“Disappointed” is how the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention phrased its response to pharmaceutical company Moderna “pausing” its Kenyan mRNA vaccine manufacturing facility. Moderna’s decision is yet another example of how complex it is to kickstart vaccine manufacturing on the continent – an essential component to safeguard Africans against future pandemics on the […] Continue reading ->
Nigeria has incorporated a cutting-edge meningitis vaccine into its immunization programmes, becoming the first country on the continent to roll it out. The vaccine provides immunity against as many as five strains of deadly meningococcus bacteria, WHO announced on Friday. “Meningitis is an old and deadly foe, but this new vaccine holds the potential to […] Continue reading ->
As global cases of dengue are already close to last year’s record high of over four million, the Americas region is struggling to contain high transmission levels. Unplanned urbanization, heavier rainfall, warmer temperatures, and the El Nino effect create perfect conditions for the Aedes aegypti mosquito, the primary vector of dengue. The Southern Cone region […] Continue reading ->
A new programme aiming at providing 1.2 million rapid cholera diagnostic tests has been launched in 14 African and Asian countries. “Routine use of diagnostics will bolster cholera surveillance in impacted countries, and must be leveraged to better target vaccination efforts, which play a critical role in multisectoral cholera prevention and control programmes,” said Aurélia […] Continue reading ->
Artificial Intelligence (AI) can save lives – but “we need to get the regulations right,” according to Dr Ricardo Baptista Leite, CEO of HealthAI, the agency responsible for artificial intelligence in health. To address the urgent need for the robust regulation of AI in the healthcare sector, HealthAI has initiated a worldwide community of practice […] Continue reading ->
Demand for diabetes drugs such as Wegovy, Ozempic, Rybelsis and Trulicity has soared since they have been clinically proven to help weight loss – but they are massively overpriced in the US and unavailable in most low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), according to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). The mark-up for these drugs – called glucagon-like […] Continue reading ->
As WHO unveils S.A.R.A.H. (Smart AI Resource Assistant for Health), its new digital health promoter prototype powered by generative artificial intelligence (AI), and available in eight languages 24 hours a day, WHO’s Regional Director for Europe writes about harnessing innovation in health to help meet critical public health challenges, both now and in the future. […] Continue reading ->
The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a new network, CoViNet, aimed at identifying, monitoring, and evaluating SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV, and emerging coronaviruses that pose significant public health risks. The program expands on the WHO COVID-19 reference laboratory network, established in January 2020, in the early days of the pandemic. Originally, the network’s primary goal was […] Continue reading ->
Tuberculosis has long been the neglected stepchild of global health – but new diagnostic tools and treatments, artificial intelligence (AI) and debt swaps to help countries meet their targets have come into play and are making a difference. “There is fresh momentum,” says Dr Jamie Tonsing, Senior TB advisor at the Global Fund, in a […] Continue reading ->
Seven Indian pharmaceutical companies made donations to domestic political parties while they were under investigation for substandard drug production, according to an investigation published in Scroll. The companies named in the investigation included Hetero Labs and Hetero Healthcare, Torrent Pharma, Zydus Healthcare, Glenmark, Cipla, IPCA Laboratories Limited, and Intas Pharmaceutical. They were under investigation for […] Continue reading ->