Nairobi, Kenya | Xinhua | The COVID-19 positive cases in Africa are surging by 20 percent on a weekly basis as most countries in the continent enter a third wave, a World Health Organization (WHO) official said on Thursday. Matshidiso Moeti, WHO regional director for Africa said the continent is already …
Read More »One in 100 deaths is by suicide: WHO
Geneva, Switzerland | Xinhua | One in a hundred deaths globally can directly be attributed to suicide, the World Health Organization reported on Thursday, arguing that the COVID-19 outbreak has increased factors for suicide worldwide. In 2019, more than 700,000 people died of suicide, one in 100 deaths, which was more …
Read More »Steaming against COVID-19
Benefits and dangers of steam inhalation therapy | THE INDEPENDENT | As Uganda battles a brutal second wave of the acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the agent that causes the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), there is still no effective antiviral treatment for the infection. Instead, non-pharmaceutical preventive interventions remain …
Read More »People in Africa not donating blood – WHO
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The rate at which people in Africa are donating blood has decreased according to the World Health Organization. Data from the UN health agency shows that blood donations in the region have fallen by 17 percent in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The drop …
Read More »COVID-19 impacts mental health
Dan Bukenya’s case shows how the many restrictions imposed lead to increased levels of stress, anxiety and depression | THE INDEPENDENT | Dan Bukenya felt beleaguered by anguish. He lost sleep most nights and was often testy. He tried to self-medicate to no avail. Only when he agreed to be …
Read More »WHO: As COVID-19 rages, Polio bounces back
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) has launched a new strategy to eradicate polio amidst setbacks caused by immunization interruptions that came with COVID-19. In a statement released by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Saturday, the strategy set to be implemented between …
Read More »Informal food markets
What makes the unsafe and what it takes to make them safer | THE INDEPENDENT | Around the world, food systems and supply chains come in different shapes and sizes. And so too do food safety problems and their solutions. In high-income countries, food supply chains are long and complex …
Read More »WHO says 47 African countries could miss COVID-19 vaccination target
African countries are off-track in terms of inoculating 10 percent of their population against the virus Nairobi, Kenya | Xinhua | Nine out of ten African countries could miss the target of vaccinating 10 percent of their population against COVID-19 by September, dimming hopes of containing the pandemic in the continent, …
Read More »Acholi leaders task gov’t on cause of mysterious nodding syndrome
Local leaders in Acholi say government has not given the disease keen interest to find the real cause for an appropriate cure to be discovered Kitgum, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Leaders in Acholi region have tasked the government to come out and reveal the cause of mysterious nodding syndrome, 14 …
Read More »Hope for a malaria-free Africa
The Draw the Line Against Malaria campaign builds on the pan-African Zero Malaria Starts with Me movement COMMENT | DR ABDOURAHMANE DIALLO | In recent decades, the world has made remarkable progress in the fight against malaria. Over 20 years of investment, commitment, and action have saved over 7.6 million …
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