Belgium funds UNICEF’s urban cash assistance and mentorship programme for 3,000 vulnerable adolescent girls

The Government of Belgium has today announced a financial contribution of EUR 4.2 million (approx. 16bn Ugandan shillings) to UNICEF that will see 3,000 vulnerable in and out-of-school girls in Kampala receive support through mentorship, linkages to essential social services and a cash transfer to enable them to transition safely into adulthood. The four-year Belgian…

Bulongo parish residents want justice for defilement case

Residents of Nyamiringa village in Bulongo parish, Sembababule district are baying for the blood of George Musheijja Bakulu, the Nyamiringa LCI chairman. They are angry that he was released by police after he was arrested for aggravated defilement. Bakulu, was arrested on Wednesday last week after being caught red-handed defiling a 15-year-old girl. It is said that…

African Union pleads to Europe: Invest in Africa’s digital infrastructure

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of digital technologies to keep businesses, healthcare, education and public services running, commented Dr Amani Abou-Zeid, AU Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy at the Africa-Europe Digital for Development (D4D) Hub Multi-Stakeholder Forum. “These exceptional times have also shown the urgency to invest in Africa’s digital infrastructure and build on Africa’s innovation…

Makerere study finds high metal concretes in consumable products near garbage site

Scientists have asked authorities to ensure municipal garbage dumped at landfills is first treated having found heavy metal concentrations in milk from cows grazed along dumpsites.   Researchers based at the Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) have said that they found the presence of heavy metals in plants such as vegetables that are grown…

Uganda President orders $835,000 funding for Ivermectin clinical trials

Uganda’s President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has directed the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to release Shillings 3.024 billion to facilitate research on the use of Ivermectin prophylaxis in the treatment of COVID-19 infection. Ivermectin is approved for human use to treat infections caused by some parasitic worms and head lice and skin conditions like…