Industry News

09OCT
2024

Rwanda launched a vaccine trial against the Marburg virus

Rwanda launched a vaccine trial against the Marburg virus on Sunday in desperate efforts to combat an outbreak
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15SEP
2024

WHO Prequalifies a Mpox Vaccine, Clearing Path to Access

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently announced the MVA-BN vaccine as the first vaccine against mpox to be added to its prequalification list. According to WHO, the prequalification approval is expected to facilitate timely and increased access to this vital product in communities with urgent need.
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14AUG
2024

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared a public health emergency in response to a rapidly escalating MPox outbreak across Africa.

The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared a public health emergency in response to a rapidly escalating MPox outbreak across Africa. The declaration aims to improve coordination and efficiency of the response, address the limited diagnostic capabilities, and ensure equitable distribution of the currently limited vaccine supply.
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22JUL
2024

SA has taken up donations of CAB-LA — and will roll out the anti-HIV jab before the end of the year

Before the end of the year, 867 government health facilities will start to roll out the two-monthly HIV prevention injection, CAB-LA.
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21JUN
2024

New Drug Provides Total Protection From H.I.V. in Trial of Young African Women

An injection given just twice a year could herald a breakthrough in protecting the population that has the highest infection rates.
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19JUN
2024

SA adopts single dose HPV vaccine regimen

The South African government now aims to increase HPV vaccination coverage to 90%, as part of global efforts spearheaded by the WHO to eliminate cervical cancer by 2030.
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15MAY
2024

President Ramaphosa signs NHI Bill into law

President Cyril Ramaphosa has emphasised the importance of the National Health Insurance (NHI) in providing equal access to healthcare services and addressing inequalities. This, as he signed the NHI Bill into law on Wednesday.
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13MAY
2024

SA records a case of monkeypox disease

The Minister of Health, Dr Joe Phaahla, is urging the public to be vigilant as the country has reported a laboratory-confirmed case of monkeypox disease, also known as Mpox. The case involves a 35-year-old male, who resides in the Gauteng and tested positive on 9 May 2024.
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19MAR
2024

Massive TB vaccine trial kicks off in SA – it could be the first TB vaccine in over a century

The first jabs in a much-anticipated clinical trial of an experimental tuberculosis (TB) vaccine have been administered at a clinical trial site at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg.
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19MAR
2024

HIV in cell culture can be completely eliminated using CRISPR-Cas gene editing technology, increasing hopes of cure

New research presented early ahead of this year's European Congress of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases from a team of researchers shows how the latest CRISPR-Cas gene editing technology can be used to eliminate all traces of the HIV virus from infected cells in the laboratory, raising hopes of a cure.
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14MAR
2024

New TB drug shows promise, but experimental vaccine disappoints

Arguably, the biggest TB news at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) this year was that the experimental new TB drug, quabodepistat, performed well in a phase 2b/c clinical trial.
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01FEB
2024

Academic cooperation between Africa, Europe goes forward

Academic cooperation between Africa and Europe is forging ahead, as exemplified by two new research collaborations tackling severe infections in children, as well as a genomic surveillance project to control pathogen infections in Africa.
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11JAN
2024

South African Medical Research Council Announces Prof. Ntobeko Ntusi as incoming President and CEO

The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) is thrilled to announce the appointment of Prof. Ntobeko Ntusi as its new President and CEO, effective 1 July 2024. Prof Ntusi will succeed the esteemed Prof Glenda Gray, who has been the SAMRC President for the past ten years and whose term concludes on 30 June 2024.
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09JAN
2024

Transforming Women's Health with FDA-Cleared Lab Testing using Menstrual Blood

A biotechnology research company has developed the first and only healthcare service that collects menstrual blood samples as an alternative to traditionally collected venous blood draws, announced FDA clearance of its Q-Pad™ and A1c Test
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05JAN
2024

New antibiotic shows promise against drug-resistant bacteria

Researchers have identified an entirely new class of antibiotic that can kill bacteria that are resistant to most current drugs.
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05DEC
2023

Why South Africa can’t give up on the anti-HIV jab, no matter the cost

Since fewer people are using condoms, we need more ways to prevent HIV.
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16NOV
2023

TRIAL RESULTS SHOWS THAT NEW TREATMENT FOR A COMMON STI IS ON THE HORIZON

A global clinical trial for a new gonorrhoea treatment has shown promising results.
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10NOV
2023

TB REPORT SHOWS THE URGENT NEED FOR A NEW VACCINE

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says urgent action is needed to end the global TB epidemic by 2030. The WHO recently launched the global TB report which takes stock of the epidemic and the progress towards its elimination. The report paints a stark picture: targets for TB treatment, prevention and funding have been missed.
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10NOV
2023

WHY THE FINAL PUSH TO ELIMINATE MALARIA IN SADC IS SO DIFFICULT

Malaria exerts a huge public health burden on communities within the Southern African Development Community (SADC). More than three-quarters of the region’s population live in malaria-risk areas.
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19SEP
2023

PEPFAR’S CONTINUED FUNDING IS KEY FOR ENDING AIDS AS PUBLIC HEALTH THREAT

Top scientists, opinion leaders, civil society groups and politicians are calling on United States (US) policymakers to vote in favour of the continued funding for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).PEPFAR is the US government’s effort to combat the AIDS epidemic.
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30AUG
2023

