PROVEN RACIAL BIAS IN MEDICAL CARE

In this clip, psychiatrist Dr Kali Hobson (@DrkaliMD on TikTok and Instagram) demonstrated the startling difference in how medical practitioners address pain in white children versus Black children in the US.

Although Hobson presented a hypothetical scenario here, decades of data have demonstrated this racial disparity, particularly in the case of appendicitis, an inflammation and infection of the appendix organ that can cause excruciating pain. 

Continued…….
A 2016 study found Black children with appendicitis are less likely to receive medication for moderate pain compared to their white peers. They are also significantly less likely to receive opioids for severe pain. These findings come even after adjusting for factors like pain severity, insurance status and triage level (how hospital workers observe the patient at intake).

Similarly, studies show that Black women in labour and postpartum are less likely to receive medication for pain relief.

Without empirical data, scientists for centuries have pushed forth pseudo-scientific (false) claims based on alleged biological differences between white and Black people. A leading claim is that Black people tolerate more pain due to thicker skin or less sensitive nerve endings. Despite absolutely no scientific evidence existing to back up these myths, the legacy of this r*cist perception continues to lead to disproportionately poor health outcomes for Black people in the West.

Video credit: @drkalimd (Instagram)

Sources

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4843483

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1526590024005182

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2793179#google_vignette

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4829078

https://www.reuters.com/article/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/black-hispanic-mothers-report-more-pain-after-delivery-but-get-less-pain-medica-idUSKBN1XM2R3

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/black-women-are-less-likely-to-receive-epidurals-during-labor-heres-why-194638403.html

https://www.cedars-sinai.org/newsroom/black-and-hispanic-women-receive-lower-doses-of-postpartum-pain-medication-according-to-new-study

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6905121

https://www.statnews.com/2016/04/04/medical-students-beliefs-race-pain

On this day, 31 years ago, Nelson Mandela was inaugurated as South Africa's first Black president. Two weeks earlier, more than 22-million South Africans had gone to the polls in the country's first truly democratic elections. Mandela's party, the African National Congress (ANC), which for decades had been the country's leading liberation movement, won convincingly. It ended more than three centuries of racist rule by White settler colonialists.

Just a few years earlier, the ANC had still been outlawed, having been declared a terrorist organisation. Most of its senior leaders, including Mandela, were in jail. In 1990, internal and external pressure saw the regime lift its ban on the ANC and free its top brass. This ushered in a new era. Between 1990 and 1994, the ANC and the apartheid regime entered into intense negotiations regarding the future of the country, which resulted in elections on 27 April 1994.

Continued…….
Some South Africans fault the agreements struck during these negotiations as the cause of the country’s current social and economic woes. White people continue to hold the lion's share of the nation’s wealth, despite making up less than 10% of the population.

Attempts at righting this inequality, such as the recent Land Appropriation Law, met with resistance, largely from the White minority. Right-wing groups such as Afriforum were up in arms - even asking Donald Trump to sanction ANC leaders. Imagine that - those who benefited from stolen land crying victim when the victims seek justice.

The failure to completely break down the apartheid-era economic system has been the biggest stain on the legacy of the ANC and Mandela. However, what is not in dispute is that the end of apartheid and the ANC’s ascension to power is a milestone worthy of honour. Not as the final destination, but as a turning point: 10 May 1994 was the first step in a new direction. The path ahead for Black South Africa remains steep, but the people have come too far to turn back. The struggle continues.

Sources

https://www.news24.com/news24/opinions/analysis/land-seizure-and-south-africas-new-expropriation-law-expert-weighs-up-the-act-20250203

https://time.com/6087699/south-africa-wealth-gap-unchanged-since-apartheid/

SAHEL’S THREE MIGHTY SONS

Burkina Faso’s revolutionary-in-chief Ibrahim Traoré may be the man of the moment after Africans globally rallied to defend him against suspected US plots to remove his anti-imperialist government from power. But he isn’t leading the inspiring transformation that’s happening in West Africa by himself. Just as important are his Alliance of Sahel States allies: Mali’s Assimi Goïta and Niger’s Abdourahamane Tchiani. All three want to break free from neocolonialism and ensure Africa’s resources benefit its people. The trio seeks a liberated Africa and is united against foreign interference and exploitation. In this video, Africa Stream’s @Sannario_ shines a light on the lesser-known two of Africa’s heroic troika.

WHY WE MUST EDUCATE OUR OWN

This clip is over 50 years old, but it still hits hard. Clinical psychologist Naim Akbar reminds us that Africans have rarely benefitted from our education being given to others.

Under colonialism, we were taught that Western culture was the gold standard by which all others must be measured, and this created an internalised self-hatred. Our own stories were erased.

