TOP STORIES IN SCIENCE AFRICA – Page 65

13 Dec, 21

Sugar Firms Infringing Communities’ Right to Healthy Environment

By Sharon Atieno When West Kenya Sugar Company came looking for space to dump their bagasse-solid waste from manufacture of sugar from sugarcane- the residents of Ingavira village, Kakamega County, were more than willing to give them a piece of their land. “We had not known its impacts. We just thought it was fine and […]

Africa: Close to 50% of Omicron Cases, Millions of People Still Unvaccinated

By Naomi Kitur Africa currently accounts for 46% of the nearly 1000 Omicron cases reported globally according to Dr. Richard Mihigo, Coordinator, Immunization and Vaccines Development (IVD) Programme, World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa. The Omicron variant has now reached around 60 countries worldwide, 10 of which are in Africa. Over the past […]

Funding for TB Research Less than Half of What is Needed to End the Disease

By Christian Benard The global funding for tuberculosis (TB) research is less than half the goal of US$2 billion set forth by participating country governments at the 2018 United Nations (UN) high-level meeting on TB, a new report finds. The report, ‘Tuberculosis Research Funding Trends, 2005-2020’ by Stop TB Partnership and Treatment Action Group presents […]

KEMRI: Date for 12th KASH Conference Set

By Saumu Juma The Kenya Medical and Research Institute (KEMRI) is planning to host the 12th KEMRI Annual Scientific and Health (KASH) conference scheduled to begin on 16th-18th February next year. The conference theme will be “Building a resilient health sector through investments in data science, research evidence, technology and innovations” and it will be […]

10 Dec, 21

Directly Witness Ingestion of Therapy, a Game Changer in Management of HIV Pediatrics

By Joyce Chimbi Nearly seven out of every 10 HIV positive children globally live in East and Southern Africa. Despite progress made to reduce new HIV infections in children, the region remains far behind the 95-95-95 fast-track global targets for ending pediatrics AIDS by 2030. National AIDS and STI Control Programme (NASCOP) statistics show that […]

Livestock Derived Foods- vital to Tackling Food, Nutrition Insecurity in Africa

By Dr. Chimimba David Phiri More than one-third of the world’s undernourished people reside in Africa. The number of chronically undernourished continues to rise on the continent to 250 million in 2019, nearly one-fifth of the population. Of this number, 235 million are in sub-Saharan Africa. Animal-derived or sourced foods (ASF), have an important role […]

10 Dec, 21

Kenya: Kisumu CSOs Endorse EAC Sexual and Reproductive Bill 2021

By Evance Odhiambo The East African Sexual and Reproductive Bill 2021 currently before the General Purpose Committee of the East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) has received unanimous endorsement by representatives of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) drawn from health, human, children and women rights sectors in Kisumu County. The Bill’s objective is to facilitate the attainment […]

09 Dec, 21

PELIS Approach Increasing Kenyan Forest Cover

By Sharon Atieno Despite forests playing a key role in absorption of greenhouse gas emissions and consequently reducing the negative impacts of climate change, Kenya has been losing its forest cover at an alarming rate. According to the Global Forest Watch, from 2013 to 2020, 80% of tree cover loss in Kenya occurred within natural […]

09 Dec, 21

Omicron Variant, a Cause to Worry as Young People Most Affected

By James Ochieng “The new variant Omicron has proven to spread faster than the other COVID-19 variants and is affecting individuals more so the youth and the young population who are not in the vaccination bracket,” said Prof. Walter Jaoko an expert in Medical Microbiology and Tropical Medicine during an African Science Media Center (AfriSMC) […]

WHO Warns against Blood Plasma Transfusion to Treat COVID-19

By Naomi Kitur and Faith Atieno Convalescent plasma, a transfusion of blood plasma from someone who has recovered from COVID-19, is not recommended for patients with non-severe COVID-19, says World Health Organization (WHO). Despite its prior promise, current evidence shows that it does not improve survival nor reduce the need for mechanical ventilation, and it […]