Rome, Italy | XINHUA | The European Union (EU) announced this week it was suing pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca for breach of contract amid major delivery shortfalls, a case that legal analysts said could be hard to prove. A spokesman for the European Commission told Xinhua Wednesday that AstraZeneca had indicated …
Read More »‘Indian COVID-19 variant in Kampala’
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) has detected the Indian COVID-19 variant in Kampala. According to officials from the Ministry of Health, the variant also referred to as -B.1.617 was detected from travelers returning from Indian. The variant was picked up after the travelers …
Read More »U.S. Fed keeps interest rates near zero as recovery picks up
Washington, USA | XINHUA | The U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday kept its benchmark interest rates unchanged at the record-low level of near zero, as economic recovery gathers momentum on COVID-19 vaccination progress and strong fiscal support. “Amid progress on vaccinations and strong policy support, indicators of economic activity and …
Read More »Pre-flight COVID tests, daily checks for Tokyo Olympics athletes
Two COVID-19 tests before flight to Japan
Daily tests
Only follow activities outlined in activity plan
Social-distance with outsiders, 1 meter
Use Games vehicles only
Eat only in locations where COVID-19 countermeasures in place
All other Games participants tested daily for three days …
India suffering calamitous surge of COVID-19 cases, int’l community extending help
Beijing, China | XINHUA | Over the past week, India has been reporting more than 300,000 new COVID-19 cases each day, while medical oxygen is running out and patients are still waiting for treatment in overloaded hospitals. The international community has pledged assistance for India, with many countries agreeing to …
Read More »Construction of OPD at Katabi health centre III resumes
Entebbe, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The construction of an Outpatients Department at Katabi Health Centre III in Entebbe municipality has resumed. Entebbe Municipal contracted Skylight General Services Ltd to construct the OPD at 200 Million Shillings. Construction of the OPD was halted last month after the municipal council …
Read More »EPRC launches project to find modalities for rewarding unpaid care work
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Makerere University-based Economic Policy Research Center-EPRC has launched a three-year project to search for ways how unpaid care work both at home and at the workplace can be rewarded. Speaking to URN about the project, Prof. Grace Bantebya Kyomuhendo, the Principal Investigator and researcher …
Read More »World Malaria Day
WHO to stamp out malaria in 25 more countries by 2025 | THE INDEPENDENT | Ahead of World Malaria Day, marked annually on April 25, the World health Organisation (WHO) launched new initiative on April 23 aiming to halt transmission of the disease in 25 more countries by 2025. Of …
Read More »COVID-19: Uganda discontinues Vitamin C usage
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda’s Health Ministry has discontinued the use of Vitamin C in the management of COVID-19 citing the high toxic levels associated with the drug. Vitamin C, alias ascorbic acid, is a chewable or dissolvable tablet or intravenous drug that supplements the uptake of nutrients in the …
Read More »MOH considers vaccinating under 18 students at health institutes
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Ministry of Health is considering vaccinating students aged 18 and below at health training institutions against COVID-19 to control the spread of the virus. According to the Health Ministry, health institutions are turning out to be COVID-19 cluster centers. The manufacturers of the vaccine and …
Read More »