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Engage Youth in climate change solutions – Official

Engaging African Youths in conversation on climate change crisis is crucial as they have ideas, solutions and motivation capable of solving the climate crisis.    By involving the youth, does not only mean inclusion, but also important for economic growth, innovation and health security. The Manager for Global Health Strategies, based in Kenya, Mr Ouma […]

National and International News

Work Together Against Climate Crisis For A Healthy Continent Or Perish, African Countries Urged

By Godfrey Ombogo Kigali, Rwanda: African governments have been urged to work together in championing one health and the fight against climate change. Amref Health Africa Group CEO Gitahi Githinji says Africa and its people today are facing four frictions that need synergy and harmony to successfully tackle; COVID-19 and public health threats, climate change, conflicts in […]

National and International News

Networking & Hobnobbing 101: The Road to Bogota, 7th Global Symposium on Health Systems Research

THEE programme of programmes has kicked off –  Emerging Voices Global Health #EV2022. We are also about a week away from the biennial Global Symposium on Health Systems Research #HSR2022. Post COVID-19 I think we’re all on shaky ground (or at least I am) when it comes to interacting with humans one again (gulp) or even having […]

Blogs

Why denying foreign nationals access to health is a human rights violation

Discrimination against foreign nationals’ ability to access healthcare facilities in South Africa remains a concerning issue in the country. Bongani Bingwa speaks to public health practitioner, Shakira Choonara, about how denying foreign nationals’ access to healthcare facilities in South Africa is discriminatory and a human rights violation. Arguments stem from foreign nationals exerting too much […]

National and International News

Medical xenophobia is a disease that needs to be stopped

South Africa – Limpopo health MEC Phophi Ramathuba was captured on video berating a patient while a group of health officials watched on and laughed. The patient, who is alleged to be an undocumented migrant, felt the wrath of Ramathuba who believes undocumented patients are putting a strain on South Africa’s medical services. This latest mistreatment […]

National and International News

Sharing Stories: Prioritizing Sexual and Reproductive Health in Universal Health Coverage

“Globally women and girls continue to face barriers to access healthcare services—whether it be transport costs, financial costs, or even language barriers,” said Shakira Choonara, Technical Specialist with the World Health Organization (WHO) at a recent launch event of the Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) and Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Learning by Sharing Portal (LSP). Co-developed by WHO […]

National and International News

Realising transformative change in adolescent health and wellbeing: a second Lancet Commission.

The 2016 Lancet Commission on Adolescent Health and Wellbeing 1 brought global attention to the transformational potential of the world’s 10–24-year-olds to reap a triple dividend of benefits for adolescents now, as they matured into adulthood, and later still for their children. In an accompanying Comment, the UN Secretary-General identified adolescents as “the world’s greatest untapped resource”. 2 Baird S, […]

Published Work

Medical xenophobia: It’s time to level the power imbalance in healthcare facilities

Dr Shakira Choonara is a multi-award-winning public health practitioner, activist and 2017 woman of the year in health. This piece is written in her individual capacity and not representative of any organisation. Let’s talk about the deep irony of discrimination and the intersectionality between class and migration. On the one hand, black patients who are […]

Blogs