The DrumBeat: Africa Bioscience Trends

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27th May 2025

ISSUE NO.83

Welcome to issue 83 of The DrumBeat!

Dear Reader!

The DrumBeat, continues to spotlight African excellence in science and innovation, guided by a commitment to relevance, responsiveness, and resilience.

This month, we highlight the importance of soft skills training in building collaborative and community-centered leadership within the One Health ecosystem. In our Video of the Month, we explore how tools such as leadership development, Theory of Change, and Netmapping are being used to strengthen One Health professionals' capacity to lead with purpose and ensure that solutions are grounded in real community needs.

Our Story of the Month features thought-provoking insights from Prof. Chirenda, the Clinical Deputy Dean Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the University of Zimbabwe. He reminds us that misinformation is not new; it has simply become more aggressive in the digital age. His call to action urges public health actors to adapt their interventions to a rapidly evolving communication landscape.

In our Announcements, we invite you to register for our upcoming One Health webinar, taking place on Thursday, 29^th May 2025, focused on Operationalizing One Health in Zambia, a timely conversation on turning theory into action. Stay connected with us on social media as we launch the Rwanda OH Media Reporting Guidelines on 13^th June 2025, a landmark resource to help journalists integrate the One Health perspective into their reporting with accuracy and impact. And don't miss the chance to participate in the National Dialogue on 3^rd June 2025 in Kenya. Full details are available in the poster included in this edition.

In our newsroom, we shine a spotlight on youth-driven innovation in agriculture, where cutting-edge AI solutions took center stage at a recent AfriCenter hackathon. Young innovators unveiled powerful tools designed to tackle misinformation, safeguard farmers from counterfeit products, and ensure access to accurate, trustworthy agricultural information. Don't miss this and other compelling updates in our News & Views section.

Finally, the countdown is on for the Africa Biennial Biosciences Communication symposium (ABBC2025) - Africa's biggest biosciences communication symposium, slated for August in Lusaka, Zambia. Under the theme 'The War on Science: How can We overcome the Burden of Misinformation and Disinformation?', this landmark event promises critical dialogue and actionable solutions. Abstracts are invited for poster presentations aligned to the symposium's sub-themes (see the details here).

We hope you enjoy reading this edition as much as we enjoyed curating the stories for you!

VIDEO OF THE MONTH

Translating Research To Policy: Capacitating One Health for East and Southern Africa

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Prof Chirenda
Clinical Deputy Dean
University of Zimbabwe

STORY OF THE MONTH

Prof Chirenda: Misinformation is not new; it just got more aggressive, and so should we

To Prof Joconiah Chirenda, not much of what we like to assume is new is actually new. Misinformation, for example, is not new, he says. It is just more rampant due to the proliferation of social media sites, and, he subtly hints, capitulation by those who should be at the forefront, making concerted efforts to suppress it. Even the One Health concept is not new. “Yes, this is not a new concept. I think we are just bringing it up now because of the frequent challenges with pandemics.” Read more

From Our Newsroom

From Superpowers to Soft Power: Leadership Lessons from the One Health Training

At the start of the One Health Leadership Training held from 6-8 May in Addis Ababa, participants were asked to introduce themselves through an icebreaker called "My Sector, My Superpower." Predictably, most answers leaned heavily on technical strengths—epidemiological expertise, lab diagnostics, and public health analytics. Read more

One Health Media Café at BIRD LAB Sets Stage for Sustainable Collaboration Between Journalists and Scientists

A half-day workshop at the BIRD LAB, within the School of Public Health at Addis Ababa University, brought together health journalists and scientists to deepen understanding and strengthen collaboration around the One Health (OH) approach. More than just a knowledge-sharing ... Read more

Theory of Change-The Bridge Between Research Goals and Community-Responsive Health Projects

In a recent workshop held in Kenya from May 28 to 30, 2025, research teams from Uganda, Kenya, and Tanzania gathered to engage in a Theory of Change (ToC) exercise, a powerful planning approach that helps projects clarify their goals, chart a path toward impact, and remain adaptable ... Read more

Young African Developers showcase AI Solutions to tackle Agricultural Misinformation

Agriculture supports the livelihoods of 70% of Africans and contributes 32% to the continent's GDP, yet this vital sector faces a growing threat: misinformation. False narratives about agricultural innovations cost Africa billions annually, undermining trust and progress. To counter this, AfriCenter convened AI experts, data scientists, and ... Read more