HEALTH - The African Mirror

Jun

10

2025

Eating wild meat carries serious health risks – why it still happens along the Kenya-Tanzania border

HEALTH

PASTORALIST communities, their livestock and diverse wildlife species coexist within a biodiversity-rich landscape stretching along the Kenya–Tanzania border. However, at this wildlife-livestock interface, local communities face mounting challenges. Shifts in land use, prolonged droughts, erratic rainfall patterns, and increasing land degradation are placing growing pressure on the landscape. In addition, conflict between people and wildlife is on the rise, and many households rely on wild animals for food. Communities in the region eat a wide range of wild animals, from rodents, elephant shrews and birds to small antelopes and larger ungulates like bushbuck. This meat (“bush meat” as it is…

Jun

07

2025

By BERTIE JACOBS

Breaking the HIV bottleneck: Why sub-Saharan Africa must lead the way

HEALTH

THE global fight against HIV-1 has often been framed as a success story of science, funding and international collaboration. But as the virus evolves, so too must our strategy. A recent commentary in Nature Reviews Microbiology, led by Dr Monray Williams of the North-West University (NWU) in South Africa, issues a stark warning: global complacency must end, and sub-Saharan Africa must be placed at the centre of the research agenda, or risk losing control of the HIV-1 epidemic. Despite accounting for more than two-thirds of global HIV-1 infections, sub-Saharan Africa remains a research blind spot. Most studies continue to focus…

May

27

2025

By OLUWASEYI DOLAPO SOMEFUN and MARISA CASALE

Vaccines: why these young Africans are hesitant about them and what might change their minds

HEALTH

VACCINES have proved to be one of the most effective tools in fighting infectious diseases, but convincing people to get vaccinated can be tough. Especially young people. During the global COVID-19 pandemic, declared by the World Health Organisation on 11 March 2020, many countries reported high levels of vaccine hesitancy among younger population groups. Negative healthcare experiences and general distrust of government have cultivated vaccine hesitancy across Africa. Misleading information about vaccine side effects on social media adds to this challenge. This hesitancy continues today. A 2024 study on adolescents and young adults (aged 10 to 35) in sub-Saharan Africa…

May

22

2025

By SHUKRI F. MOHAMED

Is this bad for my health? Kenyan study tests three types of warning labels on food

HEALTH

DIET-RELATED health conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity, are on the rise in Kenya, putting immense strain on already over-stretched public health systems. These conditions are often driven by high intake of sugars, salts and unhealthy fats. So it’s more critical than ever for consumers to understand what’s in the foods they’re buying. But making sense of nutrition information isn’t always straightforward, especially with the small, complex labels on the back of most packages. Our recent study examined whether front-of-pack food labels could help Kenyan consumers make better choices. We tested three types of label designs to see which…

May

15

2025

By VELMA PAMELA, BIRD STORY AGENCY

How crocheting is supporting livelihoods and mental health among women on the Kenyan Coast

HEALTH, MULTIMEDIA

IN 2022, 23-year-old Western Kenya-native Triza Apasi was struggling with anxiety and drug addiction. A series of shattered friendships had left her emotionally vulnerable. In her despair, she picked up a crochet hook and began weaving. Her return to a craft that she had first discovered from watching YouTube videos during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 began as a pastime to cope with her emotional turmoil. It has since grown into something much larger: a route to healing, creativity, and community change. She now manages Dynamite Hooks, a social venture that empowers young women, promotes sustainability and raises mental health…

May

13

2025

By GLENDA GRAY

US funding cuts have crippled our HIV work – what’s being lost

HEALTH

THE Trump administration’s cuts to funding for scientific research have left many scientists reeling and very worried. At the National Institutes of Health in the US, which has an annual budget of US$47 billion to support medical research both in the US and around the world, nearly 800 grants have been terminated. The administration is considering cutting the overall budget of the National Institutes of Health by 40%. In South Africa, where tensions are running high with the new Trump administration over land reform and other diplomatic fault lines, scientists have had research grants from the National Institutes of Health…

May

08

2025

By ANNETTEE NAKIMULI

African women at higher risk of pre-eclampsia – a dangerous pregnancy complication

HEALTH

PRE-ECLAMPSIA is a danger to pregnant women. It’s a complication characterised by high blood pressure and organ damage, arising during the second half of pregnancy, in labour or in the first week after delivery. It plays a major role in about 16% of the deaths of pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa. And it’s on the rise: between 2010 and 2018, the incidence of pre-eclampsia in Africa jumped by around 20%. Pre-eclampsia usually occurs in young mothers during their first pregnancy. Girls under the age of 18 years are most at risk. The probability that a 15-year-old girl will die from…

Apr

18

2025

By FLORENCE MALONGANE and TENDAIISHE BEREJENA

Africa’s traditional fermented foods – and why we should keep consuming them

HEALTH

FERMENTATION is a process where microorganisms like bacteria and yeast work together to break down complex carbohydrates and proteins into simpler, more digestible forms. The fermentation process not only extends the shelf life of food but also enhances its nutritional content. During fermentation, beneficial microorganisms produce essential vitamins and minerals. Fermented foods have many benefits and have been shown to reduce inflammation and infections. As nutrition researchers, we undertook an in-depth assessment of fermented African foods and their potential to improve human health cost-effectively. By gaining a deeper understanding of the diverse microbiomes present in various fermented indigenous African foods,…

Apr

16

2025

By FRANCISCA MUTAPI

Africa’s healthcare funding crisis: 3 strategies to manage deadly diseases

HEALTH

THE increasing trend of reducing foreign aid to Africa is forcing the continent to reassess its approach to healthcare delivery. African countries face a major challenge of dealing with high rates of communicable diseases, such as malaria and HIV/Aids, and rising levels of non-communicable diseases. But the continent’s health systems don’t have the resources to provide accessible and affordable healthcare to address these challenges. Historically, aid has played a critical role in supporting African health systems. It has funded key areas, including medical research, treatment programmes, healthcare infrastructure and workforce salaries. In 2021, half of sub-Saharan Africa’s countries relied on…

Apr

10

2025

By TIM BAKER and KARIMA KHALID

Critically ill patients in African hospitals aren’t getting the care they need: new survey

HEALTH

WHEN someone falls critically ill, hospitals are expected to provide life-saving care. But in many African countries, intensive care units are rare. Critically ill patients are treated in general hospital wards, and the provision of essential emergency and critical care is limited. Critical illness refers to any life-threatening condition where at least one vital organ – such as the heart, lungs, or brain – is failing. It can arise from any underlying condition including infections, injuries, or non-communicable diseases such as heart attacks and strokes, and can affect anyone of any age. In high-resourced settings, some critically ill patients are…