Two years after the Sudan Ebolavirus disrupted health systems in Uganda, killing 55 people, scientists in the region have started phase 2 trials on a new candidate vaccine. 19 December 2024 by John Agaba Dr Betty Mwesigwa was driving to the Makerere University Walter Reed Program (MUWRP) offices in Kampala in 2022, when a news alert…
7,700 Malawians died of tuberculosis in 2021 alone. Researchers, health officials and survivors hope a vaccine designed for adults could make all the difference. 19 December 2024 by Rabson Kondowe In December 2023, Amosi Kapoti suspected that something was terribly wrong with him. He had lost weight and developed a prolonged fever, and had been coughing…
Children in the region are worst-affected, and survivors report struggling with social stigma, but recent reports suggest spread may be plateauing. 11 December 2024 by Moses Havyarimana On the outskirts of Bujumbura, in a suburb called Kinama, 41-year-old mechanic Nyabuyoya Balthazar is tinkering with damaged cars while he recounts his recent brush with mpox, the viral…
At the 2024 Global Digital Health Forum (GDHF) in Nairobi, eHealth Africa (eHA) called for governments and stakeholders to address critical factors beyond technology to ensure the long-term success of digital health solutions across Africa. Emphasizing the importance of integrating cultural norms and community-specific needs into health interventions, the organization underscored that technology alone cannot…
By Esther Nakkazi At a press briefing today, Africa CDC Director General Dr. Jean Kaseya advised against using the term “Disease X” to describe an unexplained illness in Panzi, a remote area, located 700 km southeast of Kinshasa of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). He stressed that the term should be reserved for confirmed novel…
A clinical trial has revealed the potential of the RH5.1/Matrix-MTM malaria vaccine candidate to provide effective protection against blood-stage malaria, marking a major milestone in the fight against the disease. The results of a phase 2b clinical trial, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases, demonstrate that the vaccine is both well-tolerated and effective, particularly in…
Advocates across the globe have emphasized the critical importance of intersectionality, solidarity, and systemic change to address gender-based violence (GBV) and related forms of oppression. During an online engagement organized by GAMA, activists highlighted the significance of the annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence(November 25–December 10) as a vital platform for reflection and…
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has commended the Rwanda Food and Drug Regulatory Authority (Rwanda FDA) and the Senegalese Pharmaceutical Regulatory Agency (ARP) for achieving World Health Organization (WHO) Maturity Level 3 (ML3). This milestone reflects Africa’s growing capacity to enhance health systems through robust regulatory frameworks, ensuring the quality,…
“No More Zero Dose,” a catchy track featuring top West and Central African celebrities, is gaining traction among parents. 5 December 2024 by Jesusegun Alagbe On a sweltering evening in November, in Damboa, a busy town about 85 kilometres from Maiduguri, the capital of Nigeria’s Borno state, Halimat Jatau sat with her three-year-old daughter Aisha outside…
Lymphatic filariasis is a preventable parasitic infection. Once its effects become chronic, however, the disease can be permanently disabling and hard to manage. 9 December 2024 by Derick Matsengarwodzi Tinotenda*’s childhood in Shamva, a mining town in north-eastern Zimbabwe, was normal – that is, full of promise and wild dreams. That wide open future began to…