Lessons from Nigeria in Responding to Coronavirus

Coronavirus is now a pandemic and the World Health Organization considers Europe as its new epicenter. Italy, Spain and France are on lockdown and several nations are banning travelers from countries where cases are on the rise.
https://www.ipsnews.net/2020/03/lessons-from-nigeria-in-responding-to-coronavirus/

News Agencies Must Paint a Complete Picture of Coronavirus

Recently, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said, “We have an epidemic caused by Coronavirus, but we have a pandemic caused by fear “.
https://www.ipsnews.net/2020/03/news-agencies-must-paint-complete-picture-coronavirus/

Let’s Prevent Post-partum Depression and Provide Care to Those in Need

Recently, Nigerian feminist author Ukamaka Olisakwe spoke about her post-partum depression after giving birth in the city of Aba, southeast Nigeria. This follows her 2019 Longreads essay, in which she narrated painful details of her experience. 
https://www.ipsnews.net/2020/02/lets-prevent-post-partum-depression-provide-care-need/

Why the Coronavirus Should Worry Us All

The coronavirus outbreak -- which began in Wuhan, China, and causes a pneumonia-like illness -- is raging across Asia, infecting close to 300 people and killing four. It was initially known to be transmitted from animals to human, and was just confirmed to be transmitted from human to human.
https://www.ipsnews.net/2020/01/coronavirus-worry-us/

Community Efforts are Key When Addressing HIV/AIDS

Three years ago, I led an evaluation of an HIV project that focused on increasing access to quality care and supporting services for people living with HIV in Nigeria. It also aimed to reduce HIV-related stigma and discrimination.
https://www.ipsnews.net/2019/11/community-efforts-key-addressing-hivaids/

Four Ways to Prevent Deaths from Lassa Fever

Dr. Wouter, a Dutch doctor who helped perform surgeries and train colleagues in surgical skills in underserved areas of Sierra Leone died of Lassa Fever. He was infected as a result of performing a Caesarean section on an infected pregnant woman. 
https://www.ipsnews.net/2019/11/four-ways-prevent-deaths-lassa-fever/

Four Ways the African Development Bank Can Support a More Secure Africa

Free movement of people and goods across Africa increases the risk of transmission of infectious diseases. The continent must realise that it is no longer a question of if disease outbreaks will occur, but instead, of when, and how fast.
https://www.ipsnews.net/2019/11/four-ways-african-development-bank-can-support-secure-africa/

Three Ways to End HIV Stigma and Discrimination

As a Public Health Doctor, I often meet people who experience stigma simply because they live with HIV. One person who still haunts me is a woman who is HIV positive and when she was in labor, a midwife would not help her. Instead she shouted at her to just push out the baby and then she stood far away from the bedside, disgusted by the woman’s HIV status.  No one should go through such stigma at a vulnerable situation when they are about to birth life.
https://www.ipsnews.net/2019/10/three-ways-end-hiv-stigma-discrimination/

UNAIDS and WHO Africa Leaders Should Prioritize Women’s Health

Two African women were recently appointed to top global health positions: Winnie Byanyima as the Executive Director of UNAIDS and Dr. Matshidiso Moeti reappointed as the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa.
https://www.ipsnews.net/2019/09/unaids-africa-leaders-prioritize-womens-health/

World Health Organisation’s New Effort Can Help End Neglected Tropical Diseases

Recently, the World Health Organisation (WHO) launched global consultations for a new Roadmap on how to eliminate Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). The roadmap would help achieve universal health coverage by 2030, address health emergencies and promote healthier populations.
https://www.ipsnews.net/2019/08/world-health-organisations-new-effort-can-help-end-neglected-tropical-diseases/

Four Lessons to Reverse Inequity in the Global Health Workforce

Recently, Madhukar Pai, the Director of McGill University Global Health Program wrote about the inequity in global health research. He observed that researches are skewed in favor of the global north. We agree that this inequity exists. However, we also have found that global fellowships such as the Atlantic Fellowship, of which we are both Senior Fellows, are platforms to reverse this inequity, foster international partnerships and amplify voices of development practitioners from the global south. 
https://www.ipsnews.net/2019/12/four-lessons-reverse-inequity-global-health-workforce/

