Antibody tests aren’t a COVID-19 panacea. But they’re a useful additional tool: MSF nurse, Bhelekazi Mdlalose, performs a swab test for coronavirus on a health worker in Johannesburg. As the COVID-19 pandemic escalates, South Africa is struggling to keep up with the demand for testing. This has pushed laboratory professionals and clinicians to consider using …
South Africa in the news: Dean Elgar reveals why Proteas aren’t as intimidating these days: Dean Elgar says things have changed drastically inside the eight years he has been part of the Proteas Test setup.: “South Africa” – BingNews Global Mouth Ulcers Drugs Market 2020 Industry Share, Analysis, Size, Growth, Trends and CAGR Status and …
Consciousness: how can I experience things that aren’t ‘real’?: Great colours in Cappadocia, Turkey. But what are they? Olena Tur/Shutterstock When I see red, it’s the most religious experience. Seeing red just results from photons of a certain frequency hitting the retina of my eye, which cascades electrical and biochemical pulses through my brain, in …
Why Ghana’s smallholders aren’t excited by the latest ‘Green Revolution’: A Ghanaian vegetable farmer sits on his land Vrinda Khushu/Wikimedia Commons The Green Revolution – the introduction of new higher yielding seed varieties, increased use of fertiliser, irrigation and other mechanisation introduced since the 1960s – brought about a great increase in crop yields in …
African countries aren’t getting as much as they should from foreign direct investment: There has been a slide in the levels of foreign direct investment in Africa Wikimedia Commons Economic growth is driven by a number of factors. These include foreign direct investment, national savings, household spending, fiscal and monetary policies. Since the late 1980s …
Why many Nigerian children still aren’t getting proper nutrition: Proper nutrition is crucial for countries and individuals. Shutterstock Children – and countries – need proper nutrition to grow and develop. Good food does more than keep children alive and well. It also allows them to learn, play, participate and contribute to their world. But undernutrition, …
Dentists in South Africa aren’t being taught genetics. Why they should: Many genetic abnormalities involve the oral and dental region of the face. Shutterstock Genetic and genomic research has improved our understanding of the genetic origin of growth, development and disease and affects all areas of healthcare. There is also mounting evidence that many complex …
Messages about male circumcision aren’t clear: why this is dangerous: Shutterstock In March 2007, international experts endorsed voluntary medical male circumcision as a partial but effective way to reduce the risk of HIV infection in men. According to the World Health Organisation, medical male circumcision can reduce a man’s risk of acquiring HIV from a …
Things people say about exercise that aren’t true: Budimir Jevtic/Shutterstock It can be hard to include exercise in our busy lives, despite the best of intentions. There are a lot of reasons people don’t exercise, and a lot of misconceptions about exercise. Here are nine common misconceptions about exercise and what research actually tells us. …
The city of Akure is developing fast. But citizens aren’t having their say: Akure's infrastructure development projects have yet to create space for community participation Shutterstock Akure, the medium-sized capital of Ondo State in Southwest Nigeria, has seen its population increase by more than 54% in 13 years. Akure’s population growth is explained by two …
How immigration can make some UK-born residents feel worse off even if they aren’t – new research: Worries about the effects of immigration are prevalent in politics across Europe and the US. In the UK, for instance, concerns over immigration dominate much of the Brexit debate. For many, immigrants are seen as a source of competition …
Why the DRC’s army and police aren’t yet ready to protect citizens: Riot police on the outskirts of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo. EPA/Nic Bothma The Democratic Republic of Congo is trying to find its footing after a contentious presidential election in December 2018. These elections were preceded by months of political upheaval and poll …
Parties aren’t taking big issues seriously in South Africa’s election campaign: Mmusi Maimane, leader of South Africa's main opposition party, the Democratic Alliance, on the campaign trail. EFE-EPA /Kim Ludbrook Democracy is meant to be a system in which political parties compete to convince the people that they have answers to their most pressing problems. …
Flash crashes: if reforms aren’t ramped up, the next one could spell global disaster: Flight club. rawpixel.com In California, people fear the “big one” – an earthquake of such magnitude that it could wipe the state off the map. They look nervously at the intense seismic tremors from previous earthquakes and fear it is only …
South Africa’s children aren’t getting the mental health care they need: Mental health clinics exist in South Africa's public health sector, but children with ADHD often never reach them. Shutterstock Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has received increased scientific, clinical and public attention over the past few decades. It’s the most common psychiatric disorder in children – …
Lots of young South Africans aren’t going to technical colleges. What can be done: Many South African students prefer universities and neglect technical colleges. EPA/Kim Ludbrook Improved education is widely regarded as one of the key dimensions needed to address South Africa’s pervasive legacy of poverty, inequality and youth unemployment. Improving access to higher education …
Men aren’t being tested for HIV. How health services can plug the gap: A community health worker conducting a HIV test in a mobile clinic in a remote part of KwaZulu-Natal. Greg Lomas / Médecins Sans Frontières Men make up slightly less than half of the adults living with HIV across the world. Yet they …
People with epilepsy aren’t protected in Africa. What needs to be done: Shutterstock In October 2017 Abdul Matola was stoned and burnt to death in Malawi after being accused of being a “bloodsucking vampire”. Matola had lived with uncontrolled epilepsy -– a highly treatable and non-infectious condition characterised by recurring seizures. When he was caught …