Eastern region missing over 5000 mostly men HIV positive but yet to be enrolled on treatment

By Steven Enatu Over 5000 people HIV positive persons living in Soroti district are not on anti-retroviral drugs says Dr. Baker Bakashaba the Taso Soroti Region project manager. Most of these are young people aged of 20-39 years, majority of them male and who occasionally visit health facilities.  He revealed this at the 16th annual center…

A few countries have signed agreements for pediatric doses and deliveries says UNICEF

By HEJNU Children are eligible for COVID-19 vaccines in an increasing number of countries. However, only a small number of countries have reached agreements for pediatric doses and deliveries are still small-scale. 94 countries have approved one or more vaccines for children above the age of 12 years, 53 countries approved vaccines for children between…

Africa has zero access to monkeypox vaccines; US has 60 doses per case reported

The U.S. holds nearly 80% of the Jynneos vaccine used to fight monkeypox, despite having only 35% of the global monkeypox cases, even as many countries go without access to any doses, according to a Public Citizen analysis of public records estimates released today. African countries where monkeypox is endemic, including the Democratic Republic of…

COVID-19 pandemic triggered digital technology-based solutions

By HEJNU Digital technology plays a vital role in protecting medical personnel by limiting direct contact with patients, disinfecting controlled environments and disseminating public health and emergency messages. These digital technology-based solutions were triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic to an unprecedented levels demanding for in screening populations, tracking infections and minimizing direct human contact. “COVID-19…

The Lancet: Improving road safety measures could save half a million lives every year worldwide

New global and country-level estimates suggest that routinely wearing helmets and seat-belts, obeying speed limits and avoiding drunk-driving could save between 347,000 and 540,000 lives worldwide every year. In addition, improving post-crash emergency response, trauma care, and clinical interventions to control haemorrhage and early resuscitation could save up to 200,000 lives a year in low-…

An integrated strategy to address NCDs at primary healthcare facilities unveiled

To tackle the burden of chronic and severe noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) a strategy to address management of severe NCDs at first-level referral health facilities has been unveiled. The Package of Essential Noncommunicable Disease Interventions-Plus (PEN-Plus) strategy builds on the WHO-PEN for integrated detection, diagnosis, treatment and care of non-communicable diseases at primary health care facilities. It was…

African wide campaign to bolster political will for sickle cell prevention launched

A campaign to bolster political will and engagement as well as advocate for financial resources for sickle cell disease prevention and control was launched at a side-event at the seventy-second session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa (RC-72). The campaign seeks to raise public awareness of the disease in schools, communities, health institutions and the…