News
Turning Africa health research into treatments for its people
A recent article in the UK’s Guardian newspaper says Africa must turn its health research into treatments for African people. Africa already has the research and the potential to improve the health of its people, says the author, but chang- ing perceptions is the first step Despite large investments being made
by donors in health products and deliv- ery of health services, a large percent- age of Africans still have limited access to sufficient and quality healthcare. The burden of diseases such as HIV, tubercu- losis, and malaria, coupled with the lack of health workers and management, as well as organisational failures, have all contributed to this dire situation. The author quotes a recent report, In-
vesting in health for Africa – released by the World Health Organization (WHO), World Bank and USAID which says aver- age additional spending in sub-Saharan Africa of US$21–36 could in 2015 alone save more than 3million lives, 90% of which would be women and children. This would also generate US$100bn in economic benefits. Forum 2012 in Cape Town in April
revealed that the major funding of health research comes from national govern- ments across Africa and not international
Launch of off-grid radios Aimed at organisations
engaged in aid and de- velopment work, disaster relief, and emergency response planning, the company Freeplay has launched a low-cost, compact, and robust range of multi-band radios. Each radio is powered
by a solar panel and a hand-operated dynamo, and includes a mobile phone charging point, a built-in reading light, and an easy-to-replace aerial. Announcing the launch of the
Encore range, Freeplay’s Managing Director, John McGrath, says, ‘Radio broadcasts continue to play a vital role in the developing world by giving peo- ple daily access to critical information and educational content.
12 Africa Health
aid from developed countries, which is a common misconception. It also showed that a significant amount of health-related research is being car- ried out across the continent, but it is not being turned into products or treatments in a systematic way, which would be of benefit to the continent. National governments must set their
own priorities for research, train people to work in laboratories and universities, and provide incentives for innovation. Countries also need to work towards independence and away from donor aid – but not at the expense of tackling the problem directly. The author concludes that as many
developed countries begin to cut aid budgets, it is imperative that African- led innovation is applied to address African health needs. African research- ers must become involved in finding solutions for the problems of their own continent. New communication tech- nologies are making up for a lack of infrastructure and resources, and the possibilities are exciting – virtual col- laboration, sharing of data, and the use of mobile health technology to reach remote rural areas are among some of the exciting trends in the health sector.
We are delighted to launch Free-
play’s range of radios which make it possible for people living without power or the money to buy batter- ies to receive these broadcasts daily. And, with the huge increase in use in the developing world of that other vital communication tool – the mobile phone – the integrated phone charging point makes it easier for people to stay in touch.’ Freeplay’s radios are already making a difference to people’s lives in some of the most difficult environments on earth. They are offering access to infor- mation about health and the promotion of life-saving messages, such as how to prepare drinking water, how to fight malaria and water-borne diseases, and raising awareness of disease outbreak. To read more about the phones go to
http://www.freeplayenergy.com.
The XIXth International
AIDS Conference The XIXth International AIDS Confer- ence (AIDS 2012) will take place in Washington DC, USA from 22nd to 27 July. It will be one of the central events of the year in global health and HIV. The conference theme is ‘Turning the tide together’, which emphasises the decisive actions needed in today's de- fining phase of the epidemic. The WHO HIV programme is plan- ning to participate in the conference specifically focusing the themes of treatment for prevention, treatment 2.0, and more broadly, the strategic use of antiretroviral drugs. To find out more about the confer- ence go to
http://www.aids2012.org/.
Meningococcal disease: situation in the African
meningitis belt From 1 January to 17 April 2012, outbreaks of meningococcal disease were reported in 42 districts in 10 of the 14 countries of the African Meningitis Belt 1. The 10 countries (Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, Central African Republic, Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Mali, Nigeria, and Sudan) reported a total of 11647 meningitis cases, including 960 deaths, resulting in a case fatality ratio of 8.2%. The outbreaks were mainly caused by the W135 sero- group of Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) bacteria.
Drug-resistant gonorrhoea
on the rise, warns WHO THE World Health Organization has warned of a spreading resistance to drugs used to treat the STD gonor- rhoea. Millions of people with the condition may be at risk of running out of treatment options unless urgent action is taken. Several countries have reported cases of resistance to cephalosporin antibiotics – the last treatment option against gonorrhoea.
WHO has called for greater vigi- lance on the correct use of antibiotics and more research into alternative treatments.
July 2012
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68