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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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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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#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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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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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,…
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Featured Video: #EndMaternalMortality
Merck for Mothers is a 10-year, $500 million global initiative that applies Merck’s scientific and business expertise to help reduce maternal mortality worldwide. So far, with our partners, they have helped an estimated 3.5 million women around the world including the United States. We agree, no woman should die giving life. Watch their #EndMaternalMortality video. Photo:…
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Researchers Confirm Labor Pain Anesthesia Can be Administered in Low-Resource Settings
At most hospitals in low-resource settings it is very unlikely that women would receive pain medication during labor. This is a problem, however, when women must receive emergency C-sections. While some administer general (inhaled) anesthesia, the spinal anesthesia poses more risks when there is no adequate training. However, doctors and researchers have shown that spinal anesthesia can be…
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Featured Video: Periods Change Lives
Once girls get their period in low- and middle-income countries where resources are low, their lives change — sometimes irreparably. When girls get their periods they oftentimes have to drop out of school and work around their home instead. And on top of that, many cannot afford sanitary napkins. Irise International, an East African organization,…
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Maternal and Newborn Health News from the 68th World Health Assembly
The 68th World Health Assembly features the launch of two important reports – The WHO report on Strategies Toward Ending Preventable Maternal Mortality [PDF] and the Every Newborn Action Plan Progress Report [PDF]. Maternal health remains one of the most elusive Millennium Development Goal to achieve. While maternal deaths worldwide have been nearly halved since…
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Can Forests Help Fight Global Hunger?
Currently 805 million people are undernourished worldwide. That number is based on a number of factors including chronic and systemic poverty, a lack of access to improved growing methods and resources for small-holder farmers, a lack of purchasing power, as well as a lack of highly nutritious foods. Researchers believe forests can help remedy the…
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Featured Infographic: Saving Mothers’ Lives Through Inexpensive Medicines
For Mother’s Day, PAI created an infographic about saving mothers’ lives in low-and middle-income countries through simple, live-saving medicines. PAI is a global organization advancing the right to affordable, quality contraception for every woman, everywhere. Due to the small numbers of physicians in countries like Zambia, Togo, and Mali, PAI argues that frontline health workers like…
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Featured Video: #WhatIsPossible for Global Maternal Health?
Today 800 women will die during childbirth from largely preventable causes. Most of those women live in low- and middle-income countries, but some mothers will also not make it through delivery right here in the United States. Most people don’t realize that the United States has the highest maternal mortality rate of any developed country in…