Ugandan health officials have announced an Ebola outbreak following the confirmation of the relatively rare Sudan strain in the country’s Mubende district, while the government of Ghana has declared the end of the country’s first ever Marburg outbreak.  According to the health authorities in Uganda, the Uganda Virus Research Institute confirmed Ebola in a 24-year-old […] Continue reading ->
Despite numerous announcements and plans to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Africa, the basic requirements for testing for drug-resistant pathogens are unmet in most areas, according to a new study of 14 countries. Only 1.3% of the 50,000 medical laboratories in the participating countries are conducting routine bacteriological testing to definitively identify the type of […] Continue reading ->
African nations need to pivot to prevention in their fight against disease by “addressing its root causes” through a greater focus on improved diets, healthier environments, and better road safety, among other factors, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told the 72nd WHO Regional Committee for Africa meeting, at the opening of the weeklong session of […] Continue reading ->
COVID-19 exposed Africa’s vulnerabilities and its urgent need for local innovation and drug development. Leading African scientist KELLY CHIBALE discusses some of the key challenges. Improving scientific skills in Africa and stemming the continent’s brain drain weigh heavily on Professor Kelly Chibale’s mind, particularly as COVID-19 pandemic has damaged fragile health systems and reversed hard-fought […] Continue reading ->
The African Development Bank is establishing a foundation with the aim of spending at least $3 billion over the next decade to boost Africa’s access to technologies needed to make medicines, vaccines, and other pharmaceutical products. The bank’s board approved the establishment of the African Pharmaceutical Technology Foundation with an eye to towards creating what […] Continue reading ->
The wider use of pooled procurement in national health systems can help low- and middle-income countries get a better deal on pharmaceuticals – here’s how and why. Low- and middle-income countries are making strides in bolstering their domestic pharmaceutical sectors—evidenced by the recent deal between South Africa’s Afrigen Biologics and Belgium’s Univercells, to develop the […] Continue reading ->