Category: AFRICA

#BREAKING: Tanzania’s Ndungile Lands WHO Afro Director Job

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter Member of Parliament and Tanzania’s Medical Doctor, Dr Faustine Ndugulile has been elected the new Regional Director for Africa at the World Health Organization (WHO). He takes over from Dr Matshidiso Moeti, from Botswana, first woman to be elected to the position who had steered the ship for 10 years since 2015. Ndugulile is a Medical Doctor who specialized in Public Health and Medical Microbiology. Dr. Ndugulile joined politics in 2010 and he has been a Member of Parliament for Kigamboni Constituency in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania…

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WHO-Afro Calls For Collaborative Cross-Border Surveillance for Mpox In Africa

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa While Mpox cases have been on a downward trend in most World Health Organisation (WHO) regions, the same cannot be said for Africa as cases have been increasing every month since the beginning of 2024. With over 99,000 laboratory-confirmed cases, and 208 deaths having been confirmed globally since January 2024, the total number of cases reported in 12 African countries as of August 18, 2024, according to the WHO Afro Region is 4,562 and 35 lab-confirmed deaths. WHO has since declared Mpox a Public Health Emergency of…

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#JUSTIN: Africa CDC Declares Mpox A Public Health Emergency of Continental Security

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has officially declared the ongoing Mpox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS), marking the first such declaration by the agency since its inception in 2017. This declaration, under Article 3, Paragraph F of the Africa CDC Statutes, empowers the organization to lead and coordinate responses to significant health emergencies. The statute mandates Africa CDC to “coordinate and support Member States in health emergency responses, particularly those declared PHECS or Public Health Emergency of International…

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#BREAKING: WHO Hints On Declaring Mpox Public Health Emergency Of International Concern

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa WORLD Health Organisation (WHO) Director General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has warned of a more deadly and highly infectious Mpox strain spreading across Africa and other parts of the world. This follows revelations that the mpox outbreak that has been raging in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) over the past several months might have spilled beyond the DRC borders. A report by science publication www.science.org shows that sequencing of the mpox viruses in three cases reported earlier this week in Uganda and Kenya has now confirmed…

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Namibian Doctor Develops Groundbreaking Digital Health Solution For Africa

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Doctor Esperance Luvindao, a Namibian Medical Doctor,  in partnership with OSAAT Africa Health Foundation and MENGA Healthcare Technology have unveiled MENGA, a digital health solution that will address health access related barriers across the African region. Invented by Dr. Luvindao, the plat form  will assist patients throughout African Semi-Rural Areas and suburbs to gain access to prescribed medication without having to travel long distances or acquire out of pocket health costs through the conventional methods of consultation and medication acquisition. Speaking to HealthTimes following the launch, Dr…

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New IAS President Welcomes Decision To Rotate International AIDS Conference

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Newly elected International AIDS Society (IAS) president, Beatriz Grinsztejn says the decision to rotate hosting of the International AIDS Conference. This comes amid indications that Rwanda will be hosting the 2025 edition the annual International AIDS Conference. The move is set to reduce incidences of Visa related challenges experienced by attendees mainly from Africa and other third world countries. Announcing the development, newly elected IAS president,  Beatriz Grinsztejn said the rotational policy was a step in the right direction. Following the many denied visas at AIDS 2022…

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Africa CDC and Africa Public Health Foundation Forge Strategic Partnership to Strengthen Health Systems

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter Nairobi, Kenya. July 25, 2024 – The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and Africa Public Health Foundation (APHF) have signed an agreement to support strengthening health systems in Africa Union Member States. APHF was established to enable investments in public health activities that support Africa CDC’s goals and objectives across the continent. It’s main operational vectors include resource mobilisation, grants management, advocacy for improved policies, private sector engagement and contributing to the analysis of public health data. H.E. Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director General…

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HIV vaccines tested in PrEPVacc fail to reduce infections

Michael Gwarisa

The results of the PrEPVacc HIV vaccine trial conducted in Eastern and Southern Africa, which ran between 2020 and 2024, show conclusively that neither of the two experimental vaccine regimens tested reduced HIV infections among the study population. Vaccinations in the PrEPVacc trial were stopped in November 2023 (and publicly announced in December 2023) when it became clear to independent experts monitoring the study data that there was little or no chance of the vaccines demonstrating efficacy in preventing HIV acquisition. The PrEPVacc vaccine trial results, announced today at AIDS…

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Dr Agnes Mahomva Appointed to WHO Afro’s Emergencies Technical Advisory Group

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa Zimbabwe’s Public Health Advisor to the President and Cabinet, Dr Agnes Mahomva together with 16 other African health leaders have been appointed to the African Region, the World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa Emergency Preparedness & Response Technical Advisory Group (EPR-TAG). The independent body serves as the principal advisory group to WHO AFRO for strategic guidance on all matters pertaining to public health emergency preparedness and response. The EPR Technical Advisory Group will support WHO African Member States to fortify health security in the face of…

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All Set For Southern African Regional Students and Youth Conference

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa An estimated 250 delegates are set to grace the fifth edition of the Southern African Regional Students and Youth Conference (SARSYC) that will run from July 17-19, 2024 in Gaborone, Botswana. The conference will attract speakers from diverse young people groups as well as experienced public health experts, development partners and government officials. In an interview with HealthTimes ahead of the conference,  Jimmy Wilford, the Conference Convener and SAYWAHT Executive Director said it was all systems go the annual conference. We are prepared, we have a dedicated…

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