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Martha Tholanah

@martthol.bsky.social
41 followers 53 following 11 posts

Interested in public health, clinical research, SRHR, access to life-saving prevention and treatment services for all.

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Reposted by Martha Tholanah
WHO @who.int · 24/03/2026
Rapid diagnosis of tuberculosis is available and recommended! Early diagnosis is a gamechanger. Ask your provider for access to WHO-recommended rapid tests for TB, including the latest near-point-of-care tests, to ensure a quick diagnosis and early treatment.
Rapid testing of tuberculosis is available & recommended. Early diagnosis is a gamechanger!
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Martha Tholanah @martthol.bsky.social · 23/03/2026
🌍 WHO Research Grant 2026: Up to $55,000 for Climate & Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Research www.linkedin.com/pulse/who-re...
linkedin.com
🌍 WHO Research Grant 2026: Up to $55,000 for Climate & Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) Research
Are you a researcher, academic, or practitioner working at the intersection of climate change and sexual and reproductive health (SRH)? Apply Here: https://wp.me/p23f03-k5Z The WHO Research Grant 2026...
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Reposted by Martha Tholanah
AMC Consortium @amcposec.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
😴 Sleep matters for people living with HIV. Poor sleep can lower CD4 counts and increase anxiety & fatigue — making daily care harder. Prioritizing rest strengthens immune health and well‑being. AMC supports whole‑person, community‑centered care. #HIVHealth #SleepMatters #AMCResearch
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Reposted by Martha Tholanah
AMC Consortium @amcposec.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
📢 AMC Press Release | 30JAN2026 📢 We are pleased that the Consortium for Advancing Management and Prevention of Cancer in People with HIV—formerly the AIDS Malignancy Consortium—has unveiled its new name and logo, while keeping the acronym AMC. #PressRelease is attached. #Cancer #AMC #HIV
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Reposted by Martha Tholanah
Mother Jones @motherjones.com · 24/06/2025
Today marks the third anniversary of the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. What's happened since? A record number of women have been prosecuted. Pregnancy loss is now considered extremely suspicious, even when it has nothing to do with abortion.
motherjones.com
Criminalizing pregnancy: A record number of women were prosecuted the year after Dobbs
They were targeted for substance use, miscarriages, and stillbirths, largely driven by fetal personhood laws.
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Martha Tholanah @martthol.bsky.social · 19/05/2025
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Reposted by Martha Tholanah
The New York Times @nytimes.com · 16/05/2025
Robert “Ed” Smylie, the NASA official who saved the Apollo 13 crew in 1970, has died at 95. He cobbled together an apparatus made of cardboard, plastic bags and duct tape after an explosion crippled the spacecraft as it sped toward the moon. nyti.ms/3Sbusb3
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Reposted by Martha Tholanah
Wim Vandevelde @wimvandevelde.bsky.social · 09/04/2025
"The projected cost of production at scale is <$100 per person-year. Gilead's new VL for #lenacapavir prevention and treatment undermines access. MICs with fast-growing HIV epidemics have been excluded; 23% of new HIV infections occur in these countries." academic.oup.com/cid/advance-...
academic.oup.com
The Need for Lenacapavir Compulsory Licences in Ending the HIV Epidemic
The projected cost of production for lenacapavir is <$100 per person-year, far below current Gilead prices of $40 000 per person-year. Gilead's voluntar
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Reposted by Martha Tholanah
WHO @who.int · 07/04/2025
Investing in maternal and newborn health is an investment in the future, not a cost. It supports: 💙 Lifelong health 💙 Healthy societies 💙 #HopefulFutures 💙 Prosperity and stability Improving the health of women and babies means collaborating and investing in #HealthForAll
INVESTING IN MATERNAL AND NEWBORN HEALTH IS AN INVESTMENT IN THE FUTURE
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Reposted by Martha Tholanah
