May 16
Chad: Chad Hepatitis E Outbreak - How the Dangerous Liver Disease Spreads and How It Can Be Treated
The World Health Organization recently announced an outbreak of hepatitis E in the eastern Ouaddai province of Chad. Between January and April 2024, 2,093 suspected hepatitis E… Read more »
May 15
Africa: Viruses Are Doing Mysterious Things Everywhere - Ai Can Help Researchers Understand What They're Up to in the Oceans and in Your Gut
Viruses are a mysterious and poorly understood force in microbial ecosystems. Researchers know they can infect, kill and manipulate human and bacterial cells in nearly every… Read more »
May 13
Africa: Wildlife Traffickers Carried On Their Illegal Trade During Covid Lockdown
The world literally stopped during the COVID-19 pandemic. But while countries locked down to keep coronavirus at bay, wildlife traffickers carried on their illegal activities.… Read more »
May 12
Africa: Female Genital Mutilation Is On the Rise in Africa - Disturbing New Trends Are Driving Up the Numbers
Thirteen-year-old Salamatu Jalloh had her whole future to look forward to. But in January 2023, her lifeless body was found wrapped in a pink and blue shroud on an earthen floor in… Read more »
May 10
Africa: Lassa Fever Case in Paris - What You Need to Know
A case of Lassa fever has been reported in Paris, France, sparking lurid warnings about the "horrific Ebola-like bug". Read more »
May 07
Africa: Future Pandemics Will Have the Same Human Causes As Ancient Outbreaks - Lessons From Anthropology Can Help Prevent Them
The last pandemic was bad, but COVID-19 is only one of many infectious diseases that emerged since the turn of this century. Read more »
May 08
Africa: Becoming a Dad Can Be Scary. Here's How to Be the Best Father for Your Kids
It is natural to feel apprehensive about the responsibilities that come with parenthood - the financial obligations, the emotional and practical support, and the lifelong… Read more »
May 07
Africa: Our New Vaccine Could Protect Against Coronaviruses That Haven't Even Emerged Yet - New Study
The rapid development of vaccines that protect against COVID was a remarkable scientific achievement that saved millions of lives. The vaccines have demonstrated substantial… Read more »
May 06
South Africa: Caesarean Births - South Africa's Rates Are Too High - They Can Be Dangerous for Mothers and Babies
A caesarean section is an important surgical intervention that can save the lives of mother and baby. Caesarean sections are essential in complicated labours such as prolonged or… Read more »
May 02
Africa: Personalised mRNA Vaccines - a Revolutionary New Approach in Melanoma Treatment
A personalised mRNA vaccine to treat melanoma has now reached late-stage trials in the UK. This is just the latest step in improving the cure rate of cancer. Read more »
Africa: Lessons From Covid-19 - Preparing for Future Pandemics Means Looking Beyond the Health Data
The World Health Organization declared an end to the COVID-19 public health emergency on May 5, 2023. In the year since, only two provinces -- Alberta and Ontario -- have published… Read more »
May 01
Africa: The Covid-19 Pandemic Changed Our Patterns and Behaviours, Which in Turn Affected Wildlife
The Earth now supports over eight billion people who collectively have transformed three-quarters of the planet's land surface for food, energy, shelter and other aspects of the… Read more »
April 29
Congo-Kinshasa: Mpox - Why the Virus's Continued, Rapid Mutation Since the 2022 Global Outbreak Remains a Concern
In 2022, as the world was slowly beginning to recover from the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, an outbreak of mpox - then still called monkeypox - began spreading at an alarming… Read more »
April 26
Kenya: Kenyan Doctors' Strike - the Govt Keeps Failing to Hold Up Its End of the Bargain
At least 4,000 doctors are employed in Kenya's public healthcare sector. Almost all of them went on strike on 14 March 2024, demanding the implementation of a labour agreement… Read more »
April 24
Africa: Religion and Covid-19 - Methodists and Church of England Followers More Likely to Have Been Vaccinated Than Muslims and Pentecostals
There are many factors which affect how successfully a vaccine is rolled out. One of these is the public health communication strategy. Surprisingly, a key factor in determining… Read more »
April 25
Nigeria: Nigeria Is Pioneering a New Vaccine to Fight Meningitis - Why This Matters
Nigeria recently became the first country to roll out a new vaccine (called Men5CV) recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), which protects people against five strains… Read more »
April 24
Africa: R21 Anti-Malaria Vaccine Is a Game Changer - Scientist Who Helped Design It Reflects On 30 Years of Research, and What It Promises
Until three years ago nobody had developed a vaccine against any parasitic disease. Now there are two against malaria: the RTS,S and the R21 vaccines. Read more »
April 22
Africa: Sex Differences Don't Disappear As a Country's Equality Develops - Sometimes They Become Stronger
The more gender equal a society is, the more similar men and women will be, adopting more similar interests, personality traits and behavioural patterns. Or so many people seem to… Read more »
April 15
Africa: Our Research Suggests Eating an Unhealthy Breakfast Could Have a Similar Effect On Your Child's School Day As Having Nothing At All
Many parents know it is important for their teenagers to have breakfast before they go to school. Even though young people can be reluctant to eat it, breakfast provides the energy… Read more »
April 24
Africa: Sugar in Baby Food - Why Nestlé Needs to Be Held to Account in Africa
Nestlé has been criticised for adding sugar and honey to infant milk and cereal products sold in many poorer countries. The Swiss food giant controls 20% of the baby-food… Read more »
April 22
Africa: Two New Malaria Vaccines Are Being Rolled Out Across Africa - How They Work and What They Promise
Malaria incidents are on the rise. There were 249 million cases of this parasitic disease in 2022, five million more than in 2021. Africa suffers more than any other region from… Read more »
April 18
Sierra Leone: How to Get Vaccines to Remote Areas? in Sierra Leone They're Delivered By Foot, Boat or Motorbike
In Sierra Leone almost 59% of the population live in remote, rural areas. Roads may be non-existent or in bad condition, making it very difficult for rural dwellers to access… Read more »
April 10
Africa: Young People Are Getting Unhappier - a Lack of Childhood Freedom and Independence May Be Partly to Blame
Experts often highlight social media and harsh economic times as key reasons why young people are getting unhappier. And while those factors are important, I would like to… Read more »
April 17
Africa: Hearing Aid Apps Offer Hope to Millions in Africa with Hearing Loss
In rural Kenya, 64-year-old John Kamau's world of silence is about to change. For decades, isolated by hearing loss from the community's vibrant life and his grandchildren's… Read more »
April 12
Africa: Young, Black Woman Scientist Discovered Pivotal Leprosy Treatment in 1920s But Someone Took the Credit
Hansen's disease, also called leprosy, is treatable today - and that's partly thanks to a curious tree and the work of a pioneering young scientist in the 1920s. Centuries prior to… Read more »