AGP Executive Report

Vaccine Trial Dispute: A Danish ethics approval has revived a proposed hepatitis B study involving 14,000 newborns, but Guinea-Bissau’s health minister says the government has not authorized it. The plan would delay the birth dose for half the babies until six weeks; researchers say the revised protocol excludes babies whose mothers test positive for hepatitis B. The dispute leaves the study’s status unresolved, amid concern over infant protection and research oversight. Cloud Technology: Guinea-Bissau is among the countries represented at Orange Cameroun’s cloud workshop in Douala, where more than 30 experts are discussing the future of the company’s cloud platform.

Vaccine Trial: Guinea-Bissau’s health minister says the government has not authorized a proposed hepatitis B study involving 14,000 newborns, despite reports that Danish researchers’ revised protocol received approval. The trial would delay the birth dose for half the babies until six weeks of age; the US health department also says it has not been approved. The ministry says research involving children must meet national law and international ethics standards.

Vaccine Trial: Guinea-Bissau’s health minister says the government has not approved a proposed hepatitis B study involving 14,000 newborns, despite reports that it had received the green light. The U.S.-funded trial would compare a birth dose with vaccination at six weeks; critics warn that delaying protection could put babies at risk. The U.S. health department also says the study is not approved.

Vaccine Trial: A revised hepatitis B study involving 14,000 newborns in Guinea-Bissau has received new ethics approvals. Half the babies would receive the vaccine at birth; the rest would wait until six weeks. Infants whose mothers test positive for hepatitis B would be vaccinated and excluded. The CDC is funding the $1.6 million project. The WHO has criticized the study’s earlier design and recommends a birth dose within 24 hours; one recent report says final government authorization is still needed before the trial can begin.

Hepatitis B Trial: A revised study involving 14,000 newborns in Guinea-Bissau has received approval from the University of Southern Denmark’s ethics committee. Half the babies would get the hepatitis B vaccine at birth; the rest would start at six weeks. Babies born to mothers who test positive for the virus will be vaccinated and excluded from the trial. The CDC is funding the project with $1.6 million. The WHO recommends vaccination within 24 hours of birth to reduce mother-to-child transmission, and had criticized the original study design. Reports differ on whether Guinea-Bissau’s government has granted final authorization, so the trial’s start remains uncertain.

Hepatitis B Trial: Denmark’s University of Southern Denmark has approved a CDC-funded study in Guinea-Bissau involving 14,000 newborns. Half would not receive the hepatitis B vaccine at birth, but the trial cannot begin without final government authorization in Guinea-Bissau. The $1.6 million project has drawn strong ethical criticism because the birth dose can prevent lifelong infection. Regional Digital ID: Guinea-Bissau is among seven ECOWAS countries to launch the bloc’s biometric identity card. The regional goal is mutual acceptance at air, land and sea borders by December 2026.

Hepatitis B Trial: Denmark’s University of Southern Denmark approved a disputed, CDC-funded study that would enroll 14,000 newborns in Guinea-Bissau, giving half the hepatitis B vaccine at birth and delaying it for six weeks for the rest. The university says the trial cannot start without final government authorization in Guinea-Bissau. Health experts warn that withholding a proven vaccine dose could leave babies vulnerable to lifelong infection. Regional Digital ID: Guinea-Bissau is among seven ECOWAS countries to launch the bloc’s biometric identity card. The region aims for mutual acceptance at air, land and sea borders by December, to ease travel and trade.

Vaccine Trial: A Danish university has approved a hepatitis B study in Guinea-Bissau involving 14,000 newborns, with half not receiving the birth-dose vaccine for six weeks. Guinea-Bissau officials have also reportedly approved it, while the trial remains under fierce criticism from health experts who say withholding a proven vaccine puts babies at risk. The CDC has reportedly set aside $1.6 million to fund the research. Digital Identity: Guinea-Bissau is among seven ECOWAS countries to launch the bloc’s common biometric ID card. ECOWAS aims for member states to accept it at air, land and sea borders by December 2026, potentially easing regional travel and trade. Animal Health: ECOWAS health networks met in Togo to strengthen regional surveillance and early detection of animal diseases, including avian influenza and rabies—an effort relevant to Guinea-Bissau and other member states.

Vaccine Trial: A Danish university approved a controversial hepatitis B study in Guinea-Bissau that would withhold the birth-dose vaccine from half of 14,000 newborns for six weeks. The CDC reportedly set aside $1.6 million for the trial, drawing sharp criticism from health experts. The study’s status remains disputed: it was previously suspended, and critics say delaying a proven vaccine puts babies at risk. Digital Identity: Guinea-Bissau is among seven ECOWAS countries that have launched the bloc’s common biometric ID card. The regional goal is mutual acceptance at borders by December 2026, to make travel and identity checks easier. Animal Health: ECOWAS veterinary and laboratory networks met in Togo to strengthen disease surveillance and coordination across the region, including early detection of threats to livestock and food security.

