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Good News as Scientists Find Ebola Vaccines

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A pair of experimental Ebola vaccines that protect monkeys from the fatal disease ravaging West Africa have been developed.

According to a new study, the vaccine is effective for at least five weeks in lab monkeys but requires boosting with an additional vaccine to extend its protection to 10 months.

The findings offer a glimpse of which – if any – of the Ebola vaccines in development will prove effective, and in what form.

Pharmaceutical firms are accelerating their efforts to provide Ebola vaccines and treatments as the worst known outbreak of the virus tears through West Africa, killing more than 2,000 people.

The worst known outbreak of the Ebola virus has ravaged West Africa, killing more than 2,000 people.

The results of the new study suggest, for instance, that a vaccine by pharma giant GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) now being tested on healthy volunteers will protect against Ebola infection in the short term, but may have to be augmented for long-term protection.

The study, published in Nature Medicine, is the first to report that a vaccine regimen produced ‘durable immunity’ against Ebola, protecting four out of four monkeys for 10 months.
 
The vaccine uses a chimp adenovirus, closely related to a human version that causes upper respiratory tract infections, into which scientists spliced an Ebola gene.

The adenovirus infects cells in a vaccinated animal, causing them to take up the gene and produce Ebola proteins.

That primes the immune system to attack the proteins of Ebola viruses when an infection occurs

The vaccine in the study is similar to competing vaccines being developed by GSK, which began human safety trials last Tuesday, and by Johnson & Johnson (J&J), which aims to start safety trials in early 2015.

A third experimental Ebola vaccine uses a different delivery system, a livestock pathogen called vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV).

A version developed by the Public Health Agency of Canada and licensed to NewLink Genetics is scheduled to be tested for safety in healthy volunteers this fall.

Profectus BioSciences is also developing a VSV vaccine.

In the new study, led by Nancy Sullivan of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), researchers sought to see whether a double dose of vaccine in a regimen called ‘prime-boost’ would address two different clinical needs.

One is protecting against Ebola immediately, said Dr Anthony Fauci, NIAID director as when a person is heading to an area with an Ebola outbreak.

In the study, an adenovirus vaccine essentially the same as GSK’s does so: four of four vaccinated macaque monkeys given otherwise lethal doses of Ebola five weeks later survived and had no detectable virus in their blood. All unvaccinated monkeys died within six days.

The other need is to protect someone whose stay in an Ebola zone lasts months.

Here, the adeno vaccine faltered at one dose: when eight vaccinated macaques were exposed to Ebola 10 months later, six died.

With a new group of macaques, however, the scientists followed the initial adeno vaccine eight weeks later with a booster shot using a different carrier virus, called MVA (modified vaccine Ankara) and carrying the same Ebola gene. This time, all four infected monkeys were still protected at 10 months.

The human trial of the GSK vaccine uses a single adenovirus dose: regulators require safety trials to test each element of a regimen separately, said NIAID’s Fauci, so any adverse events can be traced more easily.

GSK also plans to test a two-dose prime-boost version, said spokeswoman Mary Ann Rhyne.

J&J’s Ebola vaccine consists of an adenovirus prime followed by an MVA boost made by Bavarian Nordic.

‘After the boost, protection is not only stronger but also longer-lasting,’ said J&J spokesman Daniel De Schryver.

Thomas Geisbert of the University of Texas Medical Branch works on the VSV-based Ebola vaccine being developed by Profectus.

He questioned the practicality of a two-shot vaccine regimen.

‘You really need a fast-acting single injection vaccine’ for protecting a community during an outbreak or preparing first responders and healthcare workers, he said.

Only VSV vaccines have been shown to protect lab monkeys when given after infection with Ebola, Geisbert said: ‘This makes it so much more useful than any of the other vaccines. For outbreaks, it works fast.’


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Myitura Launches Women-Focused Healthcare Financing Solutions to Bridge Access Gap

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In commemoration of Women’s Month, health-tech platform Myitura has released a new white paper addressing the critical gaps in healthcare financing for women in Nigeria.

Titled “Closing the Gap: Healthcare Financing for Women in Nigeria,” the report highlights how high out-of-pocket costs, limited insurance coverage, and socio-economic factors continue to prevent women from accessing timely healthcare.

According to the report, over 70% of healthcare expenses in Nigeria are paid out-of-pocket, disproportionately affecting women who often delay care due to financial and social constraints.

“When women can afford to take care of their health early, we don’t just save lives; we strengthen families, communities, and the economy,” said Chialuka Kelechi, MyItura’s Chief of Staff.

Key Insights from the White Paper:

  • Preventable conditions often escalate due to delayed care
  • Women are more likely to deprioritize their own health
  • Affordable, structured healthcare financing can significantly improve outcomes

Introducing a Women’s Health Initiative

As part of its commitment, Myitura is launching affordable women-focused health packages (powered by Mediloan), starting at ₦58,180, designed to encourage preventive care and early detection.

