Arba Minch

Researchers are evaluating a revised weight-based dose of tafenoquine target dose 7.5mgkg to treat patients with vivax malaria. This Phase 3 trial aims to determine if this revised regimen is not worse than a high dose of primaquine given over seven days and if it is better than the standard fixed dose of tafenoquine. The study also looks at how well patients tolerate the revised dose and whether it is practical to use. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups. One group will receive a single weight-based oral dose of tafenoquine along with schizontocidal treatment. Another group will receive a single fixed oral dose of 300mg tafenoquine plus schizontocidal treatment. The third group will receive schizontocidal treatment plus a high dose of primaquine given orally over seven days. The trial will monitor safety and effectiveness over several months. During the study, participants will be followed for six months. Researchers will assess the occurrence of vivax parasitaemia at 4 and 6 months as the main outcome. Other measurements include symptomatic vivax parasitaemia, anemia incidence at different time points, hemoglobin changes, adverse events, and methemoglobin levels. Participants must provide informed consent and live in the study area to allow regular follow-up and monitoring throughout the trial.

Tuberculosis TB continues to impact health, social, and economic aspects despite prevention efforts, especially among children and newly diagnosed cases indicating active transmission. This study evaluates whether a digital health intervention, combining video-based education with text message reminders, can improve initiation and completion rates of TB preventive therapy TPT among close contacts of patients with drug-sensitive pulmonary TB in South Ethiopia. Participants are divided into two groups one receives standard care plus weekly 5-7 minute video-based health education for three weeks via mobile phone, while the other receives standard care alone as per national TB guidelines. The study uses a randomized, parallel design to compare outcomes between these groups. Participants will be monitored for up to 4 months to assess TPT initiation within 3 months and completion by 4 months. Additional evaluations include contact investigations over 12 weeks and measuring TB prevalence within 4 months. The study tracks adherence and uses digital interventions to support treatment uptake and completion over the study period.

Advances in HIV care have transformed HIV into a chronic condition, allowing people living with HIV, including those infected perinatally, to live longer and healthier lives with antiretroviral therapy. Despite this progress, HIV-related stigma remains a significant barrier affecting health-seeking behavior, clinical outcomes, and psychological wellbeing, especially among adolescents living with HIV ALHIV. This study evaluates whether a digital peer-support intervention can reduce internalized and anticipated HIV stigma among ALHIV in South Ethiopia, while also exploring effects on psychological wellbeing, retention in care, and viral load suppression. The study compares two groups one receiving a digital peer-support intervention and the other attending standard in-clinic peer support. The digital intervention involves adolescents and youth living with HIV participating in 12 structured educational sessions delivered over 16 weeks via the Telegram messaging app, covering life skills and social mastery topics. Smartphones and technical guidance are provided if needed to support participation. The in-clinic group meets fortnightly for peer-led lessons and social activities, with transport fees supported. Participants will be assessed using validated tools to measure HIV-related stigma, depression, anxiety, and retention in care from baseline to the end of the 16-week intervention. Researchers will monitor changes in stigma using the HIV stigma scale and evaluate psychological wellbeing with questionnaires for depression and anxiety. Retention in care is measured by attendance at scheduled visits. The study follows participants over this period to understand the impact of digital peer support on health and psychosocial outcomes.

Researchers are observing the safety and effectiveness of high dose primaquine treatment in patients with Vivax Malaria who have different levels of G6PD enzyme activity. The study focuses on two groups those with intermediate G6PD activity 30-70% and those who are G6PD deficient less than 30%. The goal is to assess how well these dosing regimens work and their safety for these specific patient groups. Participants with G6PD activity between 30 and less than 70% will receive a treatment combining schizontocidal therapy and a high dose of primaquine at 1 mg per kg each day for 7 days. Those with G6PD activity below 30% will receive schizontocidal treatment plus primaquine once weekly at a dose of 0.75 mg per kg, repeated for 8 weeks. This is a non-randomized study without blinding. During the study, participants will be monitored for six months to evaluate treatment safety and effectiveness. Researchers will measure outcomes related to the safety and efficacy of the high-dose primaquine regimen over this period. Participants must provide informed consent and agree to follow-up visits, during which health status, including haemoglobin levels and fever history, will be assessed.

Researchers are evaluating the feasibility, safety, and clinical performance of a community-based breast cancer screening approach that uses clinical breast exams CBE followed by targeted artificial intelligence AI-supported breast point-of-care ultrasound POCUS for triage. This study takes place in limited-resource settings and aims to improve early detection of breast cancer by involving trained examiners and AI technology. The screening process begins with a clinical breast exam for all participating women, both asymptomatic and symptomatic. Those with positive CBE results or symptoms undergo AI-supported POCUS performed by clinical nurses or officers trained and certified in this technique. The study has two stages initially, an expert breast radiologist is present on site for examinations later, the radiologist reviews ultrasound images remotely. Women with positive ultrasound findings or concerning clinical symptoms will be referred for further follow-up. Participants will attend screening following an awareness campaign and will undergo clinical exams and ultrasound imaging as part of the study. Breast radiologists evaluate ultrasound images on site during the first stage and remotely in the second. The study will measure diagnostic accuracy such as sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values over two months, as well as cancer characteristics and staging up to 12 months. Usability and acceptability of the screening method will also be assessed, with ongoing monitoring of participants as required.