Beyond self-loathing, the colonisers only wanted us to know enough to do the menial jobs that served them—never to actually use our minds to explore our own advancement and liberation.

Continued…….. European ‘scholars’ such as Gaston Maspero and Jean Vercoutter pushed the idea that Africans were uncivilised savages who didn’t invent or build anything. They argued that the marvels of ancient Egypt must have been created by non-African people. This false narrative held sway until it was debunked by pan-African historians like Cheikh Anta Diop (1923-1986). He showed that this advanced civilisation, which contributed so much to early science, philosophy and culture, was, in fact, of Black-African origin.

US-born Black historian Carter G. Woodson (1875-1950) wrote that the schools of his day were committed to teaching our people ‘to admire the Hebrew, the Greek, the Latin and the Teuton,’ with Black people dismissed as ‘nonentities.’

Structural racism means things are still bad for Africans in Western classrooms. In 2022, Virginia’s Department of Education caused anger after its new history curriculum downplayed the impact of slavery and omitted the role of Black resistance, such as the Civil Rights Movement. Since Trump came to power, he escalated the assault on books centring on the experiences of Blacks in America, claiming it taught students to “hate their own country”.

Video Credit: TransAtlantic Productions (YouTube)

Sources

https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000156750

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/1545428-the-educated-negroes-have-the-attitude-of-contempt-toward-their

https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2022/11/18/youngkin-history-virginia-standards

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00220272.2024.2322502

https://blackwestchester.com/carter-g-woodsons-warning-and-the-urgency-for-black-educational-independence/#:~:text=Woodson%20warned%20that%20the%20American,became%20unwitting%20enforcers%20of%20white

FRANCE’S HANDPICKED PRESIDENT FOR LIFE?

A cunning constitutional ‘reform’ last year could see Togo’s ‘ex’ president carry on ruling - for life! Faure Gnassingbé has been sworn into the newly created role of chairman of the Council of Ministers, a post to which key executive powers have been transferred from the presidency, which is now just symbolic. Not only does the new position come with no term limits, Gnassingbé is a darling of France (as, of course, was his long-serving president predecessor and father, Gnassingbé Eyadéma). So who wins - the Togolese or the French?

Continued……. Sources

https://medafricatimes.com/40108-40108.html

https://burkina24.com/2025/05/05/togo-faure-gnassingbe-prete-serment-comme-president-du-conseil-des-ministres/

https://www.republicoftogo.com/toutes-les-rubriques/diplomatie/entretien-entre-emmanuel-macron-et-faure-gnassingbe

https://www.republicoftogo.com/var/site/storage/images/toutes-les-rubriques-novo/diplomatie/disparition-d-un-grand-ami-du-togo/1525239-1-fre-FR/disparition-d-un-grand-ami-du-togo_i1920.jpg

https://www.republicoftogo.com/toutes-les-rubriques/diplomatie/un-parterre-de-chefs-d-etat-a-paris

https://marxist.com/togo-massive-protests-undermine-the-gnassingbe-dictatorship.htm

https://www.27avril.com/blog/actualites/politiques/togo-la-perversite-integrale-de-la-repression-du-regime-gnassingbe

ASSIMI GOÏTA GRANTED 5 YEARS AS PRESIDENT OF MALI

Congratulations to Malian President Assimi Goïta, who just received the blessing of civil society, traditional and other leaders for a five-year term as president. The recommendation came down from a national gathering held on 28-29 April in the capital, Bamako. Such a process occurred in Burkina Faso and Niger, which also granted five-year terms to their revolutionary leaders who came to power in recent years following successful people-backed coups d’état.

While there has been an explosion of international support for Burkina Faso President Ibrahim Traoré, Inemesit Richardson urged viewers not to forget about neighbouring ally Mali. The Burkina Faso-based African Stream journalist and organiser with @burkinabooks like Burkina Faso, Mali is on a path toward rapid industrialisation and reclaiming natural resources, battling foreign mining companies while also working to build nuclear power plants, solar panel fields, and gold refineries.

Continued…….. Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) on 6 July 2024 to share policies to eventually establish a federal Pan-African state that would move the continent toward one governance. This radical vision has led the West to attack the landlocked African states in various ways. Mali is the first AES country subjected to US sanctions that target government and military officials. 

We must raise our voices to defend the entire AES confederation, as the future of Pan-Africanism lies in their unification.

Check out the complete conversation with @authentic_african (IG) on the Ahmed Kaballo YouTube channel (@ahmedkaballo4170).

Hear Us Roar: https://news.1rj.ru/str/AfricanStream

BOB MARLEY: AFRICA'S OUR HEAVEN

On this day in 1981, reggae star Bob Marley passed away. He was 36.

