OPINION Why we should downplay anecdotal evidence by looking at scientific data that gives a broader picture So last week the cancer machine at Mulago Hospital collapsed, causing uproar in mainstream and social media. Every newspaper columnist or television/radio pundit of any heft weighed in. Daily Monitor devoted its whole …
Read More »Time to focus on sickle cell tragedy in Uganda
With up to 15,000 babies dying annually due to sickle cells, Uganda gets a chance to highlight the struggle it faces by hosting the 6th International sickle cell conference scheduled next month. Uganda hosts the 6th International sickle cell conference scheduled on 25th to 27th May at Hotel Africana. World olicy …
Read More »Unease as only cancer treatment machine breaks down
Patients, radiologists worried, officials say the effect is small For two months, Patrick Mangeni had stayed at the Uganda Cancer Institute (UCI) awaiting his Mar.28 appointment for radiotherapy. Despite the pain and uncontrollable bleeding, the 46-year old was hopeful that his problems would soon be attended to as this treatment …
Read More »Uganda’s failure to transform
Why in spite of registering good welfare outcomes we have made little progress at structural transformation I have just been reading the National Population and Housing Census (NHPC) report for 2014. It shows Uganda has registered many welfare improvements, but also reveals that President Yoweri Museveni’s dream of transforming Uganda …
Read More »Baylor College praised as Uganda marks World Health Day
As Uganda prepares to mark World Health Day with celebrations in Mityana, the US Ambassador Deborah Malac last week visited the Baylor College of Medicine-Uganda Paediatric Center of Excellence (COE). Funded by the U.S. Government through the Centre for Disease Control (CDC), Baylor-Uganda leads the way in HIV care and …
Read More »Cameroon hospital chief sacked over death of pregnant woman
Douala, Cameroon | AFP | The director of a public hospital in Cameroon’s economic capital Douala was sacked Tuesday after the death of a woman pregnant with twins sparked protests and heated political debate. Under a ministerial decree, Jean II Dissongo was removed from his post at the Laquintinie Hospital …
Read More »Tackling the killer cost of cancer care
Cancer prevalence in Uganda is growing rapidly. It currently stands at between 80,000 and 100,000 with cervical cancer, the commonest in addition to Kaposi’s sarcoma, breast and prostate cancers. Outside of the scary statistics, there is a side of cancer that doctors in Uganda do not have tools to fix. …
Read More »Inside Uganda’s lab hub
New viral load tests for HIV pile pressure on national laboratories The fight against new and emerging diseases and the emphasis placed on surveillance and testing before treatment are piling pressure on Uganda’s laboratory services. At the centre of this fight is the Central Public Health Laboratories (CPHL), a government …
Read More »Health insurance
By Flavia Nassaka Window dressing without real substance On May 14, Davis Mujimu Majwega was diagnosed with a type of blood cancer called Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL). A few weeks later, the 18 year old was started on treatment. Since he is insured, his first medical expenses were taken care …
Read More »No health, no votes
CSO’s push for health centered manifestos A recent poll conducted in August 2014 by Columbia University reported that healthcare is the most important issue for Ugandan voters. Across two large public opinion surveys conducted in 2011 and 2014, voters cited healthcare as the most important issue for Parliament to address …
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