African Spotlight Network
Stories
Reporting, essays and field dispatches that keep African health human, specific and in focus.
Community development
Kibera youth get digital boost as computers open doors to online opportunities
The donation comes as digital technology in Kibera continues to reshape how young people learn, work and access opportunities, making digital literacy increasingly important for those seeking to participate in the modern economy.
By Julius OngwaePublic Health
Why Kenya’s Sickle Cell fight is still failing to reach every child
Kenya has made important policy advances, including the 2023 infant screening policy, but implementation remains limited. Screening is currently being undertaken in only 17 counties, with more than 8,000 infants reached.
By Julius OngwaePublic Health
Kenya maintains high polio alert despite zero cases since July 2024
Kenya has used vaccination campaigns to close immunity gaps in high-risk areas. In early 2025, more than 1.76 million children under five in Mandera, Marsabit, Wajir and Garissa were reached during a two-round polio vaccination campaign, with reported coverage of 109.9 percent.
By Mercy SowekCommunity Health
When profit finds its way into the bottle
Six days ago, The Star carried a story titled “Poison in the Bottle: Killer Alcohol Floods Market as Rogue Traders Mint Billions.” I read it briefly and moved on to other stories, as journalists often do. I never imagined that within days, I would encounter the same story—not in a newspaper, but inside the house of someone close to me.
By Harrison AndekoSports
How Cardinal Otunga conquered East Africa after national final heartbreak
The defeat left the Kisii side second best in Kenya, but it also gave the players an opportunity to respond when they met Butula again in Tanzania
By Julius OngwaeMaternal Health
Why women still bear the blame for infertility
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that one in six people of reproductive age globally experience infertility during their lifetime, making it a widespread health issue rather than a personal failure.
By Julius OngwaePublic Health
How junk food marketing creates a rising burden of NCDs among children
According to the World Health Organization, childhood obesity has risen dramatically over the past four decades, with over 390 million children and adolescents aged 5–19 classified as overweight in 2022.
By Julius OngwaeBusiness
Why Kenya's pension boom misses the informal majority.
About 75% of Kenyan workers are earning an income, but they are not part of any pension arrangement. They are not saving for retirement. when these workers retire, they are likely to retire into poverty and an undignified life
By Julius OngwaeClimate & Health
How Kenya's changing farms are fueling a diabetes crisis
Across rural Kenya, traditional crops such as sorghum, millet, cassava, sweet potatoes and indigenous vegetables are gradually disappearing from many farms, replaced by maize and commercial cash crops
By Julius Ongwaedevelopment
Ongoto launches lighting initiative in Nyatieko
The initiative would provide lighting systems to households to help residents during funerals, community gatherings and other occasions that require adequate lighting.
By Wilson OmengeYouth Health
Why shisha ban collapse puts Kenya's tobacco fight at risk
The High Court's decision is undoubtedly a setback for tobacco control in Kenya, but it should not be interpreted as a rejection of the public health rationale for regulating shisha
By Julius OngwaeNutrition Health
Why Kenyans can afford calories but struggle to afford nutrition
For many households, eating healthy is no longer simply a matter of knowing what is good for the body, it is increasingly a question of what the family can afford. Fruits, vegetables, quality protein, legumes and other nutrient-rich foods can compete for space in the shopping basket with cheaper staples and highly processed foods that provide calories at a lower price.
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