Recent newspaper reports suggested that inhalers, used by sufferers from lung disease, could be dangerous. What data supports these claims, and is it inhalers themselves or the steroids dispensed by some of these devices that are the problem? We investigated.
Healthcheck Reports
Does Kenya have one of the worst maternal mortality rates in the world?
Claims
Two claims on maternal and under-five mortality in Kenya.
Source: UK charity Penny Appeal (2019)
checked
Verdict
One mostly correct, one correct
Three in four Nigerian women use skin-lighteners? No data supports claim
Claim
77% of Nigerian women use skin lighteners
Source: International media reports
unproven
Verdict
No data supports claim
#WorldHealthDay: 10 quick facts about health in Africa
Does South Africa spend five times more on healthcare per person than Nigeria? Does one doctor serve 16,000 Kenyans? We’ve put together some startling facts from our work on the continent.
Has SA’s President Ramaphosa kept his 2018 State of the Nation promises?
Claims
Four promises from a 2018 national address.
Source: 2018 state of the nation address.
checked
Verdict
Two promises kept, one broken and one still in progress.
ANC at 107: Eight birthday claims by party leader Ramaphosa fact-checked
Claims
Eight claims from the ANC’s 2019 "January 8th statement"
Source: ANC president Cyril Ramaphosa
checked
Verdict
Three correct, two mostly correct, one incorrect, two misleading
Blog post: Right of Reply: Foundation for a Smoke-Free World on smoking in South Africa
The Foundation for a Smoke-Free World has responded to our fact-check of their claim that half of men and a third of women in South Africa smoke.
Blog post: 10 things we didn’t learn at Africa Check this year
Does being single kill faster than obesity? Can you sue over an opinion poll? Just how much does Nigeria owe China? Some claims push back at fact-checkers. Here’s why.
Do half of men and a third of women in South Africa smoke?
Claim
49% of men and 34.1% of women in South Africa smoke tobacco
Source: Foundation for a Smoke-Free World (October 2018)
incorrect
Verdict
Better surveys show South Africa has far fewer smokers.
Yes, Nigeria is the world’s ‘highest producer of HIV-infected babies’
Claim
Nigeria is the highest producer of HIV-infected babies
Source: Sun newspaper (October 2018)
correct
Verdict
In 2016 Nigeria had the world’s highest number of children newly infected with HIV.