medicines for africa (mfa)’s Post

🌍 medicines for africa (mfa) congratulates Burkina Faso on its SURGE Initiative. Burkina Faso is preparing its experts to respond to health emergencies within 24 to 48 hours. One hundred experts were invited by the Ministry of Health to begin the first training module under the SURGE initiative. The first two cohorts of learners from Burkina Faso were trained in the cost of Bobo Dioulasso. This first session aims to strengthen the core skills and capabilities of SURGE experts in public health emergency management. This is a great initiative that more African countries could consider if they are not already. 🔗 Know more: https://lnkd.in/eDU4N_M3 #africa #medicines #vaccines #diagnostics #medicaldevices #health #publichealth #healthcare #safemedicines #qualitymedicines #counterfeitedmedicines #burkinafaso

Join the GET Webinar Series: May Edition on "Opportunities and Challenges for Scaling up Vaccine Production in Africa" 📅 May 29, 2024 ⏰ 12 p.m. (WAT) The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the critical role of vaccines in global health security. However, ensuring equitable access to vaccines remains a significant challenge, especially in Africa. With diverse demographics and varying healthcare infrastructure, Africa faces unique hurdles in securing an ample vaccine supply. This webinar aims to explore strategic opportunities, tackle challenges, and foster collaboration to strengthen Africa's resilience in vaccine production. Gain insights into the opportunities and challenges of scaling up vaccine production in Africa. Network and exchange knowledge with policymakers, industry leaders, researchers, and public health experts. Register Now: https://lnkd.in/dSnmHkay #VaccineEquity #HealthForAll #GET #GETAfrica #WebinarSeries

Recently published in the journal, Vaccine: "Applicability of selected Brighton Collaboration case definitions in low-resource settings: A prospective hospital-based active surveillance in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia" The Brighton Collaboration Case Definitions were successfully applied in > 95 % of cases in a large referral hospital in Ethiopia, with generalized convulsion, pericarditis, and encephalomyelitis as the exceptions. The researchers recommend further evaluation in other low-resource settings, particularly in rural or non-referral hospitals, to gain additional insights into performance of these definitions for revision or adaptation, as needed. https://lnkd.in/eTQAAmiz #VaccineSafety

**Africa, public health & COVIDD-19 aftermath introspection** African leadership is not just participating in the global health arena; it's rewriting the playbook on how to confront public health crises effectively. - 🌍 **Success in vaccine procurement:** Africa's collaborative efforts have led to the procurement of an impressive **400 million doses** of COVID-19 vaccines. This monumental achievement highlights the power and potential of African institutions when they band together. - 📜 **New framework for global health security:** The continent is spearheading a revolutionary framework that places human rights and shared public interest at the heart of global health decisions. This initiative is poised to tackle the longstanding issue of inequities in healthcare resource access. - ✊ **African-led initiatives:** With groundbreaking projects like the Joint Emergency Preparedness and Response Action Plan (JEAP) and the Partnerships for African Vaccine Manufacturing (PAVM), Africa is demonstrating an unwavering commitment to bolstering health systems and enhancing manufacturing capabilities on the continent. - 🌐 **Global collaboration:** The time has come for the global community to recognize and incorporate African perspectives and expertise in health governance processes more fully. As Africa continues to lead by example, fostering greater inclusion of its voices will enrich global health dialogue and interventions. **400 million vaccine doses** procured is not just a number; it's a testament to what can be achieved when Africa leads with innovation and unity. How can the international community better support African leadership in transforming global health for the better? #africa #leadership #empowerment #health

