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News About the Success of a New Ebola Vaccine May Be Too Good to Be True
Timothy P Lahey, Dartmouth College Ebola is on the run: the number of cases dipped below 10 a week recently, and a few days ago investigators announced in the prestigious journal The Lancet that a new Ebola vaccine was “100% effective.” In response, global health authorities are starting to sound a little giddy. “We believe…
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Maternal Health Heroes: Interview With Dr. Jean Chamberlain Froese #MHHSS
We are happy to publish our third interview in our Maternal Health Heroes Summer Series with Dr. Jean Chamberlain Froese, Founder and Executive Director of Save the Mothers. Throughout the summer we will speak with some of the most notable maternal health advocates in the world ahead of the Global Maternal Newborn Health Conference that will be held in Mexico City between October 18 –…
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Why Promoting Green Infrastructure in Africa May Be Bad for Development
By Mike Muller, University of the Witwatersrand Inadequate infrastructure is widely recognised to be holding back Africa’s development and lowering the quality of life of its citizens. The traffic jams of Nairobi, the power cuts of Nigeria or the water shortages that currently afflict Harare and Bulawayo are some of these. The same is true in…
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Kenya is a Breastfeeding Success Story But Still Has Its Challenges
By Elizabeth Kimani-Murage, Brown University Breastfeeding has both short-term and long-term nutritional benefits for children. Nutrition is central to sustainable development. Good nutrition in the first 1000 days of a child’s life is critical for child growth, well being and survival, and future productivity. The World Health Organisation recommends exclusive breastfeeding for children until they are six…
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Why Africa is Particularly Vulnerable to Climate Change
By Coleen Vogel, University of the Witwatersrand When it comes to climate change Africa is in the eye of the storm. This is partly because of human factors – but the continent’s climate also makes it extremely vulnerable. Africa is faced with a number of interlinked challenges. These include land degradation, poverty and climate change.…
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Maternal Health Heroes: Interview With Dr. Priya Agrawal #MHHSS
We are happy to publish our second interview in our Maternal Health Heroes Summer Series with Dr. Priya Agrawal, Executive Director of Merck for Mothers. Throughout the summer we will speak with some of the most notable maternal health advocates in the world ahead of the Global Maternal Newborn Health Conference that will be held in Mexico City between October 18 –…
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#MaternalMonday Officially Launches Today in Nigeria
The global maternal health social media conversation that has been ongoing since 2013 under the #MaternalMonday hashtag was officially launched by the Wellbeing Foundation Africa (WBFA) today in Abuja, Nigeria. The new #MaternalMonday digital space will allow WBFA to reach more users, even in remote areas, via a medium that is rapidly growing and evolving, wrote WBFA in a…
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The Crisis Continues in the Central African Republic
Lead photo: The National Forum of Bangui during the report on ‘Justice and Reconciliation’ in the capital of the Central African Republic on 9 May 2015. The history of the Central African Republic (CAR) has been riddled with conflict since it was first established in 1960, but the past few years have been particularly upsetting.…
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Renewable Energy Company Commits to Providing Two Million Solar Kits to Kenyans
As of 2014 only 23% of Kenyans have access to electricity according to the World Bank. That number has remained steady since 2005. Now, a reported two million Kenyans will gain access to renewable energy through portable home solar kits donated by renewable energy company, US-based SkyPower. The home kits will include LED bulbs, a fan,…
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5 Maternal Health Mobile Apps That Are Saving African Mothers’ Lives
Driving around Africa in both congested cities and sparsely-populated rural towns you will see that most people carry a mobile phone in plain sight, countless signs for mobile providers can be seen at nearly every turn, and “top up” guys scout out customers who are in constant need of more mobile minutes. Mobile is here to stay in Africa and so are mobile apps.…
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Maternal Health Heroes: Interview With H.E. Toyin Saraki
We are excited to launch our Maternal Health Heroes Summer Series with an interview with H.E. Mrs. Toyin Saraki, founder of the Wellbeing Foundation Africa. Throughout the summer we will speak with some of the most notable maternal health advocates in the world ahead of the Global Maternal Newborn Health Conference that will be held…
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Featured Photos: Ethiopian Women Gain Access to Trade Markets
These trainees are at a project known as “Connecting 1,500 Women and Girls to the Export Market”. The project was created in 2014 by Ethiopia’s First Lady, Mrs. Roman Tesfaye and trains women and girls to develop skills in industries such as leather, weaving, basketry, embroidery, gemstones, and spinning and connect them to global markets to…
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Burundi Artisans Continue Trade Despite Looming Civil War
Ever since sitting Burundi president Pierre Nkurunziza said he would seek a third term despite it being unconstitutional, there has a been mass exodus of Burundians into the hills and surrounding countries due to the country’s infighting. Today a countrywide election took place even though the youthful opposition vehemently protested against a presidential election. Explosions, gun…
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Featured Photo: South Sudan Police Officers Complete Sensitization Workshop
A ceremony was held at Central Equatoria Police Headquarters in Juba, South Sudan, to mark the completion of a sensitization workshop for 38 members of the South Sudan National Police Service (SSNPS), which is also known as South Sudan Police Service (SSPS). The workshop in Confidence and Trust Building Policing Strategy was conducted with support…
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The Surprising Cause of Stunting in Tanzania
In the developed world most people have no idea what stunting is. It is a health problem we do not have to worry about because access to nutritious and fortified foods is largely available in our supermarkets and restaurants and ultimately our kitchens. For us, the stark opposite of stunting for our children is our major…
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International Day Against Sexual Violence in Conflict
Rape has always been used as a weapon of war and women and girls are typically the victims of these heinous crimes. To bring more awareness to sexual violence during conflict the United Nations General Assembly created the International Day for the Elimination of Sexual Violence in Conflict that will be commemorated on June 19…
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Join Shanti Uganda’s 2015 Doula Training, “Birthing and Beyond”
By our partner, The Shanti Uganda Society On August 27th to September 4th, The Shanti Uganda Society will be hosting its fourth annual doula training in Uganda, East Africa, the country considered to be the Pearl of Africa. The program has been running since 2012 and has received much positive feedback. A previous student described her…
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Women Helping Women in Johannesburg’s Townships
I met Jabulile Tlhabane, 57, in a small woman-owned restaurant on a busy road in Alexandra Township, located about 60 minutes outside Johannesburg. Alexandra, or Alex as the locals call it, is home to over a million people, even though its intended resident capacity is capped at 100,000. That means stresses are rife among Alexandra’s…
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Key Partners Establish Road Map to Measure Health Outcomes
Featured Photo:Psychological and Social Work with Survivor and Affected Families in Liberia (UN Photo/Martine Perret) Across the board there has been a global call for a strengthening of health systems particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Now, atop that, key partners including USAID, WHO, and the World Bank along with specific countries have laid out a road map…
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New Global Grant Improves Obstetric Surgical Safety in Western Kenya
Earlier this week we wrote that Duke University researchers discovered that spinal anesthesia (epidurals) can be given to women during C-sections in low-resource settings in Ghana. Now, there is even more good news regarding women in Africa who are in need of emergency C-sections during high-risk deliveries. Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), Kenya’s AIC Kijabe Hospital,…