South Africa has made important progress in the fight against tuberculosis (TB), but the country is not yet winning the battle. TB remains one of the leading causes of death in South Africa, although there have been significant improvements in diagnosis, treatment access, and prevention efforts over the past decade. Prof Mohlopheni Marakalala, Unit Director…
There was chaos at the Elegu Border Point on the Uganda-South Sudan border in Amuru District on Monday afternoon after residents stormed a health facility and forcibly retrieved the body of a 35-year-old man who died with Ebola like symptoms. The deceased, identified as Fadil Miraci, reportedly died at around 1:00 p.m. on Sunday after…
Health officials in Jinja City have confirmed an outbreak of bilharzia on Kisima I and Kisima II islands in the Southern Division, Jinja City. The islands are located at the border between Jinja City and Buikwe District, on Lake Victoria. The confirmation follows investigations by Jinja City’s rapid response team after dozens of residents reported…
The Kumi District Health Department has put one suspected Ebola patient and two contacts in isolation. According to the District Health Officer (DHO) of Kumi District, Dr. Emmanuel Ongala, the district, which is located on the main highway connecting borders from Busia to Elegu in South Sudan, has been on high alert and surveillance since…
Global health experts have prioritized several antiviral drugs and monoclonal antibodies for clinical trials against Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD), following a technical meeting convened to review potential medical countermeasures for the rare Ebola strain. The meeting focused on the current landscape of therapeutics for Bundibugyo virus disease and reviewed evidence for specific products including remdesivir,…
Hotter, less salty seas appear to activate growth and disease-related genes in Vibrio vulnificus, a marine bacterium capable of causing fatal wound infections. 27 May 2026 by Linda Geddes At a glance Researchers wanted to understand why Vibrio vulnificus infections are increasing in northern Europe, and whether climate change is making coastal waters more favourable for…
A rigorous evaluation of the RTS,S malaria vaccine in Ghana, Kenya and Malawi has now confirmed what earlier data indicated: the jab is preventing child deaths at a scale that could reshape Africa’s fight against the disease. 12 May 2026 by Priya Joi At a glance A new study in The Lancet confirms that the…
MotherHeat Alert is being tested in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Sweden, with tailored warnings and advice for the women most vulnerable to extreme heat. 21 May 2026 by Priya Joi At a glance A new smartphone app called MotherHeat Alert is being developed to send heat warnings tailored to pregnant women, postpartum mothers, infants and…
Drawing on more than 20 years of data, an independent review found strong evidence that HPV vaccines safely prevent cervical cancer. 8 May 2026 by Linda Geddes HPV vaccination day at a primary school in Eswatini. Credit: Gavi/2025/Svetlomir Slavchev. At a glance Researchers at the Vaccine Integrity Project analysed hundreds of studies published over more…
Researchers at the University of Oxford have developed a wearable ultrasound patch that could allow doctors to continuously monitor a baby’s blood flow during pregnancy, potentially helping detect complications earlier and reduce the risk of stillbirth. The study, published May 26 in Nature Biotechnology, was led by Professor Antoniya Georgieva of Oxford’s Nuffield Department of…