Africa: Three Animals That Can Detect Disease in Humans

When it comes to accurately diagnosing a disease, you might think you need expensive, high-tech machinery and equipment capable of looking deep beneath the skin at what's going on… Read more »

South Africa: South Africa's Healthcare System - Eight Steps That Would Get It On the Right Track

South Africa's healthcare system suffers from widespread problems in its governance. A number of indicators point to this dysfunction. These include the large number of managers in… Read more »

Africa: HIV Breakthrough - Drug Trial Shows Injection Twice a Year Is 100 Percent Effective Against Infection

A large clinical trial in South Africa and Uganda has shown that a twice-yearly injection of a new pre-exposure prophylaxis drug gives young women total protection from HIV… Read more »

Africa: We Finally Know Why Some People Got Covid While Others Didn't

Throughout the pandemic, one of the key questions on everyone's mind was why some people avoided getting COVID, while others caught the virus multiple times. Read more »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »

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 »