CEMA-Africa

05/03/2026

We appreciate Michael Oruko of Willow Health Media for highlighting our report on Kenya’s effort to eliminate kala-azar. Such a thoroughly written piece that underscores why the 2030 elimination targets remains out of reach, and what can be done to accelerate the progress.

Kala-azar is one of the most lethal neglected tropical diseases. Without early treatment, it is fatal in more than 95% of cases, progressively destroying the immune system and causing severe anemia and organ enlargement.

The report underscores why sustained investment in areas such as early diagnosis, surveillance systems is critical especially in remote endemic counties where delayed detection continues to cost lives.

Read more: https://willowhealthmedia.org/hiding-in-plain-sight-inside-kenyas-10-year-march-to-defeating-kala-azar/

Asymptomatic patients and climate change silently drive 70 per cent of new transmissions as the deadly disease spreads across arid regions.  Kenya will not eliminate kala-azar by 203…

04/03/2026

What a moment! 👏

Fresh off successfully defending his PhD, Dr. Ogoti Maina delivered an engaging and insightful webinar, breaking down what his research means for the future of global health.

The research explores a critical question:
Why is there high exposure to Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in camels, but relatively few human cases, especially in Africa?

Here is a summary from the session:
🔹 Possible seasonal patterns in Africa
MERS-CoV incidence may be seasonal, influenced by factors such as camel birthing cycles, food availability, and migration patterns.

🔹 Predominant strain in East Africa
Over the past two years, Clade C2.2 has been the uniquely detected strain, suggesting it is currently predominant in East Africa.

🔹 Evidence of human exposure in Kenya
Findings suggest likely exposure to MERS-CoV in humans in Kenya, based on the detection of anti-MERS-CoV IgG antibodies and reactive MERS-CoV-specific T cells.

🔹 Differences between African and Arabian strains
Arabian clade A and B strains show stronger replication ability, while African clade C strains appear less efficient in human bronchial cells. This highlights the importance of preventing the introduction of clade B strains into Africa.

Congratulations again, Dr. Ogoti, on a successful PhD defense and for sharing such impactful research. Here’s to turning science into action!

Missed the session? Look out for the recording link later this week.

03/03/2026

TOMORROW! ⏰

Join us for an insightful seminar by Dr. Ogoti Maina as he unpacks one of Africa’s most intriguing epidemiological puzzles, and what it means for the future of disease surveillance and preparedness.

📅 Tomorrow, Wednesday, 4 March 2026

⏰ 12:00 PM EAT

📍 Zoom

🔗 Click this updated link to register: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/iIWjrw4RQbaV2GeRrhfSuA

Don’t miss out. See you there!

03/03/2026

✨ Huge congratulations to Dr. Ogoti Maina on successfully defending his PhD in Tropical and Infectious Diseases from the University of Nairobi!

His groundbreaking research explored the genomic (organisms' genetic materials) and phenotypic (observable characteristics of an organism) drivers of zoonotic transmission of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) — advancing our understanding of how emerging diseases move between animals and humans.

As a Postdoctoral Fellow at CEMA, Dr. Ogoti leads field surveillance on emerging zoonotic diseases, integrating on site sample collection, diagnostics, and data analytics to track transmission patterns and inform control strategies.

CEMA couldn’t be prouder of this remarkable achievement. Here’s to even greater heights and continued impact in global health!

02/03/2026

📢 New Publication Alert!

Congratulations to Dr. Hillary Wakhungu, PhD., Dr. George Omondi Paul, Ph.D., Dr. Dr. Josphat Muema, PhD and colleagues on their new paper:

“Determinants of animal-source food consumption in children 6–48 months in livestock-keeping households in Narok County, Kenya.”

Conducted in Narok County, a pastoralist setting, the study examined dietary diversity among mother–child pairs in livestock-keeping households, with important implications for nutrition policy and programming.

🔎 Key findings include:

📌 Only 31% of mothers met minimum dietary diversity requirements.
📌 74% of children achieved minimum dietary diversity.
📌 88% of children consumed animal-source foods, compared to just 39% of mothers.

These findings highlight the need to strengthen food security, promote economic empowerment, and enhance knowledge and practices around animal-source food (ASF) consumption to improve nutrition outcomes among children in livestock-keeping communities.

Read the full study here: https://lnkd.in/dhnAfnAt

27/02/2026

This week presented at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections 2026 in Colorado, USA.

Dr. Loice Achieng Ombajo, Dr. Joseph Nkuranga and Dr. Emily Kamau shared findings from three studies highlighting the urgent need for context-specific data to guide treatment decisions in Africa.

Key findings:

🔎 Ndovu study focused on children and adolescents

41% of children and adolescents with persistent viraemia (presence of HIV virus in blood) did not achieve viral suppression after three months of enhanced adherence support — underscoring the need for better strategies for young people experiencing dolutegravir (DTG) failure.

