Focus on Africa - Are weight-loss drugs a magic bullet?
Download Are weight-loss drugs a magic bullet?
Weight-loss injections have become a major talking point, from Hollywood celebrities to TikTok influencers.
Originally developed to treat diabetes, these medications were later found to help people shed a lot of weight - a discovery that has rapidly expanded their global use. The World Health Organization has now released its first-ever guidance on prescribing them for obesity.
South Africa recently became the first country in Africa to formally approve one version of these drugs for weight loss, and access is slowly spreading across the continent.
We follow a Kenyan woman’s experience using the injections and we hear from a South African doctor who explains how they work - and what the latest medical research reveals so far.
Published on Friday, 12th December 2025.
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