ADHD and me

Loading player...
Across the globe, diagnoses of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are on the rise, including in Africa. An estimated 7% of children and adolescents on the continent are living with the condition, and doctors in Nigeria and Kenya told the BBC that they have seen a notable increase in diagnoses in recent years.

This surge is partly attributed to the rapid spread of information about ADHD on social media, which has helped raise awareness. However, clinicians also caution that misinformation online is contributing to a growing trend of self-diagnosis.

So what does it really mean to live with ADHD in Africa, and what barriers exist when it comes to accessing proper medical care? We hear from 29-year-old Siham Azeroual from Morocco, who is living with both ADHD and autism.

Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna
Producers: Basma El Atti and Fana Negash
Technical Producer: Davis Mwasaru
Senior Producer: Priya Sippy
Editor: Maryam Abdalla
17 Apr 11AM English United Kingdom News

Other recent episodes

Could President Ramaphosa be impeached?

In South Africa, a speech from the country's President Cyril Ramaphosa firmly saying he will not resign, is trending. A Constitutional Court ruling last week found that parliament acted unconstitutionally when it voted against establishing an impeachment inquiry against Ramaphosa regarding the Phala Phala report in 2022, where thousands of…
13 May 11AM 24 min

What came out of the Africa–France summit?

Protestors have been arrested in Nairobi while objecting the Africa-France event and France-Africa relations, calling it rebranded "imperialism". Macron has announced investments worth $27bn (£20bn) in Africa in areas such as energy transition, digital and AI, the maritime economy and agriculture. The summit is aimed at broadening Paris's partnerships and…
12 May 10AM 26 min

Botswana President backs Africa-France relations

The president of Botswana Duma Boko in an exclusive conversation with the BBC has shared his view about the state of diplomatic ties between African countries and France, as the "Africa Forward" summit kicks off in Nairobi. And, around the world, about 100,000 seabirds are unintentionally killed each year by…
11 May 10AM 22 min

Introducing: World of Secrets Searching for Soldier Dad

We thought you might enjoy listening to the latest season of the BBC’s global investigations podcast World of Secrets: Searching for Soldier Dad. In this first episode of the season, we meet Cathy. Cathy is 10 years old when she starts asking questions. Why don’t I have a father? The…
8 May 8PM 38 min

'Why I can't stop bleaching my skin'

We speak to South African influencer and software developer Masheane Sefuthi, who has been on a journey to ‘whiten’ his skin; public health advocate Amira Adawe, who has been campaigning against these harmful products; and Kenyan media personality Kush Tracey, who has spoken about reversing skin bleaching after years of…
8 May 11AM 24 min