Regeneron supports Afya Foundation with PPE for DRC healthcare workers

𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀 At the UN Group of Friends to Eliminate Hepatits September 2025 meeting, representatives from all six WHO regions, including Eswatini’s Health Minister Mduduzi Matsebula, came together at the UN to discuss meeting the 2030 global hepatitis elimination targets. Importantly, Pakistan’s Federal Secretary of Health - Nadeem Mahbub - announced joining the group’s Leadership Circle on behalf of Pakistan. https://buff.ly/sJ3JTFY CGHE is the Secretariat for the Group of Friends! Learn more: https://buff.ly/aZVNpRP 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗛𝗲𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 In Jamaica, the Ministry of Health is stepping up hepatitis elimination activities by scaling up treatment, vaccinations, testing, and comprehensive public awareness campaigns. The Ministry is rolling out new interventions for hepatitis elimination by 2030, including integration of hepatitis services into primary care, universal infant vaccination, and occupational protection and education. https://buff.ly/4XoLc6v 𝗛𝗖𝗩 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗱𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀: 𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟰 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟭—𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗟𝗮𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 New U.S. HCV cascade data (2014–2021): Of ~2M viremic individuals, only 34.5% were treated, 96% cured. Treatment declined 23% during COVID-19. Uptake remains low, greater action is needed to meet 2030 elimination goals. https://buff.ly/cf8HZF1 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 The newly established Global Prisons Infectious Diseases Network (GPIDN) is focused on infectious disease prevention in prisons, jails, community corrections, and other similar environments throughout the world. Diseases of focus include HIV, HBV, HCV, TB, STIs, and others. https://buff.ly/MoNUq8w 𝗣𝘀𝘆𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝗱𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲-𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗵𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗵𝗲𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀 𝗕: 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗻𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 This study analyzed how, in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients, psychological distress such as depression or anxiety can negatively affect the patient’s commitment to treatment. The study goes on to examine risk factors initiating the nonadherence to CHB treatment, such as mental health issues, lack of a foundational support circle, and stigma. https://buff.ly/aI5vCRH

Big News‼️‼️ 🌟First Malaria Drug for Newborns Finally Approved—After Decades of Waiting🌟 Swiss regulators approved Coartem Baby in July 2025, the first antimalarial specifically designed for newborns and infants under 5kg. Until now, doctors had to improvise with dangerous adult doses or avoid treatment entirely. **Why It Took So Long:** False assumptions: Doctors wrongly believed maternal antibodies protected newborns for months (protection actually fades within weeks) Excluded from trials: Babies deemed "too complex" for drug studies due to ethical concerns No profit motive: Limited commercial returns compared to adult medications Regulatory gaps: Most African countries lacked systems to evaluate children's medicines until recently Global health inequality: As one regulator noted, "When disease affects rich countries, we see action in months. Malaria took decades." The Solution: Coartem Baby dissolves in breast milk and contains doses tailored to newborn metabolism, avoiding the dangers of improvised adult medications. The drug will be distributed at cost through eight African countries that helped fast-track approval. #EndMalaria #GlobalHealth

Health facilities in the epicentre of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo are struggling to cope, with essential supplies running out, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has warned. The organisation said on Monday that stocks of clean water and protective equipment are nearing exhaustion, leaving frontline workers and patients increasingly vulnerable. In response, the IFRC has launched an appeal for 20 million Swiss francs ($25 million) to contain the virus in Bulape, central Congo, where the country’s first Ebola outbreak in three years was declared in early September, according to Reuters. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eZNwvCvW

