Publications

This report, covering 5 – 11 June 2025, spotlights the week’s most pressing public-health infodemic trends in Africa.

Key concerns include:

• Cholera in Côte d’Ivoire, Angola, South Sudan and the DRC, where viral “miracle cures” (gnangnan leaves, koutoukou, toothpaste-and-vinegar mixes) and anger over chronic WASH gaps are crowding out official advice.

• HPV vaccine in Namibia, where rumours of infertility, HIV transmission and lack of parental consent threaten the upcoming school-based rollout.

Persistent concern:

• Mpox across Kenya, Ethiopia and Ghana, as rising cases, a protracted health-worker strike and doubts about isolation-bed capacity deepen public distrust.

The brief analyses the narratives driving these rumours, tracks community reactions (7 000+ comments and shares), and offers targeted communication tactics—pre-bunking false cures, linking WASH actions to transparent updates, and deploying myth-busting videos and daily bulletins—to counter misinformation and restore confidence.

 For more information, please contact: Salif Diarra at diarrasa [at] who.int (diarrasa[at]who[dot]int)