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What's in a name? Why giving monkeypox a new one is a good idea
A lab technician in Spain picks up a reactive to test suspected monkeypox samples. Pablo Blazquez Dominguez/Getty ImagesIn its latest update on monkey pox in mid-June, the World Health Organization...
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At what point is a disease deemed to be a global threat? Here's the answer
ShutterstockWhenever there is an outbreak of a disease in the world – such as monkeypox– it is up to the World Health Organization (WHO) to consider what sort of weight to give it, including whether or...
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What it would take to set up an African drug discovery ecosystem
A factor holding back African research is the lack of strong collaborative networks between African laboratories and institutions.ShutterstockAfrica has great potential for drug discovery. The...
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'Gain a child, lose a tooth': old saying holds true for women in northern...
Women who have children over a long time lose more teeth. Jacob Silberberg/Getty ImagesChildbearing has an impact on the health of women, and the impact grows with the number of times a woman has been...
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Five actions to prepare African countries better for the next pandemic
COVID restrictions measures caused major disruptions to people's lives. ShutterstockGlobally, cases of COVID-19 and related deaths are lower in June 2022 than they were at the beginning of the year....
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There's no cure for sickle cell disease, but spotting it early can improve...
Ezume Images/ShutterstockMost of the global cases of sickle cell disease are diagnosed in African countries. The Economist Intelligence Unit – the research and analysis division of the Economist media...
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Tavern tragedy reinforces need to give priority to tackling underage drinking...
The cause of the deaths of 21 young people in a South African pub is still unclear.STR/AFP via Getty ImagesOn 26 June 2022, 21 young people died at the Enyobeni tavern in East London, in South Africa’s...
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COVID vaccines and pregnancy: a review of the evidence shows they are safe
Women who are pregnant and get infected with COVID have a higher risk of preterm birth.ShutterstockCOVID vaccines have been contentious ever since they were developed in response to the coronavirus...
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Africa is a treasure trove of medicinal plants: here are seven that are popular
The pink periwinkle is used as a tonic and emetic for the treatment of many health conditions. Jekesai Njikizana/AFP via Getty ImagesPlants have directly contributed to the development of important...
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Six ways to improve HIV prevention pill uptake among young women in Zimbabwe
PrEP can reduce the risk of HIV infection by over 90%. Daniel Born/The Times/Gallo Images/GettyImagesAdolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa have a very high risk of acquiring HIV. The...
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Carbon monoxide: what is it and why is it deadly?
Generators should not be used in confined and poorly ventilated spaces. ShutterstockMany of us are familiar with the typical results of burning fuels such as coal, natural gas and oil. The reaction...
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Technology and home visits can help South Africans with diabetes cope with...
Insulin refusal is high among some patients.ShutterstockApproximately 4.5 million South Africans have type 2 diabetes– a condition characterised by high levels of sugar in the blood. It can be treated...
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Why sexual and reproductive law for east African countries is being resisted
ShutterstockSix of the countries of the East African Community – Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda and Tanzania – recently concluded public hearings on a new sexual and reproductive health...
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The Marburg virus: urgent need to contain this close cousin of Ebola
Roger Harris/Science Photo LibraryIn July 2022 Ghana confirmed its first two cases of the deadly Marburg virus, a highly infectious disease in the same family as the virus that causes Ebola. The...
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Facial injuries hurt Nigerians' pockets too: how to reduce the burden
Road traffic crashes are the most common cause of facial injuries in Nigeria. Getty Images Injury to the face – from road traffic accidents, for example – can leave a person with a damaged appearance...
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On Ghana's roads in 2022: safety has improved but private vehicles are still...
Private car accidents dominate crash numbers in GhanaLewis Clark/Wikimedia CommonsAfrica is the globe’s least motorised region, accounting for just 2% of the world’s vehicles. Yet it records the...
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Monkeypox vaccines: what's available and why they aren't a silver bullet
A dose of Imvanex vaccine used to protect against Monkeypox virus.Lex van Lieshout/ANP/AFP via Getty ImagesIn July 2022 the World Health Organization declared the recent current monkeypox outbreak a...
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Legal claims for medical mistakes are on the rise in South Africa: what's...
Quality of care thresholds at health facilities in South Africa are on the riseShutterstockMedico-legal claims – claims based on medical negligence or malpractice – have skyrocketed in South Africa....
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People with intellectual disability have a right to sexuality – but their...
People with intellectual disability are entitled to their human rights like everyone else.Shutterstock Many South Africans living with intellectual disability don’t have opportunities to be part of...
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Mosquito species from Asia poses growing risk to Africa's anti-malaria efforts
The Anopheles stephensi is usually found in South-East Asia. Jim Gathany The spread of the mosquito species Anopheles stephensi across Africa poses a significant problem to a continent already heavily...
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