South Sudan – World’s First Vaccination Campaign to Control Hepatitis E Outbreak

26/07/2022 Raisa Santos

In a global first – over 25,000 people in South Sudan have been vaccinated in the world’s first mass vaccination campaign to contain an outbreak of hepatitis E, a disease especially fatal for pregnant women. The outbreak occurred in Bentiu, the largest internally displaced persons camp in South Sudan. Outbreaks of hepatitis E have been […] Continue reading ->

WHO Issues Stiff Warnings as COVID Cases Double and Monkeypox Expands Reach

21/07/2022 Elaine Ruth Fletcher

WHO has issued stiff, dual warnings over a surging global rate of COVID infections alongside a still-expanding outbreak of Monkeypox. The latter is set to be the focus of a discussion by a WHO Emergency Committee meeting Thursday, as the committee reconvenes to decide if a public health emergency should be declared over the virus […] Continue reading ->

Sputnik Vaccine Efficacy Data Published in Lancet Are ‘Statistically Impossible’

13/07/2022 Maayan Hoffman

Two leading researchers who have raised questions about the reliability of Sputnik V’s vaccine efficacy ratings across age groups shared their concerns with Health Policy Watch. One called the results “impossible” and “very concerning”. More than 70 countries have approved the use of Sputnik V, Russia’s COVID-19 vaccine, based on the reported 91.6% efficacy across […] Continue reading ->

WHO: COVID-19 Global Health Emergency Continuing; Monkeypox Cases Increase by 50%

12/07/2022 Elaine Ruth Fletcher

With a surge in cases and the rapid rise of new subvariants, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a global health emergency posing significant risks to public health, a WHO committee of public health experts has concluded. The statement by the COVID-19 Emergency Committee, was published Tuesday, four days after experts gathered for their 12th […] Continue reading ->

First-Ever Cases of Marburg Virus Disease Reported in Ghana

08/07/2022 Editorial team

Ghana has reported two suspected cases of the rare and deadly Marburg virus disease – the first to ever be recorded within its borders. Marburg is a highly infectious viral haemorrhagic fever in the same family as the more well-known Ebola virus disease, said WHO’s Ghana Country Office in making the announcement. It has a […] Continue reading ->

African Innovation Gets Major Boost with New Pharma Technology Foundation

07/07/2022 Ochieng’ Ogodo

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 ->

East Africa’s Attempt to Improve Sexual and Reproductive Services Faces Opposition

05/07/2022 Kerry Cullinan

A Bill that aims to improve access to sexual and reproductive health services for women and girls in six East African countries faces a tough uphill battle to approval, with opposition from conservatives who claim that it would promote abortion and LBGTQ rights Over the past week, the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) has conducted […] Continue reading ->

Sanofi Launches Nonprofit Pharmaceuticals Line with Insulin and Cancer Treatments for Low-Income Countries

05/07/2022 John Heilprin

French drugmaker Sanofi is the latest pharmaceuticals manufacturer to offer a package of essential medicines at cost to health systems in the world’s most impoverished countries – including much-needed cancer and diabetes treatments. Sanofi on Monday announced the launch of the new nonprofit Impact® brand for dozens of medicines, that is supposed to ease support […] Continue reading ->

Buyers United: How Low- and Middle-Income Countries Can Get a Better Deal on Pharmaceuticals

04/07/2022 Iain Barton & René Berger

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 ->

DRC Declares End of 14th Ebola Outbreak -Vaccinations Reduced Deadly Virus Toll

04/07/2022 Editorial team

The Ebola outbreak that erupted on 23 April in the Democratic Republic of the Congo today was declared to be over by DRC and WHO authorities – with fewer cases and deaths than previous episodes thanks to a swift response including vaccinations. The outbreak erupted in Mbandaka, the capital of Equateur Province in the country’s […] Continue reading ->