The African Union (AU) is making good progress in operationalising the African Medicines Agency (AMA), having recently formed its Bureau and currently shaping its governing board. This is according to Chimwemwe Chamdimba, Head of Health at the AU Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), who addressed a session of the Africa Health Agenda International Conference (AHAIC) in Rwanda […] Continue reading ->
As Malawi struggles with its biggest-ever cholera outbreak, its response is being hampered by the global shortage of vaccines, warned Dr Patrick Otim Ramadan, World Health Organization (WHO) Africa’s Incident Manager for Regional Cholera Response at a media briefing on Thursday. By Wednesday, Malawi had recorded 40,284 cases and 1,316 deaths, with a case fatality […] Continue reading ->
The first three weeks of 2023 were encouraging for the African continent’s fight against COVID-19. With cases down 97% year-on-year since the same period in 2022, hospitalizations for severe illness and deaths from the virus decreased significantly, the World Health Organization’s African Regional Office said. “For the first time since COVID-19 shook our lives, January […] Continue reading ->
Africa’s limited pharmaceutical industry, high costs of raw materials, and dependence on imported medicines have long hampered citizens’ access to the medicines they need.  The challenges the continent faces are daunting. They include poor supply chain systems, lack of government investment in the pharmaceutical sector, unfavourable manufacturing conditions, limited health workforce, lack of sustainable health […] Continue reading ->
Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has extended quarantine measures in the two districts at the epicentre of the country’s Ebola epidemic for another 21 days, citing the need to protect gains in the fight against the virus. This marks the third renewal of lockdowns in Kassanda and Mubende, and authorities are hopeful it will be the […] Continue reading ->