Uganda drug regulator moves to shut drug shops licensed by council

The National Drug Authority (NDA) has threatened to close drug shops operating under licenses issued by the Allied Health Professionals Council, warning that such outlets are operating illegally. Speaking at a press conference Friday, NDA public relations officer Abiaz Rwamwiri said several drug shops had been misled by an agency whose mandate is limited to…

Prenatal Exposure to Air Pollution is Associated with Lower Cognitive Performance in Early Childhood

The prenatal period is a critical window for brain development, yet few studies have examined the impact of air pollution exposure during pregnancy on child cognition. A new study led by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), a center supported by the ”la Caixa” Foundation, in collaboration with the University of Barcelona (UB), shows…

U.S. House backs extension of FDA programme that incentivises rare disease drugs

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed legislation to reauthorise a key Food and Drug Administration programme designed to encourage the development of medicines for rare diseases, reviving a scheme that had lapsed amid debate over its cost and impact. The bill, passed on Dec. 1, extends the FDA’s Priority Review Voucher (PRV) programme, which…

Uganda Examines U.S. Health Aid Deal as Privacy and Costs Draw Concern

Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa has directed Parliament’s Committee on Health to examine a US$2.3 billion (about 8.09 trillion Ugandan shillings) health cooperation agreement signed between Uganda and the United States, following opposition calls for parliamentary scrutiny. The directive comes amid debate over whether the agreement requires ratification under Uganda’s Ratification of Treaties Act, and after…

Uganda expands community TB screening with AI-powered mobile X-ray units

Uganda has expanded community-based tuberculosis screening with the commissioning of 14 ultra-portable digital X-ray units equipped with artificial intelligence software, a move health officials say could improve early detection in hard-to-reach areas. The equipment, deployed through the Ministry of Health’s National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Program, will be used alongside mobile clinics in TB hotspot districts…