June 27
Africa: Mpox - What to Watch Out for, Treatment and What to Worry About
The new strain of the mpox virus is spreading quickly along the eastern border of the Democratic Republic of Congo and is "the most dangerous yet", says the World Health… Read more »
June 26
Nigeria: Nigeria's Cholera Outbreaks - Why They Happen and Are So Hard to Control
On 9 June 2024 the Lagos State government declared a cholera outbreak. Three days later, it announced that 324 suspected cases had been reported in the state, including 15 people… Read more »
June 25
Africa: Success in Treating Persistent Pain Now Offers Hope for Those With Long Covid
The emergence of Long COVID as a mysterious new illness has refocused attention on the incapacitating nature of persistent fatigue. Read more »
South Africa: Technology Makes It Possible to Diagnose Diseases On the Spot
Digital technology has hugely improved healthcare in many ways. Read more »
June 23
Nigeria: Your Wig Could Be Poisoning You - Study Finds Pesticides and Other Toxic Chemicals in Synthetic Hair in Nigeria
Well-groomed hair is a symbol of beauty for many black African women. Natural hair requires special care and attention, though, which can be time consuming. Wigs (human or… Read more »
June 21
Kenya: Khat in Kenya - Why Efforts to Ban This Popular Stimulant Are Unlikely to Work
Khat - the stimulant leaves and twigs of the plant Catha edulis - seemed to have secure legal status in Kenya despite being illegal elsewhere. It had been declared an official cash… Read more »
June 20
Africa: Global Pandemic Treaty Will Help Fight Future Threats - Top Negotiator On How Talks Are Going
For the past two years the World Health Organization's 194 member states have been negotiating an international accord on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. This was… Read more »
June 19
Africa: Heat Exposure During Pregnancy Can Lead to a Lifetime of Health Problems
Climate change is one of the greatest public health threats humanity has ever faced. Read more »
June 18
Africa: What Is Cervical Cancer and How Can It Be Prevented? Answers to Key Questions
In 2020 the World Health Organization rolled out a global strategy to eradicate cervical cancer by 2030. This is the fourth-most common cancer among women, claiming an estimated… Read more »
June 17
Africa: Romantic Breakups Can Spark Severe Trauma in Young People - New Study
What should I study? What do I want to be? How will I pay for my education? Who do I want to spend the rest of my life with? These are the life-changing decisions many young people… Read more »
June 14
Africa: Results Are Looking Promising for a Combined Covid and Flu Vaccine. Here's How It Could Benefit Public Health
Earlier this week, Moderna announced positive results for its phase 3 clinical trial of a combined vaccine against COVID and influenza. Read more »
June 13
Africa: Despite Improved WHO Regulations, the World Remains Ill-Prepared for the Next Pandemic
The international community's recent failure to conclude a global pandemic agreement leaves large gaps in our capacity to deal with the next major infectious disease emergency. Read more »
June 12
Nigeria: Mental Health Services Are Scarce in Nigeria but There's a Huge Need
Emergency hotlines have a crucial role to play in improving access to mental health services, particularly in countries where these services are in short supply. Read more »
June 11
Africa: Historic Amendments to the Who's International Health Regulations Create a Path Towards an Equitable Pandemic Treaty
On June 1, in the nail-biting final hours of the annual World Health Assembly meeting in Geneva, states agreed to a robust package of amendments to the World Health Organization's… Read more »
June 06
Africa: The Disproportionate Toll That Covid-19 Took On People With Diabetes Continues Today
At the start of the pandemic, many people living with diabetes were wondering what COVID-19 meant for them. Diabetes was already known to put people at higher risks from other… Read more »
June 09
Africa: Cholera Can Kill You Within Hours If Left Untreated
Cholera is a deadly disease caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, associated with poor sanitation and limited access to clean water. But it has also been found in seemingly… Read more »
June 02
Africa: Patents Based On Traditional Knowledge Are Often 'Biopiracy'. a New International Treaty Will Finally Combat This
Last week, at a conference in Geneva, the member states of the World Intellectual Property Organisation agreed on a new treaty aimed at preventing the for-profit piracy of… Read more »
June 05
Africa: Foreign Healthcare Volunteers in Africa Can Harm Local Relationships - Zambian Study
Thousands of global health volunteers, most from the United States, travel to Africa every year. These volunteers come from diverse backgrounds and have varying levels of… Read more »
June 04
Sierra Leone: Sierra Leone's Bushmeat Markets Pose Serious Health Hazards - We Studied Two for Six Months to Find Solutions
You are walking through the bustling centre of Bo, Sierra Leone's third largest city. Read more »
May 30
Africa: Study of 16 Countries Shows Higher Taxes Would Help Young Smokers Quit or Cut Down
World No Tobacco Day serves to increase awareness about the preventable death and illness associated with tobacco use. It also puts a spotlight on policies that governments can use… Read more »
May 24
Africa: As Covid Cases Rise Again, What Do I Need to Know About the New Flirt Variants?
We've now been living with COVID for well over four years. Although there's still much to learn about SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID) at least one thing seems clear: it's… Read more »
Africa: Animals Self-Medicate With Plants - Behavior People Have Observed and Emulated for Millennia
When a wild orangutan in Sumatra recently suffered a facial wound, apparently after fighting with another male, he did something that caught the attention of the scientists… Read more »
May 27
Africa: Noise-Cancelling Headphones, Earplugs and Earmuffs - Do They Really Help Neurodivergent People?
Noise can make it hard to concentrate, especially for people who are extra sensitive to it. Read more »
May 20
Africa: Snakebites Can Destroy Skin, Muscle, and Even Bone - Exciting Progress On Drugs to Treat Them
The World Health Organization estimates that 1.8 million to 2.7 million people are envenomed by snakes annually, resulting in upwards of 138,000 deaths. Read more »
May 19
Africa: Mapping Malaria in Africa - Climate Change Study Predicts Where Mosquitoes Will Breed in Future
The relationship between climate and malaria transmission is complex and has been the subject of intense study for some three decades. Read more »