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Marburg virus kills eight in Rwanda
Eight people have died from an outbreak of Marburg virus in Rwanda, most of the victims being healthcare workers, the country’s Health Minister has...
Africa gets pledges of $800m for mpox response
African countries and partners have pledged more than $800m towards the continent’s mpox response amid surging infection, said the director-general of the Africa Centres...
EMA extends mpox jab to youngsters
The European Medicines Authority has recommended extending the indication of the smallpox/mpox vaccine Imvanex (also know as Jynneos) to adolescents aged 12 to 17, the drug...
Hope for Africa as WHO approves first mpox vaccine
The WHO has given its authorisation to a first vaccine to protect against mpox, the decision announced so hastily last Friday that the head...
Aspen urges co-operation for local production of mpox vaccines
With Africa under immense pressure to curb an outbreak of the mpox, Aspen Pharmacare is “in talks” with partners to manufacture vaccines at its...
Lilly signs deal for RA drug production in Africa
Egypt’s Eva Pharma has inked a licensing deal with Eli Lilly to manufacture the latter’s rheumatoid arthritis treatment Olumiant and eventually supply the drug in 49...
Africa still awaiting mpox jabs from the West, despite promises
Despite the thousands of mpox doses promised to Africa, no vaccines have yet been delivered to any of the countries affected by the outbreak...
Kenyan project cuts labour ward staff burnout
High-quality care during childbirth is critical for preventing maternal and newborn deaths, with alarming figures showing that an estimated 800 women die every day...
Déjà vu global response to mpox
African countries affected by the latest mpox outbreak are racing to mobilise funds and urgently deploy medical countermeasures, including vaccines, as cases continue to...
No need to panic, say SA experts as DRC buckles under mpox spread
The outbreak of mpox on the African continent – that spurred the WHO into declaring it an international public health emergency last week –...
Urgent global action needed stop Mpox pandemic
Experts have appealed to the international community for help in controlling the deadly strain of the mpox virus that is rapidly spreading across Africa’s...
Mpox cases climb to 24 in SA as incidents rise in Africa
The number of mpox cases in South Africa has risen to 24, with another two cases being confirmed at the weekend – in Gauteng...
Urgent plea for action as malaria drug-resistance grows
A group of 28 leading scientists from 10 countries has warned that millions of lives are at risk unless urgent and radical action is...
Ivory Coast first to roll out malaria jab
Monday marked the official roll-out of the new R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine campaign in Africa, with the first vaccination taking place in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire,...
Rat soup, oracles and traditional birth attendants …
In Lagos, traditional birth attendants are helping to connect women and babies with modern maternity treatments – and although doctors may not always agree...
Local drugmakers must move to top of registration queue – SAHPRA
In a plan that would have significant implications for the local pharmaceutical industry, the SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) wants to initiate a...
Twice-yearly anti-HIV jab shows total protection – African study
Researchers and activists involved in the arduous fight against HIV received some nmexciting news this week when results from a large clinical trial in...
International health volunteers 'can harm' local relationships in Africa
Every year, thousands of international health volunteers travel to Africa with the intention of “improving health outcomes” and learning about “global health”. However, from...
Popular pastor pushes malaria vax conspiracy theories
One of Africa’s best known evangelical preachers, Nigeria’s Chris Oyakhilome, is spreading the message, through sermons on his church’s YouTube channel, that malaria vaccines...
Phone app life-changer for millions of hearing-impaired Africans
In rural Kenya, 64-year-old John Kamau’s world of silence is about to change. After decades of being isolated by hearing loss from the community’s...
Ending Aids in Africa is a challenge of equity, not science
The world has come a long way in the fight against HIV, but inequity – particularly for groups that continue to suffer a disproportionate...
Nigeria first to roll out new meningitis jab
Nigeria has become the first country in the world to roll out a new vaccine (called Men5CV), recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO)...
Post-surgery complications higher for African children
After a recent study revealed abysmal outcomes after anaesthesia and surgery for African children with complication rates up to four-fold higher and mortality rates...
Nigeria and Kenya struggling with exodus of doctors, nurses
Medical professionals are fleeing Nigeria in droves, with the country’s sky-high inflation, low salaries and overstretched healthcare system forcing thousands of doctors and nurses...
Tanzania winning NCD war as it merges HIV and diabetes care
Non-communicable diseases like hypertension and diabetes have emerged as serious health crises in developing countries, as HIV was a decade ago. New models of...
More than 100 epidemic emergencies in Africa since January
Since the start of this year, Africa has recorded 44 disease outbreaks, contributing to 104 active epidemic emergencies on the continent, according to the Africa...
Kenya faces health crisis as doctors strike looms
Kenyan doctors countrywide, including those in private hospitals, have given a seven-day ultimatum to the government under threat of a nationwide strike.
They doctors are...
Dependence on Indian-made drugs puts Africa at risk
Africa’s reliance on Indian pharmaceuticals poses a risk to the continent’s security of access to medicine, and this week’s Belgian presidency of the Council...
Zimbabwe proposes new medical research Bill
Zimbabwe has begun drafting new medical research legislation to initiate a national health research fund, among other priorities, in a reform process researchers hope...
Cameroon first to launch ‘routine’ malaria jab project
Cameroon has launched the world’s first routine malaria vaccine programme, which is expected to save tens of thousands of children’s lives per year across...
WHO needs $1.5bn for health crises, mainly in Africa
The World Health Organisation will need $1.5bn this year for 41 health emergencies resulting from climate change, extreme weather events, food insecurity, conflict and...
$1bn plan for African vaccine manufacturing
As part of a new initiative from Gavi, the global vaccine alliance, up to $1bn will be made available to boost African vaccine manufacturing...
First shipment of malaria vaccine reaches Cameroon
Cameroon received its first shipment of Mosquirix malaria vaccines manufactured by British drugmaker GSK last week – the 310 000 doses arriving as the...
Corruption fears as Kenyan President signs UHC Bill
Kenyan President William Ruto has approved controversial legislation in the biggest shake-up of the health sector in more than 20 years, with a new...
Fresh call for Zimbabwe to outlaw child marriages after teen dies giving birth
The Matabeleland Institute for Human Rights (MIHR) has called upon the government to enact a child protection law that outlaws child marriage. This follows...
Get a jab or resign, Zimbabwean government tells state workers
Zimbabwe's government has said it would force unvaccinated civil servants and teachers to resign in a bid to ramp up the uptake of COVID-19...
WHO confirms Marburg virus discovered for first time in West Africa
The World Health Organisation has cofirmed one death in Guinea from Marburg virus, a highly infectious haemorrhagic fever similar to Ebola. It marks the...
J&J vaccines from Gqeberha plant wing their way to AU states
The first monthly shipment of Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccines secured by the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust for African Union (AU) member started...
Nigeria’s hospital doctors embark on ‘indefinite strike’
Doctors in Nigeria's government hospitals began a strike over pay, insurance benefits and poor facilities on Monday, union leaders said, with the country facing...
Africa's black market in vaccinations, test results and certificates
Ahead of the roll out of South Africa’s mass COVID-19 vaccination programme, security experts have warned of a thriving black market for vaccine certificates,...