Health
KCs report the pitfalls and successes of national, local and community-based health initiatives such as immunization and blood donor schemes.
The impact diseases such as malaria, cancer, rubella, tuberculosis and malnutrition have on individual lives and communities are also documented as are outbreaks of diseases such as hepatitis B.
Of particular relevance for KCs is the impact co-infection has on the lives of individuals, families and communities.
The stigma, myths, rumours and attitudes those living with various health issues face is also documented.
Budaka lacks toilet facilities - report
From www.monitor.co.ug
At least 48,000 households in Budaka District do not have pit-latrines, posing a health risk, a report has revealed. According to statistics from the health department for last year, the district health inspector, Mr Robert Ochola, said 72,000 people in Budaka have access to pit-latrines. go
Multi-cancer drug to be tested
From www.telegraph.co.uk
A new drug that attacks a variety of different cancers by starving tumours of blood is to be tested in a human trial. The drug, called L-NNA, could help treat a number of solid tumour cancers such as those of the bowel, breast or lung. go
Ten-man medical team to handle Kumi Siamese twins
From www.newvision.co.ug
KAMPALA - Mulago Hospital has assembled a team of ten medical experts to handle the Siamese twins recently born in Kumi district, the hospital’s spokesperson Dan Kimosho has said. go
Health ministry starts nationwide cancer drive
From www.newvision.co.ug
Uganda’s Ministry of Health has started a national Cervical Cancer Immunization campaign after satisfactory results in the districts of Ibanda and Nakasongola, where they started pilot projects in 2008. go
Hepatitis b outbreak in the Serere district, Eastern Uganda confirmed
The Uganda Virus Research Institute, based in Entebbe, has confirmed a hepatitis B outbreak in the Serere district, Eastern Uganda. more
People ‘banned’ from neighbouring communities due to hepatitis B fear
Disturbing reports reveal that neighboring communities have restricted people of Okidi from free movement into their areas after two people from Okidi were diagnosed with the hepatitis B virus. more
Uganda health ministry starts nationwide cancer drive
From www.newvision.co.ug
Uganda’s Ministry of Health has started a national Cervical Cancer Immunization campaign after satisfactory results in the districts of Ibanda and Nakasongola, where they started pilot projects in 2008. go
Breast cancer link to small amount of alcohol
From www.bbc.co.uk
Regularly drinking even a small quantity of alcohol could increase the risk of breast cancer, say researchers. go
Prostate cancer screening ‘may do more harm than good’
From edition.cnn.com
The recent news that a group of highly respected medical experts, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, is considering advising against routine prostate cancer screening shouldn’t have come as too much of a surprise to anybody. Indeed, the fact that so many people now are claiming to be surprised is an interesting story. Many respected organizations that issue screening guidelines have for a long time expressed concern about the effectiveness and known risks of screening for prostate cancer. go
Syphilis resurgence puts pregnant women and their babies at risk
Syphilis is re-emerging as a common sexually transmitted infection in many developing countries, putting pregnant women and their babies at risk, reveals a World Health Organization (WHO) journal. more
Breast cancer risk: it’s not all in the family
From www.newvision.co.ug
Women do not automatically have a higher risk of getting breast cancer just because someone else in the family has tested positive for breast cancer genes, U.S. researchers said on Monday (31 October 2011). go
‘Prevention is at the heart of public health but equity is its soul’ - Dr Chan, WHO
Dr Margaret Chan, Director General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), has described prevention and equity as ‘the heart and soul’ of public health, at the WHO’s executive board special session in Geneva, Switzerland today (1 November, 2011). more
The six most common sexually transmitted infections
From redpepper.co.ug
Syphilis is just one of more than a dozen nasty sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs, that take advantage of the joy of sex to spread their special misery. Along with gonorrhoea, Chlamydia, genital herpes, human papillomaviruses (HPV), and HIV, syphilis is one of the six most common STDs. go
