DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania | Xinhua | Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan on Wednesday congratulated her fellow citizen Faustine Engelbert Ndugulile on being elected as the World Health Organization (WHO) regional director for Africa, succeeding Matshidiso Moeti, who has held the position since 2015. Ndugulile, former minister for Information, Communication and …
Read More »Mpox ‘not the new COVID,’ WHO official stresses
GENEVA | TASS | The new outbreak of mpox, previously known as monkeypox, is not such a serious threat to European countries as the coronavirus pandemic was, Hans Kluge, World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Europe, said. “Mpox is not the ‘new COVID,’” he noted at a briefing. “We …
Read More »Mpox: What happens next?
WHO has declared it a global health emergency ANALYSIS | C RAINA MACINTYRE | The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern, after rising cases in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the potential for further spread. This now triggers a coordinated international …
Read More »DR TEDROS: Attacks on health are becoming the new reality, let’s stop it becoming the norm
To mark World Humanitarian Day on 19 August, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus issues a call to stop the intensifying attacks on healthcare workers, hospitals and other health services, which often offer the only hope for saving the lives of people caught up in the horror of needless conflict. …
Read More »WHO declares mpox global public health emergency, reports over 14,000 cases and 524 deaths
GENEVA | Xinhua | The World Health Organization (WHO) declared Wednesday mpox a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), sounding the alarm over its potential for further international transmission. “Today, the emergency committee met and advised me that, in its view, the situation constitutes a public health emergency of …
Read More »Monkeypox: Uganda on guard against disease
WHO offers 2,400 rapid test kits ANALYSIS | AGENCIES | The World Health Organisation (WHO) has provided Uganda’s Ministry of Health with a set of 2,400 test kits to strengthen the country’s response to Monkeypox through rapid laboratory identification of cases. These kits are among the first Monkeypox laboratory tools received …
Read More »Childhood Hepatitis B risk high despite vaccine
Health official list challenges hinder birth dose vaccination efforts Kampala, Uganda | PATRICIA AKANKWATSA | Despite the introduction of the Hepatitis B (HBV) birth dose vaccine in 2023, public health officials acknowledge persistent challenges in achieving optimal immunisation coverage for new-borns. A major obstacle is the high number of births occurring …
Read More »WHO chief: New pandemic may strike at any time
GENEVA | TASS | A new pandemic may strike at any time, World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned, addressing a session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) working on a draft agreement to prevent pandemics. “As the current outbreak of H5N1 reminds us, the next pandemic …
Read More »Interesting facts about Uganda’s health workforce
Country had a shortage of 190,000 health workers in 2022 Kampala, Uganda | RONALD MUSOKE | The government must strengthen its governance, stewardship, and financing structures to ensure that the training, recruitment and retention of the country’s health workforce is informed by the health needs of Ugandans. The country’s resources must …
Read More »Rift valley fever outbreak confirmed in Ntungamo
Ntungamo, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | An outbreak of Rift Valley Fever has been confirmed in Ntungamo district. The disease has already claimed three lives, in the areas of Rubaare, Nyarutuntu and Itojo, according to the District Surveillance Focal Person Moses Asiimwe. The majority of cases are registered among 13 to …
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