Society catergory

DAKAR | Xinhua | Senegal’s Health Minister Ibrahima Sy said Sunday that a recent outbreak of Rift Valley fever (RVF) in the northern Saint-Louis region has caused seven deaths. Speaking at an epidemic control meeting in Saint-Louis, Sy said that the health authorities, in coordination with the livestock department, are …

COMMENT | RAHU  | Across the world, the burden of family planning has historically been placed on women. Cultural and societal norms often position men as the ultimate decision-makers in households, leaving women with limited voice in determining family size or accessing reproductive health services. This imbalance not only undermines women’s …

KINSHASA | Xinhua | The number of new cases in the current Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been falling in recent weeks, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa said in its latest report, but warned that the next two to three …

Swift action, strong partnerships, and early signs of recovery are fueling optimism in Kasai Province as Congo confronts a new outbreak NEWS ANALYSIS | RONALD MUSOKE | When the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) confirmed a new outbreak of Ebola on Sept.4, memories of past outbreaks came rushing back. Fear …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The National Medical Stores (NMS) has reassured Ugandans that Mama Kits – the government-funded birth packs meant for safe deliveries – are free of charge, despite growing concerns that some mothers are still being asked to pay for the supplies in hospitals. “Mama Kits …

CANBERRA | Xinhua | Australian authorities said on Tuesday that the pain medication paracetamol is safe for pregnant women in response to claims from the U.S. administration that it is linked to the development of autism, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported. The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Australia’s regulatory authority for …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Minister of Health, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, has presented the National Drug and Health Products Authority Bill, 2025 to the Parliamentary Committee on Health, setting the stage for major reforms in the regulation of medicines and health products in Uganda. The Bill seeks …

SPECIAL REPORT | Namasagali College in Kamuli, Uganda has kick-started a series of activities to mark the first anniversary of the death of their longest ever serving headteacher, Mill Hill Missionary (MHM) Rev Fr Damian Grimes. Fr Grimes taught in Uganda from 1959 and was between August 1967 and December …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | In a landmark achievement for Uganda’s healthcare landscape, TMR International Hospital successfully completed its first-ever closed-heart surgery, performing a Patent Ductus Arteriosus (PDA) ligation on a 9-month-old infant from Kagadi District. The surgery, which can be life-saving if conducted on time, marks a historic …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Alfred Edakasi, Member of Parliament for Kaberamaido County, has called on fellow legislators to make better use of government-issued drug stock alerts to help curb the persistent theft of medicines from public health facilities. Edakasi acknowledged that the government has invested heavily in monitoring systems, …