The study, led by Australia’s University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, is the first to show that sex modulates gene networks controlling bronchial responsiveness under normal physiological conditions, said a UTS statement on Thursday.
“Biological sex fundamentally shapes how the lungs function, even under healthy, non-diseased conditions,” said study lead author, UTS and Woolcock Institute Research Fellow Razia Zakarya.
“Male lungs are intrinsically more reactive to inhaled triggers than female lungs, which helps explain why the sexes experience respiratory disease differently,” Zakarya said, adding these differences arise from discrete gene network activity rather than a single gene or hormone.
The study, published in the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology journal, shows that sex differences in lung function exist at a deep molecular level, long before disease develops.
“Essentially, the sexes utilize different genetic toolboxes when exposed to environmental factors,” Zakarya said.
The team also found that early-life environmental exposures could alter these molecular networks in sex-specific ways, potentially influencing vulnerability to diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Zakarya said the findings underscore the need for sex-inclusive biomedical and environmental health research from the earliest stages of discovery.
The week-long surgical program began on Monday, February 9, 2026, with the successful operation of a 39-year-old woman who had lived with epilepsy for 15 years despite ongoing medication.
The procedure was conducted by a team of CHUK specialists working alongside visiting international experts who are supporting the introduction of epilepsy surgery services in Rwanda.
Until now, epilepsy in Rwanda has been treated primarily with medication, as surgical capacity was not available. However, some patients do not respond to drug therapy and previously had to seek treatment abroad, often in India.
Epilepsy occurs when brain signals become excessive or disorganized, triggering physical and behavioral symptoms.
These may include loss of consciousness, repeated falls, tongue biting, muscle stiffness, and involuntary urination or defecation, depending on the part of the brain affected.
During the procedure, surgeons accessed the brain by temporarily removing a section of skull bone before treating the affected area.
Other surgical techniques for epilepsy may also be used depending on the patient’s condition.
Dr. Inyange Musoni Sylvie, a Rwandan neurosurgeon involved in the operation, said the patient’s seizures originated from the left side of the brain.
“The treatment involved removing a small portion of brain tissue identified by MRI scans as the source of the seizures,” she explained.
Despite long-term treatment, the patient had continued to experience seizures about twice a week, significantly affecting her quality of life and overall health.
According to Dr. Inyange, the procedure offers an estimated 85 percent chance of recovery, with the possibility that medication can be gradually reduced or discontinued entirely.
She described the development as a major milestone for epilepsy care in Rwanda, noting that patients who did not respond to medication previously had limited options, while seeking treatment abroad was often difficult and costly.
“This is an important breakthrough because many Rwandans living with epilepsy could not access this treatment. When patients came to us, our only option was to adjust medication. It placed a heavy burden on families, the health system, and the country as a whole,” she said.
Alivera Mukarugwiza, a caretaker, said her daughter first developed epilepsy while in primary school. For years, the family pursued different treatments without success. Medication later reduced the frequency of seizures, but recovery remained incomplete, and traveling regularly from Rwamagana to Kigali for care was challenging.
She expressed gratitude for the treatment her daughter received, thanking both God and the country for making the surgery possible.
Building on Rwanda’s pioneering 2016 launch of the world’s first national drone delivery service, the new deal expands Zipline’s operations to full nationwide coverage, introduces Africa’s first urban drone delivery network, and establishes the continent’s first autonomous delivery testing centre.
Under the expansion, Rwanda will also become the first country in Africa to deploy Zipline’s next-generation urban delivery system, Platform 2 (P2), designed for fast, quiet and highly precise deliveries in dense cities such as Kigali, where nearly 40 per cent of national healthcare demand is concentrated.
The system is already in use in the United States, delivering thousands of items daily to homes, offices and public spaces.
Minister of ICT and Innovation Paula Ingabire said the partnership reflects Rwanda’s long-term commitment to using technology to improve public services and save lives.
“Rwanda and Zipline have been working together for years to harness technology for the good of our people,” Ingabire said. “We have seen the extraordinary impact of drone delivery in saving time, saving money and saving lives. With this partnership, we are expanding to urban delivery and reaching even more communities. We thank the U.S. Government for supporting Zipline’s expansion and for joining us in building the foundation for Africa’s future in healthcare and innovation.”
As part of the agreement, Zipline will establish a new long-range distribution hub in Karongi District, complementing its existing centres in Muhanga and Kayonza. The Karongi hub will extend delivery services to districts beyond the Nyungwe Forest, including communities near Rwanda’s western border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Within Rwanda, the facility is expected to serve about 200 health posts and 60 major health facilities, reaching more than 2.9 million people.
