Africa: Advances in PrEP Options and HIV Vaccine Research Unveiled at HIVR4P 2024, the 5th HIV Research for Prevention Conference

[ad_1] Lima, Peru — New data from the PURPOSE 2 study of twice-yearly lenacapavir for HIV prevention are among the scientific highlights at HIVR4P 2024, the 5th HIV Research for Prevention Conference, taking place in Lima, Peru, and virtually from 6 to 10 October. At the official HIVR4P 2024 press conference today, PURPOSE 2 principal investigator Colleen Kelley of Emory University announced new efficacy, safety and demographic data from the trial, in which only two HIV acquisitions occurred among 2,184 […]

October 8, 2024

Africa

Africa: Burden of Hearing Loss in Africa Could Rise to 54 Million By 2030 – WHO Report

[ad_1] Brazzaville — About 40 million people live with hearing loss in the African region, but the figure could rise to 54 million by 2030 if urgent measures are not take to address the problem, according to a new World Health Organization (WHO) report. Hearing loss has profound impact on human lives and economies, costing Africa US$ 27 billion annually, according to the Status Report on ear and hearing care in the WHO African Region, launched today during the African […]

October 7, 2024

Africa

Africa: Nobel Prize in Medicine Awarded to mRNA Researchers

[ad_1] The 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was jointly awarded to two American scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun their work on microRNA. The two scientists were awarded for "their discovery of a fundamental principle governing how gene activity is regulated," the Nobel Foundation said in statement on Monday, October 7. Their work helped explain how genes work inside the human body and how that gives rise to the different tissues of the human body. The winners share […]

October 7, 2024

Africa

Africa: On World Meningitis Day, Too Many People Are Dying of Cryptococcal Meningitis in Africa

[ad_1] Improving outcomes for patients requires urgent efforts to reduce the price of treatments and increase access to drugs. When Zikhona, a young woman from New Crossroads in Cape Town, arrived at Khayelitsha Hospital, she thought she was going to die. She was in severe pain, had an excruciating, crippling headache, a stiff neck, and was almost blind. She was diagnosed with cryptococcal meningitis - a disease she never heard of before. Fortunately, she received treatment in time and survived. […]

October 7, 2024

Africa

Africa: WHO Approves First Mpox Diagnostic Test for Emergency Use

[ad_1] The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Friday that it has approved the first mpox diagnostic test for emergency use, which will boost diagnostic capacity in countries facing outbreaks of the disease. The Alinity m MPXV assay is a real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test that enables detection of monkeypox virus DNA from human skin lesion swabs. It is manufactured by Abbott Molecular Inc, an American company, and specifically designed for use by trained clinical laboratory personnel. 'A significant […]

October 7, 2024

Africa

Africa: Smokers Have a Higher Level of Harmful Bacteria in the Mouth – New Study

[ad_1] A recent report by the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that 8 million people die annually from smoking related complications. Despite efforts by governments and various organisations to create awareness about the dangers, around 1.3 billion people still use some form of tobacco and 80% of them live in low to middle income countries. There is no safe level of smoking. Even second-hand smoke can lead to serious complications such as cardiovascular disease and cancer. The mouth (oral cavity) […]

October 7, 2024

Africa

Africa: Rwanda Struggles To Halt Spread Of Marburg Virus

[ad_1] Monrovia — Rwandan health authorities are struggling to contain the outbreak of the deadly Marburg virus, which has claimed the lives of about a dozen people. Health Minister Sabin Nsanzimana said those infected are mostly healthcare workers who are usually the first responders. Contact tracing for hundreds of people is occurring to prevent further spread of the disease in Rwanda and the wider region, Nsanzimana said. Speaking during an online briefing on Thursday, he said that the country is grappling with the […]

October 4, 2024

News

Rwanda Reassures Tourists, Investors On Marburg Safety Measures

[ad_1] Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and the Ministry of Health have reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring the safety and security of tourists and investors in the country following the confirmation of the Marburg virus on September 27. In a statement shared on Thursday, October 3, on RDB's X platform, they emphasised that Rwanda remains open for business and outlined measures to protect Rwandans and visitors. The statement reassured the public that tourism in Rwanda remains safe, with the health and […]

October 4, 2024

Africa

Africa: WHO Approves First Mpox Diagnostic Test for Emergency Use, Boosting Global Access

[ad_1] The World Health Organization (WHO) has listed the first mpox in vitro diagnostic (IVD) under its Emergency Use Listing (EUL) procedure, an important step in improving global access to mpox testing. The approval for emergency use of the Alinity m MPXV assay, manufactured by Abbott Molecular Inc., will be pivotal in expanding diagnostic capacity in countries facing mpox outbreaks, where the need for quick and accurate testing has risen sharply. Early diagnosis of mpox enables timely treatment and care, […]

October 4, 2024

Health and Medicine