Scientists launch bioethics networkBy Sharon Atieno I sharonphoebeatieno@gmail.comA group of African experts has formed an association to promote dialogue and action in tackling bioethical issues.Africa Bioethics Network intends to bring together experts from Africa and beyond in multiple disciplines, such as health, environment and climate change, ...
Uganda’s first wildlife vet wants more women involved in wildlife conservation
Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, Uganda’s first wildlife vet is the founder of Conservation Through Public Health to protect the health of mountain gorillas while improving the lives and livelihoods of the communities who live with them. Years before the One Health approach was thrust into the spotlight following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr K ...
Goat eating fete: MESHA Nairobi Chapter members converge to network, learn from each other
By Jecinta Mwangi I jessmwangi95@gmail.com and Ogonji Ian I theogonji@gmail.comWhat started as a goat eating party turned into a great learning and networking session for the members of Media for Environment, Science, Health and Agriculture (MESHA), Nairobi Chapter. The members converged at Paradise Lost, Kiambu County, on June 11, 2022, to let off ...
Unprotected sex among adolescents blamed for big HIV burden in western Kenya
By Carol Otieno Miyawa I lolwecarol@gmail.com The rampant cases of teen pregnancy in Rangwe, Homa Bay County means many young girls have sex without protection, raising their chances of acquiring HIV. Rangwe Sub-county AIDS and STIs Coordinator Judith Abong’o said because of this unprotected sex, the sub-county records 2,000 new HIV infect ...
The triple threat: How teen pregnancy, gender-based violence raise HIV infections
By John Riaga I oukoriaga@gmail.com Born HIV positive, defiled by a man she knew as her grandfather and faced with the risk of an unwanted pregnancy at the tender age of 10, Philomena Kamala (not her real name) has seen it all in life.Orphaned by HIV and AIDS, Kamala and her three siblings are under the care of their frail grandmother in a remote v ...
Keeping apes and humans happy together the Ugandan way
OMBOKI MONAYO I omboki2725@gmail.comUganda’s population of gorillas continues to thrive, thanks to a One Health program targeting the residents living around Bwindi National Park.“Over the last 25 years, our gorilla population has doubled. Our park is the only one that has been able to achieve this milestone in Africa. The other parks with gorilla ...
It’s a shame Africa begs for food with 60% of world’s arable land, says expert
African countries must increase investment in crop production in a bid to improve the continent’s agribusiness share in the global market.Amos Rutherford, Team Lead, Research and Innovation at Legacy Seeds Ghana, said it was high time farmers in Africa knew their value in the global market and increased production from the current two billion tonne ...
Conference of the future: A journalist’s perspectives on the Fifth MESHA African Conference of Science Journalists
By Tebby Otieno I tebbyotieno62@gmail.com As the MESHA Fifth African Conference of Science Journalists drew to a close last Friday, many things kept crossing my mind. First, it must take a strike of some genius to organize such a big conference. The amount of work that goes on in the preparation of this conference must be enormous laced with a lo ...