BBC World Service South Asia

Africa Life Clinic

Discussion & Talk

Factual: Health & Wellbeing

Africa Life Clinic, health issues affecting people’s everyday lives across the continent.

The Covid pandemic is the overwhelming health issue facing Africa right now. However there are a multitude of other health issues which affect people’s daily lives across the continent. Africa Life Clinic aims to reflect the health concerns of Africa through a focus on ‘relatable’ stories- issues that strike a chord with the audience, that might be part of their lives and affect them personally. As well as delving into ongoing developments with the pandemic, Africa Life Clinic features stories about health that concern the continent, such as safe and affordable blood donation, stopping the sale of fake drugs, preventing the spread of rabies and finding ways of dealing with chronic conditions like diabetes or improving mental health. Each week it features perspectives and solutions from different countries.

Africa Life Clinic: Superbugs and superfoods

Documentaries

Factual: History

Superbugs and superfoods

13/02/2021 GMT

BBC World Service - Africa Life Clinic, Superbugs and superfoods

How to combat antibiotic resistance and the truth about the health claims of coconut oil

Antibiotic resistance is a global health threat but there are things we can do to slow the resistance. Coconut oil has had many health claims made about it, but how many are true?

Infections caused by germs which have become resistant to the medicines used to treat them pose a great threat to people’s health, as curable diseases become untreatable. Unregulated medicine dispensation and improper cleaning and sanitation at hospitals can all contribute to the spread of resistant germs. Overuse of antibiotics in animal rearing can also contribute, although this is less prevalent in Africa. Professor Joachim Osur and Dr John Kiiru explain. 

Many claims have been made about the potential health benefits of coconut oil. The oil is used widely in cooking and for hair, skin and healthcare. Dayo Yusuf travelled to Mombasa, Kenya, to investigate how coconut oil is produced and explore the nutritional facts and fiction. 

Priscilla Ngethe discusses these issues with BBC Africa Health Editor Anne Mawathe and reporter Dayo Yusuf. 

(Picture: Antibiotics. Credit: Getty Images).

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