Not-for-profit organisations LifeArc and FIND (www.FINDdx.org) are today announcing a £6.2M project to improve diagnostic testing and treatment for visceral leishmaniasis in Kenya; A neglected tropical disease targeted by the World Health Organization for elimination by 2030, visceral leishmaniasis is the deadliest form of leishmaniasis, mainly affecting children and fatal in over 95% of cases if left untreated.

A new £6.2M healthcare project has begun in Kenya to advance elimination of visceral leishmaniasis, a deadly parasitic disease found in Africa, the Americas (particularly Brazil), the Middle East and South-East Asia, which affects up to 90,000 children and vulnerable people globally.

The self-funded, not-for-profit medical research organisation, LifeArc (https://apo-opa.co/3J9tlnL) has joined forces with FIND (www.FINDdx.org) to improve the detection and treatment of visceral leishmaniasis through a project called ‘Intensifying Visceral Leishmaniasis Diagnostic Efforts in Support of Disease Elimination in Kenya’.

The project will run from 2024 to 2027, supporting the World Health Organization’s goal of eliminating visceral leishmaniasis by 2030 by focusing on early diagnosis and treatment to prevent disability and death. It will build on ongoing efforts to improve community awareness, boosting testing capacity both locally and nationally, and strengthening the capacity of the health system to ensure faster diagnosis and treatment. Crucially, the project will also accelerate development of novel tests for the disease, addressing the need for sensitive diagnostic procedures that can support more intense control measures.

There are three forms of leishmaniasis: visceral (affecting internal organs), cutaneous (affecting the skin) and mucocutaneous (affecting the mouth, nose and throat), all of which can cause serious disability. However, visceral leishmaniasis – sometimes known as kala-azar – is fatal in over 95% of cases if left untreated.

Visceral leishmaniasis is caused by parasites that are spread by sandflies. It can cause irregular bouts of fever, weight loss and enlargement of the spleen and liver. Symptoms can be difficult to differentiate from other diseases, such as chronic malaria. The disease is prevalent in areas with unsanitary housing conditions, which create ideal breeding sites for sandflies. Malnutrition also increases the risk that an infection will progress to the full disease, meaning that children and vulnerable adults living in some of the world’s poorest communities are most at risk.

Dr Mike Strange, Head of Global Health at LifeArc explains: “LifeArc is committed to progressing innovations in areas of unmet medical need, including neglected tropical diseases such as visceral leishmaniasis. Partnering with FIND to support the implementation of existing tools, as well as helping move forward new and improved diagnostic tests, represents a real opportunity to make a step-change and contribute towards eliminating this fatal disease in Kenya.”

Ms Helen Bokea, Director of Neglected Tropical Diseases at FIND, says: “FIND is committed to working with countries and communities to defeat this deadly disease, by boosting testing capacity so that infections can be identified early, and lives can be saved. The clock is ticking on the 2030 WHO elimination target, and this partnership with LifeArc will provide a major boost to help accelerate progress.”

The project is part of LifeArc’s Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) Translational Challenge which aims to support the elimination and control of neglected tropical diseases through the translation, development and implementation of new diagnostics and therapeutics. FIND’s neglected tropical diseases programme is working to close multiple diagnostic gaps that are jeopardizing achievement of the targets set out in the WHO 2030 Roadmap (https://apo-opa.co/4cM1xU8).

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of FIND.

For further press information please contact:
Hannah Severyn
Head of Media&PR, LifeArc
Hannah.severyn@lifearc.org

Sarah-Jane Loveday
Director of Communications, FIND
+41 79 431 62 44
media@finddx.org

About LifeArc:
LifeArc is a self-funded, not-for-profit medical research organisation and charity. We take science ideas out of the lab and help turn them into medical breakthroughs that can be life-changing for patients. We have been doing this for more than 25 years and our work has resulted in five licensed medicines, including cancer drug pembrolizumab (Keytruda®), lecanemab for Alzheimer’s (Leqembi), and a diagnostic for antibiotic resistance.

Our teams are experts in drug and diagnostics discovery, technology transfer, and intellectual property. Our work is in translational science – bridging the gap between academic research and clinical development, providing funding, research and expert knowledge, all with a clear and unwavering commitment to having a positive impact on patient lives.

LifeArc is a company limited by guarantee (registered in England and Wales under no. 2698321) and a charity (registered in England and Wales under no. 1015243 and in Scotland under no. SC037861).

Find out more about our work on www.LifeArc.org or follow us on LinkedIn (https://apo-opa.co/49oaAHR) or Twitter (https://apo-opa.co/4cYdp5B).

About FIND:
FIND accelerates equitable access to reliable diagnosis around the world. We are working to close critical testing gaps that leave people at risk from preventable and treatable illnesses, enable effective disease surveillance, and build sustainable, resilient health systems. In partnership with countries, WHO and other global health agencies, we are driving progress towards global health security and universal health coverage. We are a WHO Collaborating Centre for Laboratory Strengthening and Diagnostic Technology Evaluation. For more information, please visit www.FINDdx.org.