CLINICAL STUDIES BRING GIFT OF SEXUAL HEALTH CLOSER FOR WOMEN

A South African innovation designed to screen for inflammation associated with HIV infections and improve women’s sexual and reproductive health has been manufactured and has entered its first in-field clinical studies.
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20AUG
2023

Africa CDC and AUDA-NEPAD Established Diagnostic Advisory Committee (DAC) to Harmonize regulatory processes for Invitro Diagnostics (IVDs)

Africa CDC and AUDA-NEPAD Established Diagnostic Advisory Committee (DAC) to Harmonize regulatory processes for Invitro Diagnostics (IVDs) and to accelerate access to diagnostics for the health security of the continent
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14AUG
2023

Bavarian Nordic's Chikungunya Vaccine Succeeds in Phase 3, Building Support for BLA

Bavarian Nordic's Chikungunya vaccine demonstrates success in Phase 3 trials, a significant step towards Biologics License Application (BLA) approval. The vaccine's efficacy and safety profile could address the urgent need for a preventive solution against the mosquito-borne viral infection.
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20JUL
2023

The R&D landscape for infectious disease vaccines

Vaccines have a tremendous impact on public health, and their importance has been emphasized by the COVID-19 pandemic. Here, an overview of the current state of research and development (R&D) on prophylactic vaccine candidates for infectious diseases globally is provided in the article.
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17JUL
2023

World’s First Trial to Help Millions with Penicillin Allergies

Penicillin allergy affects more than 25 million people in the United States (up to 1 in 10 Americans) and has been shown to lead to particularly poor health outcomes in pregnant women and surgical patients. It is also a public health threat, leading to antibiotic resistance and infections in hospitalized patients that can be life-threatening.
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13JUL
2023

African Phase I HIV vaccine trial shows encouraging preliminary results

The multisite Phase I HIV-CORE 006 HIV vaccine clinical trial, run by the Globally Relevant AIDS Vaccine Europe-Africa Trials Partnership (GREAT), has concluded successfully.
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29JUN
2023

New Milestone in Tuberculosis Research: Gates Foundation and Wellcome Fund $550M For Phase III Trial of GSK's Vaccine

Two nonprofit organizations are joining forces to conduct a substantial study on an experimental vaccine aimed at protecting against the most lethal infectious disease in the world.
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29JUN
2023

CHOLERA: Vaccines can stop the spread, but the biggest deterrent is clean water

South Africa has experienced outbreaks of cholera since January 2023. Poor access to safe water and sanitation are the key driving factors behind cholera transmission. Ensuring access to clean potable water, adequate sanitation and promoting hygiene practices are critical to preventing the disease.
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28JUN
2023

AMRA Medical´s Latest Research Finds a Strong Association Between Personalized Body Fat Z-Scores Describing Skewed Fat Distribution and Specific Cardiometabolic Risk Profiles

LINKÖPING, Sweden--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AMRA researchers together with Linköping University used personalized imaging-derived obesity phenotypes, based on a large, population-based study, to investigate cardiometabolic risk stratification in individuals with obesity.
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21JUN
2023

New programme to move potential MND drugs into clinical trials faster

A ground-breaking experimental medicine programme that will enable researchers to more rapidly screen potential drugs in people with motor neuron disease (MND) has been announced on 21 June 2023 -MND Awareness Day. The new programme is set to screen candidate drugs at a scale not seen before, identifying those that should be tested in larger scale trials faster. The EXPERTS-ALS programme is led by UK MND RI co-director Professor Chris McDermott at the University of Sheffield and Professor Martin Turner at the University of Oxford. It involves 11 MND centers around the UK and is being sponsored by Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
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09JUN
2023

New South African Isotope Facility to fight cancer and advance research

The Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Dr Blade Nzimande, launched the South African Isotope Facility (SAIF), a facility supported and funded by the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI).
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01JUN
2023

HEPATITIS C : NEW HOPE AS TREATMENT PRICES SET TO DROP

The cost of treating Hepatitis C In South Africa will drastically decrease in the coming months.
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26MAY
2023

Med Tech Organisations welcome the recently released World Health Assembly (WHA) resolution on Strengthening Diagnostic Capacity

AdvaMed, GMTA Welcomes World Health Assembly Resolution on the Importance of Diagnostic Products for Global Public Health
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25MAY
2023

‘A gamechanger’: new meningitis vaccine hailed as major step

An effective, affordable meningitis vaccine has been successfully tested in Africa, raising hopes for the elimination of a disease that kills 250,000 people a year. The NmCV-5 vaccine, developed by the Serum Institute of India and global health organisation Path, will protect against the five main meningococcal strains found in Africa, including the emerging X strain, for which there is currently no licensed injection.
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17MAY
2023

First home-grown Covid-19 antigen test hits shelves in South Africa

Africa’s first locally produced Covid-19 antigen test has hit the shelves at local pharmacies and supermarkets in time for the start of flu season.
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12MAY
2023

New AI-powered, laser-based breathalyzer can detect COVID-19 in real-time

A new AI-powered laser-based breathalyser has been developed that can detect COVID-19 in real time. This innovative device analyses a person's breath and can distinguish between the volatile organic compounds produced by COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses. It has the potential to be used in a variety of settings, including airports, workplaces, and hospitals, to quickly and accurately detect COVID-19.
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09MAY
2023

The anti-HIV injection will be made in SA: Here are 4 benefits of the deal that made it happen

A new anti-HIV injection will be manufactured in South Africa and may cost between R600 and R800 per injection. The injection, which is expected to be available in 2024, will replace the current daily pill regimen for HIV treatment. The manufacturing of the injection in South Africa is expected to create jobs and boost the country's economy.
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08MAY
2023

