Category: AFRICA

ARASA Pilots Cohort Coordination Work In Zimababwe To Unite Diverse SRHR Movements

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa In a bid to strengthen collaboration across various Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), and social movements, Zimbabwe has become the first country in the sub-Saharan region to launch an advocacy cohort coordination program to harmonise Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) advocacy work. This comes at the back of observations that various regional movements were  fragmented, and working  in a siloed environment that often limits functional collaboration across Civil Society Organisations. Speaking in an interview with HealthTimes on the side-lines of a two-day Zimbabwe Advocacy Cohort Coordination Co-creation…

Read More

#BREAKING: Ban On Care Workers Bringing Dependents To The UK Takes Effect

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The ban on care workers bringing their dependents to the United Kingdom is now in full force following the announcement by the United Kingdom (UK) government on December 4, 2023 of changes to the immigration system. The announced had indicated that the ban  would take effect in March and April 2024 and from March 11, 2024, care workers (SOC 6145) and senior care workers (SOC 6146) will be unable to bring dependents when they migrate to the UK, and only CQC-registered providers in England will be able…

Read More

New Report Details Huge Malaria Vaccine Gap

Michael Gwarisa

10 million potential doses will go unordered and unused in 2024. African nations must demonstrate demand for the lifesaving R21 vaccine. LUSAKA — 1Day Africa is releasing its latest comprehensive report on the status of the R21 vaccine rollout. The report highlights the consequences of the shortfall in ordered doses, what can still be done to accelerate the vaccine’s deployment, and what role African nations and Western funders must play to maximize the vaccine’s impact. The R21 vaccine has rightfully been heralded as a major step forward in the fight…

Read More

Single Dose Oral Cholera Vaccine Strategy Bears Fruit On the African Continent

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Following indications of Global Shortages of the Oral Cholera Vaccine (OCV), the International Coordinating Group (ICG), the body which manages emergency supplies of vaccines announced a temporary suspension of the standard two-dose vaccination regimen in cholera outbreak response campaigns, using instead a single-dose approach. Despite fears from countries currently battling Cholera, the one-dose strategy has proven to be effective in responding to outbreaks, even though evidence on the exact duration of protection is limited, and protection appears to be much lower in children.  With a two-dose regimen,…

Read More

Helmsley pledge $2.19 million to help end blinding disease in Zambia

Michael Gwarisa

The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust has joined Sightsavers in the global fight against neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), with a grant of US$2.19 million to help eliminate the blinding disease in Zambia. The funding was announced at the Reaching the Last Mile Forum in Dubai where a total of $777m US dollars were pledged to help fight the 21 conditions classed as NTDs. Trachoma begins as a bacterial infection, with symptoms similar to conjunctivitis. But repeated infections cause scarring that makes people’s eyelashes turn inwards and scrape…

Read More

Malawi Records Viral Conjunctivitis Outbreak

Healthtimes

By Staff Reporter Kalonga District in the northern parts of Malawi has recorded several cases of Viral Conjunctivitis or Pink Eye, a common, self-limiting condition that typically is caused by adenovirus. According  to Medscape, other viruses that can be responsible for conjunctival infection include herpes simplex virus (HSV), varicella-zoster virus (VZV), picornavirus (enterovirus 70, Coxsackie A24), poxvirus (molluscum contagiosum, vaccinia), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). David Sibale, Director of Health Services Kalonga District Council said a total 109 cases have already been recorded in the district since February 1, 2024.…

Read More

Eye Health A Neglected Public Health Issue In Africa

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Sightsavers have warned that the continued neglect of Eye Care as a public health issue on the African continent was derailing efforts to respond eye-related diseases, resulting in more people developing blindness and irreversible eye complications. This comes amidst indications that globally, a billion people have a visual impairment that could have been prevented or could still be treated. Speaking in an interview with HeathTimes in Zambia recently, Francis Kalusa,  Sightasavers Program Manager Zambia said Eye Care was lagging behind other diseases in terms of attention. So…

Read More

Scientists Test Travel Vaccine Against Malaria

Healthtimes

Following the successful rollout of a Malaria Vaccine, scientists are now testing the efficacy of a vaccine that protects travelers against malaria in other groups first. This also comes in the wake of field trials in older age groups – including people who are thinking of becoming pregnant – are in the works, while vaccines against other types of malaria are also under development. Although the focus is still on people who live in malaria-endemic countries for now, a travel vaccine could become available in the coming years, researchers say.…

Read More

U.S. Government Delivers First Shipment of Injectable PrEP to Zambia

Michael Gwarisa

LUSAKA – Today, February 9, the United States government delivered to Zambia the first shipment of injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medicine for HIV prevention, making Zambia the second country in the world (after the United States) to offer injectable PrEP outside of a study setting. Injectable PrEP is a safe and effective HIV prevention tool that provides clients with two months of HIV protection between injections. This donation of 14,850 vials of injectable PrEP – called Cabotegravir Long Acting (CAB-LA) – to Zambia’s Ministry of Health will protect 2,000 Zambians…

Read More

Madagascar approves new law to remove testicles of paedophiles

Healthtimes

Madagascar’s parliament recently passed a new law authorising the surgical castration of paedophiles convicted of their crimes. This move mirrors a similar law recently enacted in Kazakhstan, where the most egregious child sex offenders will undergo surgical genital removal. On February 2, the National Assembly of Madagascar approved the legislation, which permits the castration of individuals convicted of raping minors. However, the new law specifies that those found guilty of raping a child under the age of ten will undergo surgical castration and receive a life sentence, according to Mail…

Read More