UN Trans-Fat Ban Risks Denying Poor Communities Nutritional Benefits By Stephanie Mukandairo A draft United Nations declaration aimed at eliminating trans-fatty acids to combat non-communicable diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes, could deny millions across Africa and Southeast Asia access to essential milk and meat. The policy threatens to exacerbate malnutrition in countries like […]

African Children Still Missing Out on Pneumonia Vaccine By Sharon Atieno Despite the availability of pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs)- responsible for protection against bacteria that cause pneumonia and meningitis among other diseases- many African children are still missing out, with nearly seven in 10 children vaccinated in 2024. Surpassing all infectious diseases, Pneumonia remains the […]

Mozambique: Innovation and Action for Immunization and Child Survival Forum 2025 Global health leaders, policymakers, philanthropists, researchers, and advocates will gather in Maputo from 22–24 July 2025 for the Innovation and Action for Immunization and Child Survival Forum 2025. This is a high-level convening aimed at accelerating progress toward expanding access to life-saving immunization and ending […]

WHO, Partners Unveil Report on AI Use in Traditional Medicine By Sharon Atieno With traditional, complementary and integrative medicine (TCIM) being practiced in 170 countries and used by billions of people, the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners have released a new technical brief mapping the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in the sector. […]

Africa: ACTS Launches AI Institute to Lead Responsible Innovation By Gift Briton The African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) has launched an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Institute to advance responsible innovation, strengthen policy development, and build technical capacity in technology across the continent. The launch, held virtually, brought together policymakers, researchers, and development partners from Africa […]

Climate Change Taking Toll on Older Persons – UN Report By Sharon Atieno Extreme climate events, including heatwaves and floods, are putting the lives of older persons at risk, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) cautions in the Frontiers 2025 Report. The report notes that annual heat-related deaths among older persons have risen by an […]

Kenya Introduces Typhoid Vaccination in Routine Immunization Calendar By Duncan Mboyah Kenya’s Ministry of Health has for the first time introduced typhoid vaccination for children in routine immunization calendar. According to the Ministry, the new policy will help ensure that children aged nine 7months and above are vaccinated regularly to keep off being infected by typhoid […]

Kenyan Farmers Reaping From Fall Armyworm Project By Duncan Mboya Kenyan farmers are benefiting from the South-South Cooperation Fall armyworm (FAW) approach that involves the application of bio-pesticides and nature-based solutions. Speaking in Embu, eastern Kenya, the farmers narrated how they no longer incur losses from the outbreak and spread of FAW in the country, […]

Clean Energy Transforming Lives, Casting Shadow on Tradition By Milliam Murigi In a quiet village in Kenya’s Bomet County, 16-year-old Jerusha Chepkemoi reads her biology notes under the clean, bright light of a solar lamp. Her younger siblings are also scattered around the home, each in their corner. One is doing homework, and two others […]