Nigeria to build 10,000 new health centres

Nigeria’s Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, has said that the Federal Government plans to build 10,000 primary health centres in 774 local government areas to make medical care available to more Nigerians and decongest tertiary health institutions,
Speaking at the inauguration of 12 projects executed and completed by its Chief Medical Director, Dr. Majekodunmi Ayodele at Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti (FETHI), Adewole said that over 60 million indigent citizens would be given access to quality healthcare delivery within the next two years under the health agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Continue reading

Afreximbank selects Nigeria for healthcare rollout

The President of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank), Dr. Benedict Oramah, has announced that Nigeria has been selected as one of three countries for the initial rollout of its new programme aimed at improving healthcare delivery in Africa.A statement by Afreximbank on Wednesday said that Dr. Oramah told a delegation from the Nigerian Embassy in Cairo that the programme, which is being implemented in collaboration with United Kingdom-based Kings College Hospital Management Limited, would also be rolled out in Ghana and Kenya.
Continue reading

Liberia: International Monetary Fund Increases Funding to Liberia

The International Monetary Fund is to release US$10.2 million to support the economy of Liberia following the Ebola virus outbreak and the decline in global commodity prices.
This next payment will bring the total of financing supplied to Liberia to $95.8m under a funding arrangement signed in 2012, which includes $44.7m to help the country meet urgent fiscal needs resulting from the Ebola epidemic.
Continue reading

MPP signs licensing agreement with AbbVie to address future demands for HIV treatment in Africa

MPP, AbbVie and South African Department of Health work together to establish long-term solutions for antiretroviral therapies (ARVs)
The Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) today announced a new licensing agreement with AbbVie, a global biopharmaceutical company, that seeks to address future demands for HIV treatment Lopinavir/Ritonavir (LPV/r) in South Africa and across Africa. The agreement has been reached in particular to help ensure sustainability of long-term supply of LPV/r, the most widely used second-line HIV treatment in South Africa and across Africa.
Continue reading

South Africa moves towards National Health Insurance

South African Health Minister Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi has publicly presented a National Health Insurance (NHI) white paper. The plan, already approved by South Africa’s cabinet ministers, aims to achieve health coverage for all South Africans. The establishment of the NHI Fund, financed by mandatory contributions from all citizens and permanent residents, means those in need will be able to purchase services from public and private health providers, guaranteeing access for all citizens and permanent residents without further payment. The plan will also set new limits on the services private medical insurers can provide.Continue reading

Pan-African standard to manage research funds planned

A new body started this year with the ambition to raise the quality and quantity of Africa’s research output, the Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa or AESA, is launching a new initiative to develop continental standards and transparency in managing donor research funds in universities, research institutions and governments.
Continue reading

Technology to speed up emergency response in SA

Cenhealth has partnered with ER24 to use technology to speed up emergency response. This partnership will aim to close the gap between patient information and emergency services, saving crucial minutes by providing paramedics with rapid access to life-saving information.
CenHealth is a user-controlled platform which allows users to keep a digital version of their health records. Members open an online account and can store information ranging from their weight and height, to allergies, upload X-rays, vaccination records and keep a health diary of all their doctor’s appointments.
Continue reading

Medical Council approves HIV prevention drug

Durban – The South African Medicines Control Council have approved the use of a drug that is set to revolutionise the prevention of HIV in the country.
The drug Truvada, which is administered in the form of a pill, was approved for use in November with the official announcement made on Tuesday.
Speaking to News24 about the drug, Department of Health Deputy Director General of HIV, TB and Women and Child Health, Dr Yogan Pillay said it was already used in combination with other medication for treatment of HIV, but has now been approved for use as prevention.
Continue reading

ARII offers free medical care to over 5,000 in Kalba district

The African Rights Initiative International (ARII), a non-profit, voluntary based International relief and development organization responsible for promoting human dignity and sustainable livelihood in Africa and beyond, has offered free medical services to over 5,000 people in 66 villages in Sawla-Tuna-Kalba; one of Ghana’s deprived districts in the Northern Region. Kalba, the largest village in the district, is close to the border between Ghana and Burkina Faso in the north and La Cote D’Ivoire in the west.Continue reading