Africa: Depression Isn't Just Sadness - It's Often a Loss of Pleasure

It's often thought that if someone is depressed, they will feel sad or low most of the time. But what many don't realise is that these aren't the only symptoms of depression.… Read more »

Africa: The WHO Has Declared Eris a 'Variant of Interest'. How Is It Different From Other Omicron Variants?

EG.5 is a family of Omicron variants (descended from XBB.1.9.2) that first appeared back in February 2023. Read more »

West Africa: Sickle Cell Disease Is Rife in West Africa - a Fresh Approach Is Needed to Combat It

Sickle cell disease refers to a group of inherited blood disorders with symptoms like anaemia and blocked blood vessels. About 80% of the world's sickle cell disease cases occur in… Read more »

Ghana: Ghana's Housing Policy and Regulation Is Failing - Covid Proved As Much

Access to decent housing is a fundamental human right. Across sub-Saharan Africa, however, this right remains an elusive dream for many households. Read more »

Kenya: Living in Nairobi's Informal Areas Spikes Chances of Having High Blood Pressure

Hypertension, commonly referred to as high blood pressure, is a non-communicable disease that occurs when there is a sustained elevation in the pressure of the blood that flows… Read more »

Africa: Immune Cells That Fight Cancer Become Exhausted Within Hours of First Encountering Tumors - New Research

A key function of our immune system is to detect and eliminate foreign pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. Immune cells like T cells do this by distinguishing between different… Read more »

Africa: More Adults Than Ever Have Been Seeking ADHD Medications - an Expert Explains What Could Be Driving Trend

As a woman in my 30s who was constantly typing "ADHD" into my computer, something interesting happened to me in 2021. I started receiving a wave of advertisements beckoning me to… Read more »

Africa: Does Picking Your Nose Really Increase Your Risk of Covid?

Picking your nose is linked to an increased risk of COVID, according to a study out today. Read more »

South Africa: South Africa's New Vaping Tax Won't Deter Young Smokers

Throughout the world, governments impose excise taxes on products like alcohol and tobacco to reduce their demand. The South African government has implemented a tax on vaping… Read more »

Namibia: Oil Drilling Threatens the Okavango River Basin, Putting Water in Namibia and Botswana At Risk

The Namibian and Botswana governments may be risking their water resources for oil and gas revenue. They have licensed a Canadian firm, ReconAfrica, to prospect for oil in the… Read more »

Nigeria: Nigeria Battles a Deadly Diphtheria Outbreak - What It Is and How to Control It

Diphtheria has been reported in Nigeria: more than 790 confirmed cases as of 30 June 2023. There were 83 deaths among the confirmed cases between May 2022 and June 2023. Infectious… Read more »

Africa: Long Covid - Brain Function Still Affected for Some Up to Two Years After Infection - New Research

Difficulties with cognitive functions or skills, such as the ability to recall memories, concentrate on tasks, or find the right words in conversation, are commonly reported… Read more »

Africa: Record Technostress and Reduced Well-Being Show That Remote Working Isn't as Good as we Thought

At the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic, at least 557 million workers were forced to work from home. Read more »

Africa: Why Workers in Small Businesses Can Struggle With Mental Health and 'Presenteeism'

If you are struggling with your mental health, is it better to come to work or stay off sick? You may think your employer would prefer you try to keep working, but many employers… Read more »

Africa: You've Lost Someone You Love - 4 Signs You May Need to Seek Grief Counselling

Grief is a natural response to losing something you felt a bond with. This loss ranges from death to the end of a relationship. It could also be the loss of an election or of a… Read more »

South Africa: Half of All South Africans Are Overweight or Obese. Warning Labels On Unhealthy Foods Help Change That

South Africa's national health department recently invited public comment on regulations for warning labels on food packaging. The regulations specify how pre-packaged food should… Read more »

South Africa: Male Fertility Crisis - What Environmental Contaminants Have Got to Do With It

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently reported that around one in six couples globally are affected by infertility. For many years people tended to blame women for a… Read more »

South Africa: Malnutrition in South Africa - How One Community Wants Resources to Be Spent

South Africa has persistently high rates of hunger and malnutrition among mothers and children. More than a quarter - 27% - of children under five are stunted and 61% of children… Read more »

Africa: Weight Loss - Why You Don't Just Lose Fat When You're On a Diet

When you go on a diet, you don't just lose fat - you lose muscle too. This can have many repercussions - not only on your fitness and strength, but on your metabolism. Read more »

Africa: Strep Throat Can Easily Be Confused With Throat Infections Caused By Viruses - Here Are a Few Ways to Know the Difference

"My sore throats, you know, are always worse than anybody's." Read more »

Africa: Fungal Infections in the Brain Aren't Just the Stuff of Movies - Africa Grapples With a Deadly Epidemic

In the 2023 American post-apocalyptic drama television series The Last of Us, humans are plunged towards extinction as a fungal infection of the brain zombie-fies most of the… Read more »

Africa: Poverty Is Linked to Poorer Brain Development - But Reading Can Help Counteract It

Early childhood is a critical period for brain development, which is important for boosting cognition and mental wellbeing. Good brain health at this age is directly linked to… Read more »

Africa: New Research Shows How Covid-19 Affects Younger Children and Those From Deprived Areas

At the heights of the pandemic, particularly since 2021, many children and teenagers admitted to hospital had COVID. However, it was never clear what proportion of them were in… Read more »

Africa: Vaccine Hesitancy Is One of Greatest Threats to Global Health - And the Pandemic Made It Worse

The COVID pandemic has disrupted many areas of routine healthcare including, importantly, childhood vaccination. Read more »

Africa: Covid Vaccination in Pregnancy Greatly Reduces Risk of Severe Illness and Death - And Protects Babies

From the early days of the pandemic, it has been evident that a COVID-19 infection in pregnancy can be serious. Hundreds of studies from around the world have consistently shown… Read more »