The Uganda Medical Association (UMA) has called for a swift and thorough investigation into the murder of Dr. Wilfred Olila, a renowned Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) surgeon, who was tragically killed on his way home from work last Friday. Dr. Olila, a lecturer at Soroti University and a practitioner at New Moroti Clinic, was…
Lamwo District has reported a significant decline in cholera cases, with 73 patients recovered and seven still hospitalized at Agoro Health Center III in Agoro Sub-county. Dr. Denis Omoya Ocula, the District Health Officer, confirmed, “The district has recorded a total of 81 cholera cases since the outbreak began 11 days ago. One death has…
The Executive Director of Mulago Specialized Women and Neonatal Hospital, Dr. Evelyn Nabunya, has announced the commencement of In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) services at the facility, marking a significant milestone in fertility treatment offered by the Ugandan government. So far, 11 stimulations have been conducted, with two women successfully pregnant following the procedure. Dr. Nabunya…
Mulago National Referral Hospital has requested an additional UGX8.6 billion from Parliament to expand its organ transplant services, including introducing liver transplants starting in April 2025. The hospital’s Executive Director, Dr. Rosemary Byanyima, presented the hospital’s 2025/26 Budget Framework Paper to Parliament’s Health Committee, emphasizing the need for full funding to support critical medicines and…
Jinja Regional Referral Hospital has requested Shs500 million from the government to establish dialysis services, aiming to ease the burden on patients who currently travel long distances and face heavy traffic to access similar services at Kiruddu Hospital in Kampala. Dr. Alfred Yayi, the hospital’s director, made the appeal while presenting the facility’s 2025/26 Budget…
The Director of Hoima Regional Referral Hospital, Dr. Ibrahim Bwaga, has informed Parliament that 57 women died during labor at the facility within a year, with 45 of them dying within 30 minutes of arrival. He attributed the high death toll to the long distances expectant mothers travel to access maternal services. Dr. Bwaga made…
The global vaccine cold chain is a branching network with myriad endpoints. In South Sudan, reporter Winnie Cirino profiled one of them. 15 January 2025 by Winnie Cirino About 12 kilometres from the town of Magwi in Eastern Equatoria State, South Sudan, lies Omeo Payam, a rural settlement of scattered, grass-thatched homes. At the heart of…
Educators at the Hospice Africa Uganda Institute have urged the Ministry of Health to ensure proper deployment of palliative care nurses in health centers to enhance the delivery of this critical service. Dr. Ekiria Kikule, the principal of Hospice Africa Uganda, made the appeal during the graduation ceremony for Master’s and Bachelor’s degree students in…
Following the death of a patient suspected to have suffered and died from Rift Valley fever, the Arua City Health Officer has advised the community against managing infectious diseases in clinics. The patient passed away after experiencing general body pains, fever, and bleeding for several days. Dr. Pontius Apangu, the Arua City Health Officer, revealed…
A groundbreaking study has demonstrated the effectiveness of a two-dose hepatitis E vaccine during an outbreak in South Sudan, providing a potential lifeline for populations in crisis. The research, led by Andrew Azman, an epidemiologist at the UNIGE-HUG Centre for Emerging Viral Diseases, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), and Johns Hopkins University, highlights the vaccine’s ability…
Jimmy Osuret, a Research Associate at the Trauma, Injuries, and Disability Unit (TRAID) at Makerere University, has found that strategically placing traffic wardens in school zones significantly improves children’s safety. Presenting his findings during his PhD defense at the Makerere University School of Public Health auditorium, Osuret revealed that wardens increased safe road-crossing behavior among…
Drivers from Ireland have raised over €107,000 (more than 400 million Ugandan shillings) to promote palliative care in Uganda. Palliative care focuses on providing relief from the symptoms and suffering caused by serious illnesses, aiming to improve the quality of life for patients by addressing their physical, emotional, spiritual, and social needs, rather than attempting…
Members of Parliament on the Health Committee have identified the lack of motivation among health workers as a critical barrier to improving health service delivery in Uganda. This concern arose during the committee’s meeting with officials from Moroto, Soroti, and Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospitals, who presented their budget framework papers for the 2025/2026 financial…
The government has proposed a smaller national budget for next financial year than the current, but it’s appropriation is raising discomfort. The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, in its National Budget Framework Paper is proposing a total resource envelop of 57.441 Trillion shillings for the financial year 2025/2026. Fair, compared to the 52…
When lab tests confirmed an outbreak of a highly virulent virus in Rwanda’s capital, Kigali, health minister Dr Sabin Nsanzimana knew he had to think outside the box. 13 January 2025 by John Agaba When blood samples tested positive for Marburg virus disease (MVD) in Rwanda’s capital Kigali on 27 September, Dr Sabin Nsanzimana, the country’s…