This paper addresses the role of rural radio in Africa and explores how researchers can improve communication with farmers via radio. It also discusses research relationships among civil society where media is an influential but often underestimated institutional partner. According to the report, radio remains a vital part of development in Africa.

According to this 2007 report focused on Swaziland, drought and a high incidence of HIV/AIDS are both long-term crises that create vicious cycles of vulnerability, poverty, and food insecurity. The livelihoods approach was used in this study to highlight the linkages between the impact of HIV/AIDS and drought on human, financial, and social capital.

A chronic lack of healthcare workers in Malawi has crippled the health system, but a different way of doing things has alleviated the shortages, bringing new players to the field. Many Malawian doctors and nurses head to wealthier countries in search of greener pastures, so the government has been forced to come up with a plan driven by an idea known as "task shifting".

Angola's new government is promising better health facilities at both primary and secondary care levels, as well as to reduce the prevalence of HIV/AIDS over the next four years. The oil- and diamond-rich nation went to the polls earlier last month and returned the ruling MPLA party to power with more than four-fifths of the votes, giving it 191 seats in the 220-member legislature.

Disabled people in northern Uganda - many of whom were injured in the long conflict between the government and the rebel Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) - are calling on the government to provide a more targeted HIV response. Although there have been no rebel attacks in the region for over two years, the LRA planted landmines across the region and local people continue to find unexploded ordnance.

A potential polio epidemic in Kenya has been monitored and contained using a mobile phone application called EpiSurveyor. The application, which is free to use and run on an open-source platform, was used by health officials to collate information on the disease, such as patient symptoms, treatment, levels of medical supplies and areas that needed vaccines.

Zambia’s presidential candidates have filed nomination papers with the High Court for the forthcoming election as the campaign begins. Four candidates, including acting President Rupiah Banda, will contest the election. According to Ernest Sakala, the country’s Chief Justice, "Rupiah Banda, Michael Sata, Hakainde Hichilema and Godfrey Miyanda have validly filed the nomination to contest the 30 October presidential elections."

The Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) has called on the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) and Nursing Council to investigate those hospitals responsible for the seemingly negligent deaths of the 140 children in the Ukhahlamba district of the Eastern Cape. IFP Member of Parliament Dr Ruth Rabinowitz said the report into the deaths revealed a health system that was “callous, incompetent and criminally negligent”.

More than two million counterfeit drugs destined for Africa have been seized in Belgium, customs officials say. They said the shipment from India, including copies of an anti-malaria drug, was the biggest seizure of fake medication ever made in Europe. Customs officers at Brussels airport became suspicious when they noticed spelling mistakes on the labels.

The goal of this conference is to provide an international forum for the presentation and discussion of state-of-the-science HIV treatment adherence research, as well as current behavioral and clinical perspectives in practicum. Our ultimate hope is that this dialogue translates into evidence-based implementation of approaches for real world clinical and community settings. Abstracts must be submitted online at by December 1, 2008.

A lack of emphasis on agricultural research in development policy over the last quarter of a century is one of the main reasons for the deterioration of African farming, according to a UN report released this month (15 September). The UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) report on Africa's economic development also cites the small size of each country's research stations, isolated researchers and high staff turnover as other factors that helped "prevent the attainment of a critical mass of scientific and technical staff".

The World Health Organisation on Monday warned customers not to buy drugs made by Swiss pharma giant Novartis's Sandoz generics unit in South Africa after an inspection revealed more than 40 faults. AFP reported that the WHO said it had sent an official "Notice of Concern" letter to Sandoz on September 12 after an inspection of the unit's Kempton Park factory in South Africa.

Kenya government hopes to circumcise two million people in the Luo province where the practice is abhorred. Top politicians from the area confessed they have gone to have the foreskin of their male organs removed as part of an awareness to curb HIV/AIDS. They spoke to spur people on to go and circumcise.

The soaring cost of fuel and basic foods over the past year has left many countries in sub-Saharan Africa unable to adequately fund critical activities, such as health care and the provision of safe drinking water, their leaders told the General Assembly’s annual high-level debate.

At least 69 children have died from malnutrition and sickness after floods washed away crops in isolated villages in southeast Sudan in recent weeks, U.N. agencies said on Thursday. Blocked roads and a lack of air transport are preventing the supply of emergency rations to parts of the region, the agencies added.

A couple strolling hand-in-hand along a sandy beach in Kenya's coastal city of Mombasa could have jumped straight off the pages of a cheesy romance novel, except for one major difference: the man is local and in his early twenties, while the woman, a tourist, is middle-aged. The young men who trawl Kenya's seaside resorts for wealthy white tourists looking for more than just sun, sea and sand are known locally as "beach boys".

The Ministry of Health in conjunction with Marie Stopes International-Uganda (MSI) today launched a project to treat sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and reduce maternal and infant mortality among poor people in western and southern Uganda.

World leaders and philanthropistshave pledged nearly $3bn (£1.6bn) to fight malaria at a summit in New York. The meeting, at the UN, is looking at ways of meeting the Millennium Development Goals - targets on reducing global poverty by the year 2015. Donors hope the money will be enough to eradicate malaria by that time.

South African Aids campaigners have serenaded the new health minister and rejoiced at the departure of her controversial predecessor. A group of activists sang outside the Cape Town flat of Barbara Hogan and drank champagne.

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Alma-Ata Declaration on Universal Primary Health Care celebrated this month, and as world leaders gather at the United Nations this week for the UN General Assembly on Africa's Development Needs and mid term MDG Review, Pambazuka News, in collaboration with , publishes this joint special issue reviewing the state of health in Africa underlining Africa's survival imperative for implementing Primary Health Care, Health MDGs and the AU Africa Health Strategy, and the key role of health workers.