The Vice President and Flagbearer of the NPP, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has cut the sod for the construction of four-storey, 200-bed hostel facility for the Trinity Theological Seminary in Accra.

The multi-purpose hostel, which is being funded by the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFUND), is in fulfillment of a pledge Dr. Bawumia made to the Seminary, following a request by the College for assistance during its 2022 Congregation, which Dr. Bawumia graced.

Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony at the Seminary in Accra on Wednesday morning, Dr. Bawumia said, the construction marks an important milestone to ease the accommodation deficit of the school and also improve learning.

“It is with great pleasure and excitement that we gather here today for the sod-cutting ceremony, marking the commencement of  the construction of a 200-bed, four-storey hostel,” Dr. Bawumia said.

“The occasion symbolizes not just the beginning of a building project but also the dawn of a new chapter in the history of Trinity Theological Seminary. It is indeed an honour to join you all for this sod-cutting ceremony, which for me, is a very important milestone in addressing the accommodation deficit of the institution,”  he added.

The Trinity Theological Seminary, Dr. Bawumia stressed, is befitting of such a magnificent facility, even as a private institution, considering the role it plays in nurturing persons of good values.

“The Trinity Theological Seminary, as an institution that trains and instills Godly values, the construction of this hostel will not only provide the much-needed accommodation for the students, but will also serve as a hub for more learning and growth. It will be a space where students from diverse backgrounds come together to exchange ideas,” he said.

Dr. Bawumia also acknowledged the immense contributions of Churches and other faith-based groups to the development of Ghana, especially in the areas of education and healthcare, adding that such collaborations and support by government, complement their efforts.

“Where would Ghana be today, without all the schools and hospitals churches and other faith-based groups have built in the country?,” he asked.

Dr. Bawumia also expressed gratitude to a number of people who have contributed to making the commencement of the project possible, including the management of

Trinity Theological Seminary, the Honourable Minister for Education, the Board of Trustees and Management of the GETFUND, as well as the Board and Management of GTEC.

Facilities for the hostel will include accommodation, study area, sports Centre, kitchenette, among others.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of The Presidency, Republic of Ghana.

Uganda’s Constitutional Court on April 3, 2024, upheld the abusive and radical provisions of the 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act, Human Rights Watch said today. The ruling further entrenches discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people, and makes them prone to more violence.

The court did strike down sections that restricted healthcare access for LGBT people, criminalized renting premises to LGBT people, and created an obligation to report alleged acts of homosexuality. 

“In upholding most provisions of the Anti-Homosexuality Act, including the death penalty in certain circumstances, Uganda’s Constitutional Court has come down on the side of hate, violence, and discrimination instead of standing up for fundamental rights for all,” said Larissa Kojoué, researcher at Human Rights Watch. “The ruling will have a detrimental impact on all Ugandans, including LGBT people, families, and communities who continue to suffer the stigma that the Anti-Homosexuality Act enshrined into law.” 

In defiance of international law, the judges ruled that the act does not violate fundamental rights to equality and nondiscrimination, privacy, freedom of expression, or the right to work for LGBT people.

The judges also ruled that those who had challenged the law had failed to prove the negative financial implications of the law, or that there had been a lack of public participation in the legislative processes, or breaches in parliamentary rules of procedures. They concluded that the law had been “overwhelmingly passed on the basis of those views of the Ugandan people’s parliamentary representatives, who would know the sentiments of the people that they represent on the subject.” 

The Ugandan Parliament had passed the Anti-Homosexuality Act in March 2023, criminalizing consensual same-sex conduct with penalties of up to life imprisonment, attempted homosexual acts with penalties of 10 years in prison, and the death penalty for those convicted of “aggravated homosexuality,” which includes repeated same sex acts and intercourse with a person younger than 18, older than 75, or a person with a disability. Parliament passed a similar anti-LGBT law in 2013, which the Constitutional Court had declared void on the grounds that it was not passed according to correct parliamentary procedure. 

Even before the introduction of the 2023 act, LGBT Ugandans had frequently faced discrimination, harassment, and physical attacks. The Ugandan authorities have banned LGBT organizations, and accused some of “promoting homosexuality” and luring children into homosexuality through “forced recruitment.” Human Rights Watch found that none of these accusations were based on facts.

After the law came into force in May 2023, local groups reported that LGBT people in Uganda were experiencing increased attacks and discrimination by both officials and other people. These included beatings, sexual and psychological violence, evictions, blackmail, loss of employment, online harassment, and denial of health care based on their perceived or real sexual orientation or gender identity. 

In December 2023, Ugandan activists began legal proceedings to challenge the constitutionality of the law, one of the world’s harshest curtailing the rights of LGBT people. The petitioners said that the law violates fundamental rights guaranteed in Uganda’s constitution and international human rights law, including the rights to nondiscrimination and privacy, as well as freedom of thought, conscious, and belief. They also said that the law was passed without meaningful and adequate public participation. 