Africa’s Most Sophisticated Biomedical Research Centre Opens in South Africa

The most advanced biomedical research centre on the African continent has opened in South Africa, boasting state-of-the-art research and training facilities. Stellenbosch University’s Biomedical Research Institute (BMRI) houses over 500 researchers who are examining the genetic and biomolecular basis for diseases afflicting Africans – including Professor Tuilo De Oliveira, renowned for decoding the COVID-19 variant, Omicron.
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03MAY
2023

Scientists detect world’s smallest skin cancer

Scientists in Australia have detected the world's smallest skin cancer using a new type of microscope. The cancer was detected using a special tool called a "quantum dot" microscope, which uses a type of light called "quantum dots" to illuminate tiny structures in the skin. The cancer was just 0.0008 millimeters in size, making it the smallest skin cancer ever detected. The scientists hope that the new technology will help doctors detect skin cancers earlier and more accurately, improving the chances of successful treatment. The research has been recognized by the Guinness World Records as the smallest object ever imaged using a quantum dot microscope.
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13APR
2023

Ghana becomes first country to approve Oxford’s malaria vaccine

Ghana has become the first country in the world to approve a new malaria vaccine from Oxford University, with children under the age of three in line to benefit, although it is unclear when the rollout will begin. The mosquito-borne disease kills more than 600,000 people each year, most of them children in Africa, and scientists have been trying for years to develop vaccines. Oxford’s R21/Matrix-M vaccine, meanwhile, was found to be 77 percent effective at preventing malaria in research published last year – the first time the WHO’s goal of 75 percent had been met.
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04APR
2023

SAHPRA Approves South Africa's first locally manufactured Covid-19 test

Cape Town, South Africa, 31 March 2023 - Medical Diagnostech (Pty) Ltd announces the Launch of South Africa’s first Covid-19 Antigen Self-test with companion mobile phone application, HealthPulse TestNow. The company developed the rapid diagnostic test, while the application was developed by the Seattle-based company, Audere. The application provides detailed instructions on how to perform the self-test and assists in interpreting the results through image capture of the rapid test device.
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29MAR
2023

China reports human case of H3N8 bird flu

A woman in southern China has tested positive for H3N8 bird flu, local officials say, making it only the third time that the virus has been found in humans, although a previous strain may have caused the 1889 pandemic. The Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention, in a brief statement released on Monday, said a 56-year-old woman from Zhongshan City had been infected with H3N8.
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22MAR
2023

Tanzania detects its first-ever cases of the highly fatal Marburg viral disease

The WHO said in a late Tuesday statement that the confirmation of the disease by Tanzania's national public laboratory followed the death of five of eight people in Tanzania's northwest Kagera region who developed symptoms, which include fever, vomiting, bleeding and renal failure.
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21FEB
2023

A Renal Piece of History

In a first for South Africa and the African continent, a Mitchells Plain woman was given a second lease on life thanks to a miraculous new procedure that allows transplant patients to accept organs from donors of different blood groups.
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25JAN
2023

J&J discontinues HIV vaccine trial

A further setback in the quest for a vaccine against a virus known to mutate rapidly and find unique ways to evade the immune system.
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07DEC
2022

Inequalities standing in the way of global AIDS targets

Inequalities obstruct the end of the Aids epidemic after a new UNAIDs report revealed that adults and children are being denied treatment.
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14NOV
2022

World Diabetes Day: ‘Education urgently needed’

As the world marks World Diabetes Day , the South African Diabetes Alliance has called for an urgent diabetes education programme. This will help ensure people living with the chronic illness receive the best possible care and live long and healthy lives. This year’s theme is Access to Diabetes Care, as millions continue to have zero access globally. Back home, diabetes has been cited as the No 1 killer of women and the second leading cause of death.
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09NOV
2022

MDR-TB STREAM trial delivers promising results

The world’s largest clinical trial for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) has found that the two new shortened treatment regimens are safe and effective
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28OCT
2022

Decades of research make PrEP against HIV a reality for South Africa

Decades of diligent research lies behind the new availability of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) against HIV for communities
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23SEP
2022

South Africa’s Cabinet Approves African Medicines Agency Treaty

South Africa’s Cabinet has approved the signing of the African Union treaty establishing the African Medicines Agency (AMA) and submitted it to Parliament for ratification
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09SEP
2022

International Partnership for Building a Vaccine R&D and Manufacturing Workforce for Africa

The Chan Soon-Shiong Family Foundation (CSSFF) and the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) have announced a five-year collaboration to initiate a skills development programme that aims to train a cohort of young African candidates to build a skilled workforce to manufacture vaccines on the African continent.
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11JUL
2022

Monkeypox - Updates

Since May 2022 and up to 7 July 2022, 7 215 cases have been laboratory-confirmed in 50 non-endemic countries across five WHO regions (The European Region, Regions of the Americas, Eastern Mediterranean Region, Western Pacific Region and the African Region). The majority of the cases have been reported from the WHO European Region. The latest updates on the global situation can be accessed at https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news or https://map.monkeypox.global.health/country
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23JUN
2022

South Africa ends COVID curbs including mask wearing

Health minister Joe Phaahla published a notice in the Government Gazette on Wednesday repealing the country’s COVID–19 regulations.
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08JUN
2022

