After nearly two decades of inaction, Uganda has made some small strides in improving the health of newborns. Uganda is not on track to meet the national and SDG2030 targets for Newborn health, notwithstanding this. During a High Level Table Discussion on New Born Care conducted in Kampala by the Ministry of Health, the MRC/Uganda…
Pakwach district health department has embarked on an exercise against bilharzia, a major neglected tropical disease in the area. Schistosomiasis, also known as bilharzia, is an infection caused by a parasitic worm that lives in fresh water in subtropical and tropical regions. The three-day exercise is expected to end on Monday next week and mainly…
Eight billion people are at risk because of the leaders’ lack of preparation for pandemic threats, according to the former Co-Chairs of The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response. H5N1 avian influenza is causing a surge in mammal populations and new human infections, while mpox is killing children. Of those DRC deaths from mpox,…
The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a medical product alert on falsified semaglutides, the type of medicines that are used for treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity in some countries. The alert addresses 3 falsified batches of product of semaglutide class of medicines (of specific brand Ozempic), which have been detected in Brazil in October 2023,…
By Malik Jjingo In efforts to end the spread of HIV by 2030, researchers have called upon the government to support the increased uptake of new innovations that have been proved to be effective in protecting people against contracting the HIV virus. Preventive measures such us PrEP medicine (Pre-exposure prophylaxis) and Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP),…
AVAC welcomes the groundbreaking results of the PURPOSE 1 HIV prevention study among adolescent girls and young women in South Africa and Uganda. Preliminary safety and efficacy results were reported today by Gilead Sciences, the developer of the lenacapavir, one of the HIV prevention drugs that was being studied in the trial. An independent data…
In mammals, only 3% of the genome consists of coding genes which, when transcribed into proteins, ensure the biological functions of the organism and the in-utero development of future individuals. But genes do not function alone. They are controlled by other sequences in the genome, called enhancers, which, like switches, activate or deactivate them as required. A team from…
Experts assessing the performance of Uganda towards attaining Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have revealed that the country has no data on goal 14 which calls for conserving and sustainable use of oceans, seas, and marine resources. Speaking in an interview on the sidelines of the Voluntary National Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) review meeting, Onesimus Kansiime…
The Uganda Nurses and Midwifery Examinations Board (UNMEB) has announced plans to introduce plagiarism testing on all nursing and midwifery reports to combat academic dishonesty. Helen Mukakarisa Kataratambi, the board’s Executive Secretary, revealed this initiative, highlighting a concerning trend of applicants submitting duplicate work or copying earlier submissions. “The purpose of this proactive measure is…
What a person’s future looks like depends on their access to universal rights like healthcare. Access Challenge is an organisation transforming communities through digital media. Here is what we can learn from their COVID-19 campaigns in Tanzania and the DRC. 27 May 2024 by Edward Brydon For millions of people all over the…
The Vaccine Alliance is setting out its most ambitious strategy yet. 7 June 2024 by Gavi Staff Credit: GAVI/2014/Duncan Graham-Rowe The Gavi Board today approved the Vaccine Alliance’s strategy for the five-year period running from 2026 to 2030. It will be the most ambitious in Gavi’s history: seeking to protect more people against more diseases…
Mangroves mitigate the effects of floods and tidal waves, and also aid in curbing vector-borne diseases like malaria. They’re also vanishing. 10 June 2024 by Edna Fleure In Togbin Adouko, a fishing village just a few kilometres from the port city of Cotonou, residents have learned to deeply value mangroves. Gérald Djikpessè, the community area’s manager,…
The week-long drive to vaccinate 9-to 14-year-old girls against the human papillomavirus promises to put a dent in the country’s cervical cancer burden. 31 May 2024 by Syriacus Buguzi This April, Lisa Peter, an 11-year-old student at Kambange Primary School in Dar Es Salaam, was sprawled on the living room couch after school, scrolling through…
Maintaining an unbroken cold chain in the world’s least electrified country – which also happens to record ambient temperatures in the 30s and 40s Celsius for much of the year – is no walk in the park. Winnie Cirino goes deep on how South Sudan does it. 7 June 2024 by Winnie Cirino It’s the world’s…
Fiske Nyirongo talks to Tabo Lukato-Hadunka, a Zambian HIV activist, to learn more about this milestone in the country’s fight against HIV/AIDS. 3 June 2024 by Fiske Nyirongo In February 2024, the Zambia Ministry of Health launched a PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) injectable – also known as long-acting cabotegravir (CAB-LA) – which provides about two months of HIV protection…