Poor maternal health and malnutrition underpin the high numbers London, UK | THE INDEPENDENT | An estimated 13.4 million babies were born early (before 37 full weeks of pregnancy) in 2020 which is around 1 in 10 of all live births – according to a detailed study published in the Lancet …
Read More »Advancing Vaccine Manufacturing: African nations need to collaborate to boost pharmaceutical production
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Civil society organizations, government representatives, and the private sector convened at a high-level policy symposium in Kampala on September 27-28 to address the critical issue of pharmaceutical production and access in Africa. The symposium aimed to explore ways to increase local production, reduce dependence on …
Read More »LIRA: Health Minister halts distribution of assistive devices
Lira, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Dr. Jane Aceng, the Minister of Health, has halted the distribution of assistive health devices to health facilities in Lira City and the district. The 3,707 devices are a donation from ReLAB-HS, under a comprehensive five-year program that is responding to the escalating need for …
Read More »Medical schools urged to build health facilities on their premises
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The increase in medical schools in the country has led to an overwhelming number of medical students who need medical facilities to practice, and hospitals are not enough to accommodate them. The Head of Private Medical Schools and Chairman of the National Medical Schools Quality …
Read More »Concerns as injuries top causes of death in emergencies
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Commissioner of Health and Emergency Medical Services Dr John Baptist Waniaye says despite the establishment of a well-coordinated Emergency Medical Services system, injuries still top other causes of mortality in the country. According to the 2013/14, Ministry of Health Annual Health Sector Performance Report, …
Read More »The malaria game changer
Man behind revolutionary vaccine says disease can now be eradicated COVER STORY | THE INDEPENDENT | The World Health Organisation has approved a new vaccine that scientists argue will be a game-changer in the fight against malaria, which kills half a million people in Africa every year. (In contrast, COVID-19 has …
Read More »Absenteism still rocking health facilities despite salary enhancement
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Health (MOH) has expressed concern over the high levels of absenteeism of health workers in various government facilities despite enhancing their salaries. Dr Henry Mwebesa, the Director General of Health Services, says that they recently went on a supervision tour of …
Read More »Billions left behind on the path to universal health coverage
Uganda improves but 50% of people remain unserved by Universal Health Coverage services Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the World Bank have jointly published the 2023 Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Global Monitoring Report, revealing an alarming stagnation in the progress towards providing people everywhere …
Read More »Youth discuss contraception choices
They want comprehensive range of choices, comprehensive counselling and community engagement Kampala, Uganda | PATRICIA AKANKWATSA | In a pioneering effort to address the unique reproductive health needs of young people living with HIV, a youth-led charity organisation; the GILO Young Positives Foundation, is taking significant strides toward empowering this vulnerable …
Read More »Africa vaccine manufacturing gets reality check
Pessimism rules at Eastern & Southern Africa pharmaceutical manufacturing conference Entebbe, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | The clamour for Africa to ramp up its vaccine manufacturing portfolio has grown but players in pharmaceutical production on the continent say it will take more than boardroom talk for the continent to realise that …
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