Ending Covid vaccine mandates at work in South Africa – what you should know

A growing number of businesses in South Africa are weighing up the decision to continue with mandatory Covid vaccine policies or not.
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18MAY
2022

IAVI and Moderna launch first-in-Africa clinical trial of mRNA HIV vaccine development program

The nonprofit scientific research organization IAVI and Moderna, Inc. (Nasdaq: MRNA), a biotechnology company pioneering messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutics and vaccines, today announced that the first participant screenings are soon to start for a Phase I clinical trial of an mRNA HIV vaccine antigen (mRNA-1644)
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16MAY
2022

South Africa’s fifth Covid wave may already be peaking

Researcher states that we are well into the fifth wave in South Africa, with tracked data points indicating that it started in April.
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24MAR
2022

Tackling TB: Three lessons the Covid-19 pandemic taught us

The theme of World TB Day 2022 - 'Invest to End TB. Save Lives.' –conveys the urgent need to invest resources to ramp up the fight against TB and achieve the commitments to end TB made by global leaders. Tuberculosis (TB) is a curable disease, yet deaths are up for the first time in a decade, despite cases being down. Why? Because the coronavirus threw a spanner in the works.
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11MAR
2022

South Africa Approves Dapivirine Vaginal Ring for Use by Women

The monthly dapivirine vaginal ring received regulatory approval from the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) for its use by women ages 18 and older to reduce their HIV risk. This marks a major milestone that brings the first long-acting and woman-controlled product another step closer to reaching women.
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05MAR
2022

5TH MARCH 2022 MARKS 2 YEARS SINCE SA RECORDED ITS FIRST COVID-19 CASE

On 5 March 2020, former Health Minister Zweli Mkhize announced that The National Institute of Communicable Diseases confirmed that a suspected case of COVID-19 has tested positive.
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08FEB
2022

MEDICAL DEVICE ESTABLISHMENT LICENCE RENEWAL – ISO13485 CERTIFICATE COMMUNICATION (SAHPRA)

SAHPRA requirement to provide an ISO13485 certificate upon application for renewal of a medical device establishment license is extended for a period of three (3) years
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03FEB
2022

S.Africa's Afrigen makes mRNA COVID vaccine using Moderna data

South Africa's Afrigen Biologics has used the publicly available sequence of Moderna Inc's (MRNA.O) mRNA COVID-19 vaccine to make its own version of the shot, which could be tested in humans before the end of this year.
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20JAN
2022

New vaccine manufacturing campus is proof that Africa will ‘stand on our own’

The launch of the Nant South Africa vaccine manufacturing campus on Wednesday marks the inception of the first facility on the African continent where vaccines will be produced from scratch.
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11JAN
2022

Omicron’s higher asymptomatic carriage linked to rapid spread, SA studies find

Preliminary findings from two clinical trials in South Africa suggest that the omicron variant of the virus that causes COVID-19 may have a much higher rate of asymptomatic ‘carriage’ than earlier variants. This higher asymptomatic carriage rate is likely a major factor in the rapid and widespread dissemination of the variant, even among populations with high prior rates of coronavirus infection.
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08DEC
2021

Cape Town based biotechnologist produces Africa’s first Covid-19 antigen tests

Medical Diagnostech (Pty) Ltd was established in 2010 as a developer and manufacturer of lateral flow rapid diagnostic test kits. This will be the first Covid-19 testing kit coming from Africa.
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01DEC
2021

The devastating impact of Covid-19 on fighting HIV/Aids

Despite the devastation, the Covid-19 pandemic might in time become known as a catalyst for positive change towards eliminating HIV/AIDS
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30NOV
2021

South African scientists explore vaccines’ effectiveness against Omicron

Scientists in South Africa have begun crucial work to assess how well Covid vaccines hold up against the Omicron variant that has been detected in more than a dozen countries since it was formally reported last week.
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29OCT
2021

South African Medical Research Council and National Department of Health announce Sisonke 2 or the Sisonke boost study for health workers

To bolster the immune response of health workers ahead of a fourth wave, the SAMRC has worked with the National Department of Health, SAHPRA and J&J to provide early access to Janssen® (J&J) vaccine booster doses for all health workers who received a first dose of this vaccine as part of the Sisonke study. As before, access will be in the context of a Phase 3B study and results will be used to guide future decisions regarding boosters.
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13OCT
2021

South Africa takes part in antiparasitic drug trial – to test a possible Covid-19 treatment

A new international Covid-19 treatment trial is set to start in South Africa, the University of London has announced.
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09SEP
2021

Sinovac to trial COVID-19 vaccine in South African children as part of global study

China's Sinovac Biotech will trial its COVID-19 vaccine in children and adolescents in South Africa as part of a global Phase III study,
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20AUG
2021

South Africa opens Covid-19 vaccinations to everyone 18 and older

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s cabinet has announced that it will open Covid-19 vaccines to all adults from Friday (20 August).
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16AUG
2021

SAHPRA GIVES GO-AHEAD FOR LOCAL MANUFACTURE OF COVID RAPID TEST KITS

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) has given the go-head for COVID-19 rapid test kits to be manufactured locally.
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01AUG
2021

Covid-19: Nicholas Crisp on the challenges with South Africa’s vaccine roll-out

Dr Nicholas Crisp is a deputy director-general in the National Department of Health and the person responsible for coordinating South Africa’s Covid-19 vaccine roll-out. He speaks about challenges with the roll-out.
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26JUL
2021

