A new report by Global Fund has found that the COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on the fight against HIV, TB and malaria in 2020.

The Result Report shows that while some progress was made, key programmatic results have declined for the first time in the history of the Global Fund, which is now marking its 20^th anniversary.

Global Fund Executive Director Peter Sands said that while they had hoped to focus this year’s results report on progress achieved against HIV, TB and malaria over the last two decades, the 2020 numbers force a different focus.

“They confirm what we feared might happen when COVID-19 struck,” Sands said.
The Results Report reveals the catastrophic impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on the fight against TB worldwide.

In 2020, the number of people treated for drug-resistant TB in the countries where the Global Fund invests dropped by a staggering 19%, …

Kenya received a further 180,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine on Friday, even as the number of those who have been vaccinated surpass 1.7 million.

In a statement, the Ministry of Health says the addition will serve as a boost to the ongoing vaccination efforts amid increased Covid-19 cases across the country.

So far, a total of 209, 823 cases have been reported Kenya.

The latest consignment, which was a donation from the Greek government, pushes the number of vaccines received in the country to 2,323,100.

Speaking at JKIA after receiving the consignment, National Taskforce on Vaccine Deployment Chair Dr. Willis Akhwale said the donation was a welcome boost to the ongoing vaccination exercise.

Akhwale said the government expects to have vaccinated 10 million people by the end of this year.

At the same time, Deputy Head of mission at the Embassy of Greece in Kenya Counsellor Sotirios Demestichas, said the …

The EAC bloc should urgently work to attract international investors and embark on joint regional investments in the vaccine manufacturing industry for quick economic recovery.

This is according to East African Business Council Chairman Nicholas Nesbitt who is calling for a coordinated approach on COVID-19 measures to spur EAC economic recovery and growth.

Nesbitt noted that joint EAC investment offers a larger pool of capital resources, expertise and market.

At the same time, EAC’s board has directed the EABC Secretariat to champion advocacy on the adoption of open skies and one network area to reduce the cost of doing business in the region.

The board said that open skies attract regional tourism and improve consolidation of EAC exports to overseas markets such as horticulture.

According to the board, open skies are also critical in supporting the resilience and recovery of tourism, hospitality and transport sectors, which were highly impacted by …

The World Bank has announced its first investment in Somalia’s health sector in 30 years.

In a statement, the bank says it has approved the Improving Healthcare Services in Somalia Project, known as “Damal Caafimaad”.

The project is financed by a US$75 million International Development Assistance (IDA) grant and an additional US$25 million grant from the Global Financing Facility for Women, Children and Adolescents (GFF).

The organization says the project will deliver essential health and nutrition services and improve health service coverage and quality in some of Somalia’s most disadvantaged areas.

These include Nugaal (Puntland), Bakool and Bay (South West), Hiraan, and Middle Shebelle (Hirshabelle).

World Bank projects that around 10 per cent of Somalia’s population, as well as internally displaced persons (IDPs) and nomads in the target regions, will benefit from the project’s activities.

It is also expected to strengthen the stewardship capacity of Somalia’s Federal and State Ministries …

The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) says it has stepped up plans to guarantee quality medical products and technologies supply to more than 8,000 facilities in the national public health care system, with a floating of two competitive tenders for pharmaceutical products.

In a statement, KEMSA says the newly floated tenders are open for local manufacturers and related suppliers, including youth, women and persons with disability-owned enterprises, which can participate under the Access to Government Procurement Opportunities (AGPO) program, among other supplier categories.

Kenyan and international bidders seeking to supply Health Products and Technologies (HPTs) under a two-year framework model converged at the College of Insurance, Nairobi, Monday for a pre-bid conference.

The move comes at a time when the Authority is trying to regain trust and revamp its public image following the questionable and inflated Sh7.8 billion Covid-19 supplies tenders in which billions might have been misappropriated or stolen.…

Stopping an increasing trend of COVID-19 cases in Africa will require additional funding. 

This was announced by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), amid a worrying surge of cases in Uganda, Rwanda, DRC, Namibia, Zambia, Mozambique, and South Africa.

National Red Cross teams in these seven countries are stepping up surveillance, testing, healthcare and hygiene activities. 

They have also scaled up their COVID-19 awareness campaigns in public places such as markets and border points.

However, efforts like these ones, aimed at containing the spread of the virus, have been strained by insufficient funding. With a third wave looming large, there are increasing concerns that the impact will be more devastating, especially if the shortage of funds persists.

Mohammed Mukhier, IFRC’s Regional Director for Africa said that since the outset of this pandemic, not enough attention has been paid to the evolution of this virus on …