South Africa

Circumcision and HIV/AIDS - II

Sun, 01/10/2010 - 03:23

Ritual circumcision is a different area but its practice in South Africa, for example, has important ramifications for the promotion of circumcision as an HIV/AIDS prophylactic.

This story was in the news this week:

Eight boys have died and three are in hospital after botched circumcisions in the South African province of Mpumalanga, officials say. The teenagers were at an initiation school in the town of Kwamhlanga. One of the initiates died in hospital and the seven others were found by health officials dead at the school.

Four Dead in South Africa Over Measles Vaccine Fears

Tue, 11/10/2009 - 13:33

South Africa is in the grip of a Measles epidemic that has affected over 2,000 people and killed four, with the majority of cases occurring in the Guateng region.

But an unusual feature of this outbreak is that it isn't necessarily poorer families being effected. The South African Department of Health have noted an unusual pattern to the cases.

Pill does not cure gender inequality

Tue, 11/10/2009 - 00:02

There’s a very illuminating leader in The Lancet last week about maternal mortality and the fact that despite sustained global campaigning efforts there has been little progress on the Millennium Development Goal to reduce maternal deaths by 75% by 2015.

Skeptical/Scientific African Bloggers: A List

Fri, 01/16/2009 - 16:15

As regular readers will know, I am passionate about Africa, and about the damage that can be done there by misguided interventions. On the positive side, there are a number of very good Africa-based bloggers out there, and Michael Meaden of Ionian Enchantment has started a regular blogroll of them. So here's a list of shiny new blogs for you to try:

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Last Year's Blog

March 11, 2009

The Lay Scientist: As Seen on TV!!