Vaccine Trial: A Danish university and Guinea-Bissau officials have approved a controversial hepatitis B study involving 14,000 newborns, with half not receiving the vaccine at birth. The trial has drawn strong ethical criticism; reports say the CDC is setting aside $1.6 million to support it, though the study remains halted. Digital Identity: Guinea-Bissau is among seven ECOWAS countries to launch the bloc’s biometric identity card. ECOWAS aims for the card to be accepted across member-state borders by December 2026, easing regional travel and identity checks.

Vaccine Trial: A Danish university has approved a Guinea-Bissau study that plans to withhold the hepatitis B birth dose from half of 14,000 newborns for six weeks. Guinea-Bissau officials have also reportedly approved it, while the CDC is said to be setting aside $1.6 million. Health experts condemn the design as unethical and warn that delaying vaccination could leave babies vulnerable to lifelong infection; reports say the trial has not yet resumed. Regional Digital Identity: Guinea-Bissau is among seven ECOWAS countries to launch the bloc’s biometric identity card. ECOWAS aims for member states to accept it at air, land and sea borders by December 2026, easing regional travel and identity checks. Animal Health: ECOWAS officials met in Togo to strengthen regional surveillance and early response to animal diseases, including avian flu and foot-and-mouth disease.

Hepatitis B Trial: The University of Southern Denmark has approved a controversial Guinea-Bissau study backed by $1.6 million from the US CDC. It plans to withhold the proven birth-dose vaccine from half of 14,000 newborns. Nearly one in five people in Guinea-Bissau has hepatitis B, renewing concerns about the trial’s risks and ethics. Regional Digital Identity: Guinea-Bissau is among seven ECOWAS countries that have launched the bloc’s biometric identity card. ECOWAS aims for mutual acceptance at air, land and sea borders by December 2026. Animal Health: ECOWAS veterinary and laboratory networks met in Lomé to strengthen regional surveillance and early response to livestock diseases, including avian influenza and foot-and-mouth disease.

Vaccine Study: The CDC has reportedly set aside $1.6 million for a previously suspended hepatitis B vaccine trial involving newborns in Guinea-Bissau. The study drew international criticism over its ethics, including concerns about withholding a proven intervention. Regional Health Surveillance: ECOWAS animal-health officials met in Lomé to strengthen early detection and coordination against cross-border livestock diseases, a priority for food security and local livelihoods. Digital Identity: Guinea-Bissau is among seven ECOWAS countries to launch the bloc’s biometric identity card. The region aims for mutual recognition at air, land and sea borders by December 2026, supporting smoother travel and trade.

Vaccine Trial: The CDC has moved to set aside $1.6 million for a hepatitis B vaccine trial in Guinea-Bissau that was previously suspended amid international ethics concerns. The proposed funding comes from global health security funds, as questions remain about the study’s revised protocol. Digital Identity: Guinea-Bissau is among seven ECOWAS countries that have launched the bloc’s biometric identity card. ECOWAS is aiming for mutual acceptance at regional borders by December 2026 to ease identity checks and travel. Instant Payments: Guinea-Bissau is included in a new BCEAO list of providers cleared to join the West African Economic and Monetary Union’s interoperable payment system, which aims to enable instant transfers between different banks and financial services.

Animal Health: ECOWAS veterinary and disease-surveillance networks are meeting in Lomé from October 6–8 to improve early detection and control of animal diseases across the region, including Guinea-Bissau. Digital Identity: Guinea-Bissau is among seven ECOWAS countries that have launched the bloc’s biometric ID card. ECOWAS is aiming for mutual acceptance at air, land and sea borders by December 2026 to ease travel and trade. Instant Payments: A BCEAO list names Guinea-Bissau among the eight West African Economic and Monetary Union countries covered by its instant-payment system, which includes 175 authorized institutions and providers across the region.

Animal Health: ECOWAS animal-health networks are meeting in Lomé from October 6–8 to improve regional coordination, early detection and control of diseases that cross borders. Guinea-Bissau is among the member states involved. Digital Identity: Guinea-Bissau is one of seven ECOWAS countries to launch the bloc’s biometric identity card. The region aims for mutual acceptance at air, land and sea borders by December 2026, easing identity checks for travellers and traders. Digital Payments: BCEAO’s PI-SPI instant-payment network now includes 175 authorized institutions and providers across the eight WAEMU countries, including Guinea-Bissau. The system is opening to banks, fintech firms, mobile-money providers and microfinance institutions. Research Cooperation: Guinea-Bissau’s higher education and research minister met his Mauritanian counterpart in Nouakchott to discuss cooperation in higher education and scientific research.