This archive report was first published on 14 August 2019.
On a day filled with news that often focuses on the negative, Monday brought a welcome respite. Scientists announced that Ebola may soon be a preventable and treatable disease, thanks to a trial of two drugs that showed significantly improved survival rates.
Four drugs were tested on patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where a major outbreak of the virus has claimed over 1,800 lives in the past year. Two of the drugs, REGN-EB3 and mAb114, were found to be dramatically effective in treating the disease.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) coordinated the trial, while the Wellcome Trust and the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) co-sponsored it. The drugs were developed using antibodies harvested from Ebola survivors.
According to the results, the survival rate among patients with low levels of the virus in their blood was as high as 94% when they were given REGN-EB3, and 89% with mAb114.
While this breakthrough is significant, it's not the only example of progress happening in Africa. In Ethiopia, the country's reformist Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has spearheaded a reforestation campaign called 'Green Legacy', which aims to plant four billion trees. So far, the country has planted 2.6 billion trees in recent months.
Even closer to home, infrastructure projects are underway in Kenya. The Red Hill Link Road, which has been under construction for some time, is now almost complete and has decluttered Limuru Road. Additionally, a project to revamp Kisumu Port is underway, with the port undergoing a seven-month upgrade.
These developments are a testament to the hard work and dedication of innovators, policy wonks, bureaucrats, politicians, and philanthropists who are working tirelessly to address Africa's challenges.
