SciDev.net

Africa urged to ‘mainstream’ homegrown climate adaptation African Union Commission calls for private sector and government backing for locally-led climate adaptation.

Africa could face warming of 2–6°C by 2025, making climate adaptation a “survival imperative”, according to new analysis. Yet many programmes still rely on external models. AU adviser Emmanuel Siakilo warns against “copy-paste interventions” that fail local realities.
#SciComm

Q&A: Chronic lung disease an ‘invisible’ global crisis Tobacco control and clean air policies must be prioritised to curb the rise in Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), WHO envoy urges.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease kills 3.5 million people each year, yet receives far less attention than many other global health threats.
“When diseases are invisible in public discourse, they are invisible where funding decisions are made,” warns WHO envoy José Luis Castro.
#SciComm #COPD

Last-mile surveillance can end neglected diseases—study Schistosomiasis study in China suggests high-precision mapping can aid final push to elimination of the neglected disease.

Published in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases, a 13-year study from southwest China offers a data-driven roadmap for schistosomiasis elimination.

Researchers merged AI algorithms with longitudinal field data to detect transmission at household scale.
#SciComm #schistosomiasis

Big tech ‘leave poor farmers sidelined’ in AI revolution A new report shows that agricultural corporations and big tech is pricing innovation out of reach of smallholder farmers who need it most.

Innovation in agriculture is not neutral. It’s political.

A new @ipes-food.org report argues that Big Tech’s expansion into AI-driven farming risks deepening smallholder dependency through costly, subscription-based platforms.
#SciComm #AI

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Breakthrough sickle cell gene therapy a distant hope in Africa While African governments expand basic treatment, high-income countries adopt the first gene-editing therapy to cure sickle cell.

“For Africa, gene therapy treatment currently exists only on paper.”

Nigeria sees 150,000 babies born with sickle cell disease each year, the highest burden globally. Yet CRISPR-based cures remain financially out of reach.
#SciComm #Sicklecell #geneediting

Fracking in Argentina ‘linked to hundreds of tremors’ Scientists attribute a rise in earthquakes in Argentine Patagonia to the expansion of extraction of gas and oil by fracking.

The debate over #fracking is intensifying across Latin America. While Argentina expands Vaca Muerta, Brazil’s Paraná and Santa Catarina prohibit it. Mexico signals support. Colombia’s ban bills failed.
#SciComm

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UK aid cuts demand repair, not retreat to save lives UK aid cuts demand justice-led solutions to repair the harm, writes Katie Husselby, director of Action for Global Health.

One year after the UK cut aid to 0.3%, the consequences are clear: clinics closed, malnutrition rising, health systems overwhelmed.

Our Director Katie Husselby writes in @scidevnet.bsky.social: the answer isn’t retreat — it’s repair. ⬇️

www.scidev.net/global/opini...

UK aid cuts demand repair, not retreat to save lives UK aid cuts demand justice-led solutions to repair the harm, writes Katie Husselby, director of Action for Global Health.

UK aid reductions have left health systems in fragile states dangerously exposed.

Now, with aid reduced to 0.3% of national income, global health faces a moment of reckoning.
#SciComm #Aidcuts #globalhealth

www.scidev.net/global/opini...

Science academies failing to put women at the top Female representation at the head of science academies has barely changed in the last decade, report shows.

Women now account for 19% of science academy members globally. Leadership hasn’t caught up.

Almost half of academies have no women vice-presidents or co-chairs. Fewer than 10% allocate a dedicated budget to gender equality.
#SciComm #11F #STEM
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EU-banned pesticides widely used in Latin America Almost half of pesticides approved in Latin America are prohibited in the EU, according to researchers.

Pesticide use in Latin America has grown faster than anywhere else globally.
As Europe tightens controls, researchers ask why the same chemicals still circulate freely elsewhere.
#SciComm #Pesticides #LatinAmerica

One Health strong on paper, weak where outbreaks begin Across Africa, One Health is endorsed at the top but often breaks down where outbreaks start.

One Health looks solid on paper. In real African communities, it often arrives late, or not at all. Ghana’s Marburg outbreak shows how delayed detection, poor coordination and underfunded local systems undermine global health frameworks.
#SciComm #OneHealth

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Why Nigeria may be missing silent mpox transmission Researchers report undetected mpox exposure in Nigeria, highlighting blind spots in symptom-based disease surveillance.

Scientists in Nigeria have found evidence of recent exposure among healthy adults to monkeypox with no symptoms, suggesting the virus may be circulating below the radar of traditional surveillance.
#SciComm #Mpox #Monkeypox

African scientists push for homegrown pharma innovation African scientists push for regional pharmaceutical product development as donor funding declines.

Africa’s science community is calling for practical reform.
Change import rules.
Fix supply chains.
Invest locally.
#SciComm #Healthreform

www.scidev.net/global/news/...

Q&A: ‘India must ready tools to prevent virus outbreaks’ From rotaviruses to flu, vaccines are key to protecting the vulnerable and preventing future pandemics, says India’s Gagandeep Kang.

India has made major gains in reducing infant deaths, but viral infections in children remain widespread. In this Q&A, enteric disease expert Gagandeep Kang explains why vaccines are still essential to protect the vulnerable. Read the full interview via @scidevnet.bsky.social: bit.ly/4sWoawZ

Human-led AI opens tech jobs for refugees AI can help displaced people avoid exploitation, but humans must call the shots, warn specialists in the field.

