Health

Tororo, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Tororo district has the highest number of spina bifida and hydrocephalus cases in the country. These cases occur in unborn babies due to the lack of folic acid in the diet of their mothers. The babies are born with water in the head and spinal …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | While global research suggests that children with sickle cell disease in Africa are not at risk of getting a stroke, new research by a Mulago hospital based pediatrician shows otherwise. Dr. Deogratias Munube who has been working at the Mulago Sickle Cell Clinic for more …

The mental health benefits of horror movies | THE INDEPENDENT | Monsters under the bed, zombies rising from the grave, and chainsaw-wielding maniacs aren’t exactly the first things that come to mind when one is trying to conjure soothing images. Yet, for many horror movie aficionados, part of the draw …

New report shows that investment in mental health is still lacking Kampala, Uganda | PATRICIA AKANKWATSA | Uganda spends 9.8% of its GDP on healthcare and only 1% of that is spent on mental healthcare. Dr. Juliet Nakku, the Executive Director of Butabika National Referral Hospital, says that the current …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda has received 10,997,500 doses of the novel oral polio vaccine targeting type 2 poliovirus. While receiving the vaccines on Tuesday, the State Minister for Primary Healthcare, Margaret Muhanga noted that the government intends to roll out the mass polio vaccination because of outbreaks in …

Kotido registered 37 maternal deaths from 20 September 2020 to 21 September 2021 Kotido, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kotido district has recorded the highest number of maternal deaths in Karamoja sub region for the last one year. The deaths have worried local leaders who are calling on the health workers …

Xiamen, China | Xinhua | China’s first self-developed HPV vaccine Cecolin has gained prequalification from the World Health Organization (WHO), its developer said. The move indicates that the WHO has given the vaccine its stamp of approval in safety and efficacy, and United Nations procuring agencies may now source it, according …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Deaths from tuberculosis – one of the top infectious killers in the world – have increased for the first time in a decade, as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the World Health Organization. Tuberculosis (TB) is the second deadliest infectious …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The National Medical Stores (NMS) has announced that unvaccinated staff and visitors will no longer be allowed to access its offices. The directive takes immediate effect for staff, and start on October 18 for all other visitors. This implies that all NMS staff, who …

Study points to changing diets and lifestyles | THE INDEPENDENT | Have you had diarrhea or constipation for some time or have how your stool looks and feels changed for some time? Is their bleeding in your rectal area or blood in your stool? Do you constantly feel abdominal discomfort, …