News

New Malaria Vaccine Passes Safety Test

Art Chimes | 09 Sep 2023 | Voice of America

The fight against malaria may have taken a promising step forward with the latest tests of a new kind of vaccine, which aims to keep people healthy and prevent the infection from spreading.

Wikileaks: China gave Uganda uncertified malaria drugs

Emmanuel Gyezaho | 08 Sep 2023 | Daily Monitor

China sponsored tests of an anti-malaria drug on patients in Mulago Hospital even when the drug had not been approved by the World Health Organisation for use, leaked US cables reveal.

The revelations are contained in a diplomatic cables leaked by whistleblower website, Wikileaks, which then America's envoy to Uganda, Jerry Lanier, sent to Washington in February 2010 discussing Chinese "engagement" in Uganda.

Mr Lanier wrote that in a space of five years, Chinese investments in Uganda, which as late as 2005 "included only a restaurant and hotel", had swelled to place China behind the UK with a reported $213m (Shs447 billion then) to the country by 2009.

Mr Lanier, however, wrote that "negative perceptions among many Ugandans of Sino business practices, corruption and shoddy products", had tagged along with greater Chinese investments in Uganda, citing the anti-malaria drugs donations and queries over the multi-billion shilling national data transmission project.

"For instance, in January 2010, the Chinese Ambassador to Uganda (Sun Heping) delivered 240,000 doses of two Chinese anti-malaria drugs to Uganda at a public event that was featured in large paid advertisements in local papers," wrote Mr Lanier, who added: "It was later revealed that one of the drugs, Arco, had not been pre-qualified by the World Health Organisation, and that part of the funding for the malaria clinic in Mulago Hospital was earmarked for testing of these drugs."

Overtreating Malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa

Jill Braden Balderas | 22 Aug 2023 | PBS NewsHour

In countries throughout sub-Saharan Africa, health workers often treat patients for malaria even when a test indicates the parasite isn't present. The practice worries many health experts.

Mosquitoes 'developing resistance to bed nets'

Matt McGrath | 17 Aug 2023 | BBC News

Mosquitoes can rapidly develop resistance to bed nets treated with insecticide, a study from Senegal says. In recent years the nets have become a leading method of preventing malaria, especially in Africa.

Spermless mosquitoes could halt malaria spread: study

None | 13 Aug 2023 | The Independent

Malaria is spread to humans by female mosquitoes who suck blood in order to help their offspring grow, but British scientists said Monday that introducing spermless males could halt the deadly disease.

MDGs: So much done, so much more undone

Sulaimon Olanrewaju | 02 Aug 2023 | Nigerian Tribune

With 2015, the target year for the realisation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) four years away, Sulaimon Olanrewaju reviews the efforts of the Federal Government towards the actualisation of the goals.

Potential Malaria Vaccine Protects Against Different Strains

Art Chimes | 29 Jul 2023 | Voice of America

A team of U.S. scientists has shown how a malaria vaccine could be more effective by making it work against different strains of the malaria parasite. The discovery may help develop more effective vaccines for other diseases, too. Many vaccines are administered in a serum contain adjuvants - substances that enhance the protective effect of the vaccine itself.

Wilson To's Malaria Test

Patrick Clark | 28 Jul 2023 | Bloomberg

He'll begin trials for his smartphone-based diagnostic app later this summer in India and Ethiopia

PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Government steps down to step up malaria fight

None | 19 Jul 2023 | IRIN News

As Papua New Guinea continues its battle to contain and prevent malaria, officials say the government's decision to resign as the principal recipient (PR) of monies from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, will improve its response.

Scientists: Stinky sock smell helps fight malaria

Katharine Houreld | 13 Jul 2023 | Associated Press

What do mosquitoes like more than clean, human skin? Stinky socks. Scientists think the musky odor of human feet can be used to attract and kill mosquitoes that carry deadly malaria. The Gates Foundation announced on Wednesday that it will help fund one such pungent project in Tanzania.