Personalised mRNA Cancer Vaccine Achieves Historic Phase 3 Success in Melanoma Trial
The INTerpath-001 Phase 3 trial of intismeran autogene, a personalised mRNA vaccine developed by Moderna and Merck, has met its primary endpoint of recurrence-free survival in over 1,100 patients with high-risk melanoma when combined with pembrolizumab — the first late-stage randomised trial of a personalised cancer vaccine to succeed.
Largest Ebola Outbreak in DRC History Driven by Bundibugyo Virus Prompts Global Vaccine Deployment
The Bundibugyo ebolavirus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo has surpassed 4,665 confirmed cases across six provinces, becoming the largest Ebola outbreak ever recorded in the country and prompting the allocation of 70,000 doses of Ervebo vaccine for clinical trial and frontline worker protection.
Landmark Lancet Study Confirms RTS,S Malaria Vaccine Averts One in Eight Child Deaths Across Pilot Nations
A four-year evaluation of the world's first malaria vaccine pilot published in The Lancet confirms a 13% reduction in all-cause child mortality across Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi — even at moderate coverage levels — strengthening the case for accelerated rollout across 25 African nations.
AIDS 2026: Once-Weekly Oral HIV Treatment and African-Led Vaccine Trials Headline Rio Conference
The 26th International AIDS Conference in Rio de Janeiro showcased Phase 3 results showing a once-weekly oral islatravir/lenacapavir regimen maintains viral suppression, the launch of Africa's first indigenous HIV vaccine trial BRILLIANT 011, and stark warnings about the impact of global funding cuts on HIV services in eastern and southern Africa.
MTBVAC TB Vaccine Candidate Reaches Full Enrollment in Phase 2b IMAGINE Trial Across Three African Nations
On 16 July 2026, the Phase 2b IMAGINE trial of the MTBVAC tuberculosis vaccine candidate completed enrollment of 5,500 participants across 16 centres in South Africa, Kenya, and Tanzania. The milestone advances the search for a new TB vaccine to complement the century-old BCG, as results from the Phase III PreVenTB trial earlier in 2026 showed that two other candidates failed to meet their primary endpoint.
Sudan Declares End to Year-Long Cholera Outbreak After 124,000 Cases and 3,573 Deaths
On 3 March 2026, Sudan's Federal Ministry of Health and WHO declared the end of a cholera outbreak that swept all 18 states since July 2024, infecting over 124,000 people and killing 3,573. Vaccination campaigns protected more than 23 million people, but experts warn that conflict-driven infrastructure collapse leaves the country vulnerable to resurgence.
South Africa Launches BRILLIANT 011: Africa's First-In-Human HIV Vaccine Trial in Cape Town
On 22 January 2026, the South African Medical Research Council launched the BRILLIANT 011 Phase 1 clinical trial at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town — the first-in-human HIV vaccine study designed and led by African scientists, targeting strains circulating in Southern Africa. The trial survived near-cancellation after US funding cuts in early 2025.
WHO Reports Clade Ib Mpox Community Transmission Across Six Regions Despite End of Global Emergency
A WHO Disease Outbreak News report published on 5 December 2025 documented 43 new confirmed clade Ib mpox cases across six WHO regions since the lifting of the global emergency in September, with community transmission now established in Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, the United States, and Malaysia.
DRC's 16th Ebola Outbreak Declared Over in Kasai Province After 64 Cases and 45 Deaths
The Democratic Republic of the Congo declared the end of its 16th Ebola outbreak on 1 December 2025, after the Bulape Health Zone in Kasai Province recorded 64 cases and 45 deaths over three months. The Zaire ebolavirus strain was confirmed as a new zoonotic spillover event, unrelated to previous outbreaks in the region.
Gavi and UNICEF Secure Landmark Pricing Deal Cutting R21 Malaria Vaccine to $2.99 Per Dose
On 24 November 2025, Gavi and UNICEF announced an equitable pricing agreement that will reduce the cost of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine to US$2.99 per dose, generating up to US$90 million in savings and enabling the vaccination of 7 million additional children across Africa by 2030.