Aspen SA to release J and J Vaccines

Aspen will release the first Johnson & Johnson (J&J) doses of the Covid-19 vaccines packaged at its Gqeberha plant on Monday.
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21JUL
2021

South African firm to help make Pfizer/BioNTech COVID vaccine

Pfizer (PFE.N) and BioNTech have struck a deal for South Africa's Biovac Institute to help manufacture around 100 million doses a year of their COVID-19 vaccine for the African Union
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09JUL
2021

Covid vaccines for people over 35 in South Africa – registration and rollout dates

Acting health minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane has announced a major boost to South Africa’s Covid-19 vaccination plans, with vaccines now being made available to more age groups and on weekends.
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07JUL
2021

New Lambda Covid variant has caught the attention of health authorities

As South Africa continues to battle a Delta variant of the coronavirus sweeping across the country, a ‘Lambda’ variant has gained the attention of health experts.
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06JUL
2021

Port Health staffing issue results in border closing till July 19

Cross-border logistics operators this morning are still smarting from the news that the Skilpadshek Border Post on the important east-west network linking Namibia with South Africa through Botswana, the Trans-Kalahari Corridor (TKC), will be closed until July 19.
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28JUN
2021

Rise of the variants: What you need to know about the Delta variant in SA

South Africa has now increased its lockdown restrictions in an attempt to curb the spread of a new variant, which has now been detected in five provinces, and could begin to dominate the country’s epidemic.
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24JUN
2021

Covid-19: Launch of teacher vaccination programme hailed as a success

The Department of Education declared the first day of the teacher vaccination programme on Wednesday a success, with 48 000 jabs being administered.
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13JUN
2021

Contaminated J&J vaccines won't be released for use in country, says SAHPRA

The SA Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) says it will not release the J&J vaccine doses stored in Gqeberha, Eastern Cape, due to contamination.
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07JUN
2021

Trial of potentially variant-proof vaccine ongoing in Western Cape

In February the University of Cape Town announced that a group of its researchers is expected to start a Phase I clinical trial of an experimental COVID-19 vaccine produced by the US company ImmunityBio. The experimental vaccine differs from current COVID-19 vaccines because it is designed to be more robust against the emergence of new variants. Things have progressed significantly in the more than three months since then.
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31MAY
2021

Businesses in South Africa will start offering Covid-19 vaccines to workers – what you should know

In a presentation this week, Business for South Africa (B4SA) said that a key part of this rollout will be private-sector vaccinations offered to workers, their families, and communities.
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24MAY
2021

SA can now keep Pfizer jabs in a bar fridge for a month

New data confirms the lifespan of a Pfizer COVID vaccine in a bar fridge is 31 days, not 5 as originally estimated.
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03MAY
2021

First batch of Pfizer vaccines arrive in South Africa

The first batch of Pfizer vaccines has arrived in South Africa. Over 325,000 doses of the jab landed at OR Tambo International Airport on Sunday night.
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28APR
2021

South Africa resumes the J&J Sisonke trial

The Sisonke trial, that was paused earlier this month because of the US government’s regulator the Food and Drug Administration’s investigation into rare blood clotting disorders associated with the Johnson & Johnson jab, will resume on Wednesday, April 28th.
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22APR
2021

Funding opportunities for the manufacture of medical devices

The SAMRC hosts the Medical Device and Diagnostic Innovation Cluster (MeDDIC) under its Global Health Innovation Accelerator (GHIA) Program. MeDDIC is a national initiative, supported by the Technology Innovation Agency (TIA) and the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), aimed at stimulating and intensifying technology innovation within the sector as well as encouraging an integrated ecosystem in support of increasing the competitiveness of the industry.
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14APR
2021

SA Temporarily suspends J and J Vaccine Rollout

Health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize has announced the voluntary suspension of the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine rollout in South Africa.
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07APR
2021

COVID-19 : SA signs deal for 20 million Pfizer vaccine doses

Ramping up vaccinations in SA
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16MAR
2021

South Africa approves Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (Sahpra) has approved a section 21 emergency-use application for the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech.
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01MAR
2021

March is TB Awareness Month

TB Day on 24 March commemorates the day in 1882 when Dr Robert Koch astounded the scientific community by announcing that he had discovered the cause of tuberculosis, the TB bacillus.
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25FEB
2021

Second batch of Johnson & Johnson vaccines will arrive in South Africa this week

Health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize says that the next batch of Johnson & Johnson vaccines will arrive in the country this weekend, taking the total doses in South Africa for phase one of the rollout to 160,000.
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24FEB
2021

Global Virus Update :COVID-19

Key developments in COVID-19
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18FEB
2021

SA vaccine rollout kicks off with some high profile inoculations

South Africa‘s vaccine drive started on Wednesday (18 February) with assurances that there are enough vaccines in the pipeline to inoculate the 40m needed to achieve herd immunity.
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18FEB
2021

South Africa Study Shows Power of Genomic Surveillance Amid COVID-19 Pandemic

Considerable research is underway around the world to monitor the spread of new variants of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
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17FEB
2021

All you need to know about SA’s J&J vaccine roll-out

Eighty-thousand Johnson & Johnson jabs touched down at OR Tambo International Airport on Tuesday and will be distributed to 16 sites across the country where healthcare workers will be vaccinated.
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10FEB
2021

What does SA’s new vaccine roll-out plan look like? Here’s what we do & don’t know

South Africa’s COVID vaccine roll-out plan has practically changed overnight after a small study’s results showed that the AstraZeneca jab, that the country bought 1.5 million doses of, doesn’t provide sufficient protection against mild disease caused by the new SARS-CoV-2 variant, known as 501Y.V2 or B.1.351. This variant is now the dominant form of the virus circulating in the country.
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10FEB
2021

A global resource for the development and validation of COVID-19 diagnostics.