TAG - Treatment Action Group @treatmentactiongroup.org · 04/04/2025
Our original “Cheat Sheets for Tuberculosis Activists” are so popular we split one of them into two separate pieces. Download the “TB Treatment Regimen Cheat Sheet” and the “TB Preventive Treatment (TPT) Regimen Cheat Sheet” now. www.treatmentactiongroup.org/publication/...
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Martha Tholanah @martthol.bsky.social · 02/04/2025
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Reposted by Martha Tholanah
AmplifyChange @amplifychange.org · 02/04/2025
AmplifyChange is accepting proposals for an IT support services supplier over 3 years. We seek a proactive partner who can drive innovation, keep AmplifyChange agile, and lead on necessary changes. Click here to read more: f.mtr.cool/xfdzoiwjbs
Call for suppliers
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Martha Tholanah @martthol.bsky.social · 01/04/2025
www.thelancet.com/journals/lan...
thelancet.com
Better engagement, better evidence: working in partnership with patients, the public, and communities in clinical trials with involvement and good participatory practice
In May 2022, member states of WHO adopted the World Health Assembly WHA75.8 resolution on strengthening clinical trials to provide high-quality evidence on health interventions and to improve research...
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Reposted by Martha Tholanah
TAG - Treatment Action Group @treatmentactiongroup.org · 21/03/2025
Every year TAG works collaboratively to co-organize and co-sponsor a community #HIV cure research workshop ahead of the CROI scientific meeting. Slides and recordings from the 2025 event – kindly hosted by @sfaidsfound.bsky.social – are now available. www.treatmentactiongroup.org/webinar/2025...
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Reposted by Martha Tholanah
WHO @who.int · 21/03/2025
Now more than ever, we must step up action and protect #HealthForAll. Recent funding cuts are hitting global health hard—let’s take action before it’s too late! 🧵
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Reposted by Martha Tholanah
TAG - Treatment Action Group @treatmentactiongroup.org · 21/03/2025
Vivid Coffee is helping get us through this week w/their Treatment Action Group Blend. For every bag of this ethically sourced coffee, Vivid will donate $5 to support our mission. Support TAG while fueling your response to enact some good trouble. Thank you Vivid! vividcoffee.com/shop/tag
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Reposted by Martha Tholanah
Carlos del Río, MD, FACP, FIDSA @docdelrio.bsky.social · 21/03/2025
www.cidrap.umn.edu/measles/meas... Sure wished we had HHS focused on increasing vaccination coverage to control this outbreak instead of saying it is “normal” and pushing bogus strategies.
cidrap.umn.edu
Measles cases top 350 in Texas-New Mexico measles outbreak
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Reposted by Martha Tholanah
SARS‑CoV‑2 (COVID-19) @covid19disease.bsky.social · 21/03/2025
We are entering a dangerous phase of the H5N1 outbreak. With spring migration underway, the virus will spread faster, threatening wildlife, livestock, and humans. Migratory birds will carry the D1.1 (D701N) variant worldwide, raising the risk of mammal outbreaks.
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Carlos del Río, MD, FACP, FIDSA @docdelrio.bsky.social · 12/03/2025
#CROI2025 is winding to a close. @EmoryUniversity finished strong with 12 posters. Congrats to all who presented this week, esp. Emory's CROI New Investigator Scholarship Awardees - Tehillah Chinunga, Kamaria Dansby, Jairo Fonseca, Felipe Ten-Caten, Ashvini Vaidya, & Simon Yang!
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Reposted by Martha Tholanah
SARS‑CoV‑2 (COVID-19) @covid19disease.bsky.social · 12/03/2025
JUST IN: Heavily Mutated SARS-CoV-2 BA.3 Variant Detected in South Africa with 57 Spike Mutations.
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Reposted by Martha Tholanah
WHO @who.int · 10/03/2025
📢 New study on causes of maternal death: Severe bleeding (haemorrhage) and hypertensive disorders like preeclampsia are the leading causes of maternal deaths, together claiming around 130,000 lives worldwide in 2020. bit.ly/43AzEvM
Many women lack access to essential sexual & reproductive health services that prevent maternal deaths.

