prevent long-term suffering, stigmatisation and permanent disability. Swiss TPH researchers are working to convert the diagnostic ELISA test into a lateral-flow based rapid diagnostic test and to develop a short and fast acting antibiotic therapy. » Read more   Upcoming Events   20 October 2022: Malaria Prevention: Progress and Prospects   At a seminar hosted by the Botnar Research Centre for Child Health (BRCCH), speakers including Melissa Penny from Swiss TPH will provide insights into malaria vaccine development, implementation and equitable distribution. » Register now   25 October 2022: Detecting Antimicrobial Resistance: The Silent Pandemic   Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the greatest threats to global health. The diseases most commonly affected by AMR include tuberculosis and malaria. In this session of our Virtual Event Series, we will discuss the current AMR situation as well as new diagnoses, emerging technologies and international collaborations to combat these diseases.» Register now   In the Media   • Global News: How dirty air in Berlin is associated with more heart attacks. » Article   • The Harvard Gazette: A multidisciplinary approach to eradicating malaria » Article   • SRF: Hitzesommer fordert schon jetzt übermässig viele Tote. » Broadcast   Study With Us   Welcome To Our New Students!   This semester, 16 students started the Master’s degree programmes in Epidemiology and Infection Biology and 29 students from 19 countries started their PhD at Swiss TPH. They will pursue their studies in a broad range of research areas – from medical parasitology and infection biology to epidemiology and public health. » Read more     Migration and Health for People on the Move   This one-week course, conducted in close collaboration with the University Hospitals of Geneva and Bern, provides comprehensive coverage of migration health and promotes an in-depth understanding of this topic. The course is open to all interested participants involved in the field of migration health - locally, nationally and internationally.   REGISTER NOW     International Cooperation and Global Health   In a globalised world, international professional groups are confronted with complex challenges. This 8-week course is aimed at professionals from health sectors and other interested parties who are preparing for working abroad or who are confronted in their daily life with intercultural communication, migration or health in a global context.   REGISTER NOW   The Resistant Mosquito   Discover approaches and advances in the fight against malaria using Insecticide Resistance Management (IRM) in this 3-week free online course. » Register now One Health: Connecting Humans, Animals and the Environment   Become familiar with One Health and the effective solutions it provides for urgent health problems in this 6-week online course. » Register now Latest Publications   • Bohle L.F., Abdallah A-K, Galli F. et al. Knowledge, attitudes and practices towards malaria diagnostics among healthcare providers and healthcare-seekers in Kondoa district, Tanzania: a multi-methodological situation analysis. Malaria Journal » Read full article   • Win H, Shafique S, Probst-Hensch N, Fink G. Change in nutritional status of urban slum children before and after the first COVID-19 wave in Bangladesh: A repeated cross-sectional assessment. PLOS Global Public Health » Read full article       Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute (Swiss TPH) Kreuzstrasse 2 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland communications@swisstph.ch Swiss TPH   Imprint | Data Privacy   If you do not wish to receive further newsletters, you can unsubscribe any time.