Are you attending the Cochrane Colloquium in London? Are you interested in joining Cochrane Africa and want to hear more about their work? A meeting will take place as follows:

We are delighted to announce that Nandi Siegfried has been awarded an Emeritus Membership of Cochrane. This award recognises the extraordinary contribution of individuals who have made an exceptional, long-standing contribution to Cochrane's work and leadership.

Primary healthcare (PHC) integration has been promoted globally as a tool for health-sector reform and universal health coverage, especially in low‐resource settings.

For a round-up of 2023 Cochrane events and conference click here

Stellenbosch University will run a Primer in Systematic Reviews course from 28 August – 20 October 2023.

What are the effects of obesity on COVID-19 outcomes? Key messages • There is enough evidence to support the finding that extreme obesity (BMI > 40 kg/m2) increases the chance of a person dying, requiring a breathing tube, being hospitalised, and being admitted to the ICU due to COVID-19.  • Obesity in general will result in a person requiring a breathing tube. • The higher one's BMI gets, the higher the chance that a person will suffer from severe COVID-19 disease.  

Key messages - Quality improvement programmes can improve diabetes care, especially when multiple strategies are used in combination. - Strategies used in these programmes that lead to the largest improvements in key outcomes in people with diabetes are: case management, team changes, patient education and promotion of self-management. Why is improving diabetes care important?

Sometimes people avoid talking about uncertainty in scientific findings…but they shouldn't! Gain insights and practical advice on how to communicate uncertainty in this free resource.

Welcome to the sixth edition of the Cochrane Africa newsletter. In this issue we bring you:

House modifications, such as screening (covering or closing potential house entry points for mosquitoes with mesh or other materials) or the use of specific house materials or designs, such as metals roofs instead of thatched roofs, or elevated rooms, may contribute to reducing the burden of malaria. They work by preventing mosquitoes from entering houses, and reducing the number of bites householders receive indoors.