National and International News

‘Female adolescent struggles are often overlooked’ – health and wellbeing experts

Despite significant global investment in programmes for adolescent girls and young women, this group continues to carry the burden of HIV, child marriages, female genital mutilation, unmet needs for contraception and high levels of teenage pregnancy. Dr Shakira Choonara and Surabhi Dogra discuss some of these struggles. Read more here: https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-04-17-female-adolescent-struggles-are-often-overlooked-health-and-wellbeing-experts/

National and International News, Uncategorized

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

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

Alarming rates of drug-resistant bacterial infections in SA’s newborn babies

Two-thirds of cases of multi-drug resistant bacterial infections were diagnosed in public hospitals in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal. A study led by experts from the National Institute for Communicable Diseases (NICD) involving newborn babies has revealed a prevalence of infections caused by multi-drug resistant bacteria in South African hospitals. According to the six-year study, almost 38 000 cases of […]

National and International News

#BreakTheBias: Making Women’s Voices Matter in the Media

By Kemisola Agbaoye and Hadiza Mohammed (Lead Writers) Conquering gender bias is no easy feat as it is steeped in cultural and societal constructs that are difficult to break. In African society, social norms and gender stereotypes favour boys over girls in many aspects of their lives, further widening gender disparities and hampering social and economic progress. […]

National and International News

Cuba trained doctors to add in a long list of students caught up in placement fiasco

This also comes against the backdrop of concerns about the costs and benefits of the Nelson Mandela Fidel Castro Health Collaboration Programme, as well as growing discontent with the level of training and competency. The 1 292 medical students who graduated in Cuba this week join the long list of other student doctors caught up […]

National and International News