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MSF nurse emerges winner of HIV-TB prize for life-saving TB test research.

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Chenai Mathabire, Zimbabwean Doctors Without Borders (MSF) nurse and researcher has won an HIV/TB Research Prize at this year’s International Aids Society Conference on HIV Science (IAS2017). Through a study conducted in Malawi and Mozambique, Chenai has provided strong evidence that an easy-to-use point-of-care TB LAM test, which quickly diagnoses tuberculosis (TB) in severely ill HIV patients, is feasible to use in real-life clinics with high numbers of HIV-TB patients.

TB is the biggest killer of people living with advanced HIV, with over 400,000 patients dying each year from the disease. People with advanced HIV, also known as Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) have very weakened immune systems, leaving them susceptible to common infections, which can quickly become deadly.

Successfully treating ill AIDS patients involves rapidly assessing the strength of their immune systems and putting them on the right treatment straight away, whether they have TB or another disease deadly to HIV patients, cryptococcal meningitis.

However, in poorer countries, limited laboratory and X-ray facilities, and the time spent waiting on results can mean long and often deadly delays for sick patients arriving at clinics or hospitals. At the same time, people with late-stage HIV often can’t produce enough sputum for more common TB sputum tests so common tests such as sputum microscopy cannot be done. X-rays are also less useful to detect TB in people with advanced HIV.

At $3 per test, the TB LAM test offers a quick, simple and cost-effective alternative that gives on-the-spot results in 30 minutes. Yet despite being available since 2010, only 140,000 TB LAM tests are used each year.

“In Malawi, some HIV patients with suspected TB were waiting months for laboratory or X-ray results to come back. Clinicians don’t like to start patients on treatment based only on clinical signs and symptoms, they prefer to have a diagnostic test result,” says Chenai, who was responsible for implementing and supervising the study. “The TB LAM test helped them make that decision, and they felt better about starting HIV patients on TB treatment. It doesn’t replace existing tests, but adding this test helps us identify more TB cases and can improve the patients’ chances of survival.”

The test uses the HIV patient’s urine to detect LAM (Lipoarabinomanan), a protein created when TB bacteria cells break down. The lower the patients’ immunity, which is measured by numbers of CD4 T-cells, the more LAM appears in the urine and the more sensitive the test becomes. This is why the test is recommended for use in patients with CD4 cells below 100. The MSF study found the test was well accepted by staff, easy to use, and led to better, faster results than sputum or X-ray tests. Nearly 99% of TB LAM test patients received a timely result, versus 70% with sputum and 35% with X-rays.

Currently the main barrier to wider use of the TB LAM test by national governments is that it isn’t included in country guidelines and national TB programmes are not actively pushing it. Use of the TB LAM test has been recommended by the new WHO guidelines for advanced HIV for use in severely ill patients in hospitals but not yet in primary care, given the test’s decreased accuracy in patients with stronger immune responses.

MSF will use the study to advocate for health ministries in countries with high HIV TB burdens to use the TB LAM test in primary care and hospital centres, as well as include TB LAM within a diagnostic package for patients with advanced HIV. This would include point-of-care tests for CD4 (to allow rapid bed-side assessment of immune strength), cryptococcal meningitis and TB to help quick diagnosis and, most importantly, improve patients’ chances of survival.

MSF currently uses TB LAM as part of a diagnostic package in HIV projects in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Guinea, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Niger, Uganda and Zimbabwe. MSF currently supports over 230,000 people living with HIV on antiretrovirals in 19 countries, with a focus on free quality care, and provides free hospital-based care for people living with advanced HIV in DRC, Kenya Guinea, and Malawi.

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Nigeria’s Oil Output Rises to 1.68m Barrels Per Day

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Nigeria’s crude oil and condensate production rose to 1.68 million barrels per day in August 2026, representing a 0.4 per cent increase from the 1.67 million barrels per day recorded in July.

The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission disclosed this in its latest production report released on Sunday.

Excluding condensate, the country produced an average of 1,500,190 barrels of crude oil per day in August, allowing Nigeria to meet its Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries quota for the fourth consecutive month.

Daily combined crude oil and condensate production ranged between 1.64 million barrels and 1.71 million barrels during the month under review.

A breakdown of production by terminals showed that Bonny Terminal recorded the highest output at 320.04 thousand barrels per day, followed by Forcados Terminal with 317.40 thousand barrels per day.

Qua Iboe Terminal recorded an average production of 171.72 thousand barrels per day, while Escravos Oil Terminal posted 131.71 thousand barrels per day.

Bonga ranked fifth among the highest-producing terminals, with an average output of 92.50 thousand barrels per day.

The NUPRC attributed the modest improvement in August production largely to the resolution of operational challenges involving the Single Buoy Mooring at the Erha field.

The commission said the challenges had adversely affected production in the preceding month.

