Ogbonge research don dey for di field of health for 2023. As di year dey come to an end, we go look at some of di most significant developments.
Second Malaria Vaccine
Afta more dan one century of scientific effort, di world don finally get cheap vaccine against malaria.
Na di University of Oxford develop di vaccine and na di only second malaria vaccine wey dem go develop.
Dis na afta two years wey GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) develop di first vaccine wey dem call RTS,S.
Di World Health Organisation (WHO ) say di effectiveness of di two vaccines dey “veri similar” and evidence no dey say one beta pass di oda.
However, di key difference na di ability to manufacture di University of Oxford vaccine at scale. Dem call di vaccine R21.
Di world largest vaccine manufacturer – di Serum Institute of India – dey already line up to make more dan 100 million doses a year and plan to scale up to 200 million doses a year.
So far, na only 18 million doses of RTS,S dey.
Di WHO say di new R21 vaccine go be “vital additional tool”. Each dose go cost $2-4 and na four doses one pesin go need. Dat na about di half price of RTS,S.
Di two vaccines use similar technologies and target di same stage of di malaria parasite lifecycle.
However, di newer vaccine dey easier to manufacture as e dem require smaller dose and use simpler adjuvant (one chemical for di vaccine wey dey jolt di immune system into action).
Among mosquito-borne diseases, malaria na di most deadly and 95% of cases dey Africa.
For 2021, na 247 million cases of malaria dey and 619,000 pipo die, most of dem na pikin wey dey under di age of five.
First Eye Transplant
Aaron James, na high-voltage utility line worker for US, im lose most of im face wen im accidentally touch a 7,200-volt live wire for 2021.
For May 2023, im do one rare partial face transplant in addition to di eye transplant, wey involve more dan 140 healthcare professionals.
Surgeons for NYU Langone Health, New York, wey perform di tough operation, give update for November.
Dem say Mr James, 46, dey recover well from di dual transplant, and di eye wey dem donate look remarkably healthy. Im right eye still dey work.
Doctors say James surgery offer scientists unprecedented window into how di human eye dey try heal.
Dem also say e get direct blood flow to di retina – di part of di eye wey dey send images to di brain.
While certainty no dey say Mr James go regain vision for im new eye, doctors no dey rule out di possibility either.
Di donated face and eye come from single male donor wey dey for im 30s.
During di surgery, doctors inject adult stem cells from di donor bone marrow into di optic nerve to encourage di repair.
Afta di accident, Mr James remove im left eye becos of di pain and undergo numerous surgeries, including one for prosthetic arm.
Na im be di 19th pesin for US wey go undergo face transplant.
Wetin law tok about who go be Ondo state govnor next afta Akeredolu death