🚨 Pneumonia Remains a Critical Threat to Children with Severe Malnutrition in Uganda 🚨 A recent comprehensive study reveals that pneumonia continues to severely affect Ugandan children battling severe acute malnutrition during hospital stays. Key findings include: • 28% prevalence of pneumonia upon hospital admission or within 48 hours • Incidence rate of 356 per 1000 admissions among initially pneumonia-free children • Highest risk in infants aged 6 to 12 months • Significant risk factors: stunted growth, HIV infection, suspected tuberculosis, use of nasogastric tubes, and prolonged hospitalization This research underscores the urgent need for early detection, improved preventive measures, and tailored clinical guidelines to protect these vulnerable young lives. The intricate link between malnutrition and pneumonia demands policy review and enhanced healthcare protocols that address both conditions concurrently. Further investigation into the role of stunting could pave the way for innovative nutrition-focused interventions. Protecting children from this dual burden is vital for transforming health outcomes across Uganda and beyond. 🏥👶🌍 #ChildHealth #ClinicalResearches #GlobalHealth #HealthcareInnovation #Malnutrition #NutritionMatters #PediatricCare #Pneumonia #PublicHealth #Publications #RegulatoryAgencies #Uganda #MarketAccess #MarketAccessToday

New article by Mumbula et al. "Assessing the appropriateness of dissemination strategies and the role of community-based volunteers in promoting insecticide-treated bed nets in Kalumbila District, Zambia: A qualitative study" https://lnkd.in/d52kPmRb The study found that community-based volunteers (CBVs) were essential in promoting insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) through advocacy, awareness, distribution, and enforcement of proper use in Kalumbila District, Zambia. However, limited staffing, high turnover, and low incentives affected their sustained impact. Contextually relevant communication—linguistically accessible, culturally appropriate, and visually engaging—was key to ITN uptake. Community trust in CBVs and health staff, along with stronger support systems, were critical for long-term malaria prevention. Inyambo Mumbula; Adam Silumbwe, PhD; Patricia Maritim; Choolwe Jacobs; Joseph Mumba Zulu

Delighted to announce the release of the second edition of the WHO guidelines on TB and comorbidities which contains new WHO recommendations on TB and undernutrition - one of the most important drivers of the global TB epidemic. The guidelines contain new recommendations on: ·        Nutritional assessment and counselling for all people with TB, as well as their household contacts. This recognizes that a significant proportion of people in households with TB may be undernourished. ·        Provision of nutritional interventions to optimize clinical outcomes in people with TB who have undernutrition, regardless of age, drug resistance, pregnancy status or severity of undernutrition. ·        Provision of food assistance to prevent TB in household contacts of people with TB in food insecure settings. This new recommendation was informed by the findings from the Reducing Activation of Tuberculosis by Improvement of Nutritional Status (RATIONS) trial. Thanks to everyone who provided support in making this guidance a reality.

“I have a headache.” “My child has a stomach upset.” “I think I have malaria.” “Some new spots just showed up on my face.” These are the kinds of complaints people bring to the pharmacy every single day. Sometimes, patients are even more open with us than in the consulting room. And when leaving the hospital, the 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘀𝘁. That’s not a small role. Because what may look like a “minor” complaint can become something life-threatening 𝗶𝗳 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿. But pharmacy doesn’t stop there. Behind the counter and the patient smiles, there are pharmacists in clean rooms in the industry, in labs, and in factories weighing the right ingredients, double-checking SOPs, and ensuring the right quality at the right standard, every single time. There are academic pharmacists shaping the next generation. Managers ensuring medicines reach every patient. Policy and regulatory pharmacists at NAFDAC, WHO, and beyond, protecting entire populations. From the community pharmacy to the hospital ward, from research labs to production lines, pharmacists hold health systems together 𝗶𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗲. There are researchers pushing for new cures and vaccines. Public health pharmacists driving better access to care. And even pharmacists in finance, startups, design, entertainment, and tech applying our skills in innovative ways, but always with one goal: 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿. And that’s why this year’s theme is: 💡 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵, 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗣𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘀𝘁. This theme is more than a slogan. It’s a reminder that pharmacists are not optional, but are essential to health systems. When communities need accessible care, pharmacists are there. When health systems are under pressure, pharmacists hold them up. When medicines are needed, from discovery to production to safe use, pharmacists make it possible. This theme is also a call to action: 🌍 For patients, to value the pharmacist you meet every day. 🏛️ For policymakers and institutions, to recognize that investing in pharmacists isn’t just doing what is necessary, but it’s essentially investing in stronger, safer healthcare for all. 💊 For us pharmacists: to keep showing up as caregivers, teachers, leaders, researchers, and more. Because to truly 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝, you must 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙥𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙘𝙞𝙨𝙩. Today, I celebrate every pharmacist: ✨ At the counter ✨ In the hospitals ✨ In the labs ✨ In the classrooms ✨ In the factories ✨ In the policy rooms ✨ And those still in training Pharmacy is more than a degree. It is practice, it is research, it is care & it is more. It is a lifelong commitment to ensuring medicines heal and never harm. Happy 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗣𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗗𝗮𝘆 💊🌍 #worldpharmacistsday #ThinkHealthThinkPharmacist #Pharmacy

