Bryan Ceronie is a medical doctor in the UK.
We are living in unprecedented times. The COVID-19 pandemic has stretched across the world in a matter of months, affecting virtually everyone.
But just because we’re in a pandemic does not mean the risk of other diseases goes away. In fact, there is a real risk of routine immunisations being sidelined in favour of resource reallocation for the pandemic.
Vaccinations are one of the single most important public health interventions in protecting the...
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The world has recently been plunged in the deep end of this temporary but indeterminate new way of life. The pandemic has forced adjustments not only at institutional levels but in our personal day-to-day lives. Although a sense of an undetermined future has made the world feel unsettled, we cannot lose hope in fighting the virus.
It is also important to acknowledge and appreciate those taking the big bold steps in ensuring, individually or as a community, that humanity doesn’t...
A video was recently circulated showing people in overcrowded slums in Lagos, Nigeria resisting lockdown. In the video, people expressed their dissatisfaction with the lockdown, citing their inability to meet their food and energy needs as a major concern.
In Kenya, commuters at a ferry received a bout of tear gas as the police tried to disperse a crowd of ferry commuters in Mombasa trying to escape the impending curfew the next day. We should expect to see more of...
During the COVID-19 pandemic, people all over the world are increasingly standing in solidarity with each other to beat the virus. But as we live through this, the cold hard fact about the COVID-19 pandemic is clear – it will inevitably wreak its worst on the people, communities, and countries that are least able to withstand the shock. Where you live shouldn’t determine whether you live.
If the virus is moving faster than we are, it’s winning. But, the good...
In truth, none of us are safe until all of us are safe. The COVID-19 pandemic paints this in living colour. Nigeria faces the same challenges as the rest of the world. But in our case, Nigeria has far more people living in poverty and a lot of people working in the informal economy. They are harder hit by the pandemic and most impacted by the measures that work to mitigate the pandemic, such as staying at home, social...
The COVID-19 pandemic is arguably the biggest challenge facing humanity today. More than 440,000 cases have been confirmed in 196 countries and territories, and almost 20,000 people have died.
Beyond the health impact, the spread of the virus is hurting the global economy. The impact is already visible in China and across Europe, where travel restrictions and distancing measures have disrupted global supply chains and reduced economic activity. But the good news is that world leaders are working hard to...
A question for all women: if you were to create an invoice for all the unpaid and unrecognised work that you do, how much more would you earn daily? Weekly?
Every day, millions of women globally engage in activities that they are not financially remunerated for. From cooking to cleaning to showing up at children’s school activities, women are responsible for 75% of all unpaid care and domestic work, which is far more than their male counterparts.
It is estimated that...
Dr. Richard Sezibera is the former Health and Foreign Minister of Rwanda.
Sub-Saharan Africa’s population is set to double by 2050. Already, 60% of the population is below the age of 25. This is a huge opportunity for our continent, but it can also be a ticking bomb if we don’t invest and harness the power of this demography.
What better ways are there than to start investing in them from an early age? Primary health care should remain our biggest...
The rapid spread of the coronavirus has captured the world’s attention. Damaging as it may be, this tiny virus is an urgent reminder of our collective vulnerability to transnational threats — and of the urgency of common cause to protect the health of people everywhere.
National responses — factual public information, containment, testing, tracing, treatment — are critical. But so is an international response that seeks to respond to today’s emergency while also preparing the world to deal with the next...
Since the beginning of the year, the spread of coronavirus has dominated the news, and for good reason. So far, the virus has infected about 82,0000 people worldwide and killed about 2,900.
In a new development, Nigeria confirmed the first case of coronavirus in sub-Saharan Africa on 28 February. The virus was brought by an Italian citizen working in Nigeria, who is currently stable with no serious symptoms.
It comes as no surprise that coronavirus has now reached sub-Saharan Africa, but...