Plumpy’Nut diversion threatens child health in northern Uganda

The Town Clerk of Kitgum Municipality, Monday Joseph Bagonza, has raised the alarm over a growing underground trade in Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF), the lifesaving peanut-based paste better known as Plumpy’Nut. RUTF is a high-calorie, nutrient-dense paste designed to pull severely malnourished children back from the brink of starvation. Distributed free of charge through government…

In Kenya’s Masaailand, “Guardian mothers” take up the HPV vaccine cause

Masaai women traditionally trusted to guide and protect mothers in childbirth are shepherding younger girls to safety from cervical cancer. Local health administrators say they see an uptick in vaccination rates where the “Olkinyi” are at work. 2 September 2025 by Gitonga Njeru At dawn in Inkisanjani village, near the Kenya-Tanzania border, the sound of…

Lack of Sign Language Interpreters Limits Health Access for the Deaf

Persons with hearing impairment in Arua City are struggling to access health care as most health facilities lack sign language interpreters to bridge communication with medical staff. The challenge, they say, poses risks of wrong prescriptions and has discouraged some from seeking services altogether. Records from the Arua City Association of the Deaf show that…

Experts Urge Community-Based Solutions as Mental Health Gaps Persist in Uganda

Up to 75% of people experiencing mental distress in Uganda do not seek care from hospitals or professional health providers, highlighting a major gap in access to mental health services. Vincent Mujune, Country Director of the NGO StrongMinds Uganda, says that the use of traditional mental health providers is gaining recognition even among the scientific…

Youth Demand Dignity, Rights, and Funding for Sexual and Reproductive Health

At the SHE & Rights session of the International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP 2025), a chorus of young activists, advocates, and health leaders painted a vivid picture of progress, gaps, and persistent challenges in sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) across the Global South. The consensus: while some strides have been made, stigma,…

Abortion Rights: A Global Human Rights Imperative

The “Abortion Rights: A Global Human Rights Imperative” session, celebrating the first anniversary of the SHE & Rights initiative, brought together diverse voices ahead of key international events like the 80th United Nations General Assembly. The central message woven throughout the session was that abortion rights are human rights, an essential component of sexual and…

Experts call for urgent action on the hidden link between drug resistance and chronic diseases

Health experts and patient advocates are sounding the alarm on the dangerous intersection between antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), warning that siloed responses are failing patients and weakening health systems worldwide. “It is high time to break down silos and build integrated people-centered approaches and resilient health systems that can respond to both…

Experts demand action on Uganda’s growing food fraud crisis

Experts attending the Uganda National Conference on Health, Human Rights and Development have expressed concern over the increasing cases of food fraud, warning that the problem remains largely unchecked. Speaking at the ongoing conference, Ketra Nakayenga, Principal Consultant in charge of Quality Assurance and Standardization at the Ministry of Trade, urged Ugandans to demand accountability…