Online now in 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 – 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲: 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 (𝗘𝗠𝗔) 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗝𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 Highlights include: 𝗞𝗶𝘀𝘂𝗻𝗹𝗮 (𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗯): the first EMA positive opinion for an Alzheimer’s treatment targeting early symptomatic disease in specific patient groups. 𝗬𝗲𝘆𝘁𝘂𝗼 (𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗿): a long-acting injection for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), also reviewed under the EU-M4all programme for global access. 𝗜𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗾 (𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗸𝘂𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗻𝘆𝗮 𝘃𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲): restrictions for older adults lifted following a safety reassessment by PRAC. 𝗘𝗻𝘃𝗶𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀: reformulated COPD medicines with a propellant that reduces global warming potential by 1000-fold. Other approvals covered acne, hereditary angioedema, rare tumours, brain cancer, postpartum depression, hyperlipidaemia, osteoporosis, psoriasis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, and age-related macular degeneration. 👉 Read here: https://lnkd.in/d_ekWQmw Steffen Thirstrup Bruno Sepodes Juan Garcia Burgos European Medicines Agency

The Havey Institute for Global Health recently held its 18th annual benefit dinner, which highlighted many achievements, such as the launch of the new Center for Global Pediatric Health, a formal partnership at Stellenbosch University in South Africa, and a mobile clinic offering HPV screening and treatment for pre-cancerous lesions to patients in Nigeria and Mali. https://lnkd.in/epxp-CU6

I had the privilege of representing the Mandate Secretary, FCTA Health & Human Services Secretariat, Last week at the Pre-Implementation Workshop on Nigeria’s Cervical Cancer Elimination Strategy (Phase 1 States). The discussions were both strategic and practical. Together with colleagues from Kebbi, Niger, and the FCT, we highlighted critical priorities for making elimination a reality: ✅ Constituting and strengthening State Technical Working Groups ✅ Securing dedicated budget lines for cervical cancer interventions ✅ Scaling up HPV vaccination in schools, for both girls and boys, to reduce transmission and dispel myths ✅ Rolling out HPV DNA testing by 2026 as the new standard (moving beyond Pap smears) ✅ Expanding treatment facilities with the right tools, equipment, and trained workforce For the FCT, the next steps are clear: • Budget advocacy and resource mobilization • Strengthening vaccination awareness to address hesitancy and misinformation • Equipping facilities across the continuum of prevention, screening, and treatment Eliminating cervical cancer is not just a health goal, it is a moral imperative. It means protecting women’s lives, safeguarding families, and giving the next generation a future free from preventable loss. We draw inspiration from global examples: Rwanda, which has achieved high national HPV vaccination coverage; Australia, on track to eliminate cervical cancer by 2035; Sweden and Norway, are making significant strides. Nigeria can join them but only if we sustain the momentum with collective action. #CervicalCancerElimination #PublicHealth #Nigeria #FCTA #HPV #HealthEquity