The Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR) in Yaba, Lagos state, Nigeria is a medical research institute established by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the research institute establishment act of 1977, to promote National health and developments. Until the establishment of National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRID) in Abuja, it was the only institute in the country specifically dedicated for medical research.
The 2022 multi-country mpox (formerly monkeypox) outbreak, driven by mpox virus (MPXV) Clade IIb poses renewed threat to global public health. The cessation of smallpox vaccination has created large immunologically naïve cohorts, with uncertain implications for contemporary MPXV susceptibility. To assess whether residual vaccination-derived immunity influences exposure risk, we combine serological and phylodynamic analyses. Using a six-plex Luminex assay, we measure immunoglobulin G (IgG) binding to six MPXV antigens in 176 Nigerian adults comprising of 75 healthcare workers sampled in 2021 and 101 community volunteers sampled in 2023. At baseline, 24/176 (13.6
Accurate malaria diagnosis is essential for effective case management and transmission control; however, the sensitivity, operational requirements, and field applicability of current conventional methods are limited. Hemozoin, an optically and magnetically active crystalline biomarker produced by Plasmodium species, offers a reagent-free target for next-generation diagnostics. This scoping review, following PRISMA-ScR and Joanna Briggs Institute guidance, synthesizes recent advances in hemozoin-based detection technologies and maps the current landscape. Twenty-four studies were reviewed, spanning eight major technology classes: magneto-optical platforms, magnetophoretic microdevices, photoacoustic detection, Raman/SERS spectroscopy, optical and hyperspectral imaging, NMR relaxometry, smartphone-based microscopy, and flow cytometry. Magneto-optical systems—including Hz-MOD, Gazelle™, and RMOD—demonstrated the highest operational readiness, with robust specificity but reduced sensitivity at low parasitemia. Photoacoustic Cytophone studies demonstrated promising sensitivity and noninvasive in vivo detection. Raman/SERS platforms achieved sub-100 infected cell/mL analytical sensitivity but remain laboratory-bound. Microfluidic and smartphone-based tools offer emerging, potentially low-cost alternatives. Across modalities, performance varied by parasite stage, with reduced detection of early ring forms. In conclusion, hemozoin-targeted diagnostics represent a rapidly evolving field with multiple viable translational pathways. While magneto-optical devices are closest to field deployment, further clinical validation, improved low-density detection, and standardized comparison across platforms are needed to support future adoption in malaria-endemic settings.
Purpose of the Review This review examines the multifaceted barriers and facilitators influencing PrEP uptake among priority populations, including MSM, PWUD, sex workers, transgender individuals, and AGYW, with a focus on generating actionable recommendations for governments, providers, and community organisations to scale effective HIV prevention models globally. Recent Findings Despite PrEP's proven efficacy, uptake remains constrained by intersecting individual, provider, structural, and systemic barriers. Key challenges include limited awareness, misinformation, provider-level stigma, structural discrimination, legal repression, prohibitive costs, and healthcare inaccessibility, burdens that fall disproportionately on priority populations in low- and middle-income countries. Conversely, evidence from sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas demonstrates that community-led awareness campaigns, integration of PrEP into sexual and reproductive health services, long-acting injectable formulations, mobile clinics, peer support structures, and digital health and telemedicine tools meaningfully improve access and adherence, particularly among youth and rural populations. Policy-level interventions, including decriminalisation of sex work, same-sex relationships, and drug use, alongside subsidised access and inclusion in universal health coverage frameworks, are identified as critical enablers of equitable reach. Summary Achieving global HIV prevention targets requires more than biomedical innovation. This review underscores that rights-based, community-embedded, and culturally affirming strategies paired with structural reform and sustained investment are essential to expanding PrEP access and equity. PrEP must be positioned not merely as a clinical tool, but as a cornerstone of an equity-driven HIV prevention architecture.
Background: The rapidly growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in sub-Saharan Africa necessitates a better understanding of access gaps along the care continuum. This study assessed the prevalence and inequality in unmet need for hypertension and diabetes care in Tanzania, South Africa, and Lesotho using a care cascade framework. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of nationally representative Demographic Health Survey (DHS) datasets from Tanzania (2022), South Africa (2016), and Lesotho (2023/24), focusing on adults aged 15 years and older. The study estimated the proportion of adults with hypertension or diabetes who had not been screened, diagnosed, treated, or achieved disease control. Inequality was assessed using Erreygers Normalized Concentration Indices (ENCI), stratified by sex and residence. Results: Hypertension prevalence was 12.6% (95% CI: 11.7-13.4) in Tanzania, 46.7% (95% CI: 45.0-48.4) in South Africa, and 15.4% (95% CI: 13.8-17.2) in Lesotho. In Lesotho, 9.1% (95% CI: 7.8-10.6) of adults had diabetes. Unmet need was substantial across all countries: 96.5% for hypertension in Tanzania, 84.2% in South Africa, 65.8% in Lesotho, and 84.2% for diabetes in Lesotho. The care cascade framework revealed critical bottle-necks at screening and treatment stages. Inequality analyses revealed strong pro-poor gradients, particularly in screening (ENCIs: Tanzania -0.19, South Africa -0.17, Lesotho hypertension -0.15, Lesotho diabetes -0.24; all p < 0.01), with poor men experiencing the most disparities.Conclusion: Substantial and inequitable gaps exist in hypertension and diabetes care. Policy strategies should prioritize community-based screening, primary care integration, and equity-focused interventions targeting poor men to improve NCD outcomes in the region.
Cancer remains a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in people with HIV, and the importance of cancer screening increases as this population ages. In 2017, 2020, and 2023, cross-sectional surveys were conducted at HIV care sites across 5 continents within the International epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) consortium. We described cancer screening availability in 2023 and over time for cervical and anal cancer screening using generalized estimating equations with a logit link function to account for site clustering, rurality, and country income. Of the 220 sites in the 2023 survey, 61% (134/220) reported cervical cancer screening by cytology or human papillomavirus (HPV) testing on-site, and 88% (194/220) reported cervical cancer screening by any method, including visual inspection. At sites serving predominantly rural populations, 62% (29/47) exclusively performed screening by visual inspection. Overall, 23% (50/220) of sites performed cytology-based anal cancer screening on-site, and 16% (35/220) had availability of high-resolution anoscopy, either on-site or by referral. Screening for cancer of the liver, colon, lung, prostate, or breast (by imaging) were each available at less than 43% of sites. The odds of cervical cancer screening availability increased by 16% annually from 2017 through 2023 (aOR = 1.16, 95% CI: 1.07-1.27, p = 0.001), while the relative odds of anal cancer screening availability decreased by 9% annually (aOR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.84-0.99, p = 0.023). Lack of trained staff was the most frequently reported barrier, followed by lack of equipment. Understanding current practices and capacity is essential for the continued integration of cancer prevention in HIV care.