Spider venom ‘could help treat breast cancer’
From redpepper.co.ug
Venom from funnel-web spiders and tarantulas could be used to kill breast cancer cells, Australian researchers say. go
Glowing brain tumour trial begins
From www.bbc.co.uk
The idea of making brain cancers glow to help surgeons operate is being tested in the UK. go
Hospital bans herbalists after two women die during labour
Authorities have prohibited traditional healers and birth attendants from Masaka Regional Referral hospital in Uganda following the death of two women who died during labour last week. more
Malaria vaccine trial results bring fresh hope
With malaria killing close to 800,000 people annually and making tens of millions more ill, the latest results from trials into a vaccine have brought fresh hope. more
Proliferation of private drug dealers ‘affecting health of Ugandans’
The proliferation of private drug dealers is increasingly exposing Ugandans to greater challenges of drug management and usage, reports Kittyo James. more
Increasing cases of libido loss sees many seek alternative remedies
The number of Kenyans seeking treatment for libido problems is on the rise, according to doctors. This is leading many to turn to herbal supplements and remedies but an influx of fake practitioners into the market is causing people to put their health at risk. KC Dnjagi reports. more
Piles of expired drugs discovered abandoned in Mbale district, Eastern Uganda
Piles of expired drugs have been discovered abandoned alongside roads and nearby water streams in Busamaga, Mbale district, Eastern Uganda. more
Mothers in Lira Regional Referral Hospital sleep on floor
Mothers in Lira Regional Referal Hospital, Northern Uganda do not have enough beds to sleep on, reports KC Jentiinora. more
Consumers ‘don’t pay attention to nutrition labels’
From www.bbc.co.uk
Nutrition labels should be placed in the centre of food packaging, rather than in one corner, if shoppers are going to read them, says a US study. go
Ugandan governement to immunise against killer diseases
The Ugandan government is to immunize children against diarrhoea, malaria and tuberculosis by 2015 so as to eliminate the diseases which continue to kill children. more
Congested Zambian prisons ‘compromising security and prisoners’ health’
Zambia’s prisons are congested, which is compromising security and making it very difficult to take care of ill prisoners, the Deputy Commissioner of Prisons has warned. more
Ugandan government ‘must improve’ maternal, newborn and child services, warns NGO
The Ugandan government has been called upon to improve services on maternal, newborn and child care if it is to attain development. The call was made by Leonard Okello of Alliance Uganda during a five day training workshop, which took place in Kampala last week (17 to 21 October, 2011). more
‘Glue ear’ treatment could see ‘end to grommet surgery’
From www.bbc.co.uk
Scientists have identified a potential new treatment for “glue ear” - a common hearing disorder in children - that uses existing cancer drugs. go
Mobile phone brain cancer link rejected
From www.bbc.co.uk
Further research has been published suggesting there is no link between mobile phones and brain cancer. go
Zambia prisons service scales up HIV/AIDS and TB response
Zambia has received a US$1 million grant from the World Health Organisation (WHO) to help make its prisons a safer place free of TB, reports KC Mbulo. more
Sweden announces US$300m in increased three-year pledge to the Global Fund
Sweden has pledged to disbursed 2 billion Swedish kronos (about US$300 million) to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria for 2011-2013 - an increase of about 11 per cent over its contributions for the previous three years. more
Shs 1.9 billion blood bank for Fort Portal Hospital, Uganda
A 1.9 billion shilling regional blood bank is to be constructed at Fort Portal Referral Hospital following blood scarcity in most hospitals in Ruwenzori region, Uganda. more
US$4.1 billion spent by Global Fund to save 830,000 lives from malaria since 2002
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis Malaria has invested US$4.1 billion since 2002 to fight malaria, helping to save 830,000 lives. more
Bacterium linked to bowel cancer
From www.bbc.co.uk
A type of bacterium known to cause dental decay and skin ulcers may also be linked to bowel cancer, scientists suspect. go