🔎 Ndovu study focused on Adults with viraemia while on DTG

Many adults with two consecutive high viral loads on DTG were able to suppress without switching treatment — highlighting the need for stronger data to determine whether these adults should switch regimens without resistant testing according to WHO guidance.

🔎 Sungura study focused on older adults above 60 years of age

At 48 weeks, 100% of participants who switched to DTG/3TC dual therapy were virally suppressed. With high rates of comorbidities such as hypertension, diabetes, kidney disease and osteoporosis, treatment decisions for older adults must consider long-term safety.

The message is clear: as DTG-based regimens scale up across Africa, locally generated evidence is critical to ensure treatment policies reflect real-world clinical realities.

The Ndovu studies were funded by the Gates Foundation, and Sungura by ViiV Healthcare, in partnership with NASCOP and the University of Nairobi.

Read more here: https://url-shortener.me/EQZS

26/02/2026

Join us for an insightful seminar by Brian Ogoti, Postdoctoral Fellow at CEMA, as he unpacks one of Africa’s most intriguing epidemiological puzzles, and what it means for future disease surveillance and preparedness.

Across the continent, dromedary camels show high exposure to Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), similar to the Arabian Peninsula– yet human cases remain strikingly rare. Why?

What explains this transmission paradox?

📌 Mark your calendar.

📲 Scan the QR code to register.

-CoV

25/02/2026

This week’s shines on Edwin Otieno, a Data analyst at CEMA with a background in statistics, turning numbers into insights that shape health policy.

When healthcare research guides strategic resource allocation, we build a healthier workforce and ultimately, a healthier nation.

Edwin supports several clinical trials through data management and analysis, including the multi-country Ndovu HIV study across Kenya, Lesotho, Tanzania and Mozambique.

What excites him about his work at CEMA? Watch the video for more.

25/02/2026

📢 New Publication Alert!

Congratulations to Dr. Oumaima Laraj and colleagues on their new paper: “The projected cost-effectiveness and budget impact of alternative HPV vaccines in Senegal: A modelling study.”

The study evaluated 23 HPV vaccination strategies, modelling health and cost outcomes for 9-year-old girls vaccinated annually between 2019 and 2034.

With cervical cancer remaining a leading cause of illness and death among women in Senegal, the findings provide timely evidence to guide sustainable policy, especially following the country’s 2018 HPV vaccine rollout with support from Gavi.

Findings include:

🔎 All HPV vaccination strategies were cost-effective at a 30% GDP per capita threshold. At even lower thresholds, a single-dose strategy with 90% coverage emerged as the optimal choice.

🔎At lower thresholds, even one dose with 90% coverage was optimal.

The takeaway? HPV vaccination in Senegal is highly cost-effective. Aligning vaccine choice with cost-effectiveness and feasibility will be critical to sustaining impact and advancing equitable health outcomes.

🔗 Read more: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S259013622600015X?via%3Dihub

24/02/2026

Today, we celebrate Dr. Veronicah Chuchu on successfully defending her PhD in Tropical and Infectious Diseases from the University of Nairobi.

Her research tackles one of the most urgent global health threats, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), examining its cost, impact on hospital stays, and patient health outcomes.

As a PhD Fellow at , Dr. Chuchu has been generating critical evidence to inform policies and interventions that can curb the growing AMR burden in Kenya. Her work doesn’t just add to knowledge; it drives solutions.

Here’s to breaking barriers, advancing science, and shaping the future of health through research. 🥂

Congratulations, Dr. Chuchu!

23/02/2026

The study is a research initiative sponsored by the University of Nairobi and funded by the Gates Foundation, and conducted across Kenya, Tanzania, Lesotho & Mozambique. The study is generating critical evidence to guide HIV treatment for patients experiencing dolutegravir (DTG) failure. Read more below.

https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/health/health-science/article/2001541490/guarding-the-gains-africa-moves-to-tackle-rising-hiv-drug-resistance

Scientists warn that poor adherence and emerging drug resistance are quietly undermining progress in the global response to HIV.

20/02/2026

"...Kofi and Juma did nothing reckless. They were not careless. They were simply living.

And that is the tragedy.

Because dirty water does not always look dirty. Sometimes it glows gold at sunset. Sometimes it holds laughter. Sometimes it feels cool and clean on your skin.

The danger is invisible but the damage is not..."

Joy Nthiwa, CEMA PhD Fellow, wrote about sanitation, poverty, stigma, the hidden dangers of rivers, and how the very act of survival can become a source of risk for schistosomiasis contamination.

Public health interventions for must therefore be tailored to meet people where they live, because risk is often built into the fabric of daily life, not into reckless behavior.


Read more: https://shorturl.at/6iY9o