GENEVA, SWITZERLAND | Xinhua | Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), reiterated his call on Friday for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Tedros made the appeal at an annual press conference organized by the Association of Accredited Correspondents at the United Nations in Geneva. …
Read More »Evaluation finds low uptake of HIV self-testing kit in Uganda
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | An evaluation exercise has found that quite a few Ugandans have accessed and used the free HIV self-testing kits offered by the government. The test kits dubbed Oraquick were introduced by the Ministry of Health as part of the wider HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention efforts. …
Read More »UVRI tackles viral load suppression in adolescents with HIV/AIDS
Among people living with HIV the worst viral loads are found among young people Kampala, Uganda | PATRICIA AKANKWATSA | The Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) is spearheading a transformative initiative to improve viral load suppression among adolescents living with HIV/AIDS (ALHIV) in East Africa. People with HIV should take antiretroviral …
Read More »Sh60 billion anti-tick vaccine production facility nears completion
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The construction of a sh60-billion anti-tick vaccine production facility at Nakyesasa in Nalukulongo, Wakiso District will be concluded in April 2023, according to the National Agricultural Research Organisation – NARO. In October 2022, NARO, officially commenced field trials of the anti-tick vaccine dubbed TicVac-U …
Read More »Anti-homosexuality law directives
Fear over safety of researchers and study participants ANALYSIS | LINDA NORDLING | Uganda’s chief science council has triggered outrage in the medical research community after suggesting researchers have a legal duty to report offences under the country’s anti-homosexuality laws, even if doing so breaches confidentiality rules. The country’s much-criticised anti-gay …
Read More »ANTHRAX: Kyotera imposes total livestock quarantine after death of 18 people
Kyotera, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Authorities in Kyotera district have enforced a complete ban on the movement of livestock and its products to halt the apparent spread of anthrax from animals to humans. For nearly a month, the district has grappled with a rare outbreak of anthrax, initially confirmed …
Read More »Ten arrested in Kabale for smoking in public
Kabale, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Ten people have been arrested in Kabale Municipality for smoking in public. They were arrested on Sunday in an operation headed by Patience Mutetsi, an official from the Tobacco Control Program in the Ministry of Health, Gilbert Mateeka, Kabale District Health Officer, Andrew Beija, …
Read More »Africa CDC, WHO plan to tackle disease burden
Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and the World Health Organisation have entered into a partnership to halt disease outbreaks that are common across the continent. Every year, close to 100 disease outbreaks are reported across Africa according to research from …
Read More »Mbarara Lab gets international accreditation
Mbrarara, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital Laboratory has been accredited by the South African National Accreditation System to international standards. The accreditation provides a means of evaluating the competence of laboratories to perform specific types of testing, measurement, and calibration and that the facility has a …
Read More »Medical bureau explain why not-for-profit hospitals charge exorbitant fees
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda Protestant Medical Bureau (UPMB) has spoken out on concerns by the public that Private-not-for-profit-PNFP health facilities continue charging patients highly for services despite receiving an annual grant from the government. Dr Tonny Tumwesigye, the Executive Director of the bureau says the majority …
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