WHO Reports Over 20,000 Diphtheria Cases Across Eight African Countries in 2025 as Vaccine Gaps Persist
A WHO Disease Outbreak News report published on 21 November 2025 documented 20,412 suspected diphtheria cases and 1,252 deaths across eight African countries from January to November 2025, with Nigeria bearing the highest burden. The global shortage of diphtheria antitoxin and low vaccination coverage continue to hamper response efforts.
African Health Ministers Pledge to Accelerate Malaria Progress at 75th WHO Regional Committee in Lusaka as Stalled Targets Raise Alarm
At the 75th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa, held in Lusaka, Zambia from 25–27 August 2025, health ministers from 47 Member States expressed urgent concern that malaria progress has stalled, with cases declining only 5% and mortality 16% since 2015 — far short of the 75% reduction milestone set for 2025. Ministers committed to strengthening health workforce capacity, enhancing supply chains, and increasing domestic financing for malaria programs.
WHO Recommends Injectable Lenacapavir as Twice-Yearly HIV Prevention Option in Landmark Guideline Update at IAS 2025
The World Health Organization released new guidelines on 14 July 2025 recommending long-acting injectable lenacapavir as an additional PrEP option for HIV prevention, announced at the 13th International AIDS Society Conference in Kigali, Rwanda. The first twice-yearly injectable PrEP product joins a growing arsenal of prevention tools at a time of declining global HIV funding.
Sudan's Cholera Outbreak Surges Past 87,000 Cases as Civil War Devastates Water and Health Infrastructure
By July 2025, Sudan's cholera outbreak had spread to all but one of the country's states, with over 87,000 cases and 2,260 deaths reported. The ongoing civil war has destroyed approximately 70% of water facilities and left 75–80% of health facilities non-functional in conflict-affected areas, creating what the ICRC describes as the country's worst cholera outbreak in years.
Angola's Cholera Outbreak Spreads to 18 Provinces with Over 33,000 Cases as WHO and Partners Scale Up Mass Vaccination Campaign
Angola's first cholera outbreak since 2018, which began in January 2025 in Cacuaco Municipality, Luanda Province, spread to 18 of the country's 21 provinces by mid-2025, with over 33,000 cumulative cases and approximately 860 deaths. The WHO, UNICEF, and Angola's Ministry of Health deployed a multi-faceted response including over three million oral cholera vaccine doses, adapting polio eradication infrastructure for the emergency response.
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M72/AS01E Tuberculosis Vaccine Phase 3 Trial Reaches Full Enrollment of 20,080 Participants Across Five Countries
The Gates Medical Research Institute announced in April 2025 that the Phase 3 clinical trial of the M72/AS01E tuberculosis vaccine candidate had successfully reached its full enrollment target of approximately 20,080 participants across 54 sites in South Africa, Kenya, Malawi, Zambia, and Indonesia. The trial, which could deliver the first new TB vaccine in over a century, is estimated to complete in April 2028.
Uganda Launches Largest Malaria Vaccine Introduction to Date, Targeting 1.1 Million Children Across 105 Districts
On 2 April 2025, Uganda became the 19th African country to integrate the malaria vaccine into routine immunisation, launching the R21/Matrix-M vaccine in Apac District — a region with the highest recorded mosquito bite exposure globally.
Phase 3 Trial of M72/AS01E Tuberculosis Vaccine Runs a Year Ahead of Schedule as Enrollment Nears Completion
The Gates MRI-sponsored Phase 3 trial of the M72/AS01E TB vaccine candidate has enrolled over 90% of its 20,000 participants across five countries, a full year ahead of projections. A 50% efficacious vaccine could save 8.5 million lives over 25 years.
UNICEF Warns 17 of 21 Eastern and Southern African Countries Face Simultaneous Disease Outbreaks in Early 2025
A UNICEF alert issued on 19 February 2025 revealed that 17 of 21 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa are battling overlapping public health emergencies — cholera, mpox, viral haemorrhagic fevers, and resurgent vaccine-preventable diseases — driven by climate shocks, conflict, and declining immunisation rates.
