Nicholas Comninellis

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International Public Health

International Public Health

What is the World’s Most Deadly Animal?

  Intuitively, we think of sharks and bears. Snakes, scorpions, dogs, and crocodiles also score among perceived deadly animals. But deaths from such creatures are minuscule compared to the number of humans who die from mosquito-transmitted diseases. Chief among these is malaria, killing about 750,000 people per year – almost twice the number of homicides […]

International Public Health

What Are Diseases Of War?

  Diseases of poverty? Very familiar. Diseases of affluence? Quite conventional. But what do we know about diseases of war? And, what is the key to controlling them?   For two years I worked in the nation of Angola, suffering the longest running war in modern African history. Villagers with traumatic amputation from land mines arrived almost

International Public Health

Post-Covid Global Health

  “My child, he’s coughing, has fever, and stop eating!” This young mother in Angola, Africa held in her arms a four-year-old. His fast breathing, dry mouth, and somnolent countenance alarmed me. The year was 2020. Was her boy suffering from pneumonia, bronchitis, tuberculosis? Could it be Covid-19? At the beginning of the pandemic, many

International Public Health

Jimmy Carter, Guinea Worm, and Human Disease Eradication

Last week, Jimmy Carter – 39th US President 1977-1981 – entered hospice care at age 98. Post-presidency, Carter focused his energies on distinguished humanitarian pursuits: launching Habitat for Humanity, negotiating cessation of international conflicts, instructing biblical truths, and leading the march to eradicate a human infection.   Dracunculiasis, or Guinea worm infection, is a parasitic disease

International Public Health

Present Your Poster at the Humanitarian Health Conference!

  What great advances in international health have resulted from research? Measles vaccine, HIV drugs, malaria bed nets, tobacco controls, basic newborn resuscitation, to name a few. But profound international health challenges remain that can only be vanquished through continued scientific investigation. Some of these challenges include the quests for more effective tuberculosis vaccines, successful

International Public Health

Who Has The Very BEST Healthcare?

  This provocative question evokes sentiments of national pride, social justice, and personal experiences. It’s also a pivotal question, influencing the design and resources for healthcare. A compelling follow up to “Who has the very best healthcare?” is to clarify, “By what criteria shall we judge quality of healthcare?” Consider the following benchmarks:   Cost. Health

International Public Health

Refugee Care: Resolution Phase

  How long does one remain a refugee?  Imagine abandoning your home over fear of losing your life, and then often living without family, possessions, livelihood, or ability to plan for your future. Even with significant assistance, such a limbo existence must be as short as possible. Now we consider Refugee Care, Phase 4, the

International Public Health

Refugee Care: Maintenance Phase

  The emergency phase of refugee care requires immediate shelter, nutrition, and medical intervention. If the displacement extends beyond a period of weeks, additional human needs must be addressed. Phase 3, the Maintenance Phase, has begun.   Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as of this writing, some 4 million refugees have sought safety in

International Public Health

Refugee Care: Emergency Phase

  Despite skilled negotiation when conflict appears imminent, the pre-emergency phase, diplomatic forces often fail. Conflict irrupts. Civilians are threatened with violence, repression, hunger, and disease. Faced with little alternative, they flee their homes seeking immediate safety, commonly traveling by foot with only the barest of possessions or provisions.   On Thursday, February 20, 2022,

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