In 1999 the US Institute of Medicine published the ground breaking report To Err is Human highlighting the scale of medical errors and ensuing excess mortality, revealing the widespread concerns on patient safety and providing a roadmap for creating safer health systems. Twenty years on, a significant milestone was reached…

Mozambique has been in the news recently following arrests of senior officials and bankers in London, New York and Jo’burg on their alleged involvement with fraud and loan scandals, that led to a financial crisis in the impoverished country. The country already has some of the highest debt-to-GDP ratio in…

As fall sets in each November, World Pneumonia Day is marked to raise awareness on this leading infectious killer of young children, responsible for nearly a million preventable deaths annually. Half of these deaths occur in just five countries globally and Ethiopia is one of them. Despite the remarkable social…

In 1978, the international community came together in Alma Ata (Almaty of today) to declare their commitment to protect and promote the health of all people. The Alma Ata Declaration identified primary healthcare as a key priority for achieving health for all. Countries such as Bangladesh and Ethiopia made tremendous…

Children in South Sudan have some of the worst odds for survival in the world, with nearly one in every 10 children dying before their fifth birthday. Malaria, diarrhoea and pneumonia remain the major killers of young children and widespread food insecurity means those who survive remain undernourished, unable to…

I was in Uganda recently and having not been there for a few years, was pleasantly surprised at the signs of development everywhere — new roads, bridges and buildings being built, more bodas, cars and lorries on the streets, more vendors and roadside stalls selling fresh produce. There’s even talk…