Thalidomide was responsible for one of the biggest drug disasters in history. It is making a comeback. But is Africa equipped to handle this controversial drug?
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South Africa’s programmes preventing HIV transmission from mothers to children have been hugely successful. But there are still gaps that need to be filled.
Women who were found to have lied in a clinical trial testing anti-HIV drugs were heavily criticised. But there are several factors that drove them to lie.
Scientists are developing various products that can provide contraception and protection from sexually transmitted infections and HIV at the same time.
Although men make up two-thirds of HIV-related deaths, there are not enough services geared towards helping them.
For pregnant HIV-positive women taking anti-retrovirals is critical for their babies’ health. Intimate partner violence affects adherence, and must be addressed as part of women’s HIV treatment.
With nearly one-fifth of the globe’s HIV positive population, South Africa has the largest anti-retroviral program in the world. But HIV prevention still presents a big challenge for the country.
Two major clinical trials will be conducted in South Africa in 2016 to test ways of preventing new HIV infections.
While the global health community has made mental healthcare a priority, South Africa is not following suite. The impact is felt most acutely by poor people suffering from mental health disorders.
In Ethiopia health extension workers in rural areas fulfill an essential service - but they feel they have no career path.
With one can of cool drink containing six teaspoons of sugar – your recommended sugar intake for the day – there is a need to reduce the number of sugar-sweetened beverages South Africans consume.
A group of junior doctors, nurses and healthcare workers will not be employed by the Malawian government this year as it is cuts its wage bill to satisfy its international donors.
On November 25 each year, South Africa launches its annual 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign. Gender based violence is still a massive challenge.
More than 700,000 people die each year from antibiotic-resistant infections. The World Health Organisation is trying to end the age of ignorance to protect this global common good.
Antibiotics are used extensively in Africa because of the continent’s high disease burden. This also means that resistance is high. Steps are being taken to raise awareness and encourage prudent use.
Africa’s pharmaceutical industry has mushroomed in the last ten years. But its ability to keep pace with demand is being held back by a number of factors, including a shortage of specialists.
Women in northern Nigeria are not going for cancer screenings early enough. There are myriad social, cultural and economic reasons for this. But early detection would save their lives.
There are several natural remedies that have can help reduce cancer cells.
Malawi and Tanzania have created programs to provide sexual and reproductive health services and HIV interventions. But men who have sex with men say it’s still difficult to access care.
Drones could provide an essential cargo-carrying service in rural areas where there are fewer clinics, less healthcare workers and limited transport services.
More male babies were born in South Africa nine months after the country hosted the 2010 World Cup. There’s science behind it.
The irritating buzz that rings in your ear in the dead of the night comes from an insect barely traceable with your naked eye. Here are a few facts worth knowing about the mosquito.
Across the world scientists are trying to find a new drug that the malaria carrying parasite will struggle to develop a resistance to.
Several countries within southern Africa are on the brink of eliminating malaria. But there are several challenges ahead.
The World Health Organisation’s report on the increased cancer risk with eating processed and red meat has been met with mixed reactions.