Education authorities in Masaka district have launched investigations into allegations of poor quality and unsafe food served in schools, following concerns raised by various stakeholders. According to Gerald Nsambu, the Masaka District Education Officer, they received intelligence reports suggesting that some school administrators are compromising the quality of food to cut down on expenses. Nsambu…
Ministers of Health from African countries burdened with the highest malaria rates committed today to intensified efforts to eradicate fatalities from the disease. They vowed to address the menace of malaria sustainably and equitably across the African region, which accounts for a staggering 95% of malaria-related deaths globally. Gathered in Yaoundé, Cameroon, the Ministers ratified…
Making a health care island of HIV control has held back efforts to catch and treat related illnesses, advocates say. That’s about to change. 5 March 2024 by Syriacus Buguzi Bhoke Meki, a 33-year-old health advocate living with HIV, recalls vividly the chill that ran down her spine when a nurse at Tarime District Hospital in the…
Governments, donors, and international organizations have pledged significant new commitments totaling nearly US$600 million to combat cervical cancer, marking a pivotal moment in the fight against this preventable disease. The announcements were made at the inaugural Global Cervical Cancer Elimination Forum held in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. The forum, attended by experts and stakeholders from…
Experts at the Africa Society for Blood Transfusion (AfSBT) congress in Munyonyo are raising concerns about blood wastage in hospitals, highlighting the need for proper stock management and optimal blood utilization practices. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that while developed countries have a blood wastage rate between 0.1% and 6.7%, there is limited information…
Government to Vaccinate 10,000 High-Risk Health Workers Against Ebola In a proactive move to safeguard public health, the government of Uganda is gearing up to vaccinate over 10,000 high-risk health workers against Ebola, with the campaign slated to commence in May 2024. Dr. Henry Kyobe, an epidemiologist from the Ministry of Health and leader of…
SynaptixBio, a prominent biotech firm dedicated to combating rare and deadly diseases, has achieved a significant milestone by securing a second Orphan Drug Designation (ODD) from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The company’s initial ODD, obtained in early 2023, targeted Hypomyelination with Atrophy of the Basal ganglia and Cerebellum (H-ABC), the…
Researchers call for closer monitoring of this group, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. 26 February 2024 by Linda Geddes Preterm infants are at disproportionately high risk of serious illness caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) – a threat that continues into their second year of life, research suggests. The finding implies that interventions to prevent…
In Kenya, Joyce Chimbi spoke to the first African manufacturer of WHO-prequalified, safe, single-use syringes. 27 February 2024 by Joyce Chimbi Reusable syringes are risky. They’re more likely to cause infection, and have been linked to the transmission of blood-borne diseases like HIV, and hepatitis B and C. They’re also able to be used, resold, and…
Hoima district has launched a massive measles vaccination campaign following a confirmed outbreak in several villages along Lake Albert’s shores. The outbreak was identified in four villages in Kiganja and Buseruka sub-counties after samples from affected individuals tested positive for measles at the Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI). To date, 302 people have been affected,…