A potential game-changer in the tuberculosis epidemic was how the tuberculosis community viewed rapid molecular tests for tuberculosis and tuberculosis drug resistance. This was 12 years ago, with the launch of Xpert MTB/RIF, which gives results in less than two hours, simultaneously diagnosing tuberculosis and testing if the bacteria have rifampicin resistance, a type of drug-resistant tuberculosis. Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis is caused by resistance to at least both rifampicin and isoniazid, the two most effective first-line drugs used to treat tuberculosis.

Cochrane is delighted to announce the availability for the first time of RevMan Web, its popular, web-based systematic-review production software, to the wider community beyond Cochrane – to support evidence synthesis development and evidence-based medicine education.

Welcome to the fourth issue of the Cochrane Africa newsletter. In this issue we focus on the people of Cochrane Africa with a series of interviews and articles on some of the Cochrane journeys of researchers in Africa. We also bring you information on new and updated reviews on COVID-19 and other priority topics as well as information on training and capacity development opportunities.

In 2020 Dr Nyanyiwe Mbeye of the Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Malawi, was the prize-money recipient of the Anne Anderson Award from Cochrane. We caught up with her to find out about the impact of the award and the projects she’s involved in.

Cochrane Africa is a network with a mission to enhance evidence-informed decision-making by producing and sharing up-to-date, high quality, accessible systematic reviews of health care questions.

Global Evidence - Local Adaptation (GELA): Grant to enhance evidence-informed guideline recommendations for newborn and young child health in three sub-Saharan African countries.

Viral load (VL) testing in people living with HIV (PLHIV) helps to monitor antiretroviral therapy (ART). VL is still largely tested using central laboratory‐based platforms, which have long test turnaround times and involve sophisticated equipment. VL tests with point‐of‐care (POC) platforms capable of being used near the patient are potentially easy to use, give quick results, are cost‐effective, and could replace central or reference VL testing platforms.

It’s hard to stay up-to-date with the latest health evidence. Listen to leading experts and Cochrane review authors explain in plain language the evidence and findings of their high-impact reviews. In 5 minutes or less, healthcare professionals to patients and families can understand the latest trusted evidence to help make better informed decisions.

New Cochrane Convenes report recommends urgent action among those who fund, generate and use evidence to ensure the world is better prepared.

Mass drug administration (MDA) involves the regular delivery of treatment medicines to whole populations, regardless of whether an individual has the disease or not, and aims to prevent onward transmission (passing from one person to another).