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…
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 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…
Surgeons in Pader District have increased hydrocele operations as health officials report a growing number of men seeking treatment. A hydrocele occurs when abdominal fluid fills a sac in the scrotum, causing swelling that may lead to discomfort or pain. Although hydroceles are more common in babies, the condition can appear at any age. The…
Henry Francis Kadaga, a self-proclaimed medical specialist who was recently released on bail in a case involving the death of a pregnant woman, has been arrested again. This time, authorities say he was operating an unlicensed clinic, performing illegal abortions and is suspected of removing three uteruses. Kadaga, who was granted bail last month in…
Farmers and women entrepreneurs in the Karamoja sub-region are taking charge of their nutrition and health through initiatives that are transforming their communities. Their progress is driven by the Catalyzing Strengthened Policy Action for Healthy Diets and Resilience, or CASCADE, project launched in 2022. The five-year initiative is implemented by a consortium led by CARE…
A new study by researchers at the Makerere University Lung Institute has found that 82% of adolescents aged 12 to 19 in Kampala are living with uncontrolled asthma, raising concerns about respiratory health in Uganda’s rapidly urbanizing capital. Published in BMC Pediatrics in 2025, the study assessed 263 adolescents from 17 secondary schools, all with…
The HIV/AIDS prevalence in Omoro District continues to worry leaders, with a new report from the Uganda AIDS Commission showing an 8% infection rate — higher than the 7% recorded across the Acholi subregion and almost double Uganda’s national prevalence of 4.5%. According to the report, Omoro registered 210 new HIV infections last year. All…
Uganda and the United States have signed a five-year, $2.3 billion Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Bilateral Health Cooperation aimed at saving lives, strengthening health systems, and boosting global health security. The agreement, signed on December 10, 2025, reflects a long-standing partnership spanning more than six decades and marks a significant shift toward self-reliance in…
Violence against women and girls remains one of the world’s most persistent human rights violations despite decades of global commitments, the world is nowhere near ending it. That warning set the tone at the SHE & Rights ( Health with Equity & Rights) session held during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. Speakers…