Here’s How the World Can Be Better Prepared to Handle Epidemics

The 2019 G20 Summit was held recently in Osaka, Japan. The Summit ended with the “G20 Osaka Leaders’ Declaration”, which identifies health as a prerequisite for sustainable and inclusive economic growth, and the leaders committed to various efforts to improve epidemic preparedness. 
https://www.ipsnews.net/2019/07/heres-world-can-better-prepared-handle-epidemics/

Time to Ensure Equity in Global Research Vocabulary

A recent publication in the journal PLOS Medicine reviewed the relationship between COVID-19 and mental health in eight low- and middle-income countries, collectively referred to as LMICs. As important as this publication is, we are appalled by the widespread use of the term “low- and middle-income countries” utilized in this article, and indeed in the majority of the global health literature and discourse.
https://www.ipsnews.net/2023/08/time-ensure-equity-global-research-vocabulary/

What Sub-Saharan African Nations Can Teach the U.S. About Black Maternal Health

New research shows that Black mothers in the United States disproportionately live in counties with higher maternal vulnerability and face greater risk of preterm death for the fetus, greater risk of low birth weight for a baby, and a higher number of maternal deaths.
https://www.ipsnews.net/2023/06/sub-saharan-african-nations-can-teach-u-s-black-maternal-health/

Mental Health Must Be Addressed in Medical Facilities and in Communities

Patients who visit public clinics in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, are asked mental health questions to detect signs of stress and depression early. The process starts with a basic checklist, with patients referred to a nurse, doctor, or specialist. Asking these questions at primary care not only can identify issues early on, but it also helps decrease the stigma often associated with mental health while maintaining anonymity.
https://www.ipsnews.net/2023/02/mental-health-must-addressed-medical-facilities-communities/

Polio Eradication Will Take Funds and Awareness

For forty days, Kunle Adeyanju – a Nigerian, Rotarian, polio eradication advocate and biker - rode for more than 12,500km from London to Lagos to raise funds for polio eradication.
https://www.ipsnews.net/2022/06/polio-eradication-will-take-funds-awareness/

We Must Carry on Paul Farmer’s Work on Social Determinants of Health

Paul Farmer, the legendary global health equity warrior, recently died in his sleep from heart-related complications at the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) in Butaro, Rwanda, the university he co-founded.
https://www.ipsnews.net/2022/03/must-carry-paul-farmers-work-social-determinants-health/

What Public Health Officials Can Learn from a New Long COVID Survey

A new survey on public awareness of long COVID by ‘Resolve to Save Lives” showed that among the 40% of Americans who were not vaccinated, seeing testimonials of those who suffer from long COVID inspired nearly two-thirds to consider the vaccine. A representative sample of nearly 2,000 Americans 18 and older took the survey between May 21 and June 10, 2021.
https://www.ipsnews.net/2021/07/public-health-officialscan-learn-new-long-covid-survey/

Naomi Osaka’s Bravery can be a Teachable Moment about Mental Health

Recently, Naomi Osaka, the number 2 ranked women’s tennis player in the world, said she would not participate in the press conference at the French Open (Rolland-Garros) because she wanted to protect her mental health.
https://www.ipsnews.net/2021/06/naomi-osakas-bravery-can-be-a-teachable-moment-about-mental-health/

How West African Leaders Can Tackle Youth and Gender Inequities

Recently, both Republics of Benin and Chad held their 2021 national elections. These countries are among thirteen countries on the continent billed to elect new political leaders in 2021 alone. This is a good opportunity to improve conditions on the continent. Indeed, the COVID-19 pandemic has magnified other issues on the continent like youth unemployment that better leadership could help improve.
https://www.ipsnews.net/2021/05/how-west-african-leaders-can-tackle-youth-and-gender-inequities/

Three Ways the US Can Promote Equity in Ending the COVID-19 Pandemic Globally

As richer western nations continue hoarding COVID-19 vaccines to the detriment of poorer nations, there is some light on the horizon. On April 15, 2021, the U.S. will join the Global Vaccine Alliance (GAVI) and co-host the launch of the Investment Opportunity for COVAX Advance Market Commitment.
https://www.ipsnews.net/2021/04/three-ways-us-can-promote-equity-ending-covid-19-pandemic-globally/