“The restoration of normal evacuation and production operations at the asset contributed positively to overall production volumes during the period under review,” the commission’s spokesperson, Eniola Akinkuotu, said in a statement on Sunday.

The regulator added that production activities across most other producing assets remained relatively stable during the month.

“Production activities across most other producing assets remained relatively stable, with operators sustaining implementation measures aimed at optimising production efficiency, maintaining asset integrity, and minimising operational disruptions,” the statement said.

The latest figures indicate a continued improvement in Nigeria’s oil production, with the country maintaining its OPEC quota compliance for the fourth consecutive month.

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Oyo South: Oseni Approves N100m for Ibadan Community Road Rehabilitation

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, Hon. Aderemi Oseni, has approved N100 million for the immediate rehabilitation of a major access road linking seven communities in Ido Local Government Area of Oyo State.

Oseni, who represents Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, announced the intervention on Saturday at a town hall meeting with residents and community leaders from Power Line, Awonsoso, Siba, Olupoyi, Balogun, Baba Agba and Agaloke communities.

‎The lawmaker said the decision followed a request by the community stakeholders, who identified the poor condition of the road as their most pressing need. He assured the residents that the rehabilitation would be completed within four months.

‎Oseni said the intervention was part of his commitment to people-centred representation, stressing that his legislative activities had been focused on issues capable of improving the lives of Nigerians.

He said, “Within the three years plus, I have sponsored bills and moved motions that are carefully designed to positively impact the lives and livelihoods of citizens.”

According to him, some of the legislative initiatives include moves to amend the Federal Medical Centres Act to establish a Federal Medical Centre in Ido Local Government Area, stronger sanctions for contractors who fail to execute government projects according to specifications, and measures to improve accountability in the management of public contracts.

Oseni added that he had also advocated subsidised farm machinery for farmers, measures to reduce the cost of cancer treatment, improved food storage through modern silos and processing facilities, as well as urgent action on flooding and recurring building collapses in major cities among several others.

‎The lawmaker said his engagements with communities across Oyo South should not be viewed solely through the prism of the 2027 elections, despite the commencement of political activities.

“My visit here today is not to solicit for votes, but to listen and find practical ways to attend to the requests and plights of my people,” he said.

‎Oseni also disclosed that he had facilitated the distribution of 31 transformers across Ido and Ibarapa, with about 80 per cent of the cost funded through his foundation. He added that  other interventions had included solar-powered street lights, boreholes, bridges, public toilets, educational support,  infrastructure, health care services,  youth and women empowerment, and assistance to artisans, traders and markets across the senatorial district.

The APC chieftain further noted that some youths had also received N1 million each as seed capital to start small businesses.

‎Oseni acknowledged that his primary responsibility as a federal lawmaker was to make laws and provide effective representation, but said the gap created by ineffective governance at the grassroots had made it necessary for him to support communities through interventions.

He urged youths to remain focused and resilient, recounting how he worked as a bus conductor to raise money for his secondary education before becoming an engineer, businessman and legislator.

Earlier,  Chief Muibi Adegoke, Baale of Awonsoso, and Chief Azeez Saka, Baale of Elere Apata, commended the lawmaker for what they described as his performance in legislation and community development. They pledged their support for his political aspiration ahead of the 2027 election.

‎The meeting was attended by traditional rulers, religious leaders, community elders, women and youth leaders from the affected communities.

(c) Mega Icon Magazine 

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Oyo APC Guber Candidate, Alli, Celebrates Archbishop Wale Oke at 70

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The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the 2027 Oyo State election, Senator Sharafadeen Alli, has congratulated the Archbishop of the Sword of the Spirit Ministries, Francis Wale Oke, on his 70th birthday.

Alli, in a statement on Tuesday, described the cleric as one of the foremost spiritual leaders produced by Ibadan, saying his contributions to the spread of Christianity had brought honour to Oyo State and impacted lives beyond Nigeria.

The senator described Oke as a “kingdom general” whose leadership and commitment to the gospel had positively influenced communities and nations across the world.

He said, “On behalf of my family and the APC family in Oyo State, I warmly congratulate one of our state’s most illustrious figures, Archbishop Francis Wale Oke, as he marks the landmark age of 70 years today.

“I join millions of Nigerians in celebrating a generational leader, a reformer and a dependable voice for peace and national development. Your dedication over the last five decades to destiny moulding, spiritual upliftment and the expansion of the Christian faith is unparalleled.”

Alli also commended the archbishop’s leadership qualities and his achievements in various capacities, particularly as the National President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria.

The APC candidate noted that Oke’s influence extended beyond the pulpit, describing his years of service as a testament to his commitment to spiritual development and nation-building.

He prayed for continued grace, good health and many more years of fruitful service for the celebrant.

“As you continue to expand the Kingdom and impact destinies, I pray for renewed grace, robust health and many more fruitful years. Ibadan and Oyo State are immensely proud to have you,” Alli added.

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