Category: AFRICA

Nigeria Leads Africa in Skin Bleaching, with 77% of Users Engaging in the Practice

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa  Nigeria has the highest prevalence of skin bleaching in Africa, with 77% of its population using skin-lightening products, a new report has revealed. The November 2023 Regional Fact Sheet on Skin Bleaching in Africa, compiled by the African Health Observatory (AHO) under the World Health Organization (WHO), warns that the widespread practice poses severe health risks and remains a major public health concern. Despite global efforts to regulate and ban harmful skin-bleaching products, millions of Nigerians continue to use them, driven by social, cultural, and economic pressures.…

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In Uganda, Fake Doctors Cause Serious Damage

Healthtimes

By Apophia Agiresaasi, GPJ Uganda KAMPALA, UGANDA — Days after an emergency cesarean section at a private clinic, Barbara Kwarikunda experienced excruciating pain. “I couldn’t eat,” she says. “I would feel pain whenever someone touched me. My stomach was swollen. I felt like something was bursting in my uterus.” Visits to the clinic didn’t help. An examination at a public hospital revealed that the people who operated on her left cotton and gauze in her uterus. They also slightly severed her intestine, which caused internal leaking. She required another surgery…

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South African Legislator Proposes Denying Foreigners Access to ARVs After PEPFAR Funding Halt

Healthtimes

By Michael Gwarisa  Controversial South African Member of Parliament Gayton McKenzie has proposed an immediate halt to all medical assistance, including Antiretroviral Treatment (ART), in response to the gap left by the cessation of aid from the United States government. In the final week of February, PEPFAR-funded HIV organizations in South Africa, which receive funding through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), were notified that their PEPFAR grants had been permanently ended. PEPFAR, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, was launched in 2003 to help combat AIDS…

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US Aid Cuts Jeopardize HIV and TB Programs in East and Southern Africa

Healthtimes

By Staff Reporter  The AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA) and its regional partners have strongly condemned the recent cuts in United States (US) funding for HIV and tuberculosis (TB) programs, warning of catastrophic consequences for millions of vulnerable people across East and Southern Africa. In January 2025, the US government implemented a blanket freeze on foreign aid, halting funding for crucial HIV and TB prevention, treatment, and care programs. Despite a waiver issued by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the…

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African health leaders call for stronger health systems amid shrinking financial support

Michael Gwarisa

 The 6th edition of the Africa Health Agenda International Conference (AHAIC) 2025 commenced with a powerful call to action, urging African nations to unite in strengthening health systems amid growing challenges. At the kick-off press briefing, held at the Kigali Convention Centre, global and African health leaders underscored the urgency of tackling pandemics, climate-driven health threats, and declining health aid through homegrown solutions and strategic investments. Jointly convened by Amref Health Africa, the Ministry of Health Rwanda, WHO Regional Office for Africa, and Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC),…

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South Africa, Zimbabwe and Congo among countries already witnessing disruptions in HIV care, says MSF

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter  The decision by the US government to temporarily freeze funding to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) alongside all other foreign aid for at least 90 days has had immediate effects on people living with HIV (PLHIV), said Doctors Without Borders (MSF) grams can continue at least until April, we are concerned that critical elements of the PEPFAR program remain frozen. More than three weeks since the US government froze PEPFAR funding, there is still widespread confusion and uncertainty as to whether this critical lifeline…

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HIV infections could jump over 6 times if US support is dropped and not replaced, UNAIDS chief says

Healthtimes

The head of the U.N. AIDS agency said Monday the number of new HIV infections could jump more than six times by 2029 if American support of the biggest AIDS program is dropped, warning that millions of people could die and more resistant strains of the disease could emerge. In an interview with The Associated Press, UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima said HIV infections have been falling in recent years, with just 1.3 million new cases recorded in 2023, a 60% decline since the virus peaked in 1995. But since…

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MCAZ Partners with African Regulators in Historic Agreement with Africa CDC

Michael Gwarisa

By Staff Reporter  The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and African Union Development Agency – New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD) are proud to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) among Africa’s WHO Maturity Level 3 National Regulatory Authorities (NRAs). These agencies have established robust systems to ensure the safety, efficacy and quality of medical products in line with international regulatory standards. The agreement marks a significant milestone in strengthening regulatory systems across the continent by fostering collaboration and reliance on regulatory decisions…

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New PEPFAR Waiver Scraps Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision Program

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa  The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has removed Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) programs from its list of HIV prevention and care initiatives set to benefit under the Life-Saving HIV Care and Prevention Services limited waiver. The 90-day limited waiver, which permits the continuation of critical HIV care, treatment, and prevention services, comes amid concerns over service disruptions following the temporary suspension of U.S. foreign assistance. However, some programs have been excluded from the waiver, raising uncertainty among health analysts regarding their resumption even…

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Ebola Breaks Out in Uganda as US Halts Foreign Aid

Healthtimes

By Nakisanze Segawa, GPJ Uganda KAMPALA, UGANDA — One nurse died from the Sudan Ebola virus in Uganda on Jan. 29. Two more cases were confirmed days later — and hundreds of people were direct contacts. The virus spreads fast, and it’s deadly: The Sudan strain’s fatality rate ranged from 40% to 100% in past outbreaks, and there are no approved vaccines. Now, the United States Agency for International Development, a key partner in treating Ebola and slowing its spread, has stopped all funding for global health and all of…

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