World Oral Health Day in Africa: Separating Fear from Facts on Nicotine, Smoking, and Oral Nicotine Alternatives
Joseph Magero As Africa celebrates World Oral Health Day, the emphasis usually lies on brushing, dental visits, and preventive care. But one of the most persistent threats to oral health across the continent, cigarette smoking, calls for a more nuanced, evidence-based response. For years, public messaging has treated all nicotine use as equally harmful. However,
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Over 120,000 Cape Town Teenagers May Need Asthma Care as Pollen Seasons Lengthen
WATCH HERE: Struggling to Breathe: The Silent Burden of COPD & Asthma Michael Gwarisa in Cape Town, South Africa Health experts have warned of a growing asthma burden among children in Cape Town, South Africa, with data showing that over 17 percent of teenagers in the city have a history of asthma and could still
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The Damage We Breathe Today: How Lung Injuries Are Quietly Killing Adults Years Later
Watch: Struggling to Breathe: The Silent Burden of COPD & Asthma https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZ7zMOLo5C0&t=226s Michael Gwarisa in Cape Town For decades, Evelyn’s smoking and repeated lung infections from tuberculosis (TB) took a toll she barely noticed. What started as a simple cough or occasional shortness of breath gradually turned into a constant struggle for air. Now, even
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Single-Dose Pill Brings Sleeping Sickness Closer to Elimination in Africa
Michael Gwarisa A breakthrough in the fight against sleeping sickness could transform care for thousands of patients in Africa. The European Medicines Agency’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has given a positive opinion to Acoziborole Winthrop, a single-dose, three-tablet treatment for the most common form of the disease, gambiense sleeping sickness. Developed
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Why Obesity Causes Chronic Inflammation in Millions of Americans
Michael Gwarisa More than one in three American adults lives with obesity, and scientists have long known it fuels chronic inflammation linked to diabetes, heart disease, and fatty liver. Now, an NIH-funded study has uncovered the biological chain reaction behind this process, opening the door to new treatments beyond weight loss. New research funded by
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Zimbabwe Integrates Eye Care into Universal Health Coverage
By Michael Gwarisa Minister of Health and Child Care, Dr Douglass Mombeshora, has announced that Zimbabwe now recognises eye health as an integral component of Universal Health Coverage and national development. He made the remarks while addressing a Breakfast Meeting during the recently concluded ECSA Health Community Conference in Mbabane, Eswatini. “Across the ECSA region,
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BREAKING: Zimbabwe Records New Cholera Outbreak Amid High Fatality Rate
Michael Gwarisa The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) has announced a cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe, with one reported death and five confirmed cases so far. The announcement was made during the Africa CDC weekly virtual press briefing by Professor Yap Boum, Deputy Incident Manager at the Africa CDC. According to the
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World Cancer Day 2026: Africa Should Emulate Sweden’s Proven Blueprint to Reduce Smoking-Related Cancer
Joseph Magero Due to declining smoking rates, Sweden has the lowest mortality from all cancers among men in the EU and an overall cancer incidence that is 41% lower than the EU average, offering a stark contrast to Africa. Across Africa, smoking-related diseases continue to place a heavy burden on public health systems, with cancer
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Ethiopia declares end of first-ever Marburg virus disease outbreak
Own Correspondent The Government of Ethiopia has officially declared the end of its first-ever outbreak of Marburg virus disease (MVD) following the completion of enhanced surveillance and the mandatory follow-up period, with no new confirmed cases reported for consecutive 42 days. The outbreak, first confirmed on 14 November 2025 in the South Ethiopia Region, was
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Africa Cervical Cancer Diagnostics Still Very Low – Africa CDC
Michael Gwarisa As the world marks Cervical Cancer Awareness Month, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has raised concern over the continent’s low diagnostic capacity for cervical cancer, a gap that has contributed to preventable loss of life over many years. Regional data shows that sub-Saharan Africa accounts for about 23 percent of
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