The 7th Public Health in Africa Conference, set for 17-19 October 2023 at the Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg, arrives at a critical juncture in global health. This year’s theme, “Population Health and Preventative Medicine,” probes into urgent issues like non-communicable diseases, maternal and child health, and notably, the rising global epidemic of multimorbidity. Adding…
GEAPP GLC Powers Ahead to Accelerate Affordable Clean Energy for All
Last week, the Global Leadership Council (GLC) of the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) convened on the sidelines of UNGA 78 to review progress against its two signature initiatives: first, to mobilize 5 GW of accelerated commitments to Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS); and second, to enable large-scale aggregation in the distributed…
African leaders warn of deadly malaria emergency, call for urgent action to address unprecedented funding shortfall
African Union Heads of State and Government, global health leaders and development partners issued a joint call for urgent action to address the looming malaria emergency. They warned that failure to act now will put at risk both the African Union’s target of eliminating malaria in Africa by 2030, and the UN target of ending malaria…
Climate change and health solutions: Scientists advocate for prioritizing the needs of vulnerable communities
By Lenah Bosibori Scientists from across Africa have emphasized the need for placing vulnerable communities at the forefront when addressing the interconnecting challenges of climate change and health as they bear the brunt of the effects. Speaking during a webinar on ‘Prioritizing Health in Climate Change Action in Africa’ that was organized by the USAID-funded…
ASSAf brings the SA IYBSSD to a close
In December 2021, the 76th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly marked a significant moment in the world of science and sustainability by establishing the International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development (IYBSSD). This global initiative highlights the pivotal role played by basic sciences – mathematics, physics, chemistry, and biology…
A lobby group calls for preservation of threatened indigenous seeds to enhance food security
By Lenah Bosibori A lobby group has called for the preservation of threatened indigenous seeds saying the move will enhance food security in the Africa adding that some companies producing seeds are on a mission to make money. Speaking in Nairobi during the African Biodiversity Network’s (ABN) 20th Anniversary celebrations of commitment to African biodiversity…
Africa’s stomach is empty and the hunger is growing
Africa’s stomach is empty and the hunger is growing. The continent is ravaged by a host of factors inhibiting food security and is trapped in what a recent report by the World Bank calls “the perfect storm”. Its consequences are disastrous. The Covid-19 pandemic was followed by the war in the Ukraine, which has led…
African women unite for climate justice, reparations, and development alternatives
The second Women’s Climate Assembly (WCA) to be held in Lagos, Nigeria from 24 to 28 September 2023 will bring together women from fourteen countries across Central and West Africa under the theme, African Women Unite for Climate Justice, Reparations and Development Alternatives! Following on from the success of last year’s inaugural assembly in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, the convening’s…