Three-Year-Old Boy Recovers After Life-Changing Surgery on Charity Hospital Ship

The parents of Emmanuel, a three-year-old boy from Sierra Leone, are celebrating a life-changing milestone after volunteers aboard the charity hospital ship Global Mercy™ removed a large and painful growth from his face. Emmanuel had lived with the condition since birth, and his family had endured years of social stigma, financial strain, and fruitless medical…

Regulation or Discrimination? Uganda’s Proposed IVF Law Could Be Both

Summary: Proponents say the bill brings needed oversight to a key health care procedure. Detractors say it’s the latest in a campaign against gender and sexual minorities. Reporter Byline: Nakisanze Segawa, Global Press Uganda 1. Some say the proposed Human Assisted Reproductive Technology Bill is needed in a country where such procedures remain largely unregulated.…

New WHO report highlights need for sustained investment in infection prevention and control programmes

Nearly five years since COVID-19 was first reported, a new global report on infection prevention and control (IPC) by the World Health Organization (WHO) shows there has been slow progress in addressing critical gaps to prevent health care-associated infections (HAIs). A large proportion of HAIs can be prevented with improved IPC practices and basic water,…

Minister Kawooya Calls for Focus on TB and Leprosy Prevention

By Byamukama Alozious (HEJNU member) The Minister of Health for State General Duties, Hon. Hanifa Kawooya Bangirana, has called for increased focus on tuberculosis (TB) and leprosy prevention and increased digitalization of patient data. Speaking at the 7th Annual Tuberculosis and Leprosy Conference, the Minister emphasized the need for preventive measures to reduce the burden…

New Sterile Processing Training Program in Sierra Leone Marks Major Step in Reducing Surgical Infections

A groundbreaking initiative at Connaught Hospital in Freetown, Sierra Leone, is making strides in reducing surgical infection rates. The program, spearheaded by Mercy Ships’ Education, Training, and Advocacy (ETA) department in partnership with the Sterile Processing Education Charitable Trust (SPECT), trained 20 nurses in sterilization best practices over a two-week intensive course. SPECT, a nonprofit…

How Ghana is fighting a deadly rise in antimicrobial resistance

Several recent initiatives aim to identify and resolve challenges with antibiotic use that could be contributing to high rates of antimicrobial resistance. 22 November 2024 by Francis Kokutse The adage that too much of anything is bad is reflected in the experience of Vicky Dickson’s patients. Dickson, a community pharmacist in Adentan, a suburb of Accra,…

Kigali to Host Inaugural International Health Ministerial Summit in December 2024

Informa Markets, the organizers of the first-ever International Health Ministerial Summit, have announced that the event will take place in Kigali, Rwanda, from December 4–5, 2024. This groundbreaking gathering will bring together global healthcare leaders to address critical health challenges and pave the way for more resilient and equitable medical systems. The Summit, themed ‘Strengthening…