The judges upheld provisions in the law that discriminate against LGBT people, including people with disabilities, and provisions for a penalty of up to 20 years in prison for the “promotion of homosexuality.” The provision could apply to anyone advocating for the rights of LGBT people, including representatives of human rights organizations or those providing financial support to such organizations.

The police have failed to investigate a string of break-ins into the offices of nongovernmental organizations providing services to LGBT people. Instead, they have carried out mass arrests at LGBT pride events, at LGBT-friendly bars, and at homeless shelters on spurious grounds. The police have forced some of those detained to undergo anal examinations, a form of cruel, degrading, and inhuman treatment that can constitute torture. 

“We knew we were not in favorable conditions,” one petitioner told Human Rights Watch. “There is so much to challenge in this decision. What we see is that the judges already have their ideas. The future looks so dark. We have to organize and bring the case to the Supreme Court.”  

Parliament should repeal all discriminatory laws and provisions, including the Anti-Homosexuality Act, as well as sections 145 and 148 of the Penal Code, which criminalize consensual same-sex acts, Human Rights Watch said. The authorities should end the harassment of and restrictions on the activities of LGBT rights groups, and ensure immediate investigations into abuses against these groups and LGBT people. The authorities should also ban forced anal examinations and their use as “evidence” in homosexuality prosecutions, and other demeaning treatment of suspects in police custody on the basis of their perceived or real sexual orientation. 

“The Ugandan authorities have legal obligations to urgently halt the cycle of violence that has become so pervasive against LGBT people in Uganda, which leads to people being killed for simply being who they are,” Kojoué said. “The government should take urgent steps to end its crackdown against LGBT people, and expressly condemn violence against all minorities, including LGBT people, and create an environment that prevents discrimination against them.” 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Human Rights Watch (HRW).

African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) (www.Afreximbank.com) has introduced the Afreximbank Policy Research Working Paper Series (APRWPS) and is inviting authors to submit manuscripts for publication.

The APRWPS will provide a platform for Afreximbank staff, academics, scholars, institutions and practitioners to share preliminary research findings on topics concerning African trade, trade finance and development. It will serve as a knowledge repository for stakeholders to exchange ideas and address knowledge gaps, thereby enhancing Afreximbank’s visibility in research and knowledge generation and contribute to policy advisory, formulation, and implementation among member states.

This new series is designed to complement Afreximbank’s existing research publications, including the Journal of African Trade, the Contemporary Issues in African Trade and Trade Finance, the African Trade Report and the Distinguished Lecture Series. The launch of this policy research series aligns with Afreximbank’s goal of becoming a leading authority in African trade and trade finance.

Afreximbank Managing Director and Group Chief Economist, Dr. Yemi Kale, commented;

“The APRWPS aims to promote research and knowledge dissemination in development economics, trade, and trade finance relevant to Africa’s development. It is an important vehicle to enhance the global image of Africa by contributing to global research and knowledge production.”

Authors interested in contributing to the APRWPS can submit manuscripts to editor.aprwps@afreximbank.com. Guidelines for submitting papers and the scope of research topics are available on the Afreximbank website here: www.Afreximbank.com. The inaugural issue, APRWS/2024, released in March 2024, features six papers authored by 14 contributors and can be accessed here: https://apo-opa.co/49nDyHQ.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Afreximbank.

Media Contact:
Vincent Musumba
Manager, Communications and Events (Media Relations)
Email: press@afreximbank.com
Tel: +20 2 24564100 /1/2/3
Mobile: +201030121123

About Afreximbank:
African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) is a Pan-African multilateral financial institution mandated to finance and promote intra-and extra-African trade. For 30 years, the Bank has been deploying innovative structures to deliver financing solutions that support the transformation of the structure of Africa’s trade, accelerating industrialization and intra-regional trade, thereby boosting economic expansion in Africa. A stalwart supporter of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), Afreximbank has launched a Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS) that was adopted by the African Union (AU) as the payment and settlement platform to underpin the implementation of the AfCFTA. Working with the AfCFTA Secretariat and the AU, the Bank is setting up a US$10 billion Adjustment Fund to support countries to effectively participate in the AfCFTA. At the end of December 2023, Afreximbank’s total assets and guarantees stood at over US$37.3 billion, and its shareholder funds amounted to US$6.1 billion. The Bank disbursed more than US$104 billion between 2016 and 2023. Afreximbank has investment grade ratings assigned by GCR (international scale) (A), Moody’s (Baa1), Japan Credit Rating Agency (JCR) (A-) and Fitch (BBB). Afreximbank has evolved into a group entity comprising the Bank, its impact fund subsidiary called the Fund for Export Development Africa (FEDA), and its insurance management subsidiary, AfrexInsure, (together, “the Group”). The Bank is headquartered in Cairo, Egypt.