Mental Health Policy: Health Minister Dr Aaron Motsoaledi opened an East and Southern Africa mental health workshop in Johannesburg, with Madagascar among participating countries. The WHO-backed meeting asks each country to produce a rapid mental health landscape analysis ahead of Kigali’s 7th Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit. Maternal Health Partnership: UNFPA and the African Development Bank signed an MoU to strengthen maternal health and women’s healthcare as a driver of economic growth, including digital training for health workers and climate-resilient health infrastructure. Health System Coordination: The African Union launched a new humanitarian coordination platform to improve crisis response across Africa, where displacement, hunger, conflict and disasters are straining health services and water and sanitation. Vanilla Innovation in Madagascar: IFF announced a Vanilla Innovation Centre in Madagascar with lab analysis, contaminant and disease detection, and extraction and application labs aimed at protecting quality and boosting value for the vanilla sector. Biodiversity & Community Health Link: A new survey method is being used to uncover insights into Madagascar’s biodiversity, while separate coverage highlights how iDNA from mosquitoes can help track wildlife pathogens—useful for understanding disease risks in ecosystems. Conservation Update: Fota Wildlife Park reported the birth of two critically endangered black-and-white ruffed lemur babies to first-time mother Romy, calling on the public to help name them.