menu

EU-wide agreement on how to crackdown on TB in cities

The majority of TB in Western European countries is concentrated in big cities, according to a study published today in Eurosurveillance.

Public Health England

The research also found that while the number of TB cases continues to reduce in some countries in Europe the rate of TB within some of Europe’s big cities continues to increase.

The study took cities with populations greater than 500,000 from across the European Union (EU) and considered both their national TB rates compared to their big city rates. The research concluded that on average the rate of TB in big cities was twice the rate of the countries’ national TB incidence. This provides what the study refers to as a ’TB epidemiology transition’, a situation whereby TB disease concentrates in big cities as the national incidence falls.

TB mainly affects certain high risk urban groups such as those who originate from high TB burden countries, homeless people and those with previous drugs and alcohol misuse.

Ibrahim Abubakar
Ibrahim Abubakar

Ibrahim Abubakar, Public Health England’s head of TB and Professor of Infectious Disease Epidemiology at UCL said: “Although we have long understood that TB affects specific groups and is often concentrated in urban areas, what we are now witnessing is a marked change where rates of TB are showing an overall reduction nationally, while still increasing within big cities.

“Elimination of TB in European big cities requires control measures focused on addressing the diversity of individuals in urban populations and efforts to target TB must drive right down to local and regional level where unique experience of how to reduce the infection can be shared and built upon.”

“Public Health England is committed to reducing the incidence of TB and will publish a national strategy later this year which will consider how to specifically target those most in need of screening and treatment – this study published today is a significant step towards realising this mission to globally reduce the burden of TB.”

To combat this EU-wide problem a working group, chaired by Prof Abubakar and Dr Gerard de Vries of KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation, was established which has drawn up a study describing the particular complexities of major EU metropolises creating specific opportunities for transmission of TB. A further paper, also published in Eurosurveillance today, advises TB experts across the UK on best practice targeted TB control interventions.

Dr Rob van Hest, who led the accompanying paper said: “Lessons can be learnt from across the EU and this consensus statement on TB control in big cities was brought together on the initiative of the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. The statement describes general and specific social, educational, operational, organisational, legal and monitoring TB control interventions in EU big cities, as well as providing recommendations for big city TB control, based upon a conceptual TB transmission and control model.”

Latest PHE figures show that there were 8,751 tuberculosis (TB) cases reported in the UK in 2012, slightly lower than the 8,963 cases reported in 2011.

TB is the leading cause of death among curable infectious diseases worldwide and was declared a global emergency in 1993 by the World Health Organization.

Symptoms include fever and night sweats, persistent cough, losing weight, blood in the sputum (phlegm or spit) at any time and can only be spread through close contact with an infectious case.

 

RadioReverb celebrates seven years on Brighton & Hove’s airwaves

RadioReverb are celebrating their seventh birthday party this weekend with a 24 hour fundraising Reverbathon.

Radio Reverb

They will be broadcasting live from 8am on Saturday, March 8 till midnight on Sunday, March 9.

They will also be celebrating International Women’s Day on Saturday, March 8 from 8am-midnight with just female presenters for a Women’s Takeover Day.

The non-profit organisation is run entirely by volunteers and will be celebrating seven years of broadcasting full-time on 97.2FM, reflecting Brighton & Hove’s diverse population. The station does not broadcast any adverts, relying on public donations and show sponsorship to run the station.

Kathy Caton
Kathy Caton

Kathy Caton producer and presenter of Out in Brighton, was listed as one of the 101 most influential LGBT people in the Independent on Sunday’s annual Pink List in 2013.

The station broadcasts 24 hours a day on 97.2FM, with shows also available online.

To see the schedule of shows for the day and make a donation to support the station, CLICK HERE: 

 

HIV activist calls for full consultation on changes to HIV/GUM services in Norwich and Norfolk

Poet, artist and HIV campaigner Vince Laws along with concerned local service users are concerned about the sell off and changes to GUM/HIV services in Norwich and Norfolk.

Norwich/Norfolk sell off of GUM services

They have organised a petition calling on Dr Sujeevani Munasinghe at the Norfolk Public Health Department to halt any changes to services without full consultation with service users.

To sign the petition and register your concern, CLICK HERE:

Vince Laws
Vince Laws

Vince said:  “The service will be split across two locations in Norwich, risking public health and patient confidentiality. In Birmingham, HIV+ people are now seen in the Infectious Diseases Dept, further stigmatising them. We should not allow this to happen to some of the most stigmatised and vulnerable people in Norwich and Norfolk without proper consultation. It is really important that people sign the petition.”

For more information about Vince Laws, Click Here:

Facebook Group:

 

Hove MP Weatherley Backs WWF Earth Hour

On Saturday, March 29 at 8.30pm, millions of people will turn off their lights for one hour, on the same night, all across the world, in a huge symbolic show of support.

Mike Weatherley, MP
Mike Weatherley, MP

Earth Hour is a memorable and spectacular event, with places from New York to New Delhi going dark for the hour.

Mike Weatherley, the Conservative Member of Parliament for Hove and Portslade, will once again this year be supporting the WWF’s Earth Hour in Parliament to help raise awareness of the worldwide event.

Mike said: “Earth Hour is a simple idea that brings together millions of people across the globe who all care about the planet. I recognise that our energy system needs to change and I want wind, wave and solar power to play a big part in our future production. Earth Hour reminds us that there are simple things we can all do for the planet, not for just one hour, but every day.”

To find out more about Earth Hour, CLICK HERE: www.wwf.org.uk/earthhour.

Older and Out!

Older and Out provides an informal, warm and friendly gathering space for older LGBT people at the Somerset Day Centre in Kemptown.

Older and Out

The event is on Friday, March 28 from 1-3pm and a light lunch and selection of cakes will be provided.

For the following month’s Older and Out event on Friday, April 25 the guest speaker for the afternoon will be local author and historian Rose Collis who will be talking about the history of LGBT Brighton.

The Somerset Day is located at 62 St James’s Street next to St Mary’s Church in Kemp Town and has a rear car park situated off Lavender Street.

The venue offers comfortable safe surroundings and a warm and friendly environment.

What: Older and Out

Where: Somerset Day Centre, 62 St James’s Street, Brighton, East Sussex BN2 1PR

When: Friday March 28

Time: 1pm

For more information tel: 01273 699000

For more information about the Somerset Day Centre, CLICK HERE:  

 

X