The Washington COVID-19 biorepository has been recently expanded to include convalescent plasma and serum and plasma specimens from longitudinal cohorts drawn 1, 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks post-diagnosis.
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10FEB
2021

South Africa may swap or sell AstraZeneca's Covid-19 vaccine

South Africa is considering swapping or selling the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine against coronavirus,
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09FEB
2021

Rapid coronavirus tests: a guide for the perplexed

Scientists still debate whether millions of cheap, fast diagnostic kits will help control the pandemic.
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08FEB
2021

South Africa suspends AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccination plans

South Africa suspends AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccination plans and shifts attention to J&J vaccine after learning the million jabs received would be less effective than initially thought.
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05FEB
2021

The National Department of Health has implemented an online portal for registering of healthcare workers for receipt of the vaccine

Self registration portal for HEALTHCARE WORKERS only as part of the Phase 1 COVID-19 Vaccine rollout - Electronic Vaccine Data System
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04FEB
2021

World Cancer Day 2021

World Cancer Day – Prioritise Your Health On World Cancer Day (WCD) 4 February, CANSA and Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) encourages people to set and achieve personal goals enabling them to lower cancer risk and for cancer patients to optimise health, especially in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The global response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been all consuming, however, cancer control needs to remain a priority.
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03FEB
2021

Doctors and pharmacists play vital role in vaccination race to stop Covid-19

The lead investigators of the country’s vaccine trials say South Africa needs to ramp up the drive to achieve herd immunity and GPs and pharmacists will play a key role.
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01FEB
2021

Covid vaccines to land in South Africa on Monday

One million Covid-19 vaccines will land at OR Tambo on Monday 1 February. The jabs will be reserved for health workers. But how will they get to the workers and what will happen to the shots once they get here?
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01FEB
2021

South Africa joins global clinical trial of new antibiotic for gonorrhoea

Each year two million people in South Africa contract gonorrhoea, a devastating but curable sexually transmitted infection. A new antibiotic for gonorrhoea is being trialled in South Africa from 27 January 2021. If the medicine eventually receives approval in South Africa, the organisation leading the trial will ‘ensure access in South Africa’.
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23JAN
2021

Revealed: Biovac’s plan for distribution of the first tranche of SA’s Covid-19 vaccine

South Africa’s vaccine company Biovac distributes 25 million vaccines a year. Here’s how it will get the much-needed first tranche of jabs out when they land next Friday.
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07JAN
2021

Towards herd immunity from Covid-19: Costing a vaccine strategy for South Africa

This article examines and estimates the financial implications of a vaccine strategy with a goal of achieving herd immunity. It takes account of the roll-out phases identified by the Department of Health and vaccine prices available in the public domain.
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06JAN
2021

Africa Centres for Disease Control: Guidance on Use of Rapid Antigen tests for COVID-19

The Africa Union Commission, through the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and partners, has released a new Guidance on the Use of Rapid Antigen Tests for COVID-19 Response.
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05JAN
2021

State expresses wish for February rollout of vaccines, will prioritize healthcare workers

Negotiations with coronavirus vaccine manufacturers are at an advanced stage, according to Health Minister Zweli Mkhize, who announced a vaccine rollout strategy on Sunday .
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21DEC
2020

FDA authorized first over-the-counter COVID-19 test – useful but not a game changer

The Ellume COVID-19 Home Test that was granted an emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration is expected to cost US$30, is easy to use and produces results within 20 minutes.
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21DEC
2020

New COVID-19 variant identified in SA

Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize announced that a variant of the SARS-COV-2 Virus (COVID-19) – currently termed the ‘501.V2 Variant’ – has been identified by genomics scientists in South Africa.
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11DEC
2020

South Africa expects first Covid-19 vaccine applications before end of December: regulator

South Africa intends to fast track regulatory approval for Covid-19 vaccines and expects the first applications within a fortnight, says the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA).
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09DEC
2020

International Anti-Corruption Day

SALDA proudly supports International Anti-Corruption Day which is observed annually on 9 December. This is an opportunity to voice and mobilise action against corruption as a prolific and multidimensional phenomenon that undermines progress across the globe.
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09DEC
2020

Covid-19 vaccine: First person receives Pfizer jab in UK

A UK grandmother has become the first person in the world to be given the Pfizer Covid-19 jab as part of a mass vaccination programme.
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09DEC
2020

NHI implementation schedule outlined by Goverment

President Cyril Ramaphosa has entered into a performance agreement with Health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize which includes a hard implementation date for South Africa’s National Health Insurance (NHI).
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08DEC
2020

First-of-its-kind African trial tests common drugs to prevent severe COVID-19

Hundreds of drug trials around the world have been testing possible COVID-19 treatments, but almost none have been in Africa. Now, researchers on the continent are mounting a large effort to try to answer a crucial question that has gotten relatively little attention: Could cheap, widely available drugs prevent patients with mild illness from becoming severely sick?
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04DEC
2020

UK medicines regulator gives approval for first UK COVID-19 vaccine

The first COVID-19 vaccine for the UK, developed by Pfizer/BioNTech, has been given approval for use following a thorough review carried out by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
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02DEC
2020