LEADING DIRECT CAUSES ARE:
Haemorrhage
(Severe heavy bleeding)
27%

Hypertensive disorders including preeclampsia
16%

Other direct causes including birth injuries and anaesthetic complications
10%

Spontaneous and induced abortion
including complications from miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, unsafe abortions
8%

Sepsis/infections
7%

Pulmonary embolism
7%

Underlying health issues like anaemia, HIV/ AIDS, diabetes and malaria are major contributors to many maternal deaths.
23%
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Martha Tholanah @martthol.bsky.social · 10/03/2025
Everjoice Win (EJ) is gone, and I feel empty. Rest easy, my sister. Condolences for women rights activist EJ pour in–https://www.newsday.co.zw/local-news/article/200039330/condolences-for-women-rights-activist-ej-pour-in
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Martha Tholanah @martthol.bsky.social · 08/03/2025
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Reposted by Martha Tholanah
Kerry Cullinan @kerrycullinan.bsky.social · 03/03/2025
#USAID Memos Detail Human Costs of Cuts to Foreign Aid. We will never forget this cruelty. www.nytimes.com/2025/03/02/h...
nytimes.com
U.S.A.I.D. Memos Detail Human Costs of Cuts to Foreign Aid
The world is likely to see millions more malaria infections and 200,000 cases of paralytic polio each year, according to an agency whistle-blower.
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Reposted by Martha Tholanah
Wim Vandevelde @wimvandevelde.bsky.social · 04/03/2025
"Together with SMART4TB, the BETTER project had published a clinical field guide for how to treat people living with TB who had “expanded drug resistance” – meaning they had TB which is resistant to some of the new TB drugs like BDQ, CFZ, DLM, LZD, and Pa." www.spotlightnsp.co.za/2025/03/04/m...
spotlightnsp.co.za
Massive $200 million TB research programme derailed by US funding cuts
Just over a month after US President Donald Trump implemented a 90-day freeze of all foreign assistance, the future looks very uncertain for tuberculosis research. Among others, a large TB research pr...
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Reposted by Martha Tholanah
WHO @who.int · 04/03/2025
Did you know? 1 in 8 people worldwide are living with obesity. #Obesity can lead to serious health conditions like type 2 diabetes, hypertension & cardiovascular diseases. Learn how to prevent obesity 🔗 bit.ly/3SAcdeE #WorldObesityDay
Obesity leads to a range of diseases.
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Martha Tholanah @martthol.bsky.social · 04/03/2025
Obstetric violence—defined as mistreatment & abuse during pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care—is an under-recognized form of GBV that disproportionately affects pregnant children & teenage mothers in Zimbabwe. healthtimes.co.zw/2025/03/03/o...
healthtimes.co.zw
Obstetric Violence: A sinister form of GBV against pregnant children | HealthTimes
By Chipo Tsitsi Mlambo
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Reposted by Martha Tholanah
SARS‑CoV‑2 (COVID-19) @covid19disease.bsky.social · 01/03/2025
BREAKING: Measles Case Confirmed in Traveler at Kansai International Airport, Japan Exposure Risk Alert Issued.
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SARS‑CoV‑2 (COVID-19) @covid19disease.bsky.social · 02/03/2025
BREAKING: Uganda Confirms Second Ebola Death as Young Child Succumbs to Virus Amid Ongoing Outbreak.
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Wim Vandevelde @wimvandevelde.bsky.social · 02/03/2025
"Our published model-based results represent a conservative, lower bound of just how much policy decisions put lives at risk. Even in South Africa, our outcomes project just the tip of the iceberg — we did not, for example, capture moms, children, and babies." www.statnews.com/2025/03/01/p...
statnews.com
We tried to quantify the impact of abrupt PEPFAR cuts. The results startled even us
A peer reviewer questioned the premise of our study into the potential impact of abruptly ending PEPFAR funding. Then it happened.
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Reposted by Martha Tholanah
SARS‑CoV‑2 (COVID-19) @covid19disease.bsky.social · 01/03/2025
BREAKING: New restrictions prohibit CDC from publishing with WHO on disease research.
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Matthew Kavanagh @matthewkavanagh.bsky.social · 01/03/2025
