A Qualitative Exploration of Factors Influencing Non-Use of Sexual Reproductive Health Services among University Students in South Africa.

(1) Background: There is growing concern in South Africa about risky sexual behaviour, sexual transmitted infections (STIs), and unplanned pregnancy among young people. Many sexually active students engage in several risky behaviours, including sex with multiple sexual partners, low condom use, and low contraceptive use. This paper qualitatively explores factors influencing non-use of sexual reproductive health services by students at Mangosuthu University of Technology in South Africa (MUT).

Psychosocial Support Programme Improves Adherence and Health Systems Experiences for Adolescents on Antiretroviral Therapy in Mpumalanga Province, South Africa.

(1) Background: Psychosocial support (PSS) plays a significant role in persistent adherence to and retention in antiretroviral therapy (ART) for adolescents living with the human immunodeficiency virus (ALHIV). This paper qualitatively explores the experiences of ALHIV on ART, who participated in a PSS programme in five public primary healthcare facilities in Mpumalanga Province in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. (2) Methods: Data were collected through 24 focus group discussions with 173 ALHIV on ART and subjected to inductive thematic analysis.

Monkeypox during COVID-19 era in Africa: Current challenges and recommendations.

In May 2022, monkeypox virus (MPXV) outbreak was confirmed amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in many parts of the world including Africa. This is the largest outbreak since monkeypox (MPX) was first detected in humans in 1970. The MPX outbreak in Africa is an added burden to the fragile healthcare systems that are already overburdened with several reoccurring epidemics.

Applying the biopsychosocial model to unpack a psychosocial support intervention designed to improve antiretroviral treatment outcomes for adolescents in South Africa.

Adolescents (10 to 19 years) living with HIV (ALHIV) experience disproportionately poor adherence to antiretroviral treatment (ART) compared to other age groups. Several barriers, including psychosocial challenges, contribute to this observation. Psychosocial support (PSS) interventions show promising results as a strategy to deal with the biological and psychosocial challenges faced by ALHIV.

Marburg virus disease outbreak amidst COVID-19 in the Republic of Guinea: A point of contention for the fragile health system?

In August 2021, the Marburg virus disease (MVD) outbreak was confirmed amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the Republic of Guinea. This is the first time it is detected in Guinea and West Africa. Marburg virus is one of the world's most threatening diseases, causing severe haemorrhagic fever, with a case fatality rate of 90%.

Understanding varying COVID-19 mortality rates reported in Africa compared to Europe, Americas and Asia.

The SARS-CoV-2 infection, which causes the COVID-19 disease, has impacted every nation on the globe, albeit disproportionately. African countries have seen lower infection and mortality rates than most countries in the Americas Europe and Asia. In this commentary, we explore some of the factors purported to be responsible for the low COVID-19 infection and case fatality rates in Africa: low testing rate, poor documentation of cause of death, younger age population, good vitamin D status as a result of exposure to sunlight, cross-immunity from other viruses including coronaviruses, and lessons learnt from other infectious diseases such as HIV and Ebola.