Health

With a surge in funding, R&D and private sector investment, Africa is primed for a transformative leap towards vaccine autonomy. A recently announced US$1.8 billion shot in the arm puts vaccine self-sufficiency within reach. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | Recent approval by the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi) of a US$1.8 …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The agreement by close to two hundred countries that they should transition away from burning the fossil fuels that are warming the planet overshadowed the call for nuclear energy. With most of the delegates at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) settling down, parties …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | All the money injected into social interventions to help protect girls and young women from contracting HIV has not yielded much, a new study reveals. Through a campaign to ensure that girls are kept in schools, the Global Fund allocated the Ministry of Education money …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  The Ministry of Health has been asked to support mental health and suicide public awareness campaigns aimed at addressing the burden in the country without stigmatizing victims. Uganda is ranked 17th on the list of countries where suicide is registered as a cause of …

ANALYSIS | AGENCIES | Women are more likely to have children in the same month as their own birth, and now researchers think they might know why. Births within immediate families tend to cluster within a given month, according to data on more than 10 million deliveries in France and Spain. …

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  Kawempe National Maternal Hospital is witnessing a noteworthy decrease in avoidable maternal and neonatal deaths, thanks to corporate support received from various companies as part of Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives. During the reception of essential utility commodities from Stanbic and its partners, Dr. Emmanuel …

UVRI Wins Another Five Year PEPFAR Grant Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  The Uganda Virus Research Institute (UVRI) has secured a five-year grant extension, further fortifying its efforts in HIV treatment, diagnosis, and research, aligning with global endeavors to combat the HIV epidemic. Prof Pontian Kaleebu, the executive director …

ANALYSIS | AGENCIES | A new study in mice has found that the bacterium Lactobacillus helps the body manage stress, potentially preventing the onset of mental health conditions like depression and anxiety. The results could pave the way for new therapies to treat anxiety, depression, and other mental health conditions. Experts …

Masindi, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Kimengo Health center III in Masindi district is battling an acute drug shortage and medical supplies. The health facility lacks essential medicines such as antimalarials, antibiotics, and medical supplies such as syringes, vaccines, gloves, catheters, and gauze, among others. This is attributed to the overwhelming …

GENEVA, SWITZERLAND | Xinhua | Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the World Health Organization (WHO), reiterated his call on Friday for an immediate ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Tedros made the appeal at an annual press conference organized by the Association of Accredited Correspondents at the United Nations in Geneva. …