By way of comparison, Mbeki's well know AIDS denialism was shown to have caused at least 300,000 deaths. This is more.
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Reposted by Martha Tholanah
WHO @who.int · 28/02/2025
Influenza vaccines need periodic updates to remain effective due to the constant evolving nature of #influenza viruses. 🔗 bit.ly/3Xmt4VM
Health worker at a clinic with a patient
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Reposted by Martha Tholanah
SARS‑CoV‑2 (COVID-19) @covid19disease.bsky.social · 01/03/2025
BREAKING: Novel Alphacoronavirus Jumps from Rats to Human in South Korea Infant Infected.
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WHO @who.int · 01/03/2025
🚨 Drastic cuts to global health funding are leaving millions without essential HIV services. Young people, key populations, and marginalized communities are being abandoned. Millions are at risk. Act now, save lives! Learn more: 🔗 bit.ly/41CDnrD #ZeroDiscrimination
Drastic cuts to global health funding will leave millions without essential HIV and STI services. Over two decades, huge strides have been made in ending AIDS as a public health threat, saving millions of livesCommit to sustained funding and uninterrupted HIV services. Protect progress, save lives.
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Reposted by Martha Tholanah
WHO @who.int · 28/02/2025
WHO will announce #influenza virus vaccine composition today Tune into our 1) information session at 10h CET, livestreamed on YouTube channel and 2) the press conference at 13:45h CET, livestreamed on social media channels - X, LinkedIn and YouTube ⬇️ www.who.int/news-room/ev...
who.int
WHO Information Meeting on the Composition of Influenza Virus Vaccines for Use in the 2025-2026 Northern Hemisphere Influenza Season
Meeting venueThe Francis Crick InstituteParticipantsRepresentatives and individuals from vaccine regulatory agencies, influenza vaccine manufacturers, members of the WHO Global Influenza Surveillance ...
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Reposted by Martha Tholanah
WHO @who.int · 26/02/2025
What started as a grassroots initiative by a WHO staff member has grown into a global movement for health. Learn more about the #1Dollar1World campaign and get involved. People have the power 👏 🔗 bit.ly/3QyEuC3
bit.ly
WHO strengthens support for grassroots crowdsourcing campaign: a global movement of unity and solidarity
What started as a grassroots initiative by a WHO staff member has grown into a global movement for health.
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Matthew Kavanagh @matthewkavanagh.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
Govt is now appealing the judges TRO in #USAID case, claiming they are worried about waste and fraud. This is utter nonsense. These folks have found 0 fraud so far. What they have been doing is lying about what aid money does and getting rid of the Inspector General. What’s going on, exactly? Well…
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TAG - Treatment Action Group @treatmentactiongroup.org · 26/02/2025
TAG stands in solidarity with activists at the U.S. Capitol fighting to save PEPFAR. Our statement: www.treatmentactiongroup.org/statement/an...
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Wim Vandevelde @wimvandevelde.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
IAVI announces first vaccinations in TB vaccine clinical trial: We are grateful to the trial funders: Open Philanthropy, the Gates Foundation, and the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research through the KfW Development Bank www.iavi.org/press-releas...
iavi.org
IAVI and Biofabri/Zendal announce first vaccinations in the IMAGINE clinical trial, a large-scale safety and efficacy trial of the tuberculosis vaccine candidate MTBVAC
MTBVAC is a tuberculosis vaccine candidate for prevention of TB disease in people with latent TB infection.
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Reposted by Martha Tholanah
TAG - Treatment Action Group @treatmentactiongroup.org · 26/02/2025
We applaud the opening of a phase IIb trial of TB vaccine MTBVAC in South Africa, Kenya, and Tanzania, run by IAVI and funded by Gates Foundation, Open Philanthropy + the German government. We desperately need a broadly effective vaccine to end TB! www.iavi.org/press-releas...
iavi.org