His legacy extends beyond his groundbreaking music. He was a fervent pan-Africanist who envisioned a unified Africa. Though born in Jamaica, Marley never saw Africa as distant. He called it home. He travelled to Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya and Zimbabwe.

Marley recognised the shared struggles of Africans. This was powerfully expressed in anthems such as Africa Unite and Zimbabwe. His music served as a call to resistance against injustice and exploitation. He used it to advocate for a spiritual and physical return to Africa, which he passionately described as Heaven.

Forty-four years after his death, Bob Marley remains the most iconic and cherished reggae artist worldwide. His revolutionary music and unwavering dedication to pan-African ideals resonate deeply with people of African descent everywhere.

Let us know which of his songs you’ll be playing today. 🤟🏾🎵❤️

Continued…….. Sources

https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2020/4/17/when-bob-marley-serenaded-zimbabweans-celebrating-independence

https://trtafrika.com/world/42-years-on-inside-special-bond-bob-marley-had-with-africa-13211478

https://www.africanews.com/2019/02/07/bob-marley-and-africa-zimbabwe-liberation-ethiopian-love-gabon-kenya//

https://www.okayafrica.com/bob-marley-africa/

S’ LEONE FIRST LADY: WOMEN’S RIGHTS UNDER SIEGE

Sierra Leone has made significant strides in addressing gender disparities. First Lady Dr. Fatima Maada Bio (@FirstLadyBio - X) has been at the forefront of initiatives to promote gender equality and empower women and girls. It’s Mother’s Day across much of Africa today. For the occasion, we share this video of her talking about women having a seat at the table when it comes to making decisions. She says ‘pushing women into the kitchen’ is strangling her country’s development. She compares it to telling Muhammad Ali to box with one fist (though, to be fair, he’d probably still do all right!). The First Lady’s Hands Off Our Girls campaign, launched in 2018, combats gender-based violence, early marriage and teenage pregnancy.

Continued……. This has led to significant changes in the law, including an amendment to the Sexual Offences Act, increasing penalties for r*pe, and the establishment of a Fast-Track Special Court for s*xual assaults. Hats off!

Sources

https://gleanersl.com/first-lady-bio-supports-women-in-the-media-and-offers-scholarships/

GOOD NEWS SUNDAY

Here’s episode 2 of our new series Good News Sunday: from do-it-yourself astronomy to record-breaking paintings, it features inspirational Africans leading the way when it comes to reshaping perceptions about our continent. Let us know in the comments what other bright stories caught your eye.

BOB MARLEY AND THE ART OF REASONING

Reggae icon Bob Marley, who passed away at just 36 on this day, 11 May, in 1981, is pictured here reasoning with brothers in Zimbabwe. 

'Reasoning’ is a form of social interaction and discussion that involves the exchange of ideas in a group. It often occurs in laid-back and informal settings, such as on street corners, in community spaces, or at home. But doesn't make it any less serious! It is a way for individuals to connect with their roots, share traditional stories and pass down cultural values from one generation to the next.

It’s a visible part of Jamaican culture, which, of course, has African origins. Many enslaved Africans brought their culture, including communal gatherings and discussions, to the island during the European Slave Trade. It also draws from the Maroon communities, descendants of enslaved Africans who escaped plantations and formed independent communities in the mountains of the Caribbean island.

Continued……. Rastafarians also engage in a version of reasoning they call ‘groundation,’ typified by music, chanting, discussions and the smoking of cannabis. They regard the latter as a sacrament with beneficial properties.

What do you think they're talking about here?

Image credit: Bob Marley Foundation

Sources

https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2020/4/17/when-bob-marley-serenaded-zimbabweans-celebrating-independence

https://trtafrika.com/world/42-years-on-inside-special-bond-bob-marley-had-with-africa-13211478

https://www.okayafrica.com/bob-marley-africa

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/366900262_The_Philosophical_Foundation_Of_African_System_Of_Kinship

https://www.africanews.com/2023/06/02/why-rastafari-smoke-marijuana-for-sacramental-reasons-and-the-faiths-other-beliefs

https://www.reggaeville.com/artist-details/groundation/about/

https://jamaicanpatwah.com/term/Groundation/4976

MOTHERS OF AFRICA

Most of Africa celebrates Mother’s Day today. So, let’s use the occasion to celebrate some very special African mothers: of the nation, of the people, of the environment, of victory. Have a watch. Who inspires you most?

Sources

https://www.blackpast.org/global-african-history/yaa-asantewaa-mid-1800s-1921/


https://www.greenbeltmovement.org/wangari-maathai


https://theconversation.com/the-legacy-of-iconic-singer-miriam-makeba-and-her-art-of-activism-178230


https://www.dw.com/en/taytu-betul-ethiopias-strategic-empress-african-roots/a-57010781