Zimbabwe rolls out mass drug administration campaign to tackle elephantiasis

Lymphatic filariasis is a preventable parasitic infection. Once its effects become chronic, however, the disease can be permanently disabling and hard to manage. 9 December 2024 by Derick Matsengarwodzi Tinotenda*’s childhood in Shamva, a mining town in north-eastern Zimbabwe, was normal – that is, full of promise and wild dreams. That wide open future began to…

CSO partnerships in immunisation: driving positive change together

For mothers in Uganda’s tea fields, taking their children to get vaccinated can mean missing a day of earnings for food. InPact’s Executive Director writes for VaccinesWork on how her organisation is helping tackle this impossible dilemma. 9 December 2024 by Emily Katarikawe When I think about childhood immunisation in Uganda, one story stands out vividly.…

How do you reach the urban hard-to-reach? Ask these health workers

A peer-to-peer learning platform invited health workers from around Africa to share their insights on reaching zero-dose kids in cities. 2 December 2024 by Ian Jones, Charlotte Mbuh A health worker carries a portable cooler for vaccines after completing a day of vaccinations as part of the Reach Zero Dose Children (ZDC) campaign in Somalia. Credit: Gavi/2024/Mohamed Abdihakim…

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…