Health

[NAIROBI] Gambia has eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, offering hope to other African countries trying to eradicate the painful eye disease. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), trachoma is endemic in 45 countries globally including 29 in Africa such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria, Uganda and …

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 18 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, with zero related death. The 18 cases, another very low number, were logged by four states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Lagos State led with eight cases, followed by the FCT with six, Edo; …

The Democratic Republic of Congo on Monday declared the end of an Ebola outbreak that infected 12 people in the eastern province of North Kivu and killed six of them. The outbreak was contained using Merck’s (MRK.N) Ebola vaccine, which was given to more than 1,600 of the patients’ contacts and contacts …

The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the African Business Coalition for Health (ABCHealth) have signed a partnership to develop two key initiatives: the Healthcare and Economic Growth in Africa (HEGA 2) report, and the West Africa ‘African Continental Free Trade Area’ (AfCFTA)-anchored Pharma Initiative. The partnership between …

Saudi jeweler L’azurde has returned to profitability as it cut costs and benefited from a rebound in sales, especially in Egypt. It reported a profit of SR10.2 million ($2.7 million) in the first quarter of 2021 compared to a loss of SR1.6 million. Group operating revenues for the first quarter …

The Nigerian Senate approved World Bank loans valued at $1.5 billion which would be used as loans for states’ fiscal transparency, accountability and sustainability (SFTAS) program and COVID-19 Action Recovery and economic stimulus program. The Senate approved the loans at the plenary session on Wednesday, following consideration of the report of the …

Ethiopia’s finance ministry signed a $907 million financing agreement with the World Bank on Friday geared towards improving access to financing, the fight against COVID-19 and electricity investment, it said. Some $700 million was a loan and $207 million a grant, the ministry said in a statement. The ministry said …

The United States Agency for International Development has tapped a consortium led by Cargill to improve livestock management and combat the threat of diseases to both human and animal health. The five-year, $33 million Transformational Strategies for Farm Output Risk Mitigation consortium will harness innovation to sustainably improve animal health, …

World Bank Board has approved $8 million additional financing from the International Development Association (IDA) to provide The Gambia with safe and effective vaccine purchase and deployment. “With this additional financing, the World Bank is helping The Gambia strengthen their pandemic response and health care systems, as well as scale …

More than 16,000 doses of vaccine have reached their expiration date and will be destroyed in Malawi, after arriving in the southern African country three weeks ago, the health minister said Wednesday. Of the 102,000 doses sent by the African Union (AU), some 16,400 were not used and expired on …