My second visit to the compound of the Western Pacific Regional Office (WPRO), WHO. It has been an interesting three days, finding out the status of the national action plans on antimicrobial resistance of the member states of WPRO, and learning from the participants the challenges faced as well as how they might possibly be […]
A late middle-aged woman with liver cirrhosis (MELD score 18) from non-alcoholic steatohepatitis presented with fever for 2 days. She was hypotensive at the emergency department, but became normotensive after fluid resuscitation. A CT of the abdomen and pelvis showed left hydronephrosis secondary to a small ureteric stone, with inflammatory changes seen around the kidney. […]
Announced by the United Nations this morning, the newly established group – which comprises high level representatives from various UN agencies, other relevant organisations, and experts from human and animal health as well as environmental sectors – will be co-chaired by UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed and WHO Director-General Margaret Chan. The other members of […]
Had great fun listening to medical students (Group 6) from Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine presenting on their Community Health Project (CHP) this morning. Naturally I felt that their project was the most important of all the ones done this year. Their findings on community carriage of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase […]
The World Health Organization (WHO) published its first ever list of drug-resistant bacteria for which new antibiotics are urgently needed 2 days ago. The list is divided into 3 priority categories: “critical”, “high” and “medium”, based on a series of criteria that included (and I quote ad verbatim) “how deadly the infections they cause are; […]
An interesting X-ray. The patient, who is in the later part of the 8th decade of life, but otherwise walking independently at home, had a hip implant following an accident 6 years ago. Had recurrent left hip pain with multiple hospitalisations. Questions: What is the likely diagnosis and how should this elderly patient be managed? [Updated […]
Another piece of work that has taken much effort and a long time to get published (now out in Scientific Reports), but certainly one that expanded my own understanding of how diverse techniques can contribute to our knowledge of infectious diseases. This work – looking at the distribution of reported cases of resident (defined locally […]
Covered multiple times in multiple versions elsewhere, but a recent chat with a classmate (who has to write about this topic in Chinese) made me consider attempting my own version. What are the common myths I have encountered about antibiotics and antibiotic resistance? Antibiotics cure all infections Another version is that they work against colds […]
Operation Asha is a non-profit NGO founded in 2005 by two Indian nationals – Dr Shelly Batra and Mr Sandeep Ahuja – with the primary aim of bringing “TB treatment to disadvantaged communities”. Its headquarters are in India, although the NGO also operates in Cambodia and USA (the latter mainly fundraising and research). I was […]
MIPHIDIC 