An estimated 80 000 people have taken part in the Kabaka Birthday Run, an annual event that forms part of the celebrations to mark the birthday of Kabaka Ronald Muwenda Mutebi II of Buganda. For the last three years, the run’s theme has been “Men for Good Health and Ending AIDS by 2030.” The…
Hepatitis B is leading to an increase in the cases of liver cancer in Uganda but this can be reduced by vaccination. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) between 30 and 50% of cancers can currently be prevented by avoiding risk factors and implementing existing evidence-based prevention strategies like vaccination. Hepatitis B is a…
A new pill that could make your alcohol handover go away is now available! But it works best for moderate drinkers. It is also not suitable for those who are pregnant, breastfeeding or under the age of 18. The Myrkl, taken before drinking is on sale for the first time in the UK. It is marketed as a supplement…
A study by the Aga Khan University shows that one in every four healthcare professionals exhibits signs of depression. Conducted across all 47 counties in Kenya, the Protecting the Wellbeing and Strengthening the Resilience of Frontline Health Workers study also revealed that two in every five healthcare workers show symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Some…
Learning poverty has increased by a third in low- and middle-income countries, with an estimated 70% of 10-year-olds unable to understand a simple written text with comprehension by age 10, according to a new report published today by the World Bank, UNESCO, UNICEF, UK government Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), USAID, and the Bill &…
World Health Organization (WHO) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation today announced plans to set up a mentorship programme for African women working in neglected tropical diseases programmes. The mentorship is in honour of the late Dr Mwele Malecela, who was one of Africa’s most highly respected female scientists and public health leaders. The mentorship programme will provide African women with leadership…
The Foreign Ministers of Bangladesh and Rwanda have announced the Kigali-Dhaka Compact on Mental Health at a high-level dialogue held on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) on 22 June. The event, which was held under the theme “Rethinking Mental Health: A Commonwealth Call to Empower, Care and Transform”, was hosted…
By RSIF The University of Rwanda’s Centre of Excellence on Internet of Things (IoT), Embedded Computing Systems with funding from the PASET Regional Scholarship’s competitive grants scheme, in close collaboration with a team from Makerere University is implementing a project to assess the levels of indoor air pollution in rural and urban communities in Rwanda.…
In the wake of the rising adolescent teenage pregnancies, Uganda Parliament has acknowledged the need for legislation on contraceptives access to safeguard adolescent girls against unplanned pregnancies. Thomas Tayebwa, the deputy speaker of Parliament made the observation while meeting a visiting delegation of British Lawmakers under their umbrella body All Party Parliamentary Group – APPG; health…
Lillian Kihumuro has described her journey of living with HIV for the last 25-years as long, tough and hard. She was born positive and knew about her status at the age of three years. “I was sick frequently, prompting my uncle who had adopted me to seek medical check-ups,” she revealed. The revelation about her…