AI can help refugees find work, translate qualifications and avoid exploitative middlemen, but only if systems are transparent and human-led. “AI will assist… but human oversight ensures quality and ethical checks,” says Na’amal CEO Lorraine Charles.
#SciComm #AI

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How climate change is burning Kenya's outdoor workers For millions working outdoors in Kenya, climate change isn't abstract, it is telling on their skin.

Across Kenya, climate change is reshaping skin health. Rising heat, reduced cloud cover and stronger UV radiation are colliding with long outdoor workdays.
#SciComm #Skincancer #climatechange

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How climate change is burning Kenya's outdoor workers For millions working outdoors in Kenya, climate change isn't abstract, it is telling on their skin.

Across Kenya, climate change is reshaping skin health. Rising heat, reduced cloud cover and stronger UV radiation are colliding with long outdoor workdays.
#SciComm #Skincancer #climatechange

www.scidev.net/global/scide...

World on track to breach 1.5C target by 2030 Paris Agreement target was surpassed on average over the last three years, according to European data.

New climate data shows the world edging beyond the 1.5°C limit years earlier than expected. The EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service now warns this threshold could be crossed by 2030, driven by relentless greenhouse gas accumulation.
#SciComm

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Africa pushes back on US health deals over data, power Public health experts in Africa say US health deals risk shifting control of data and pathogens away from the continent.

Bilateral health agreements between African states and the US are being sold as sustainability reforms. But critics say they quietly reconfigure control over health data, surveillance systems and national priorities.
#SciComm #HealthData #AmericaFirst

Africa pushes back on US health deals over data, power Public health experts in Africa say US health deals risk shifting control of data and pathogens away from the continent.

Bilateral health agreements between African states and the US are being sold as sustainability reforms. But critics say they quietly reconfigure control over health data, surveillance systems and national priorities.
#SciComm #HealthData #AmericaFirst

World on track to breach 1.5C target by 2030 Paris Agreement target was surpassed on average over the last three years, according to European data.

New climate data shows the world edging beyond the 1.5°C limit years earlier than expected. The EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service now warns this threshold could be crossed by 2030, driven by relentless greenhouse gas accumulation.
#SciComm

www.scidev.net/global/news/...

Climate crisis driving new disease threats in Africa Climate shocks are reshaping ecosystems, creating new pathways for disease across Africa.

Climate disruption is reshaping disease risks in Africa. Extreme droughts, erratic rainfall and rising temperatures are fuelling crop losses and pest outbreaks, with direct consequences for food security and health.

Via @scidevnet.bsky.social | #ClimateChange #GlobalHealth

Burning plastic waste ‘widespread’ in poor communities Domestic plastic burning is prevalent in cities around the world, fuelled by poor waste management, survey finds.

Plastic burning is both an environmental issue and a survival strategy shaped by inequality. A multi-country study shows how households facing energy poverty and failed waste systems turn to #plastic as fuel, despite severe health risks.
#SciComm

Full analysis: www.scidev.net/global/news/...

Climate-smart actions to reduce crop loss in Africa In this episode of Africa Science Focus, we examine how climate change accelerates crop loss and how climate-informed interventions can help.

What happens when #climatechange outpaces farm monitoring systems? Episode 63 of Africa Science Focus examines how rising temperatures, unpredictable rainfall and weak data are converging to drive crop losses across Sub-Saharan Africa.
#SciComm #Podcast

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Climate crisis driving new disease threats in Africa Climate shocks are reshaping ecosystems, creating new pathways for disease across Africa.

Climate extremes are collapsing food security in Ghana. Failed rains, flash floods and warming nights have left farmers harvesting a third of what they once did, if anything at all.
#SciComm

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Calls grow for fully integrated One Health surveillance Cross-sectoral One Health surveillance is vital for early disease detection, say experts in the field.

Integrated One Health surveillance has emerged as the top global research priority, yet many systems still fail to link data across human, animal, plant and environmental health.
#SciComm

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Rio Carnival glitter, microplastics ‘pollute beach’ A study on a beach in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro measures the impact of Carnival glitter on the environment.

New evidence from Rio’s Flamengo Beach shows how Carnival intensifies microplastic pollution, especially glitter. Researchers warn that these particles enter the infralittoral zone and accumulate in marine species, reshaping coastal ecosystems long after celebrations fade.
#SciComm #Microplastics

Farming pressures fuel Africa’s drug resistance crisis Overuse of antibiotics on farms is driving resistance to life-saving medicines.

From crowded poultry sheds to unregulated agro-vet outlets, East Africa’s agricultural realities are fuelling some of the world’s highest AMR mortality rates.
#SciComm #AMR

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We are pleased to announce the lineup of our distinguished panel of speakers for tomorrow’s webinar discussing why plant health matters for One Health systems. Register here: https://cabi.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KPiH5r66ROCe2EadHaC08w#/registration

We are pleased to announce the lineup of our distinguished panel of speakers for tomorrow’s webinar discussing why plant health matters for One Health systems.

Register here: cabi.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Single-dose dengue vaccine 'will help Amazon communities' A world-first single-dose vaccine against dengue virus, manufactured and approved for use in Brazil, will benefit hard-to-reach populations.

#Brazil has approved the world’s first single-dose vaccine protecting against all four #dengue serotypes.

Late-stage trials show 74.7% efficacy overall and 91.6% against severe disease.

🟠 https://f.mtr.cool/xnckjgdhxc via @scidevnet.bsky.social 

#Vaccines #VaccinesWork #GlobalHealth