Africa’s Ancient Enemy, Malaria, and Its Influence on Covid-19

Join us as we continue our in-depth series where we’ll share the groundbreaking Malaria Consortium research about how malaria and Covid-19 intersect, and the high prevalence of this debilitating new condition called Long Covid.

This week allAfrica‘s Juanita Williams speaks with Dr Jane Achan, who led her team at Malaria Consortium in one of the highlights of the series – the pioneering research which reveals the complex relationship between malaria and Long Covid in Ethiopia and Uganda.

The research addresses crucial questions about how previous COVID-19 infection might affect malaria risk and the management of long-term post-Covid complications in regions with high malaria transmission.

Next week we’ll share the results of Malaria Consortium research into Long Covid in Uganda and Ethiopia, revealing a health crisis of staggering proportions – and one that has largely been ignored.

Those findings reveal a significant burden of Long Covid – research which is vital to informing health policy and integrated care approaches for Africa, where these two major health challenges overlap.

In the weeks that follow, this will be complemented by personal stories from participants in the Malaria Consortium study in Uganda and Ethiopia, and members of SICK (the Society for the Inclusion of Chronic Knowledge) in South Africa, sharing the lived reality of people living with conditions where post-exertional malaise (worsening of symptoms after physical or mental actitivies) is the core symptom.

The series began with Understanding Long Covid, explaining what Long Covid is, how it differs from acute COVID-19, common symptoms, scientific findings on causes and risk factors, and an introduction to global and African prevalence, while The African Experience dives into regional data and unique challenges of recognizing and diagnosing Long Covid in Africa.

Join us to learn, engage, and help shape the future response to Long Covid in Africa.