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Clinical trial for experimental Ebola drug publishes results

April 19, 2016

Results of the Wellcome Trust funded trial of the experimental anti-Ebola drug TKM-130803 have been published today (April 19) in PLOS Medicine. Using a novel approach designed to get rapid indications of a drug's effectiveness, the trial showed that at the dose given the drug did not improve survival compared to historic controls.

TKM-130803 interferes with the production of two essential Ebola virus proteins and has been shown to improve survival when given to monkeys experimentally infected with Ebola virus. Scientists from the University of Oxford and Sierra Leone worked with the humanitarian organisation GOAL Global, the World Health Organisation, and collaborators from a number of other institutions to test whether TKM-130803 could improve survival in adults with Ebola infection.

The researchers used a new approach to generate early evidence of effectiveness or ineffectiveness. This method can be used as a tool to screen potential therapies and determine the need for further studies (including randomised controlled trials) during an epidemic. The approach meant that the study was quickly able to reach a pre-defined point to stop the trial.

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Guinea - Ebola: Situation Report - April 18, 2016

ambafrance-gn.org

Translation to English via Google Translate . . .

New cases of Ebola hemorrhagic fever have been reported in the prefecture of N'Zérékoré in Forest Guinea.

Any movement in this area is not recommended except for participation in pre-approved medical missions.

epidemiological situation in the April 16, 2016

- No new confirmed case to April 16.

- Since February 29 (1st suspected case): 10 probable and confirmed cases (seven confirmed and 3 probable).

- 8 deaths (probable and confirmed cases). No health staff is concerned

1. Health monitoring of the Embassy of France

- Continuous Embassy of France to follow in real time the evolution of the situation in conjunction with the Guinean Ministry of Health, WHO and NGOs on the ground, its European partners, and in Paris with the Crisis Centre of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

2. Tips and Recommendations

- To limit the minimum necessary traveling in areas where the epidemic is active.

- Do not eat bushmeat.

- Wash hands frequently.

- Do not touch prolonged sick with a high fever or gastroenteritis.

- When a person has on the temperature, how to deal remains: malaria research, medical and surveillance to monitor the disease.

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Dr. Campbell: Zika virus much worse than initially feared

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a Zika emergency. From 2007 to 2016 there are cases in 62 countries and the numbers are only increasing.

Published: April 18, 2016, 5:00 am

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Looking, hopefully, towards an Ebola-free future

Ebola vaccine trial team follows-up with a vaccine trial participant, Katongourou, Guinea
WHO/S. Hawkey -April 15, 2016

 

WHO, partners and affected countries are stepping up planning for how to use an Ebola vaccine in response to an outbreak.

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The struggle for Water Is Sickening!

By Beny Sam
Thursday April 14, 2016

With all the efforts made by our ministry of water resources, the bulk of our compatriots are still thirsting for water. In Africa, many communities go without electricity for ages, but they cannot afford to go without water. If the United Nations perhaps knew March month is the driest month in most West African countries, may be they would have shifted the World Water commemoration from a day in March.  Why I see the date disturbing is that when our Ministry each year mobilizes resources to mark the World Water Day, I see it as a biting irony since that is the time Sierra Leoneans forage all over the place to have a drop of water to utilize for various purposes.

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To increase access to budget info… AHBN launches #ValueOurHealth

Thursday April 14, 2016

Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN) yesterday launched a new campaign dubbed #ValueOurHealth at Kona Lodge, King Street in Freetown which is a prelude to the Global launch tomorrow.
#ValueOurHealth campaign which theme is ‘open and participatory budgets lead to more and better health spending for women and children’ is calling on all governments in Sub-Saharan Africa to take urgent action to increase access to budget information and to provide more opportunity for public engagement in the budgeting process.

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Unaccredited Nursing schools are unacceptable-Health Ministry

The Ministry of Health and Sanitation in collaboration with the Nurses and Mid Wives Board, has condemned the establishment of illegal nursing and midwifery schools around the country.
According to a release from the board, illegal nursing and midwifery schools pose a threat not only to the image of the noble profession, but also to the innocent unsuspecting public.
The release further states that nursing and midwifery is a profession that deals with people who need properly established institutions with sets of rules and systems governing the profession.

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Mali Authorities Seek 2 Guineans Who Had Ebola Contact

Malian health authorities say they are searching for two women who left Guinea after having had contact with a recent Ebola case.

Dr. Keni Diarra, head doctor at the health center in Kenieba in the Kayes region, said Wednesday the two Guinean women came to Mali Sunday. He said they are suspected to be in Hamdallaye, a village in Kayes.

The World Health Organization says there have been eight cases of Ebola and seven deaths since late February in Guinea, flare-ups that came months after the nation was declared Ebola-free.

In Mali eight people were infected with Ebola and six of them died in 2014 before it was declared free from transmissions in January 2015.

More than 11,300 people, mostly in West Africa, have died from Ebola since December 2013.

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