Two doctors, Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe-Tamfum, and Dr. Francis Gervase Omaswa, have been named as this year’s (third) recipients of the Hideyo Noguchi Africa Prize. The award established by the Japanese government honours people and organisations dedicated to research and medical advances that fight disease in Africa. The Prize includes a citation, a medal and an honorarium of 100 million yen (approx 1 million US dollars) for each laureate.
Health
Africans rising Congolese Dr Jean-Jacques Muyembe discovers a new Ebola treatment that can cure symptoms in just an hour
The frequent Ebola outbreaks across African countries over the past two decades have caused a massive loss of life and devastating economic effects. Thanks to Congolese Dr Jean-Jacques Muyembe, Ebola is now a curable disease and the destruction it has caused on the continent could soon be a thing of the past. Dr Muyembe says the new treatment can cure 90% of infections.
Lifestyle Kenya: Emergency services in Nairobi can be hailed as easily as a cab on Rescue.co
Despite there being an above average number of ambulances in Kenya’s capital, most arrive in 2hours or longer, thus defeating the notion of emergency services. Rescue.co; a solution that is designed and functions like a ride-hailing app or food-delivery service; has created one of the largest networks of Kenya’s best first responders.
Africans rising Meet Crystal Chigbu the Nigerian mother de-stigmatizing disability
Crystal Chigbu’s personal experience with an amputee child inspired her to start the IREDE Foundation in 2012 to bring hope, joy, and purposeful living to all children living with limb loss, their families and caregivers. The Foundation also provides prosthetic limbs to children across Nigeria.
Politics and Society The complicated legalities of safe abortion in Kenya
The Kenyan High Court has ruled that rape survivors have the right to an abortion and ordered authorities to pay almost US$30 000 in damages to the mother of a teenage victim who died after a botched abortion. This was as a result of a directive by the Ministry of Health to withdraw national standard guidelines for the procedure.
Africans rising Medicine drones to help improve healthcare in Ghana
The Ghana Health Service is working with Zipline, the drone company best known for starting blood delivery services in Rwanda, to deliver medicine to remote parts of the country that are hard to reach by road. The initiative is a major step towards giving every Ghanaian access to life-saving medicine.
Lifestyle Malaria drug Fansidar at risk of failing in high resistance areas
Fansidar, a drug widely used for the treatment of malaria in pregnant women is at risk of failing where drug resistance is failing-a study conducted in Sub Saharan Africa shows.
Politics and Society Second patient reportedly cured of HIV after stem-cell therapy
A second patient has reportedly been cured of HIV, after stem-cell therapy, which could be a major milestone in the global fight against the AIDS epidemic. The report was released in the scientific journal Nature, and offers hope that a cure for HIV could be possible in the future, and not just a pipe dream.
Africans rising Malawi hospital carries out its first successful brain surgery
Malawian Dr Ken-Keller Kumwenda and a team of local doctors, nurses and anaesthetists have carried out Kamuzu Central Hospital’s first ever brain tumour surgery. However, as the country does not meet the recommended surgeon ratio, does this present a career opportunity for the country’s youth?