Ghana has granted full national licensure to the R21/Matrix-M™ malaria vaccine, developed by the University of Oxford and manufactured and scaled up by the Serum Institute of India (SII). According to the WHO’s 2022 world malaria report, the disease killed 619,000 people in 2021 – with 96% of those deaths in the WHO African region,…
A UK biotech company has announced £13m of investment that they believe will fund them through to clinical trials next year of the world’s first treatment for a rare, incurable and deadly disease. The investment has been raised by Oxfordshire-based SynaptixBio, whose aim is to tackle TUBB4a leukodystrophy – a genetic and debilitating condition that mainly…
A technique that identifies the build-up of abnormal protein deposits linked to Parkinson’s disease could aid in early detection and play a key role in the disease’s clinical diagnosis and characterisation, according to research published in The Lancet Neurology journal. Findings from the study confirm the technique – known as α-synuclein seed amplification assay (αSyn-SAA)…
Summary: As fewer Ugandan mothers follow WHO guidance for six months of exclusive breastfeeding, newborns are at risk of infections, stunted growth and malnutrition. Picture credits : Polly Namiyingo, 27, breastfeeds her 5-month-old baby outside her home in Kampala, Uganda, on Oct. 22, 2022. Namiyingo says that breastfeeding her three children has enabled them to remain…
This story was originally published by Global Press Journal. ILLUSTRATION BY MATT HANEY, GPJ Summary: Cabotegravir is a promising HIV prevention medication that’s approved in countries like the United States. But in sub-Saharan Africa, access encounters a number of hurdles. By: Nakisanze Segawa, Global Press Journal Uganda. KAMPALA, UGANDA — Night after night, Annet worries…
A study, led by the first winner of the inaugural Carol Ellison Science Award 2021, has determined the optimum height for a drone to fly and target desert locusts with biopesticides in order for it be most effective as a tool to fight the devastating crop pest. Violet Ochieng, of the University of Nairobi and…
Large numbers of people are affected by infertility in their lifetime, according to a new report published today by the World Health Organization (WHO). Around 17.5% of the adult population – roughly 1 in 6 worldwide – experience infertility, showing the urgent need to increase access to affordable, high-quality fertility care for those in need.…