With the addition of the new hub and the rollout of urban services, Zipline’s nationwide network in Rwanda will cover more than 11 million people and support approximately 350 local jobs. The Karongi site, built near the Rwanda–DRC border, has also been described as a symbol of cooperation and peace between the two countries.
Zipline Africa CEO Caitlin Burton said Rwanda’s approach to innovation continues to set a global benchmark.
“In 2016, Rwanda made a decision that changed health access forever,” Burton said. “Rwanda did not ask whether it had been done before. It asked whether it could work and whether it could save lives. Today, Rwanda is doing it again. This is a global first — not because the technology exists, but because the leadership exists.”
She added that Rwanda’s leadership was a key reason the U.S. Government is backing the expansion and why Zipline is investing beyond its contract in research, technology and high-skill jobs in the country.
In another first, the agreement includes the establishment of Zipline’s first overseas research and development hub in Rwanda. The new AI and robotics testing facility will support aircraft performance testing, development of new safety systems and next-generation logistics software, while also contributing to local skills development and innovation.
Pierre Kayitana, Zipline Rwanda’s Country Director, said the expansion creates a single, integrated logistics system serving all Rwandans.
“Rwanda pioneered autonomous logistics for the world,” Kayitana said. “With the addition of a third hub and upcoming urban services in Kigali, Rwanda is creating a seamless national system that serves all citizens equally.”
Under the financing model, the U.S. Government will provide upfront infrastructure funding to enable the scale-up, while the Government of Rwanda will cover ongoing operations. Officials say the approach ensures the expansion is financially sustainable, nationally owned and fully integrated into Rwanda’s broader strategy for resilient, technology-driven healthcare.
Since its launch, Zipline’s drone delivery network in Rwanda has provided on-demand access to blood, vaccines and essential medicines, significantly reducing waste and improving health outcomes. According to Zipline, the system has contributed to a 51 per cent reduction in maternal deaths and strengthened real-time health data integration with national emergency response systems.
The data, covering new cancer cases diagnosed in 2023, were released on February 3, 2026, during RBC’s National Cancer Symposium, convened to discuss strategies and pathways to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer by 2027.
In total, 5,635 new cancer cases were recorded in 2023. Among women, breast cancer topped the list with 719 new cases, compared to just 32 men diagnosed with the disease. Among men, prostate cancer was most prevalent, with 525 new cases.
Cervical cancer followed, with 664 new cases among women. Stomach cancer affected 271 women and 222 men. Liver cancer ranked fifth, with 195 men and 186 women diagnosed. Sixth was colorectal cancer, with 185 women and 145 men affected.
Blood cancers also ranked highly: leukaemia was diagnosed in 145 women and 158 men, while lymphoma affected 135 women and 114 men. Lung cancer was ninth, with 104 women and 76 men diagnosed, and oral cancer ranked tenth, affecting 60 women and 99 men.
RBC Director General Prof. Claude Mambo Muvunyi highlighted Rwanda’s goal to eliminate cervical cancer by 2027. Currently, nine of the country’s 30 districts have already achieved this milestone.
“Cervical cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among our mothers, sisters, and daughters. Yet it is one of the most preventable and treatable forms of cancer,” he said, adding, “For Rwanda, eliminating cervical cancer is not only a public health priority, it is a matter of equity, of defending women’s rights, and of securing the health of future generations”
This goal aligns with the internationally recognised “90-70-90” targets: 90% of girls should be fully vaccinated against HPV by age 15, 70% of women should be screened with a high-performance test by age 35 and again by 45, and 90% of women diagnosed with cervical disease should receive treatment. Rwanda has already exceeded the vaccination target, reached approximately 31% of the screening goal, and achieved 81% of the treatment target.
The estimated cost to fully achieve this goal is $27.8 million. RBC remains optimistic, citing strong government commitment and recent expansions in cancer care, including at Mituweli Hospital.
Dr. Maniragaba Théoneste, Director of the cancer control unit at RBC, emphasised the importance of early screening, noting that cervical cancer is highly treatable if detected in its initial stages.
“When detected at stage one or two, cancer can be cured before it spreads to other organs, such as the liver or brain. Early detection saves lives,” he said.
While the virus that causes cervical cancer (HPV) is sexually transmitted, symptoms of the disease may not appear for a decade or more. Donathile Akayezu, who recovered from cervical cancer last year, shared that she initially mistook her symptoms for a routine infection. Only after testing was the cancer detected.
“At first, I felt hopeless, but after treatment, I recovered and returned to my normal life. I continue regular check-ups but no longer take medication,” she said.
