Pandemic Related Learning poverty: 70% of 10-year-olds can’t understand a simple written text

Learning poverty has increased by a third in low- and middle-income countries, with an estimated 70% of 10-year-olds unable to understand a simple written text with comprehension by age 10, according to a new report published today by the World Bank, UNESCO, UNICEF, UK government Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), USAID, and the Bill &…

Parliament acknowledges need for legislation on contraceptives for adolescent girls

In the wake of the rising adolescent teenage pregnancies, Uganda Parliament has acknowledged the need for legislation on contraceptives access to safeguard adolescent girls against unplanned pregnancies. Thomas Tayebwa, the deputy speaker of Parliament made the observation while meeting a visiting delegation of British Lawmakers under their umbrella body All Party Parliamentary Group – APPG; health…

Higher risk of high blood pressure after childbirth recorded in Ugandan women

Researchers are recording increased cases of pre-eclampsia after childbirth among women who had no prior history of high blood pressure. Women in Mbale are at a higher risk of getting affected with pre-eclampsia.  Pre-eclampsia is responsible for ~25% of deaths during childbirth in sub-Saharan Africa according to research.  Pre-eclampsia refers to a condition during pregnancy…

COVID-19 vaccine development funds not directly released to PRESIDE – Musenero

The Minister of Science, Technology, and Innovation, Dr. Monica Musenero has refuted claims that funds were released directly to the Presidential Scientific Initiative on Epidemics (PRESIDE) for Covid-19 vaccine research purposes. PRESIDE, is a brainchild of President Yoweri Museveni, supervised by Dr. Monica Musenero, who was a Presidential Advisor on Epidemics at the time it was…

Researchers call for roll out of long-acting HIV injectable treatments in low income countries

Researchers attending the International Conference on HIV Treatment, Pathogenesis and Prevention Research in Resource – Limited Settings (INTEREST) have called for a quick introduction to the Long-Acting HIV treatment to give options to people struggling with adherence to daily medication. Dr. Andrew Kambugu, the Executive Director of the Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI), says that they…