A UK biotech company has announced £13m of investment that they believe will fund them through to clinical trials next year of the world’s first treatment for a rare, incurable and deadly disease. The investment has been raised by Oxfordshire-based SynaptixBio, whose aim is to tackle TUBB4a leukodystrophy – a genetic and debilitating condition that mainly…
A technique that identifies the build-up of abnormal protein deposits linked to Parkinson’s disease could aid in early detection and play a key role in the disease’s clinical diagnosis and characterisation, according to research published in The Lancet Neurology journal. Findings from the study confirm the technique – known as α-synuclein seed amplification assay (αSyn-SAA)…
Summary: As fewer Ugandan mothers follow WHO guidance for six months of exclusive breastfeeding, newborns are at risk of infections, stunted growth and malnutrition. Picture credits : Polly Namiyingo, 27, breastfeeds her 5-month-old baby outside her home in Kampala, Uganda, on Oct. 22, 2022. Namiyingo says that breastfeeding her three children has enabled them to remain…
This story was originally published by Global Press Journal. ILLUSTRATION BY MATT HANEY, GPJ Summary: Cabotegravir is a promising HIV prevention medication that’s approved in countries like the United States. But in sub-Saharan Africa, access encounters a number of hurdles. By: Nakisanze Segawa, Global Press Journal Uganda. KAMPALA, UGANDA — Night after night, Annet worries…
A study, led by the first winner of the inaugural Carol Ellison Science Award 2021, has determined the optimum height for a drone to fly and target desert locusts with biopesticides in order for it be most effective as a tool to fight the devastating crop pest. Violet Ochieng, of the University of Nairobi and…
Large numbers of people are affected by infertility in their lifetime, according to a new report published today by the World Health Organization (WHO). Around 17.5% of the adult population – roughly 1 in 6 worldwide – experience infertility, showing the urgent need to increase access to affordable, high-quality fertility care for those in need.…
A new report has revealed that half of the pregnancies in the Acholi Sub-region in 2022 were unintended, with the bulk recorded in the districts of Amuru and Agago.The 2022 survey report conducted by Makerere University School of Public Health indicates that 50.7 percent of girls and women between 15 and 49 years never intended…
The Ministry of Health has urged private health facilities to consider wellness facilities for the non-medical needs of mothers and babies that can improve maternal health outcomes. Dr Richard Mugahi, the Assistant Commissioner in Charge of Reproductive and Child Health says that because they are overwhelmed by numbers in free government facilities, they have had…
The UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is calling for emergency funding to broaden efforts to reach millions living across 11 eastern and southern African countries which have been hit hard by fast-spreading cholera outbreaks.Calling for USD 171 million in funds to support 28 million people suffering in the region, UNICEF said tailored responses are already reaching…
Doctors under the Uganda Medical Association (UMA) have said there is so far no scientific study done in Uganda or abroad that has found a definitive gene responsible for homosexuality. This comes amidst concerns raised regarding whether gay or queer sexual expression occurs naturally as debate about the just-passed Anti-homosexuality bill continues. In his statement…