Private Clinics ‘Killing’ Wetlands, Environment with Illegal Medical Waste Dumping

In Kampala, private clinics and medical centers are lifelines for communities in densely populated areas like Kyebando and Bwaise. Yet, behind their mission to heal, many of these facilities are perpetrating a grave environmental crime: the illegal disposal of hazardous medical waste. This reckless practice is polluting water sources, poisoning the air, and threatening both…

Advancing Universal Access to Safe Blood in the WHO African Region: A New Framework (2026–2030)

The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Committee for Africa is set to examine and adopt a crucial “Framework to advance universal access to safe, effective and quality-assured blood products in the WHO African Region: 2026–2030”. This framework addresses persistent challenges in ensuring adequate and equitable access to life-saving blood and blood products across the region,…

Preventive HPV vaccines work. Now a new discovery could also help eliminate existing cancers too

A newly identified immune system ‘roadblock’ may explain why HPV vaccines given after infection struggle. 25 August 2025 by Linda Geddes A health worker administers the HPV vaccine to a girl in Zambia. Credit: Gavi/2023/Peter Caton The vaccines that prevent HPV-related cancers are a medical success story. But once the virus has taken hold, they…

Walimu Introduces New Health Insurance Package for Teachers

Walimu Cooperative Union Limited has introduced a new health insurance package specifically for teachers in Uganda. According to Stephen Nabende, the chairperson of the National Cooperative Union, each teacher is required to contribute at least 150,000 Shillings annually to cover their medical expenses, with the cooperative union providing additional support. Nabende emphasised that this insurance…

Not much to show for South Korea’s $8 Million Health Programme in Uganda

The government of South Korea, under its agency the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare (KOFIH), has conducted a midterm review of its five-year programme to strengthen health systems for quick detection and response to infectious diseases. Speaking at a meeting attended by officials in the Ministry of Health and different public health facilities across the…

Are patients with advanced cancer receiving treatment aligned with their goals? 

New research indicates that many patients with advanced cancer report receiving treatment focusing on longevity over comfort, even when their goal is the opposite. The findings are published by Wiley online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. Treatment of serious illnesses generally aims to optimize longevity and quality of life, but…

How a new global vaccine stockpile will help to counter the ongoing mpox threat

Mpox still poses a major risk, but rapid delivery of vaccines could help halt outbreaks before they spread. 19 August 2025 by Priya Joi A year after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), the virus has spread rapidly across Africa, and the global response remains inadequate,…