Nicaise Ndembi

Oct 29, 2024 | nature.com | Nicaise Ndembi

Growing momentum to transform the African regulatory landscape should enable 60% of the vaccines needed in Africa to be locally produced by 2040.

Oct 3, 2024 | science.org | Adrian C. Hayday |Nicola Festuccia |Roman C. Sarott |Nicaise Ndembi

Last month, when the world’s most populus country, India, reported its first case of the new, highly transmissible clade Ib mpox variant, the challenge of containing the virus was once again evident. Only a few weeks before that in August, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared mpox a public health emergency in response to its spread in Africa.

Aug 21, 2024 | nature.com | Nicaise Ndembi

On 13 August 2024, we at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) declared the ongoing mpox outbreaks a Public Health Emergency of Continental Security (PHECS). This declaration marks an important moment in Africa's public health history and shows the gravity of the situation and the need for a unified, continent-wide response to this rapidly spreading disease. AcknowledgmentsThe author thanks M.O. Folayan, N. Ngongo and J. Kaseya for assistance in writing this piece.

Mar 12, 2024 | nature.com | Nicaise Ndembi

The African continent is a crucial part of the historical and current narrative of mpox. The first human case of mpox (then termed monkeypox) was detected in 1970 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), long before the recent spread of the disease to other parts of the world. Although mpox has been on the African continent for over five decades, it only gained worldwide attention when it began spreading to high-income countries in Europe and North America1.

Jan 23, 2024 | nature.com | Nicaise Ndembi

Dolutegravir (DTG)-based antiretroviral therapy (ART) is the cornerstone of HIV treatment in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for use in both first- and second-line treatment. This follows evidence from clinical trials showing better efficacy and safety when compared with previously recommended regimens1.