Why does the burden of preventing pregnancy fall mostly on women? Kampala, Uganda | FLAVIA NASSAKA | At the National Conference on Family Planning held in Kampala on Sept.27, it emerged that there is a simple question about contraceptives that many men cannot answer. It all started when one of …

NGO Forum report punches holes in first session performance of current parliament Kampala, Uganda | FLAVIA NASSAKA | September 27, 2017 will go down in history of Uganda’s parliament. It marked the climax of three days of `legislative violence’ when MPs brawled over a decision by the Speaker Rebecca Kadaga …

Why the elders eye on history shows this could plunge country back into its dark past Kampala, Uganda | FLAVIA NASSAKA | Zachary Olum watched the proceedings of the Sept.21 plenary on his couch in his living room at his quiet spacious home in Naguru, a high-end Kampala suburb.  Thanks …

  Executive Director Kusemererwa’s troubles raise questions about why NDA’s top job has always been controversial Kampala, Uganda | FLAVIA NASSAKA | “I talk to you as who?” asked Donna Asiimwe Kusemererwa before denying the Independent an interview appointment.  The Executive Director at National Drug Authority was probably still getting …

High HIV prevalence among men raises need to embrace new interventions targeting them Kampala, Uganda | FLAVIA NASSAKA |Preliminary results of the 2016 Uganda Population HIV Impact Assessment (UPHIA) survey released recently have raised the concern of health sector workers on the issue. Preliminary results of the survey showed HIV …

  Novartis a global healthcare company based in Switzerland recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Health to supply the country with, among others, cancer drugs. The Independent’s Flavia Nassaka spoke to Dr. Nathan Mulure, Cluster Head Norvatis Social Business for East and Southern Africa during …

Poor funding undermining cancer research and treatment Kampala, Uganda | FLAVIA NASSAKA | Dr. Jackson Orem, the Executive Director at the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) was still a student in August 1967 when the facility opened at Mulago Hill North of Kampala city. Founded with an aim of researching and …

Uganda’s first public women’s hospital will soon open its doors. Kampala, Uganda | FLAVIA NASSAKA| Sitting on 24,000 square meters of land on Mulago hill North of Kampala city, the 10 storey Mulago Maternal and Neonatal Healthcare Unit epitomises everything modern in a 21st century health service.  The facility being …

V Study will involve 250 female participants from different parts of the country Kampala, Uganda |FLAVIA NASSAKA| Makerere University scientists working on finding effective treatment for HIV/AIDS are marking another milestone with the start of trial of injectable Antiretroviral (ARV) therapy. In a joint project with scientists from the Johns-Hopkins …

Fate of 1.2 million newborns threatened as prices rise in private clinics Kampala, Uganda |FLAVIA NASSAKA| It is now official. Uganda is experiencing a shortage of polio and TB vaccines. And Dr. Bernard Opar, the Commissioner Uganda National Expanded Programme on Immunization (UNEPI) at the Ministry of Health who is …