COMMENT: By Joy Asasira When religion and morality dictate reproductive health policy in Uganda, who suffers? Over the past few months, much as been said by politicians and the media about reproductive rights issues, from comprehensive sexuality education, legalisation or decriminalisation of abortion and even access to essential HIV prevention …
Read More »Health expert warns about high HIV/AID deaths among adolescents
A leading Ugandan health expert has warned that the country still faces unprecedented deaths related to HIV/AIDS mainly among the pediatric and adolescent age group. HIV is the second leading cause of deaths among adolescents in Uganda, reported to be at 11%, according to statistics at the ministry of health. According to Dr. Sabrina …
Read More »Charity scores small win in Hepatitis C drug battle
Berlin, Germany | AFP | A medical charity scored a small victory Wednesday in its bid to break a US pharma giant’s hold on an eye-wateringly expensive Hepatitis C drug when a European body partially revoked the firm’s patent. Patient groups around the world have accused Gilead Sciences of charging …
Read More »Cancer Institute row with NMS leaves patients stranded
A visit to the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) is for the hard-hearted since a row broke out between its management and those of the National Medical Stores (NMS) and drugs stopped being delivered. Patients who are in need of drugs now lie around without help. One of such patients is …
Read More »Court halts new medics internship guidelines
The High Court in Kampala has issued an interim order staying the implementation of new Health Ministry policy guidelines regarding internship centres and remuneration of medical interns across the country. This means that the current group of prospective medical doctors, dental surgeons, pharmacists and nurses should immediately be posted to their respective training …
Read More »Now, outbreak of deadly monkeypox in Central Africa Republic
Bangui, Central African Republic | AFP | At least 10 people have died in an outbreak of monkeypox in western Central African Republic, a country already hit by cholera, the health ministry announced Wednesday. “We have logged 10 deaths out of 19 patients,” in the southern province of Basse-Kotto, said …
Read More »Boko Haram leaves Nigeria a lifetime of mental trauma
Maiduguri, Nigeria | AFP | The soldier clutched his book with both hands. He shouted his name, rank and Nigerian Army number to no-one in particular. He stood up straight and ended every reply with a bark of “sah” (sir). But his eyes were fixed to a slowly cranking ceiling …
Read More »Ethiopia’s Tedros, 5 other candidates in running for WHO top job
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | Six candidates are in the running to take over the helm of the World Health Organization, including the Ethiopian foreign minister who is bidding to be the first African to hold the position, the UN agency said Friday. WHO’s 194 member states had until the …
Read More »INTERNSHIP: Medical students take health minister to court
Over 1000 medical students have dragged the Minister of Health Dr Ruth Aceng and the Attorney General to the High Court, challenging the new internship policy that restricts them from accessing supervised practical training at various internship training centers. The new policy seeks to reduce the number of medical students …
Read More »Zuckerberg fund pledges $3 bn to banish disease
San Francisco, United States | AFP | Mark Zuckerberg and his wife on Wednesday pledged $3 billion over the next decade to efforts to prevent, cure or manage disease, aiming to use the Facebook founder’s fortune for innovative research. “This is a big goal,” Zuckerberg said at a San Francisco …
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