Tortoise and the hare: Why a COVID vaccine is outrunning its HIV counterpart

Four COVID jabs’ efficacy results have been released within less than a year after the trials had started. But this is far from the norm. Researchers have been working on HIV vaccines for over three decades — and we still don’t have one. Find more information here .
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01DEC
2020

World AIDS day 2020

The global HIV epidemic is not over and may be accelerating during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a devastating impact on communities and countries.
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25NOV
2020

16 Days of Activism 2020

The 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children Campaign (16 Days Campaign) is a United Nations campaign which takes place annually from 25 November (International Day of No Violence against Women) to 10 December (International Human Rights Day). Other key commemorative days during this period include World Aids Day on the 1st December and the International Day for Persons with Disabilities, on 3 December of every year.
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23NOV
2020

Government has already registered over 45 million South Africans to its NHI database

Despite delays caused by the coronavirus lockdown, government is making steady progress in its planned implementation of a new National Health Insurance (NHI).
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10NOV
2020

World Science Day for Peace and Development

In 2020, at the time when the global COVID-19 pandemic further demonstrated the critical role of science in addressing global challenges, the focus of the World Science Day is on Science for and with Society.
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10NOV
2020

World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2020 : 18-24 November

Every year, World Antimicrobial Awareness Week aims to increase awareness of global antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and to encourage best practices among the general public, health workers and policy makers to stop the further emergence and spread of drug-resistant infections. As resistance grows to a wider range of drugs, we have broadened the focus of this campaign from antibiotics to all antimicrobials. The theme for World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2020 for the human health sector is “United to preserve antimicrobials.”
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05NOV
2020

Gauteng Health to carry out antibody survey to determine COVID-19 spread

The Gauteng Health Department is to carry out an antibody survey to determine the rate of COVID-19 infections in the province, reports The Citizen. The department will conduct the survey along with the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC), the University of Pretoria and the University of Witwatersrand, according to spokesperson Kwara Kekana.
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05NOV
2020

Wits develops unique ‘control standard’ for COVID-19 testing

Containing COVID-19 requires testing of individuals and isolating those who test positive, together with recent contacts, to prevent further spread and it is therefore critical to ensure that testing is independently verified to assure its accuracy. Given the urgent need to ramp up testing, a team from the University of the Witwatersrand’s (Wits‘) Centre for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research (CBTBR) has developed a unique “control standard” to undertake this for certain diagnostic testing platforms.
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02NOV
2020

Diabetes Awareness Month

On 20 December 2006, the General Assembly of the United Nations passed a landmark Resolution recognising diabetes as a chronic, debilitating and costly disease. The Resolution designates World Diabetes Day as a United Nations Day to be observed every year starting in 2007.The UN Resolution makes World Diabetes Day stronger than ever and provides the opportunity for a significant increase in the visibility of the campaign and an increase in government and media participation on or around November 14. The Resolution will ensure even greater reach for awareness-raising activities throughout the diabetes world.
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29OCT
2020

Fauci wants a global rollout of America’s ‘right on schedule’ vaccines

Top global infectious diseases scientist and US presidential adviser Dr Anthony Fauci told doctors in South Africa during a PPS-sponsored webinar that it should be known “within weeks” if there is a safe and effective vaccine, writes Karen MacGregor for MedicalBrief. The US, as with its earlier treatment response to HIV/Aids, had a “moral obligation” to ensure that “we don’t have just rich countries getting vaccines”.
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23OCT
2020

October is Breast Cancer Month,

CANSA places the focus on women reducing their cancer risk during August and October. However, we encourage women to make their health a priority all year round, by knowing what is normal for their bodies, and to be aware of the symptoms of cancer. The medical technology industry is continually advancing and developing innovations that improve the health and wellbeing of patients living with a cancer diagnosis.
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20OCT
2020

The slow motion race for a TB vaccine versus the sprint for a Covid-19 vaccine

In recent months, the world has seen unprecedented investment in new vaccines. Yet, while a Covid-19 vaccine proven to be safe and effective may be less than a year away, a new tuberculosis vaccine might only be ready to be rolled out in a decade, despite a massive head start over Covid-19. Amy Green takes a closer look at the race for a new vaccine for the world’s top infectious disease killer.
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15OCT
2020

South Africa pushes ahead with NHI – expects next milestone in February 2021

The coronavirus pandemic shows how a private-public sector partnership resulting in a collaborative healthcare system can be effective, says Health minister Dr Zweli Mkhize. In a briefing last week, the health minister said that this is important in preparing for a future based on the principles of Universal Health Coverage and the new National Health Insurance (NHI).
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14OCT
2020

The Department of Health will roll out antigen tests for SARS-CoV-2 detection to all ports of entry in South Africa with immediate effect.

