By Joseph Checky Abuje Africa’s weak funding for research, poor research governance structures and weak health systems continue to hamper its place in vaccine development. Dr Borna Nyaoke-Anoke, a Senior Clinical Project Manager at the Drug for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) during a webinar seminar with African science journalists that while the researchers in…
Updates on COVID-19 treatments progress by the Biopharma Industry
Seven months into the pandemic, the innovative biopharmaceutical industry continues to step up work on researching and testing therapeutics that could lower mortality rates or lessen the severity of COVID-19. Over recent months, the results of rigorous clinical trials of repurposed medicines to achieve quick wins have been mixed, while the pipeline for new treatments…
FIND, CROWN Agents to improve testing for elimination of visceral leishmaniasis in Kenya
The Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND) and Crown Agents announced today a new partnership to strengthen visceral leishmaniasis (VL) testing and address current VL outbreaks in Kenya, as part of ASCEND, a UK government initiative to defeat neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). ASCEND (Accelerating the Sustainable Control and Elimination of NTDs) is designed to advance…
COVID-19: EU to support Kenya track her long-distance drivers digitally
By Checky Abuje, joabuje@gmail.com The European Union on Thursday offered to support Kenya fast track results of the COVID-19 testing for the long-distance truck drivers in Busia and Malaba border points. Currently, it is taking longer than is comfortable for these drivers to get their COVID-19 results at the border points connecting Kenya…
Roche Diagnostics, nonprofit (RED) to raise awareness about the importance of testing in the fight against AIDS
By Herman Opondo Roche and non-profit (RED) have jointly announced joining forces on Wednesday to raise awareness of the importance of diagnostic testing in the global fight against HIV/AIDS. (RED) is a division of the ONE Campaign, a global movement to end extreme poverty and preventable disease by 2030 so that everyone, everywhere can lead…
WHO, UNICEF warn of a decline in vaccinations during COVID-19
The World Health Organization and UNICEF warned Wednesday of an alarming decline in the number of children receiving life-saving vaccines around the world. This is due to disruptions in the delivery and uptake of immunization services caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to new data by WHO and UNICEF, these disruptions threaten to reverse…
COVID-19: Social services for mothers, newborns, young children and adolescents badly hit
Mothers, newborns, young children and adolescents are losing 20 per cent of their health and social services due to the COVID-19 pandemic says a Panel of senior global health experts. “Health systems in both rich and poor nations are massively struggling and the services for mothers, newborns, young children and adolescents are crumbling,” says Elizabeth…
COVID-19: AU receives 10 M EUR from the EU
The African Union has received EUR 10 million funding from the European Union (EU) to implement a joint int Continental Strategy for COVID-19. The funding is the initial contribution by Team Europe to the continental action against COVID-19. H.E. Ambassador Ranieri Sabatucci, Head of the EU Delegation to the African Union, and Dr John Nkengasong,…