January 29, 2023
Africa: Children and Teens Aren't Doing Enough Physical Activity - New Study Sounds a Health Warning
Physical inactivity is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. It's also associated with chronic illness and disability. Recent research estimates that the world could see… Read more »
January 27, 2023
Nigeria: 100 Million Nigerians Are At Risk of Neglected Tropical Diseases - What the Country Is Doing About It
Neglected tropical diseases are a group of communicable diseases found in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. They are classified as "neglected" because they have… Read more »
January 26, 2023
Africa: Covid Booster Vaccines - How a Third Dose May Help Vulnerable People 'Level Up' Their Immunity
COVID vaccines call our immune systems to action, generating antibodies which fight against any contact we have with the virus. Antibodies help to reduce the effects of an… Read more »
Africa: Eliminating Neglected Diseases in Africa - There Are Good Reasons for Hope
Togo had reason to celebrate in 2022 when it became the first country in the world to eliminate four neglected tropical diseases. The west African nation stamped out Guinea worm… Read more »
South Africa: Vaccine Hesitancy - Covid Experience Highlights Conspiracies, Mistrust and Role of Media
In recent weeks, China has reported a spike in new cases of COVID and related deaths. Some countries have imposed travel restrictions as a result. But most - including South Africa… Read more »
January 25, 2023
Africa: Even Bivalent Updated Covid-19 Boosters Struggle to Prevent Omicron Subvariant Transmission - an Immunologist Discusses Why New Approaches Are Necessary
By almost any measure, the vaccination campaign against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has been a global success. Read more »
January 24, 2023
Africa: Yoga - Modern Research Shows a Variety of Benefits to Both Body and Mind From the Ancient Practice
The popularity of yoga has grown tremendously in the past decade. More than 10% of U.S. adults have practiced yoga at some point in their lives. Yoga practitioners spend on average… Read more »
Africa: We Tested the Wastewater From Planes to Detect Covid Among Travellers - Here's What We Found
Small traces of many pathogens, such as viruses we may be infected with, are excreted when we go to the toilet. Ultimately, these agents find their way to municipal wastewater… Read more »
January 20, 2023
South Africa: Ernest Cole - South Africa's Most Famous Photobook Has Been Republished After 55 Years
Photographer Ernest Cole was born in 1940 in the Pretoria township of Eersterust, just before apartheid was formally introduced in South Africa in 1948. Read more »
January 17, 2023
Africa: Moderna's Experimental Cancer Vaccine Treats but Doesn't Prevent Melanoma - a Biochemist Explains How It Works
Media outlets have reported the encouraging findings of clinical trials for a new experimental vaccine developed by the biotech company Moderna to treat an aggressive type of skin… Read more »
January 18, 2023
Africa: Vaccination to Prevent Dementia? New Research Suggests One Way Viral Infections Can Accelerate Neurodegeneration
One in nine Americans ages 65 and over had Alzheimer's disease in 2022, and countless others were indirectly affected as caregivers, health care providers and taxpayers. There is… Read more »
Africa: Is Veganuary Bad for You? a Nutritionist Explains Why Plant-Based Diets Need Proper Planning
Veganuary is upon us again, with thousands of people around the world giving up animal products for the month of January. The movement, which encourages people to follow a vegan… Read more »
January 16, 2023
Africa: FAQ On Covid-19 Subvariant Xbb.1.5
Despite intensive public health efforts to grind the COVID-19 pandemic to a halt, the recent emergence of the highly transmissible, extensively drug-resistant and profoundly immune… Read more »
Africa: Strep A Cases Are Rising. We Must Remember Our Earliest Hygiene Lessons As Vaccine Trials Continue
Group A streptococci, also known as "strep A", were the first organisms ever identified to be the cause of a disease. Read more »
January 15, 2023
Africa: How to Treat Scars At Home - and Hopefully Make Them Disappear
Maybe you've had a skin cancer removed from your face or body. Perhaps you had an injury or accident and needed stitches. However you came by a cut on your skin, you probably want… Read more »
January 12, 2023
Africa: Sitting All Day Is Terrible for Your Health - Now, a New Study Finds a Relatively Easy Way to Counteract It
The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work. Read more »
January 14, 2023
Africa: Why Cholera Continues to Threaten Many African Countries
Malawi is facing its worst cholera outbreak in two decades. The outbreak started early in 2022 and has, so far, resulted in over 18,000 cases and the loss of 750 lives. It's also… Read more »
January 12, 2023
South Africa: Pregnant Learners Need Creches and Compassion to Keep Them in School
After Boitumelo gave birth she decided not to go back to school. She assumed that, because she was now a mother, she would be barred from returning. Then she had a surprising… Read more »
Africa: Cancer Vaccine Trials Could Start in the in Autumn - UK Signs Deal With Biontech
The UK government recently announced that it is partnering with German firm BioNTech to test vaccines for cancer and other diseases. The project aims to build on the mRNA vaccine… Read more »
January 11, 2023
Africa: Speculum - the Creepy History of This Ancient Gynaecological Device and Why It's Still Feared
Women's health is in crisis. In many places, gynaecology waiting lists are rising or are even at record lengths. Read more »
Africa: Bivalent Covid Vaccines Have Now Been in Use for a Few Months - Here's How They're Stacking Up Against Omicron
Vaccines have played a major role in mitigating the harms of the COVID pandemic since their rollout began just over two years ago. They're estimated to have saved tens of millions… Read more »
Tanzania: Why Solar-Powered Cold Storage Could Be a Sustainable Solution to Tomato Harvest Waste #AfricaClimateHope
Feeding Africa's growing population is a big development challenge for governments, policy makers and agriculture experts. Adding to the challenge is the high level of food loss… Read more »
January 09, 2023
Africa: How Cancer Cells Move and Metastasize Is Influenced By the Fluids Surrounding Them - Understanding How Tumors Migrate Can Help Stop Their Spread
Cell migration, or how cells move in the body, is essential to both normal body function and disease progression. Cell movement is what allows body parts to grow in the right place… Read more »
January 10, 2023
Africa: People of Colour - There's a Bias in How Pictures Are Used to Depict Disease in Global Health Publications
Photography is a powerful tool in storytelling and scientific communication. But it can also cause harm when used unethically. Read more »
January 09, 2023
Africa: Long Covid - Here's What It's Like Trying to Access Healthcare for the Condition
It's estimated that 2.1 million people are currently living with long COVID in the UK. Symptoms can include breathlessness, fatigue, chest pains, loss of taste and smell, and… Read more »