Uganda Declares Sudan Virus Disease Outbreak as Ring Vaccination Trial Launches Within Four Days
Uganda's sixth Sudan ebolavirus outbreak spread across six districts including Kampala, prompting a rapid ring vaccination trial just four days after declaration — a testament to preparedness investments since the 2022 epidemic.
Tanzania Contains Marburg Virus Disease Outbreak in Kagera Region Within 53 Days as All 10 Cases Prove Fatal
Tanzania's second Marburg outbreak in three years struck Biharamulo district in Kagera region, claiming 10 lives with a 100% case fatality ratio. The outbreak was declared over on 13 March 2025 after 42 days without a new confirmed case.
WHO Declares Mpox Outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern as New Clade Ib Spreads Across Central Africa
On 14 August 2024, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the upsurge of mpox in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighbouring countries a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The emergence and rapid spread of a new, more virulent viral strain — clade Ib — through sexual networks in eastern DRC and into four previously unaffected nations drove the determination.
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R21/Matrix-M Malaria Vaccine Reaches Central African Republic in Historic First Shipment for Routine Childhood Immunization
UNICEF delivered over 43,000 doses of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine to Bangui on 24 May 2024, making the Central African Republic the first nation to receive the second WHO-recommended malaria vaccine for routine childhood immunization. With both R21 and RTS,S now available, Gavi, UNICEF and WHO say supply concerns are firmly behind them.
Gates Medical Research Institute Launches Phase 3 Trial of M72/AS01E Tuberculosis Vaccine Candidate — Potential First New TB Vaccine in a Century
On 19 March 2024, the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute announced the initiation of a Phase 3 clinical trial of the M72/AS01E tuberculosis vaccine candidate, with first doses administered in South Africa. The trial aims to enrol up to 20,000 participants across multiple countries and could produce the first new TB vaccine in over 100 years if proven effective.
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WHO Recommends Second Malaria Vaccine R21/Matrix-M, Closing Global Supply Gap
The World Health Organization has recommended the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine for children, the second such vaccine to receive WHO endorsement. With 75% seasonal efficacy and a projected cost of $2–4 per dose, R21 is expected to close the supply gap left by RTS,S and reach millions more children across Africa.
Lancet Haematology Commission Reveals 7.74 Million Living with Sickle Cell Disease as Global Burden Grows 41%
A landmark Lancet Haematology Commission report published in July 2023 revealed that 7.74 million people were living with sickle cell disease globally in 2021 — a 41.4% increase since 2000. With 80% of cases in sub-Saharan Africa and 81,100 under-5 deaths annually, the Commission urged governments to integrate SCD care into primary health systems.
Poliovirus Detected in London and New York Wastewater Triggers Global Health Alert
In 2022, circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 was detected in wastewater systems in both London and New York — the first US paralytic polio case since 2013. Genomic sequencing linked the viruses across three countries, prompting emergency vaccination campaigns and a stark reminder that polio-free nations remain at risk.
WHO Recommends Long-Acting Injectable Cabotegravir for HIV Prevention
On 28 July 2022, WHO released new guidelines recommending long-acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB-LA) as pre-exposure prophylaxis for people at substantial risk of HIV. Two landmark trials showed a 79% relative reduction in HIV risk compared to oral PrEP, offering a breakthrough option for those who struggle with daily medication adherence.
Mpox 2022: WHO Declares First Multi-Country Outbreak a Global Health Emergency
On 23 July 2022, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the multi-country mpox outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), overriding a split Emergency Committee. With over 16,000 cases across 75 countries and five deaths, the declaration triggered coordinated global response recommendations.
