London, UK | XINHUA | Wealthy Western nations’ hoarding of vaccines will result in thousands of needless deaths from COVID-19 in the world’s poorest countries every month, unless urgent steps are taken to distribute jabs more fairly, former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said. “Thousands will die this month …
Read More »Gig economy is the future of work
The question is how digital platforms and policymakers might provide protection and benefits COMMENT | SAQIB MUNIR | There is no doubt that 2021 and 2020 have been defining years for the world. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic will shape our lives for decades to come – both …
Read More »Patients testing positive for Covid-19 after recovery puzzle Kitgum medics
Kitgum, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Medical workers in Kitgum district are concerned about patients testing positive for Covid-19 after they have recovered. This follows reports that some patients have persistently been testing positive for Covid-19, more than two weeks after undergoing the home-based care management. According to the health workers, …
Read More »Gov’t airlifts 52 oxygen cylinders to Soroti hospital
Soroti, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The government has airlifted 52 oxygen cylinders to Soroti Regional Referral Hospital following an increase in the demand for oxygen for COVID-19 patients. The hospital has been relying on vehicles for the delivery of oxygen but they sometimes took two days to return, yet the …
Read More »Museveni demands school reopening date by next week
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | President Yoweri Museveni has directed the prime minister to lead the team from the ministry of education, health and the national taskforce to come up with dates and revised safe proposals for the reopening of learning institutions. The directive follows a meeting that happened on …
Read More »COVID-19 variants prolong Africa’s pandemic wave: WHO
Brazzaville, Congo | Xinhua | The downward trend of COVID-19 pandemic in Africa is affected by the impact of transmissible variants, especially the Delta variant, warned Thursday the World Health Organization (WHO). Weekly COVID-19 cases in Africa fell by more than 20 percent, the sharpest seven-day decline in two months, as …
Read More »Covid-19 affected HIV, malaria programmes – Global Fund
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Covid-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on the fight against HIV, TB and malaria in 2020. This is according to a new report released by the Global Fund on Wednesday. The report shows that while some progress was made, key programmatic results have declined …
Read More »WHO calls for extension of moratorium on COVID-19 booster doses
Geneva, Switzerland | Xinhua | The World Health Organization (WHO) called on Wednesday for an extension of a global moratorium on COVID-19 booster doses, with an aim to enable every country to vaccinate at least 40 percent of its population. “A month ago, I called for a global moratorium on booster …
Read More »MPs endorse tax on passengers flying out of Uganda
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Parliament has adopted a raft of recommendations to revive the economy currently battered by the Covid-19 pandemic, key among is implementation of a Tourism Development Levy. “The Committee proposes a levy of $10 to be charged on each ticket for every person who departs from Uganda …
Read More »Ramathan Ggoobi’s big plan for the economy
Can he achieve it when the economy is still grappling with COVID-19? Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Ramathan Ggoobi, the new Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Finance/ Secretary to the Treasury (PSST) is promising to design and improve on a number of policies to achieve an all-inclusive economy. …
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