📌 💡 Access to medicines should be more than about availability and need to ensure that what is available if of assured quality, is safe is poses no risk to the safety of patients. On the African continent, for too long, efforts has focused on making medicines available to the neglect of quality and this needs to change. At medicines for africa (mfa) we pride ourselves on being a consistent and unfaltering voice for the safety of African patients. We speak out even on issues that are not popular on which many expect us to be quiet because in the end, someone has to do it. We have incurred the wrath of those who would rather we stay silent on this issue. But with so much at stake in our communities across the African continent, we are too conscious that we are all we have got. No one is coming to save Africans and unless we take action future generations will continue to be vulnerable to unsafe medicines that are so prevalent across the African continent. That is why we have a responsibility and a duty to take action now to protect Africa's future. Thank you for supporting us and for standing with as we speak a truth that if confronted and tackled will save African lives. So many have been silent on for so long or they bury their heads in the sand and say "yes, we know counterfeited exist and they are a problem, but not in our country!! Join us in taking the right actions to protect the safety of African patients!! Millions of people across the continent depend on us speaking on their behalf. Silence is no longer an option. #africa #health #healthcare #medicines #vaccines #publichealth #qualitymedicines #safemedicines #patientsafety #substandardmedicines #counterfeitedmedicines #leniashwenda

🔺Join us for the GET Webinar Series 2024: May Edition Topic: Opportunities and Challenges for Scaling up Vaccine Production in Africa. 🗓️Date: May 29th, 2024 ➡️ As the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the crucial role of vaccines in global health security, empowering Africa in vaccine production strengthens global health resilience and contributes to equitable vaccine distribution worldwide. Register now: 🔗 https://lnkd.in/dSnmHkay #getwebinarseries #vaccineproduction #africa #infectiousdiseasespecialist

medicines for africa (mfa) congratulates Malawi for bringing to an end its most severe cholera outbreak, which began in March 2022 and resulted in nearly 2,000 deaths. Some experts warn that the outbreak could return if sanitation issues are not addressed. President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera initiated the Tithetse Kolera (Let's End Cholera) campaign in February 2023, following the disease's designation as a public health emergency. The campaign aimed to stop cholera transmission across all districts and reduce the fatality rate from 3.2% to below 1%, a threshold for controlling cholera set by the World Health Organization. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eRbq6yzz #africa #health #healthcare #medicines #vaccines #publichealth #safemedicines #qualitymedicines #medicinesforafrica #leniashwenda

This publication in the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene is a fine example of scientific collaboration between researchers and professionals in public health (Shalom Tchokfe Ndoula , Yauba Saidu, MD, PhD , Dr. Adidja AMANI …) and health economics. The manuscript examines how best to deploy vaccine cold chain equipment in Cameroon in resource-limited settings. #HealthPolicy #Healthfacility #UniversalHealthCoverage.

Medicines for Africa (mfa) welcomes leaders like Minister Yvan Butera, the Minister of State in the Ministry of Health, Rwanda advocating for more clinical trials in Africa as part of wider efforts to advance health for all. "Let's conduct clinical trials beyond malaria to tackle diverse diseases in order to advance healthcare for all. Through fostering collaboration, investment, and innovation, we can end malaria in Africa." Clinical trials are ons of the most important ways to ensure that medicines are safe, effective and work as expected and the continent of Africa is severely underrepresented in global clinical trials. Medicines for Africa (mfa) for Africa calls for countries to do more to develop clinical trial capacity so that more Africans can participate in clinical trials to ensure that medications and vaccines that are developed are safe and effective in African populations too. #africa #health #healthcare #medicines #vaccines #publichealth #clinicaltrials #diseaseprevention #safemedicines #qualitymedicines #counterfeitedmedicines #MIM2024

From 25th to 27th June we organised an Ecosystem Engagement Workshop in Dakar, Senegal together with the International Vaccine Institute (IVI) with funding from CEPI (Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations). The three day meeting brought together various stakeholders including scientists, government officials, healthcare workers, and professionals from research and academic institutions to discuss robust epidemic preparedness and response in #WestAfrica. The aim of the engagement is to foster #collaboration and to lay the foundation for #sustainable clinical research networks that are #essential for #effective pandemic preparedness and response in the region. This is one of several regional engagements that seek to foster a shared #vision of a sustainable, effective research network that would #safeguard the #health of our communities. #HealthResearch #EpidemicPreparedness #WestAfrica #GlobalHealth