Kenya Launches World’s First Child-Friendly TB Drug

Kenya has become as the first country in the world to launch new child-friendly medicines for treating tuberculosis (TB).

The drugs are strawberry-flavoured and dissolve in water to make it easier for children to swallow.

The number of tablets given to children has also been reduced by half, from eight to four pills daily.

The Ministry of Health said the new drugs, to be rolled out countrywide by October 1, will be given to children depending on the child’s weight

About 7,000 children in the country have TB.

The flavoured regimen, known as a “fixed dose combination”, will be available for free at all health facilities countrywide.

The Kenyan government spends about Sh2 billion annually to treat TB.

Kenya to Contribute Sh500 Million in Aids, TB and Malaria Fight

Kenya has announced it will donate $5 million (Sh500 million) to the Global Fund to fight Aids, tuberculosis and malaria as other international donors pledged over $12.9 billion for the next three years to help end the epidemics.

Kenya’s pledge at the launch of the Fund’s fifth replenishment made it one of the highest contributors from Africa.

The replenishment conference was hosted in Montreal, Canada, between September 16 and 17 by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who said there was a need to engage the youth in order to succeed in global health.

Canada increased its own contribution by 23 per cent to CAD$804 million, with many new partners making first-time pledges.

At the same time, private sector contributions more than doubled.

The Kenyan government donation is part of the concept of “giving to receive” that requires countries that benefit from the global fund to also make contributions.

Last year, Kenya pledged $2 million (Sh200 million).

Running the seventh largest Global Fund portfolio, Kenya is expected to receive more than Sh34 billion from the Global Fund in the next three years.

Other countries from Africa that made contributions to the Fund include South Africa ($5 million) and Namibia ($1.5 million).

“We can end these epidemics for good if we accelerate our efforts and continue to bring in new partners,” said Mr Trudeau.

Global Fund financing comes primarily from the public sector, with approximately 95 per cent of total funding coming from donor governments and the remaining 5 per cent coming from the private sector, private foundations and innovative financing initiatives.

More than 50 donor governments have contributed to the Fund, with a total of more than $30 billion.

As a public-private partnership, the Global Fund organises a resource mobilization programme every three years for private sector and non-government partners to make contributions to the fund, which is used in financing HIV, tuberculosis and malaria programmes across low- and middle-income countries.

Children with diabetes can have a bright future

With good blood sugar control and the use of modern technology, patients nowadays don’t have to have overly rigid lifestyles in order to live long, healthy lives without complications.

With proper monitoring and management, children with diabetes can live long and healthy lives, a diabetes expert says.

“Although there is no cure at this time, treatment options have significantly improved over the years,” said Dr Jason Klein, a paediatric endocrinologist and head of the Paediatric Diabetes Programme at NYU Lutheran Medical Centre in New York City.

“With insulin pens, pumps and modern devices that allow more precise and continuous day and night monitoring of blood sugar levels, we can make small adjustments in the dosage of insulin to prevent sugar levels from rising or dropping too fast. Excellent glucose control gives patients and their families peace of mind,” Klein explained in a university news release.

“Regardless of the type of diabetes [type 1 or type 2] a patient may have, education of the patient and the family is extremely important,” he said.

When children are diagnosed with diabetes, parents often fear the worst, he noted.

“We begin with listening to what the families and patients know about diabetes, since many of their fears are based on old or incorrect information,” Klein said.

“With good blood sugar control and use of modern treatments and technologies, patients today do not have to have overly rigid lifestyles in order to live long, healthy lives free of complications,” he said.

eHealth : Enabler of healthcare revolution in Africa

eHealth is revolutionising healthcare delivery in Africa by offering governments and vendors a way to curb low resource issues and expand the reach and affordability of healthcare. Governments of Kenya, South Africa and Ghana are bolstering the capacity of the healthcare workforce by using mHealth, video telemedicine and healthcare IT.

Notably, Kenya has leapfrogged ahead as local start-ups dominate the digital health market. Establishing partnerships, either through public-private partnerships (PPPs), between two local vendors, or between a local vendor and a key international vendor with a strong global foothold. This would prove to be a game-changer in tapping into upcoming opportunities.

Enabling eHealth Technology in South Africa, Kenya, and Ghana is the new analysis from Frost & Sullivan’s Connected Health Growth Partnership Service program. It covers population health management, health information exchange, hospital cyber security, mobile computing applications in integrated care, business analytics in life sciences, tele-health.

mHealth solutions and video telemedicine are being deployed to create awareness, improve lifestyle, and offer guidance towards better healthcare outcomes. Gradually, eHealth will minimise investment towards hospital bed-strength as more patients receive care within, or close to, their homes without hospital admission.

“The total eHealth market for South Africa, Kenya and Ghana is in a nascent stage with expectations of high long-term growth,” confirmed Transformational Health Research Analyst Aditi Bhalla. “Vendors offering quick and effective healthcare outcomes will gain a tremendous advantage. To enable this, public-private partnerships and integrated businesses will be apt business models.”