The private sector in East Africa is developing a mechanism that will enable the foods and beverages industry to regulate itself on quality and standards, in the absence of national or regional (EAC) policies. The manufacturers, importers, and distributors are now in the final stages of developing a mechanism that is aimed at enhancing conformity…
Results from a clinical trial published in the Journal of Internal Medicine reveal several health benefits of moderate salt restriction in patients on standard medical treatment for primary aldosteronism. Primary aldosteronism—a condition in which the adrenal glands make too much of the hormone aldosterone—is a common cause of secondary hypertension. The combination of aldosterone excess and…
Women’s bodies must not be held captive to government policies or “alarmist narratives” concerning population growth, the UN Sexual and Reproductive Agency (UNFPA) said in the latest edition of the State of World Population report published this morning. The agency observes that while reaching the milestone of eight billion people on Earth was a…
SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, attaches to a cellular receptor called angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), and activation of the farnesoid X receptor increases ACE2 expression. New research published in the Journal of Internal Medicine suggests that a drug that inhibits the farnesoid X receptor and is used to treat liver disease may decrease…
The Japanese Government has donated 7.9 million US Dollars (29.5 billion Shillings) to support refugees and improve food security in the Karamoja sub-region. The donation has been channeled through five United Nations organizations which include United Nations High Commission for Refugees(UNHCR), World Food Program (WFP), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Women (UN Women),…
A birth control pill manufactured by a company in China and was banned by the Uganda National drug regulator is even more popular among women in Uganda. Women who use it say the once-a-month use pill is convenient, has less side effects, specifically no bleeding compared to other contraceptives. Its only downside they say is…
The Global Alliance for Vaccine Initiative -GAVI says that about 50,000 children in Uganda have never received a single vaccine dose, and therefore remain unprotected against any killer disease.This also makes it almost impossible to eradicate some diseases from the country. For this reason, Gavi has included Uganda in it’s new initiative, the Zero-Dose learning…
Medical doctors have asked the government to screen private health facilities and allow those that have the prerequisite staff and equipment to recruit graduate doctors into internships. Making the call amidst endless strikes by medical interns over allowances and conditions of work over the years, Dr. Frank Asiimwe Rubabinda, the President of the Association of…
The Ministry of Health has launched a Satellite Laboratory at Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital. The facility, constructed under the Uganda COVID-19 Response and Preparedness Project is expected to improve clinical research at the hospital upon its completion. The construction will cost four billion Shillings while another 1.3 Billion Shillings will be spent on equipping…
As the country continues to wait for the establishment of a National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, the Insurance Regulatory Authority of Uganda, IRA, is moving a step towards responding to the gaps created by the lack of the scheme. For more than 10 years, it has been a back-and-forth situation regarding universal health insurance platform,…