In October 2024, the coastal town of Saly, Senegal became the meeting point for two pivotal African climate justice gatherings—the 2024 Women’s Climate Assembly (WCA) and the African People’s Counter COP (APCC). These parallel events united a diverse group of activists, NGOs, leaders, and community women to tackle the pressing need for climate action across…
Opioid drugs are highly effective at relieving pain but come with severe drawbacks. Their side effects range from dizziness to potentially fatal respiratory depression. Their illegal use contributes to nearly half a million deaths worldwide each year. Researchers from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) have discovered a molecule, called nanobody NbE, which binds tightly and…
At off-grid Hakwata Clinic in Zimbabwe’s Manicaland Province, women gave birth by candle-light and gas-powered fridges strained to keep vaccines cool. That all changed when a solar mini-grid was installed. 27 September 2024 by Farai Shawn Matiashe A 200kW solar mini-grid providing uninterrupted power to a clinic in Hakwata village in Chipinge, Zimbabwe. Credit: Farai Shawn…
Matchmaking apps and dating platforms in Nigeria are joining the fight against sickle cell anaemia, a dangerous and genetically heritable condition. 26 September 2024 by Zubaida Baba Ibrahim When Onyinye Igbokwe, the founder of Genzee Baddies – an innovative dating app – turned 25, he discovered that his search for a life partner involved more than…
“I am happy,” one vaccinator says, seeing mothers’ enthusiasm for the novel jab. 3 October 2024 by Winnie Cirino Public health experts in South Sudan say that the malaria vaccine has seen enthusiastic uptake since its introduction into the national immunisation schedule in mid-July this year. John Elia, the deputy head for Expanded Programme for Immunization…
By Professor Myriam Sidibe and Serah Malaba Without a concerted effort to support integrated Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR), we are unlikely to meet the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on Good Health and Well-being or Gender Equality. Health systems in Sub-Saharan Africa are failing to meet the needs of adolescent girls and…
The UN’s Sanitation and Hygiene Fund (SHF) has announced a grant of USD 250,000 to the Swedish Institute for Standards (SIS) to support the participation of Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) in the development of global quality standards for menstrual products. As the secretariat of the technical committee of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) – ISO/TC…
By Rose Muasya When was the last time you donated blood? Or perhaps you needed blood but couldn’t find any unless you rallied relatives to donate? Across the border in Uganda, our neighbors have embraced digital tools to aid in blood donation, revolutionizing the way they approach this critical issue. In Uganda, a WhatsApp group…
The World Health Organization (WHO) and TikTok, a platform for short-form mobile videos, announced a year-long collaboration aimed at providing people with reliable, science-based health information. This reflects WHO’s commitment to leveraging multiple digital communication platforms to increase outreach to people globally, to promote health literacy, healthy behaviours and actions in an increasingly digitized world. Social media…