Claudia Hammond talks to Chris Gill, Associate Professor at Boston University School of Public Health and co-author of a new paper revealing the devastating impact of Covid in Africa.

This programme is available on the Health Check Page and is available now until Wednesday the 13th of April. It will also be broadcast on Sunday the 10th of April in Phuket at 8:00 AM on 91.5 FM and 102.5 FM and Online via the Internet radio portals.

By conducting post mortem Covid swabs on more than 1000 bodies taken to a morgue in Lusaka, his work suggests a staggering 90% undercount of cases and goes a long way to countering the so-called African Paradox – a narrative suggesting that Africa skipped Covid.

HIV in Chile

Jane Chambers reports from Chile on progress to get 90% of people living with HIV to know their status, have access to antiretroviral therapy and achieve viral suppression.

Out of an estimated 77,000 people living with HIV in Chile – 70,000 know their condition.

But there’s one statistic that is worrying health care professions.

16,000 individuals are aware they have HIV but aren’t taking the free medication to which they’re entitled to. What are the factors influencing this decision and what are the consequences?

Plus Claudia’s studio guest Professor Monica Lakhanpaul of University College London discusses her brand new research on how to encourage young people to take Asthma treatment and the good news that Guinea Worm disease may be on the brink of eradication.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Erika Wright

(Picture: A woman wearing a face mask stands on a busy street in Zambia. Photo credit: PixelCatchers/Getty Images.)