The package provides access to:

  • Fasting/Random Blood Sugar
  • Urinalysis
  • Electrolytes
  • Urea
  • Creatinine
  • Pap Smear Submitted slides
  • HIV I & II Rapid (Qualitative)
  • Hepatitis B Surface Antigen Screening (Rapid)
  • Hepatitis C Virus Screening (Rapid)
  • Abdominopelvic Ultrasound
  • Ongoing support via the Myitura platform

Access:

Women can access these packages by downloading the Myitura app, which makes healthcare more accessible and convenient.

Myitura is a health-tech platform focused on improving access to healthcare through financing, technology, and preventive care solutions.

 


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DBI Unveils Nigeria Digital Economy Outlook 2026: Q1 Report Highlights Strategic Trends, Risks

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DigitalSENSE Business Intelligence (DBI), powered by ITREALMS Media, has launched the Nigeria Digital Economy Outlook 2026: Q1 Intelligence Report (Executive Edition), delivering vital insights for navigating Nigeria’s fast-paced digital landscape.

DBI Unveils Nigeria Digital Economy Outlook 2026: Q1 Report Highlights Strategic Trends, Risks

This executive summary spotlights trends, risks, and opportunities in telecommunications, fintech, digital infrastructure, policy shifts, and investment flows. It underscores digital transformation’s pivotal role in boosting economic growth, financial inclusion, and nationwide innovation.

DBI Publisher, Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke, emphasized its value for leaders: “This Executive Edition offers a sharp, strategic view of Nigeria’s digital economy during a pivotal moment. As the sector surges ahead, reliable intelligence is key to seizing opportunities and tackling risks.”

Key highlights include:

  • Broadband infrastructure expansion.

  • Surge in digital payments adoption.

  • Evolving regulations.

  • Investor pivot to sustainable, profitable ventures.

The report urges action on digital financial inclusion, infrastructure funding, skills training, and public sector digitization.

Freely accessible, the Executive Edition complements the premium Full Edition with in-depth analysis for executives and institutions. Stakeholders can request full access or briefings.

Media & Access Contacts:
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.itrealms.com.ng


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NASENI Renewable Energy Industrial Park Underway as Construction Gains Momentum

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The on-going construction works at the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, NASENI’s Renewable Energy Industrial Park, Gora, Nasarawa State is gathering momentum as the project is envisioned to address the country’s energy needs.

NASENI Renewable Energy Industrial Park Underway as Construction Gains Momentum

NASENI’s Renewable Energy Industrial Park, Gora, Nasarawa State

The project occupying a 40-hectare park designed as a multi-energy hub will help curb capital flight and save foreign exchange expenditure by enabling local production of key renewable energy components such as solar panels, mounting racks, wind systems and biomass technologies.

Speaking during an inspection visit on the project site on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, Special Adviser to the Executive Vice Chairman on Renewable Energy, Engr. Suyud Abdullahi Muhammad, who also serves as the Gora Project Manager, disclosed that the initiative is designed to significantly reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported renewable energy equipment.

“There will be a wind assembly plant, small hydro power equipment production, and solar panel manufacturing; Renewable energy goes beyond just solar, and this park reflects that broader vision,” he said.

Abdullahi noted that the project aligns with NASENI’s goal of reducing energy poverty in Nigeria, where over 80 million citizens remain off-grid, while many connected to the national grid continue to experience inadequate power supply.

The Special Adviser also emphasised on the project’s industrialisation potential, highlighting its role in job creation and value chain development. The park is expected to generate 2,000 direct jobs, with an additional 50,000 indirect employment opportunities across supporting industries when completed.

“This initiative will localise the renewable energy value chain. Instead of relying on imports, Nigeria will begin to produce and eventually export these technologies, starting with the West African market and scaling up to the rest of the continent,” he added.

On sustainability and long-term viability, he revealed that the project is being executed in collaboration with private sector players, academia and other stakeholders, in line with NASENI’s “3Cs” principle of Creation, Collaboration and Commercialisation.

The ongoing construction is being handled by about 35 contracting firms, each handling specific components at varying levels of execution such as Multipurpose Halls for industrial productions, Research and Development (R&D) Centre, Knowledge Park, Energy Centre, Workshops, Researchers Lodge, Studio Apartments, Clinic, Restaurant, Wellness Centre, Solar Farm, Drivers Lounge, Gate House, Internal roads and drainage system and Fencing.

The Gora Renewable Energy Industrial Energy Park is considered a key component of the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aimed at strengthening local manufacturing, enhancing energy security and positioning Nigeria as a renewable energy hub in Africa.


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