Nelly Kalu

Freelance journalist

Nelly Kalu is a journalist and fact-checker with experience spanning broadcast, digital and media advocacy. Her work spotlights social, political and economic issues.

Latest fact-checks

Deworming

Menstruation

ovulation

Deworming no cure for period pain – and could cause unnecessary harm

An old myth in Nigeria, often shared on WhatsApp, claims deworming medicine cures menstrual cramps. People have even taken to Facebook to discourage the use of painkillers for period pain. One post reads: “How many Felvin, Buscopan, Paracetamol, Ibuprofen etc have you taken this ...

Nigeria’s youth unemployment rate is 34.9% – not 65%

“Most Nigerian youth are high on drugs,” Reno Omokri, a well-known critic of the Nigerian government and one-time former special adviser to former president Goodluck Jonathan, tweeted on 29 October 2020. “They go to social media to do all sorts. I saw young unemployed in UK, they didn’t b...

Latest facts

Health

What is the teenage pregnancy rate in Zimbabwe?

Source

UNICEF: National Assessment on Adolescent Pregnancies in Zimbabwe

Short answer

What is the teenage pregnancy rate in Zimbabwe?

The prevalence of adolescent pregnancy in Zimbabwe was 22%, according to findings from UNICEF's 2023 National Assessment of Adolescent Pregnancy. ...

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Health

How does South Africa’s obesity rate compare globally?

Source

World Obesity Atlas 2023

Short answer

How does South Africa’s obesity rate compare globally?

The World Obesity Atlas provides information on how many people in each country are overweight or obese, both now and in the future. In 2016, 31% of men and 67% of women in South Africa were overweight or obese. This is higher than the global average in 2016, where 39% of adults were overweight (39%...

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Health

What is South Africa’s suicide rate?

Source

WHO: Suicide in Africa ᠆ Analytical Fact Sheet August 2022

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What is South Africa’s suicide rate?

According to the latest data from the World Health Organization, in 2019, the suicide rate in South Africa was estimated to be around 13.6 per 100,000 people. ...

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#YouAsked

Health

What are the diseases for which Nigeria is most at risk of an epidemic?

Source

WHO: Nigeria

Short answer

What are the diseases for which Nigeria is most at risk of an epidemic?

Nigeria is at high risk of several epidemic diseases due to factors such as population density and poor public health infrastructure. Major concerns include malaria, Lassa fever, yellow fever, cholera, and HIV/Aids. ...

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Nelly Kalu

Latest fact-checks

Latest facts

What is the teenage pregnancy rate in Zimbabwe?

How does South Africa’s obesity rate compare globally?

What is South Africa’s suicide rate?

What are the diseases for which Nigeria is most at risk of an epidemic?

Meet our team

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