In a statement on Thursday (8 October), the department said that the rollout is in line with the country’s new level 1 lockdown regulations which require that all travellers that arrive at a port of entry without a certified negative SARS-CoV-2 PCR test result must be tested at the point of entry before entering the country. The advantage of the antigen test is that, unlike the PCR test, the results are available in 15 minutes, the department said.
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14OCT
2020

The world could see a COVID-19 vaccine by next year — here’s who will get it and how

Even if a jab is shown to work, there won’t be enough doses for everyone. Countries such as South Africa would need to make tough decisions about who it would give the vaccine to — and more importantly how to create a system to get it to them.
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08OCT
2020

COVID-19 antibody rapid test kits support President’s bid to determine the real virus infection rate

As South Africa eases into lockdown level 1, further relaxing restrictions, many believe that the COVID-19 pandemic is far from over. The accurate number of positive COVID-19 cases remains uncertain, despite the number shared on the Department of Health’s WhatsApp group. The discrepancy between that number and predictions made by professional data modellers is significant and continues to create confusion and controversy. President Cyril Ramaphosa explained: “We will be undertaking a nationwide survey to assess the actual levels of infection within society. The survey, known as a seroprevalence survey, uses antibody tests to see if a person has been exposed to the coronavirus.”
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08OCT
2020

Global partnership to make available 120 million affordable, quality COVID-19 rapid tests for low- and middle-income countries

A set of agreements to make available, for low and middle-income countries, affordable, high-quality COVID-19 antigen rapid tests were announced by the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator. Organizations involved in the milestone agreement include the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics (FIND), the Global Fund, Unitaid, and the World Health Organization (WHO).
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01OCT
2020

South Africa: Regulation Of Medical Devices Is Set To Become A Reality In SA

Regulation in the healthcare industry is complex at the best of times; in terms of health technology, societies are treading new ground. The next few months will be interesting times for the medical devices industry.
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22SEP
2020

UK: Regulating medical devices from 1 January 2021

From 1 January 2021 the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) will take on the responsibilities for the UK medical devices market that are currently undertaken through the EU system. This guidance provides information on how the UK system will operate, including for: • Getting your device certified • Conformity marking your device • Registering your device with the MHRA.
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16SEP
2020

Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize has announced that the Ministerial Advisory Committee (MAC) has been reconfigured.

The minister has set up a new MAC on COVID-19 vaccines which is there to get a strategic framework for procuring vaccines.
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15SEP
2020

Frequently asked questions: Performance evaluation of point-of-care COVID-19 serology antibody test kits

SAHPRA have put together a communication with several of the frequently asked questions that they receive around COVID-19 antibody tests kits and their performance.
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14SEP
2020

Ensuring a successful transition to the new IVD Regulation in light of COVID-19

Through MedTech Europe, the IVD industry, has urged the European Commission, Member States and the European Parliament to enact substantive solutions to make the IVDR workable, while ensuring that all relevant stakeholders maintain maximum focus on helping healthcare systems combat and recover from the impact of COVID-19.
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14SEP
2020

AstraZeneca resumes coronavirus vaccine clinical trials, but only in the UK

AstraZeneca said Saturday it had resumed phase three trials in the UK only, after receiving confirmation from the UK Medicines Health Regulatory Authority that it was safe to do so.
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09SEP
2020

COVID-19 Vaccine update

AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine study put on hold due to suspected adverse reaction in participant in the U.K.
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04SEP
2020

COVID-19 Antibody Survey - Cape Town

Initial results from an antibody survey conducted in the Cape Town metro indicate that of 2,700 pregnant women and people living with HIV making use of the public healthcare system, 40% had previously been infected with SARS-CoV-2.
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31AUG
2020

South Africa could be first in region to produce Covid-19 vaccine

South Africa may sign a deal to help produce a Covid-19 vaccine, potentially boosting access to immunization on a continent with limited manufacturing capacity. The Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, a global organization funding vaccine development, is considering the Cape Town-based Biovac Institute as a fill-finish site, according to Helen Rees, the chair of the organization’s Scientific Advisory Board. The state vaccine company is one of few in the country that has the capacity to package doses into sterile dispensers if clinical trials are successful.
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26AUG
2020

NHLS Laboratories

Planned nationwide strike by National Education, Health & Allied Workers Union (Nehawu) members was stopped after the National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS) obtained an interdict in the Labour Court, writes MedicalBrief. The order authorises the NHLS to seek SAPS and or Public Order Policing Unit intervention if Nehawu defies the order.
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25AUG
2020

Health Minister confirms COVID-19 antibody tests are now legal

Serological tests approved by SAHPRA for Sec 21 Use
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08JUL
2020

COVID-19 Testing in Africa: Lessons Learnt

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the African Society for Laboratory Medicine (ASLM) has been on the front line of the response.
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09JUL
2019

WHO New Essential Medicines and Diagnostics Lists 2019

WHO updates global guidance on medicines and diagnostic tests to address health challenges, prioritize highly effective therapeutics, and improve affordable access Geneva, 09 July 2019 – The World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) Essential Medicines List and List of Essential Diagnostics are core guidance documents that help countries prioritize critical health products that should be widely available and affordable throughout health systems.
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05APR
2019

Embryo selection for IVF can be optimized using artificial intelligence technique

A new artificial intelligence approach by Weill Cornell Medicine investigators can identify with a great degree of accuracy whether a 5-day-old, in vitro fertilized human embryo has a high potential to progress to a successful pregnancy.
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08JAN
2019

New molecular engineering method improves precision of biomarker analysis

The new molecular engineering method, called TAC-seq, raises the precision of biomarker analysis and is poised to make it more affordable...
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05DEC
2018

New massive sequencing platform implemented for double factor preimplantation genetic testing

A research team from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), in collaboration with the Blood and Tissue Bank of Catalonia...
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29JUL
2018

NHI Bill, MSA and HMI now open for public comment!

The long awaited National Health Draft Bill, Medical Schemes Amendment Bill and Health Market Inquiry Preliminary reports were published on 21 June 2018.
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29JUL
2018

WHO Essential Diagnostics List 2018

The First Edition World Health Organization Model List of Essential In Vitro Diagnostic Tests have been published in 2018.
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