Efforts to eliminate cervical cancer continue to focus on vaccinating children and raising awareness among women about the importance of regular screening.
Researchers from the University of Queensland’s (UQ) Frazer Institute studied cell interactions at cellular resolution in non-small cell lung carcinoma, the most common form of lung cancer, to better understand why some patients don’t respond to immunotherapy treatment, said a UQ statement on Wednesday.
Using machine-learning algorithms and computational approaches, the study, published in Nature Communications, examined how cells interact and metabolize glucose, which cancer cells thrive on, said Associate Professor Arutha Kulasinghe from UQ’s Frazer Institute.
“We were able to dive deep into the complex nature of cells, basically looking at the cells’ personal lives in the complex composition of a tumor, and found certain metabolic neighborhoods were associated with response and resistance to immunotherapy,” Kulasinghe said.
Immunotherapy is costly and benefits only a minority of patients, he said, adding that “it’s important to understand how to identify these patients, and those that might need combination or alternative therapies.”
Lead author James Monkman from UQ’s Frazer Institute said higher glucose uptake in cancer cells was associated with poorer outcomes.
“We know cancer cells love sugar, and we analyzed where glucose was being processed in the cells and where it wasn’t,” Monkman said. “You could have a region of a tumor processing glucose in a completely different way to another area of the tumor.”
The next step is to develop targeted treatments, such as with metabolic inhibitors, to make immunotherapy more effective, and eventually enable precision medicine tailored to each patient’s tumor, with plans to extend the approach to other cancers, the researchers said.
In spring 2023, a 33-year-old male patient diagnosed with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) was admitted to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in the United States. The patient’s condition escalated into necrotizing pneumonia and overwhelming sepsis. Despite being placed on a ventilator, his condition kept deteriorating, and he had to face renal failure and cardiac arrest as a consequence.
Facing the rare clinical dilemma, the medical team led by thoracic surgeon Dr. Ankit Bharat at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago decided to support the patient with a newly developed artificial lung system, after removing the patient’s infected lungs.
The patient’s condition began to improve within just 48 hours. Bharat observed that the man’s kidney function was completely restored and his heart returned to normal. He no longer required any medication to support his blood pressure. The patient later received a successful double lung transplant and has not experienced any signs of organ rejection or impaired lung function to this day.
Dr. Natasha Rogers, a transplant clinician at Westmead Hospital in Sydney, Australia, commented that the engineering behind the artificial lung system is remarkable and the team involved was “very brave.”
Dr. Bharat expressed hope that such life-saving technology would be increasingly accessible for critically ill patients awaiting lung transplants. However, Rogers emphasized that implementing this approach requires multiple specialized teams, because only large hospitals would be capable of deploying it. Therefore, the application of this system remains limited.
The Bank Group’s contribution includes $24.64 million from the African Development Fund, its concessional lending arm, and an additional $5.21 million from the AfDB. The remaining funds will come from the Government of Rwanda.
The project will expand and upgrade the Centre of Excellence, located in Kigali Innovation City, a growing tech hub in the Rwandan capital. Plans include enhanced academic programs and student training, new laboratories and facilities, advanced equipment procurement, and stronger linkages with the private sector.
Phase II will train 470 students in biomedical engineering, rehabilitation and mobility sciences, and digital health at bachelor’s and master’s levels, with most beneficiaries coming from Rwanda and other East African Community countries. The project will also provide PhD and post-doctoral training for University of Rwanda staff to ensure high-quality teaching and research.
In addition, the project will support curriculum reform, accreditation, and collaborative research with leading international institutions. Regional integration will be promoted through student and faculty exchanges, joint research initiatives, knowledge-sharing events, and entrepreneurship support programs.
A notable innovation under Phase II is the establishment of a Biomedical Innovation Park, which will allow students, researchers, and private companies to design, test, and produce health technologies tailored to local and regional needs.
The project is expected to benefit the wider community by providing hospitals and clinics with locally trained specialists capable of installing, maintaining, and repairing medical equipment. Expanded access to digital health tools and telemedicine will also make healthcare more accessible, particularly in rural areas.
During its construction phase, the project will create hundreds of temporary jobs, mainly for young people. In the long term, it is expected to stimulate the development of health technology businesses, attract research funding, and create skilled employment opportunities.
“This project will equip our young people with world-class skills while bringing better health services closer to families. It is an investment in talent, innovation, and the wellbeing of our communities,” said Hendrina Doroba, AfDB Manager for Education and Skills Development.
Following approval on January 9, the project will be implemented by the Government of Rwanda through the University of Rwanda and is scheduled to run through 2030. It supports Rwanda’s long-term vision of building a knowledge-driven economy and a resilient, inclusive health system.