IAVI and Biofabri/Zendal announce first vaccinations in the IMAGINE clinical trial, a large-scale safety and efficacy trial of the tuberculosis vaccine candidate MTBVAC
MTBVAC is a tuberculosis vaccine candidate for prevention of TB disease in people with latent TB infection.
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Wim Vandevelde @wimvandevelde.bsky.social · 27/02/2025
"No USAID or State obligations remain in a suspended or paused state. In total, nearly 5800 USAID awards were terminated, and more than 500 USAID awards were retained. The total ceiling value of the retained awards is approximately $57 billion.” - Defendants’ Statement in Joint Status Report
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Wim Vandevelde @wimvandevelde.bsky.social · 27/02/2025
“What we are demanding of Congress is that they stop behaving like doormats in the face of this attack on humanitarian assistance that truly is highly effective and life-saving.” Asia Russell, HealthGap www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...
theguardian.com
Fired USAid workers and HIV activists hold ‘die-in’ to protest Trump and Musk
Dozens of demonstrators lie down in government office building to warn against dismantling foreign aid agency
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Carlos del Río, MD, FACP, FIDSA @docdelrio.bsky.social · 27/02/2025
In the Sept 7, 1946 issue of JAMA an article describing 1,000 cases of various infections treated with streptomycin, an antibiotic discovered in 1943 by Albert Schatz, a student at Rutgers. It was the first broad-spectrum antibiotic and was used to treat TB, plague, cholera, and other infections.
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Kerry Cullinan @kerrycullinan.bsky.social · 27/02/2025
Last night, South African #PEPFAR projects funded via #USAID got termination letters saying #MarcoRubio & #Marocco have determined their projects are 'not aligned with Agency priorities' & 'continuing this program is not in the national interest'. People are going to die because of this.
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TAG - Treatment Action Group @treatmentactiongroup.org · 25/02/2025
TAG ED @markhar77.bsky.social spoke to @posaware.bsky.social about the administration's unprecedented + widespread attack on HIV research. As longtime activists, we urge the scientific community to fight back and defend this vital work! Read the article: www.positivelyaware.com/articles/lay...
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Wim Vandevelde @wimvandevelde.bsky.social · 25/02/2025
"The cut to 0.3% is a devastating betrayal of the most marginalised at their greatest time of need. It is essential that the UK and others send a clear message that they will not turn away. This will be heard as an abandonment of all those most in need.” actionforglobalhealth.org.uk/aid-budgets-...
actionforglobalhealth.org.uk
Statement: Action for Global Health Calls for 'Immediate Reversal' of UK Aid Cut | Action for Global Health
Action for Global Health calls on the Prime Minister to immediately reverse today’s devastating announcement of the cut to UK aid spending from 0.5% of GNI to 0.3%, to prevent harming the lives of mil...
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SARS‑CoV‑2 (COVID-19) @covid19disease.bsky.social · 26/02/2025
BREAKING: 2-Year-Old Kid Dies of H5N1 Bird Flu in Cambodia.
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Wim Vandevelde @wimvandevelde.bsky.social · 25/02/2025
"SANAC's civil society forum reported that 9.000 people in Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and Gauteng have lost access to needle exchange and opioid substitution therapy, risking HIV, HCV, and overdoses. While some public clinics remain operational, most lack these services." www.iol.co.za/business-rep...
iol.co.za
Government appoints Deloitte to probe halted USAID grants for HIV/AIDS programmes
The US government-funded partners across South Africa have since received stop-work orders and been forced to begin retrenching vital health care staff.
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Matthew Kavanagh @matthewkavanagh.bsky.social · 24/02/2025
Across the world HIV programs serving gay folks are being shut down. Not just paused, terminated with zero notice. Because the Trump administration has decided “life-saving” aid does not include those lives.
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