COVID-19 Takes Heavy Toll on Maternal Health in Africa as Facility Deaths Rise Sharply Amid Pandemic Disruptions
A World Health Organization analysis of 11 African countries found maternal deaths in health facilities rose by an average of 16% between February and May 2020 compared to the same period in 2019, with the increase persisting at 11% through 2021 — driven by service disruptions, fear of health facilities, and the diversion of resources to the pandemic response.
COVAX Delivers First COVID-19 Vaccine Doses to Africa as Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire Begin Historic Vaccination Campaigns
On 1 March 2021, Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire became the first African nations to administer COVID-19 vaccines through the COVAX Facility, marking the beginning of the largest and most rapid global vaccine rollout in history and a critical step toward addressing glaring inequities in global vaccine access.
FDA Approves Cabenuva: First Complete Long-Acting Injectable HIV Treatment Regimen
On 21 January 2021, the US FDA approved Cabenuva (cabotegravir and rilpivirine), the first and only complete long-acting injectable regimen for HIV treatment, reducing dosing from 365 days per year to just 12 monthly injections and offering a transformative new approach to care for people living with HIV.
Africa Certified Wild Polio-Free as WHO African Region Achieves Historic Eradication Milestone
On 25 August 2020, the Africa Regional Certification Commission certified the WHO African Region as free of wild poliovirus after four years without a single case, making Africa the fifth of six WHO regions to achieve the status and bringing over 90% of the world's population into polio-free zones.
DR Congo Declares End to World's Second-Largest Ebola Outbreak After 23 Months
On 25 June 2020, the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared the end of the Ebola outbreak in North Kivu, Ituri, and South Kivu — a 23-month crisis that claimed 2,287 lives and tested the limits of outbreak response in an active conflict zone.
GSK Licenses M72/AS01E Tuberculosis Vaccine Candidate to Gates Medical Research Institute for Continued Development
On 27 January 2020, GSK announced it had licensed its M72/AS01E tuberculosis vaccine candidate — which demonstrated the potential to reduce active pulmonary TB by half in adults with latent infection — to the Bill & Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute, paving the way for continued development targeting low-income countries with the highest TB burdens.
WHO Declares Ebola in DRC a Public Health Emergency of International Concern After Case Detected in Goma
On 17 July 2019, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the Ebola outbreak in North Kivu and Ituri a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, triggered by the confirmation of a case in Goma — a city of two million on the Rwandan border. The declaration came after four Emergency Committee meetings and as the outbreak surpassed 2,500 cases.
ECHO Trial Finds No Link Between Contraceptive Methods and HIV Risk, but Reveals Alarmingly High Infection Rates
ECHO Trial Finds No Link Between Contraceptive Methods and HIV Risk, but Reveals Alarmingly High Infection Rates
The landmark ECHO trial, published in The Lancet on 13 June 2019, found no significant difference in HIV acquisition among women using DMPA-IM, copper IUD, or LNG implant. However, the overall HIV incidence of 3.8% per year among 7,829 participants underscored an urgent need to integrate HIV prevention into family planning services.
M72/AS01E TB Vaccine Candidate Shows 54% Efficacy in Landmark Phase 2b Trial Across Kenya, South Africa, and Zambia
GSK and Aeras reported that the M72/AS01E tuberculosis vaccine candidate demonstrated 54% efficacy in preventing active pulmonary TB disease among HIV-negative adults with latent infection, in a Phase 2b trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine on 25 September 2018.
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PrEP Rollout Across Africa Gains Momentum as AIDS 2018 Conference Spotlights Implementation Challenges
At the 22nd International AIDS Conference in Amsterdam, researchers and advocates reported accelerating but uneven PrEP scale-up across Kenya, South Africa, and Eswatini, with implementation science taking centre stage over efficacy questions.
DRC's Ninth Ebola Outbreak Contained in Equateur Province as Ring Vaccination Marks Historic First
The Democratic Republic of the Congo declared its ninth Ebola outbreak over on 24 July 2018, after 54 cases and 33 deaths in Equateur Province. The response marked the first deployment of the rVSV-ZEBOV vaccine during an active outbreak using ring vaccination.