insert_link Health / Medical Global pandemic treaty will help fight future threats: top negotiator on how talks are going By Precious Matsoso, University of the Witwatersrand For the past two years the World Health Organization’s 194 member states have been negotiating an international accord on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response. This was driven by the need to ensure the world is better prepared for future pandemics. The outcome of the government-led negotiations was presented to the annual meeting of the World Health Assembly […] todayJune 21, 2024 8
insert_link Africa Kenya is badly prepared for floods: four steps to reduce devastation and deaths By Augustine Kiptum, University of Sussex Floods in Kenya in April/May 2024 led to the deaths of over 250 people and caused damage estimated at 4 billion Kenya shillings (US$35 million). Not for the first time, Kenya’s lack of preparedness was apparent as flooding rampaged through rural and urban landscapes. There was also confusion as to who would deal with the disaster – the national […] todayMay 22, 2024 15
insert_link Environment El Niño disasters: governments know what’s coming, but are unprepared – what must change By Tafadzwanashe Mabhaudhi, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Drought disasters in southern Africa are mainly attributed to a lack of preparedness, inadequate response and mitigation and poor risk reduction measures. With little to no preparation for drought disasters, such as the failure of the staple maize crop, the only option after the disaster hits is delayed relief action. Because of climate change, the El Niño-induced impacts […] todayApril 2, 2024 18
insert_link Environment The importance of keeping rainfall records By Hanks Saisai, Technical Advisor: Crops & Poultry Namibia’s Central, North Central, Eastern, Southern, and North-Eastern regions received some rain showers marking the beginning of the 2023/2024 rainy season. Oftentimes, farmers get excited and carried away by the occurrence of rainfall as it is an essential resource that enables farmers to cultivate cereal grains like maize, pearl millet (mahangu) and sorghum. Additionally, rainfall replenishes vegetation (grasses, shrubs, forbs, and bushes) […] todayDecember 4, 2023 13
