BY Webster Mavhu — The latest data from New York tells us that the novel coronavirus is killing men at twice the rate of women. Death rates are higher around the world, including China, France, Italy and South Korea. Reasons for the gender disparity are unknown, although possible explanations have begun to emerge. However, whatever the underlying cause turns …
BY Mmaki Jantjies — South Africa’s education system is complex, with historical inequalities dating back to apartheid. Most of the country’s pupils come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Language is an issue; most pupils do not speak English as a mother tongue, yet English dominates in many classrooms. And, as the COVID-19 crisis has showed, there’s a huge digital divide at play. The …
BY Etta Madete — Africa bears more than 24 percent of the global burden of disease, but has access to only 3 percent of its health workers and less than 1 percent of the world’s financial resources, according to the United Nations. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports [PDF] Africa has one doctor for every 5,000 people while a …
I survived a battle with Ebola six years ago. Now I’m worried about health care workers exposed to COVID-19. BY: Adaora Okoli — As I read the story of two health care workers who contracted COVID-19 in Wuhan, my heart raced and a tight knot gathered in my chest. I had been there. They were both …
BY Mmaki Jantjies — South Africa, like most countries in the world, has ordered all schools to close to try and stop the spread of COVID-19. Many schools have also asked parents to ensure that learning continues at home. Online learning is an obvious way to keep lessons going; however, only a few schools have well-established online …