Modelling shows extreme weather disruptions could drive 79 percent of additional malaria cases and 93 percent of deaths across Africa by 2050, mainly from floods and cyclones damaging homes, bednets and health services, said a statement of The Kids Research Institute Australia on Thursday.
The study, published in Nature on Wednesday by the institute and Australia’s Curtin University, analyzed 25 years of data on climate, malaria burden, control interventions, socioeconomic indicators, and extreme weather patterns across Africa.
Most previous studies focused on climate change’s direct effects on mosquitoes and parasites, said study lead author, Associate Professor Tasmin Symons, a member of the Malaria Atlas Project, a research group based at the institute.
This research shows extreme weather poses the greatest threat to malaria control by repeatedly damaging housing, health services and interventions that suppress transmission, Symons said.
“While changes in transmission ecology are real, they are comparatively small. When those changes are combined with repeated disruption to malaria control, the impacts become substantial,” she said.
Researchers urge embedding climate resilience into malaria policies and health planning to sustain progress toward eradication.
Appearing before the Committee on Governance and Gender Affairs on Tuesday, Minister of State in the Ministry of Health Dr. Yvan Butera said that the prevalence had dropped from 20.5% in 2018 to 18.6% in 2025.
“The preliminary figures show a decrease, which we attribute to the increasing efforts and resources dedicated to mental health services,” Dr. Butera said.
According to the ministry, mental health problems linked to depression fell from 11.9% in 2018 to 9.1% last year, while cases associated with stress decreased from 8% to 3%. However, conditions related to alcohol and drug use rose from 1.6% to 2.4%.
Other mental health conditions include schizophrenia (3%), bipolar disorder (0.4%), suicidal thoughts (0.9%), and substance use disorders (0.8%).
Dr. Butera noted that support programs for survivors of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi, their descendants, and school-based mental health initiatives have contributed to the overall decline, even as challenges remain.
He identified three major factors driving mental health issues in Rwanda: depression linked to the country’s historical trauma, stress, and substance abuse.
“Depression has decreased from 11.9% in 2018 to 9.1%, stress from 8% to 3%, while alcohol and drug use has increased slightly from 1.6% to 2.4%,” he explained.
The ministry’s data also highlights age-related trends. Adults aged 46–55 represent the largest group affected (25%), followed by those aged 36–45 (24%) and 56–65 (23.6%). Among younger people, 26–35-year-olds account for 18.2%, 19–25-year-olds for 13.7%, and 14–18-year-olds for 8.7%.
Rwanda’s mental health services are anchored at the community level, with approximately 60,000 health advisors across the country. Specialised hospitals provide more advanced care, and 80% of health centres now offer at least some mental health services.
Access to medication has also improved, with 14 types of drugs available at health centers and 20 at hospitals. The country has also launched a specialized clinic for severe depression and suicidal tendencies, known as the “Ketamine Clinic,” at King Faisal Hospital.
In response to concerns from Deputy Mukayiranga Muyango Sylvie about potential risks of using ketamine, Dr. Gishoma Darius, manager of the Mental Health Division at the Rwanda Biomedical Centre, explained that although ketamine was initially used in veterinary medicine, it has been safely used in mental health treatment for the past 20 years.
He noted that research shows it can be effective for patients who have attempted suicide multiple times and do not respond to conventional medication, and that its use is closely monitored.
The decision was announced on Thursday in a joint statement by US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who cited what they described as the WHO’s failures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
They said US engagement with the organisation will now be limited to finalising withdrawal procedures and protecting the health and safety of Americans, adding that all US funding to the WHO has stopped.
The move follows President Donald Trump’s announcement on January 20, 2025, the first day of his second term, that the US would leave the Geneva-based agency.
UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric confirmed that the US is no longer participating in the WHO’s work, although some legal and administrative details remain unresolved. He said the UN would welcome a full return of the US, stressing that global health threats such as pandemics and non-communicable diseases require international cooperation.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus previously said the organisation has already made budget cuts to manage funding shortfalls linked to the US exit.
The WHO’s chief legal officer, Steven Solomon, noted that the organisation’s founders had not originally included a withdrawal clause, viewing it as a universal body essential to global safety.
Public health experts have criticised the US decision. Health advocate Lucky Tran said the WHO has played a critical role in reducing disease and saving lives worldwide, warning that withdrawal weakens collective responses to global health threats.
Before the US exit, the WHO had 194 member states and has long coordinated international responses to health emergencies, including disease outbreaks and humanitarian crises across borders.
