Features

By Flavia Nassaka Health sector experts say they pose new challenges The new World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, including requiring that Antiretroviral (ARV) drugs  are provided immediately a patient is diagnosedto be HIV positive, could be difficult to implement, according to health sector experts. Previous WHO guidelines required doctors to …

By the Indepenent Team The Global Nutrition Report 2015 was launched on Oct. 30 as part of celebrations to mark the Africa Day of Food Nutrition and Security. The Independent’s Flavia Nassaka spoke to Mohamed AgBendech, the senior nutrition officer at the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United …

By Flavia Nassaka Window dressing without real substance On May 14, Davis Mujimu Majwega was diagnosed with a type of blood cancer called Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL).  A few weeks later, the 18 year old was started on treatment.  Since he is insured, his first medical expenses were taken care …

By Flavia Nassaka Ask questions and demand answers from your doctor Robinah Kaitiritimba, the Executive Director of Uganda National Health Consumers’ Organisation (UNHCO) is helping those whose rights have allegedly been violated seek justice but she is faced with a tough situation – gathering proof.   Earlier in the year, the …

By Isaac Khisa Insurers warn on IRA-U’s new guidelines on health insurance Uganda’s move to introduce new guidelines in the medical segment of the insurance industry are likely to hurt the growth of Health Membership Organizations, as the country moves to streamline their operations. The new guidelines, which came into …

By Flavia Nassaka Joseph Kanyike tested positive for HIV in 2009. In 2011, the 42-year old was diagnosed with Kaposi’s sarcoma. This is a viral cancer that causes wounds on the skin and inside the body which, in most cases, are impossible to cure. Kanyike’s wound is at the back …

By Flavia Nassaka Uganda’s elephant numbers increase but conservationists remain wary of poachers Globally, elephants are under threat with the increase in demand for ivory. With estimates showing about 96 elephants being killed every day, global figures indicate that their number has decreased by 62% over the last decade. The …

By Flavia Nassaka Reflecting on the country’s advancement in education, healthcare As Uganda marks 53 years of Independence from Great Britain, the country has a lot to celebrate. Key among them is that Ugandans now live longer as life expectancy has increased from 45 years in 1962 to 59 in …

By Flavia Nassaka Experts call for shift from CD4 to Viral load testing, suppression The biggest challenge HIV/AIDS treatment providers face today is achieving and maintaining undetectable levels of HIV in the blood of patients. Dr. Williams Moullado, the HIV monitoring officer at Medecins San Forentieres (MSF), an international medical …

By Agencies Global health experts have found that processed meat such as hot dogs, ham and sausages can cause bowel cancer Red meat is also “probably” carcinogenic, with associations mainly with bowel cancer, but also with pancreatic cancer and prostate cancer, according to a World Health Organisation (WHO) report. The …