New York, United States | THE INDEPENDENT | The United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres has named Winifred ‘Winnie’ Karagwa Byanyima as the next Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). The Ugandan leader on women’s rights, democratic governance and peace building has been Executive Director of Oxfam International …
Read More »HEALTH: Burnout at work
Facing the damage of ‘chronic workplace stress’ | MARIA COHUT | In a world where it seems as though the pressure to perform is always on, more and more people are admitting to burnout at work. What is this phenomenon, and how can you cope with it if it happens …
Read More »DRC Ebola tsar Muyembe delighted by drug breakthrough
Goma, DR Congo | AFP | DR Congo’s pointman on Ebola voiced delight on Tuesday after researchers announced that two prototype drugs boost chances of surviving the dreaded disease. Jean-Jacques Muyembe, newly appointed by President Felix Tshisekedi to coordinate the year-long campaign against Ebola, said that out of four confirmed …
Read More »Global measles cases triple year-on-year
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | Measles cases nearly tripled globally during the first seven months of the year compared to the same period in 2018, the World Health Organization said Tuesday, amid growing concern over public resistance to the vaccine. So far this year, 364,808 measles cases were reported around …
Read More »Poor funding affecting Uganda’s Ebola preparedness plan
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The shortage of funds is affecting Uganda’s Ebola preparedness plan, according to the World Health Organization. Uganda was classified as a priority one country, as a result of its proximity to the area of DRC that is most affected by the latest Ebola outbreak, …
Read More »Scientists a step closer to a cure for Ebola
Two Ebola drugs found to increase survival rates: health officials Washington, United States | AFP | Scientists were a step closer to a cure for Ebola on Monday after two of four drugs in a clinical trial were found to significantly increase survival rates, the US health authority co-funding the …
Read More »Blood pressure
Both numbers may predict heart disease | THE INDEPENDENT | According to new research, both high systolic and high diastolic blood pressure can lead to heart attack and stroke. Heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death worldwide. In Uganda, one in three adults suffers from high blood …
Read More »Malaria outbreak feared in Kampala
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Five children are admitted each day in Acute Care Unit of Mulago National Referral hospital with convulsions and anemia resulting from malaria infection. Dr. Richard Idro, a Pediatrician in the Unit, says this situation is unlike weeks ago when they were registering four to …
Read More »Daily nut eating improves sexual function in men
It depends on a complex interaction between nerve cells and blood vessels | THE INDEPENDENT | Men participating in a clinical trial who added two handfuls of nuts a day to their regular diet reported improvements in sexual function. The 14-week trial compared a group of men who added a …
Read More »Misdiagnosis, low case detection hurting pediatric TB treatment
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Misdiagnosis and low case detection among children is hindering Tuberculosis treatment in Ntungamo district, according to health authorities. Children are a soft landing spot for Tuberculosis once exposed due to low immunity. However, the challenge is worsened by misdiagnosis with most of the infected …
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