Health News Of The Week

Vaccine Patch Against Measles Making Headway
The world of measles vaccination is gradually saying goodbye to needle pricks and jabs. Scientists in the Gambia are creating a safe, painless and easy way to administer measles vaccines to children using the microarray patch technology. A clinical trial involving over 200 babies shows a 90-100% protection rate against measles and rubella with the use of the vaccine patch.

First Personalized Melanoma Vaccine Undergoing Clinical Trial
Exciting developments in the UK as researchers trial the world's first personalized mRNA vaccine for melanoma. The vaccine targets specific genetic mutations, offering a promising and personalized treatment approach. The vaccine mRNA-4157 is in final-stage Phase III trials, using the same technology as current Covid vaccines. The research represents a significant step forward in the fight against this deadly disease.

Nigeria Still the Highest Burden of Children Born With HIV
Dr Temitope Ilori, the Director General of the National Agency for Control of AIDS, expressed concern about the high incidence of children being born with HIV in Nigeria during her recent visit to the University College Hospital in Ibadan. Nigeria currently tops the list of countries with the highest burden of children born with HIV, despite the progress made in the fight against the disease. Dr Ilori urged more attention to be paid by all stakeholders to reduce new HIV cases to meet the global target so that HIV will no longer be a public health threat by 2030.

Hospitals Directed by FG to Use Made-in-Nigeria Syringes and Needles
To promote the use of authentic locally made healthcare products, Dr. Tunji Alausa, the Minister of State for Health in a circular has directed that Chief Medical Directors (CMDs) and Medical Directors (MDs) of Federal Tertiary Hospitals should purchase needles and syringes only from local manufacturers approved by the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). The circular also instructed NAFDAC to discontinue the issuance of licenses for the importation of needles and syringes manufactured outside the country.