Africa CDC Advocates for Automated Disease Reporting as Nigeria Grapples with Lassa Fever

06/04/2023 Paul Adepoju

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) recommends that countries on the continent move rapidly to automated disease reporting systems across the continent to cope with disease outbreaks, as Nigeria grapples with Lassa fever and Malawi and Mozambique struggle with cholera. “There has been an expected slowdown [in COVID-19 reporting] because of […] Continue reading ->

Climate Change Pushing an ‘Alarming’ Spread of Dengue, Chikungunya and Zika

06/04/2023 Megha Kaveri

Climate change is driving the spread of mosquito-borne arboviruses – dengue, chikungunya and Zika – into new areas, thus leading the world to newer crises, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned this week. Several countries in the Americas region have reported an increase in dengue, zika and chikungunya cases and that the pattern might repeat […] Continue reading ->

Time to ‘Walk the Talk’ in Addressing Health Worker Shortages

05/04/2023 Kerry Cullinan

Around half of the world’s health workers experienced burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic, while 55 countries face serious shortages of health workers – exacerbated by the poaching of skilled staff by wealthier countries. Many countries are struggling to retain health workers, ensure they are equitably distributed, there is an adequate skills mix, and battling to […] Continue reading ->

One in Six People Affected by Infertility

04/04/2023 Stefan Anderson

One in six people worldwide experiences infertility at some point in their lifetime, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) report containing the first global infertility estimates in over a decade. Around 17.5% of adults experience infertility with little variation across regions and country income groups. Lifetime prevalence was 17.8% in high-income countries and 16.5% […] Continue reading ->

Key COVID Lessons: Nuture Healthworkers and Build Primary Care

03/04/2023 Kerry Cullinan

Strong primary health care, nurturing the health workforce and legal flexibility emerged as key COVID-19 lessons at a high-level roundtable at the Fifth Global Forum for Human Resources for Health, which opened on Monday. Chile gave its healthworkers life insurance, more holidays and extra pay during the pandemic, said Chilean health official Dr Raquel Child […] Continue reading ->

Time is Tight for Pandemic Accord Negotiations, Tedros Acknowledges

03/04/2023 Kerry Cullinan

The fifth meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) to draft a pandemic accord started on Monday with acknowledgement by World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus that it faces a very tight timeframe. “There is now only one year until the World Health Assembly in May 2024, which will consider the outcome […] Continue reading ->

Tanzania Mobilises Musicians and Influencers to Shed the Legacy of its COVID-denying Ex-president

31/03/2023 Kizito Makoye

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania—Blaring Singeli music is one of the few sources of entertainment for poor slum dwellers in Manzese, part of Tanzania’s smoke-belching capital city of Dar es Salaam. But for the 32-year-old Mariam Kinesha, the electronic music known for its fast beats, exuberant shaking dance style and muddled MC-driven lyrics, is not only […] Continue reading ->

IMF ‘Falling Short’ in Climate Crisis

31/03/2023 Stefan Anderson

The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) climate change policies are obstructing access to the financing required to prepare for and adapt to climate change in countries on the frontline, a new report by a task force representing finance ministers from climate-vulnerable nations said. The Task Force on Climate, Development and the International Monetary fund – the […] Continue reading ->

UN Asks International Court for Direction on Climate Polluters

31/03/2023 Kerry Cullinan

The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolved this week to ask the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to clarify the obligations of member states under international law “to ensure the protection of the climate system and other parts of the environment from anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases”. The request came via a resolution passed by […] Continue reading ->

13 Marburg Virus Cases Now Confirmed in Equatorial Guinea – More May Be Passing Under Radar

30/03/2023 Elaine Ruth Fletcher

Authorities in Equatorial Guinea have confirmed another four cases of deadly Marburg virus disease, bringing the total number of cases for the country’s current outbreak to 13 – although some sources warn that the case count could be much higher, due to the lack of lab capacity and reporting delays. In a Twitter post late […] Continue reading ->