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Module Overview
Director of the African Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. John Nkengasong, brings to you top-level insights and remarkable achievements that have been accomplished in HIV medicine on the African continent. The substantial scale-up of HIV testing services has contributed to tremendous progress in the fight against HIV. However, despite this, approx. 20% of people with HIV remain unaware of their status. To reduce this gap in diagnosis, increases in the efficiency and effectiveness of services are needed.

In this eLearning module, Dr. Nkengasong will discuss the pivotal role of HIV diagnostics, review developments that have occurred in the area of diagnostics, and outline the remaining barriers and opportunities.

For more information visit: https://academicmedicaleducation.com/

President Museveni has congratulated Dr. Misaki Wayengera, a Researcher at Makerere University College of Health Sciences, for his efforts in developing a rapid test kit to diagnose the deadly Ebola and Marburg viruses. Dr Wayengera is an EDCTP Career Development Fellow (TMA2016CDF1545).

“I want to congratulate our scientists because they are really waking up and producing a lot of products. The Government will fund you. It is the issue of prioritization and putting the money in the right place,” he said. The President was on Tuesday speaking during a meeting at State House, Entebbe to recognize Dr. Misaki Wayengera who recently won the World Health Organization (WHO) high innovation challenge in Product Development Category that took place at the WHO Africa Regional Headquarters in Congo (Brazzaville).

Dr Wayengera’s invention also known as Pan-Filovirus Rapid Diagnostic Test, uses a paper-strip test, like the one used in testing for pregnancy. This, however, will be used in detecting Ebola, Marburg and other hemorrhagic fevers. Africa has had several hemorrhagic fever outbreaks especially Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) with the latest and ongoing outbreak currently in the Democratic Republic of Congo that borders Uganda to the West. Rapid diagnosis is important in informing key decisions especially interventions and measures to take in the event of a disease outbreak. If approved by health authorities including the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners, Dr Wayengera’s Pan-Filovirus Rapid Diagnostic Test will go a long way in improving rapid tests and turnaround time for results during disease outbreaks. President Museveni said that the Government of Uganda will support the efforts of the researchers by establishing a manufacturing facility that will enable them to put all the products together. He commended Dr. Wayengera and his team on the achievements realized adding that the research can bring in a host of benefits to society because the products form the core that addresses many human challenges such as hemorrhage fevers and HIV afflictions that immensely affect the world. The President observed that Uganda has, on several occasions, been attacked by epidemics, including Ebola and Marburg, resulting in the deaths of trained preventive workers and wananchi. State Minister for Health, Hon. Sarah Ochieng Opendi, saluted Dr. Wayengera and his team for the innovation saying their efforts will go a long way in easing the diagnosis of viral hemorrhage fevers such as Ebola and Marburg. Dr. Wayengera, on his part, thanked President Museveni for recognizing their efforts and his support.

A critical aspect of the management of the COVID-19 pandemic in many African countries is whether there are districts or regions that are either entirely un-administered by the authorities or are under-administered, for a variety of reasons. Regions that fall entirely outside the ambit of governments’ abilities to respond to the virus largely embrace those that fall under the control of separatist groups or rebels. Regions that are under-serviced fall into three, sometimes interlinked, categories:

1. those which are difficult to reach because of their remoteness or arid/rugged terrain;
2. poor rural areas which under-resourced governments battle to serve, even under normal conditions; and
3. those from which state services including healthcare are deliberately withheld or restricted because their populations are viewed as hostile to the central state.

The lack of access to healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic experienced by millions of Africans as a result of living in ungoverned, under-serviced, rebel-controlled, or poorly-supported alternatively-administered regions raises a unique set of problems for governments, donor agencies, and healthcare professionals combating the novel Coronavirus. Accountability International believes that the sheer scale and persistence of this problem has caused many decision-makers at country and international levels to turn a blind eye to it – with the unfortunate result being the avoidance of the duty of care in this troublesome third of the continent. However, under numerous human rights, humanitarian, and healthcare conventions to which Africa’s governments are signatory – and to which alternate administrations and some though far from all rebel groups claim adherence – the people living in these zones deserve equitable access to universal healthcare including adequate COVID-19 testing, treatment, and care.

Date and Time:
Thursday 1st April 2021
11AM (East African Time)
10AM (Central African Time)
9AM (West African Time)

To register please email rsvp@accountability.international 

Registration Now Open for The Global Health Network Conference 2022 

24 – 25 November 2022 | University of Cape Town 

This conference will be a fantastic opportunity to learn from researchers working across different disease areas, geographies and disciplines. The aim of this conference is to present research findings, and also methods and processes, so we can learn from these to better enable research in every healthcare setting. 

Call for abstracts – The Global Health Network Conference 2022 

Abstract submissions on research studies that demonstrate excellence in equity, appropriate design or embedded approaches such as developing the team or community engagement are encouraged. TGHN is looking for examples of methods, processes, schemes and systems that enable research and taking evidence into practice and policy. There is no fee for submitting an abstract.

Submit an abstract  

Deadline: 20 June 2022