Bangui, Central African Republic | AFP | At least 10 people have died in an outbreak of monkeypox in western Central African Republic, a country already hit by cholera, the health ministry announced Wednesday. “We have logged 10 deaths out of 19 patients,” in the southern province of Basse-Kotto, said …
Read More »Boko Haram leaves Nigeria a lifetime of mental trauma
Maiduguri, Nigeria | AFP | The soldier clutched his book with both hands. He shouted his name, rank and Nigerian Army number to no-one in particular. He stood up straight and ended every reply with a bark of “sah” (sir). But his eyes were fixed to a slowly cranking ceiling …
Read More »Ethiopia’s Tedros, 5 other candidates in running for WHO top job
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | Six candidates are in the running to take over the helm of the World Health Organization, including the Ethiopian foreign minister who is bidding to be the first African to hold the position, the UN agency said Friday. WHO’s 194 member states had until the …
Read More »INTERNSHIP: Medical students take health minister to court
Over 1000 medical students have dragged the Minister of Health Dr Ruth Aceng and the Attorney General to the High Court, challenging the new internship policy that restricts them from accessing supervised practical training at various internship training centers. The new policy seeks to reduce the number of medical students …
Read More »Zuckerberg fund pledges $3 bn to banish disease
San Francisco, United States | AFP | Mark Zuckerberg and his wife on Wednesday pledged $3 billion over the next decade to efforts to prevent, cure or manage disease, aiming to use the Facebook founder’s fortune for innovative research. “This is a big goal,” Zuckerberg said at a San Francisco …
Read More »CANCER: National Medical Stores fights back
National Medical Stores (NMS) has hit back at reports that they have in the past year supplied cancer medicines at inflated prices, caused a financial loss of sh3 billion and supplied poor quality medicines to Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI). The allegations are said to be part of a report by …
Read More »When patients flee hospital without paying
As Ugandan private hospitals lose millions, some are considering assessing patients ability to pay before offering treatment When relatives of Patrick Obiga, a patient who had been detained at Uganda’s top private hospital; the International Hospital Kampala (IHK), over failure to clear a Shs19 million medical bill sued and was …
Read More »India’s poor fear ‘rent-a-womb’ industry shut down
Anand, India | AFP | At a hostel for dozens of pregnant women, impoverished widow Sharmila Mackwan weighs up her decision to carry twins for another couple — her only ticket out of poverty — as the government moves to close India’s multi-million dollar surrogacy industry. She has left her …
Read More »Q&A: Bill Gates on why disease fight is tough but progress is ‘incredible’
Montreal, Canada | AFP | Through his foundation, billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates is the top nongovernmental donor to the Global Fund against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, with plans to give $600 million between 2017-2019. In an interview with AFP, Gates said the Global Fund’s successes have given him hope, even …
Read More »Global Fund collects $13 bln to end AIDS, malaria, TB by 2030
Montreal, Canada | AFP | An international donor conference in Montreal reached its goal of raising $13 billion for the fight to eradicate AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria by 2030, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Saturday. “Ladies and gentlemen, it is my great Honour to announce that for the fifth …
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