Health

Windhoek — Namibian health authorities have confirmed a case of Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) after a patient admitted to a Windhoek health facility tested positive, officials said Friday. The viral disease, also known as Congo Fever, can be severe and is tracked closely because of its high fatality risk and potential for human-to-human transmission. Health Minister Esperance Luvindao said the single confirmed case required "urgent intervention" given the disease’s severity and capacity to spread. Officials did not…

Somalia’s space ambitions meet environmental realities Somalia’s coastline and equatorial latitude have thrust Bashaqle, in Middle Shabelle, into conversations about an African launch site. The prospect promises strategic access to orbit and a pathway into the global space economy. It also brings complex environmental, health, and governance questions that must be addressed before ignition. Equatorial launches reduce fuel needs and enable heavier payloads to orbit, making Bashaqle geographically attractive. Turkey’s…

India offers aid as Botswana confronts acute medicine shortages India has offered to assist Botswana in addressing a severe shortage of essential medicines, officials said during a visit by Indian President Droupadi Murmu. The offer was announced by Botswana President Duma Boko at a joint media briefing, underscoring the urgency of the country’s health supply crisis. President Boko announced the offer while briefing the media alongside visiting Indian President Droupadi Murmu. Available reports put the stock of essential…

Conflict, poverty and collapsing services: why cholera is surging again "Peace is health," World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus repeats in briefings, a blunt reminder that infectious disease is not merely a biological problem but a political and social one. In late August 2025, WHO warned the world that cholera is resurging — and that the drivers are familiar: armed conflict, broken water and sanitation systems, deepening poverty and strained vaccine supplies. The warning is not abstract.…

In Durban, Africa's public health debate turns from aid to agency Durban — Delegates in brightly patterned shirts and surgical scrubs threaded their way through the humid corridors of the conference centre here, trading phone numbers, business cards and the kind of blunt, practical advice that follows crises. This was not a glossy health summit but a working room: ministers, nurses, start‑up founders, community health workers and WHO officials convened for the 4th International Conference on Public Health in Africa (CPHIA)…

A Crisis in Botswana: Health Emergency Amidst Economic Struggles In a stark televised address, President Duma Boko announced a public health emergency in Botswana, highlighting a dire situation that has been compounded by economic straits, dwindling international aid, and overwhelming shortages of essential medicines. The announcement comes at a time when this Southern African nation, known for its stability and diamond wealth, finds itself grappling with unprecedented challenges that threaten the well-being of its…

In a striking move, President-elect Donald Trump has chosen Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an environmental advocate known for spreading dubious claims about vaccines, to head the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the preeminent health agency in the United States. Kennedy, who once pursued the presidency as an independent candidate earlier this year, withdrew from the race in August. He subsequently threw his support behind Trump, looking to secure a position within the Republican administration as part of the…

MSF counselors gather women at a nutrition center inside Bay Regional Hospital, Baidoa. © Alberto Macin/MSF Meet Alberto Macin, the spirited maestro of mental health initiatives with MSF for the better part of a decade. His globe-trotting missions span Mexico, El Salvador, and South Sudan, right through to Ukraine, the perilous routes from Libya to the Mediterranean, not to forget Mozambique, Kenya, and his latest haunt, Somalia. Macin’s gig? Crafting mental health blueprints, embedding vital services into MSF’s action…

 Aspiring Alexandria School Board member, Abdullahi Abdalla, campaigns under the vast city skyline hoping to secure his inaugural term. Abdalla champions his cause with a fervent focus on championing educators, safeguarding students, and fostering robust community ties. CREDIT/ SUPPLIED Mogadishu (AX) — Abdullahi Abdalla, a key player on the School Board Budget Advisory Committee, is vying for a seat on the Alexandria School Board. His campaign swings heavily towards empowering teachers, invigorating community…

Mogadishu (AX) — For many years, Somalia has been caught in a storm of turmoil, poverty, and uprooting that's left the nation's mental health in shambles. This dire situation has largely been ignored, as highlighted by Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF). "Women and kids are really taking the hardest hit," they noted in a recent report, pointing to the intensifying mental stress blanketing these already strained communities. From the start of 2024 to September, MSF's dedicated mental health squads have…