Several countries across Africa face mounting public health challenges, ranging from workforce shortages and ethical concerns in medical research to disease outbreaks, malnutrition, and the need for responsible health communication.

Nigeria: health system weakened by medical staff exodus

Nigeria’s health sector endured a difficult 2025, marked by large-scale emigration of health professionals and rising inflation that has reduced access to care. According to Kehinde Omotosho, president of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Ekiti State, the brain drain has reached alarming levels, with about 10,000 doctors leaving the country between 2022 and 2024.

The National Obstetric Fistula Centre, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, has expressed concern over the continued mass exodus of doctors and nurses across Nigerian hospitals.https://t.co/tO91KoYPI8 pic.twitter.com/l6Fwko6gak

— The Sun Nigeria (@thesunnigeria) December 28, 2025

This trend is driven by low wages, poor working conditions, and failing infrastructure. At the same time, inflation has sharply reduced Nigerians’ purchasing power, putting medical care out of reach for many households.

These pressures come as Africa’s most populous country is simultaneously battling outbreaks of cholera, diphtheria, dengue, and meningitis.

While some progress has been made in hospital infrastructure, Omotosho has urged the government to raise salaries, strengthen primary health care, and comply with the Abuja Declaration on health budget allocations.

United States: controversial contract for hepatitis B vaccine study in Guinea-Bissau

The Trump administration has awarded a $1.6 million contract to the University of Southern Denmark to study hepatitis B vaccination among newborns in Guinea-Bissau, a move that has raised serious ethical concerns among some experts, according to the Associated Press.

The no-bid contract, granted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), will fund a five-year study involving 14,000 newborns in the West African country. The randomized trial provides that some infants will receive the hepatitis B vaccine at birth, while others will not, despite the high prevalence of the infection in the area.

Public health experts have warned that the study could be ethically problematic, as it would deny vulnerable newborns access to a proven and effective vaccine.

South Africa: gastroenteritis outbreak feared in Polokwane, water quality questioned

In South Africa, the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party in Limpopo has threatened legal action against the national government following a suspected gastroenteritis outbreak in Polokwane, in the northeast of the country.Residents have reported severe diarrhea and stomach disorders after consuming tap water.

Children and elderly at risk: EFF blasts authorities over failing water supply

The Limpopo Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) have expressed serious concern over a recent outbreak of gastroenteritis in Polokwane, which they attribute to the deteriorating quality of municipal water.… pic.twitter.com/AKOJryBmMe

— 非洲国际传播中心 (@SA_AICC) December 29, 2025

The party attributes the situation to declining water quality supplied by the municipality and has asked the University of Limpopo to assess water safety.

Some observers say the situation recalls a 2023 outbreak in Hammanskraal, where cholera and diarrheal diseases caused multiple deaths due to sewage contamination. While the provincial health department says it has not recorded any official cases, the municipality has acknowledged public concern and is awaiting the results of independent tests.

Sudan: record child malnutrition in Darfur

The conflict in Sudan, pitting the Sudanese Armed Forces against the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces since April 2023, has triggered a catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Darfur.

A nutrition survey conducted in December in the town of Um Baru, North Darfur, found that about 53% of children under five suffer from acute malnutrition, more than three times the emergency threshold set by the World Health Organization. Among them, 18% are affected by severe acute malnutrition, which can be fatal within weeks without treatment.

UNICEF has described these levels as among the highest ever recorded in standardized emergency assessments.

The fall of El Fasher in October 2025, after more than 500 days of siege, led to a new wave of mass displacement. Families who fled to Um Baru lack food, safe drinking water, and health services. UNICEF has warned of an immediate risk of death and called for unrestricted humanitarian access.

Malawi: Africa CDC urges responsible health communication

In Malawi, Africa CDC has urged local media to develop and disseminate accurate messages on public health emergencies, including cholera, measles, and mpox.

During a capacity-building workshop on risk communication and community engagement, Dr. Gift Aniyomi, a team lead at Africa CDC, stressed that well-designed messages on vaccine-preventable diseases are essential to protect communities.

Malawi, like other countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC), continues to face recurring outbreaks that require proactive prevention through effective communication. Dr. Kondwani Mamba, deputy director of community and preventive health services, highlighted the central role of the media in shaping effective health messaging. Lloyd Chitsulo, representing MISA Malawi, warned against journalistic misinformation and disinformation that could undermine prevention efforts.

Ayi Renaud Dossavi