Weekly Health News Highlights

Mulago Specialised Women Hospital roof leaks after three years

By New Vision; 

Barely three years after the handover of Mulago Specialised Women and Neonatal Hospital (MSWNH) Kampala to the Government, the roof has started leaking. 

https://www.newvision.co.ug/articledetails/125129 

Coronavirus: Austrian parliament approves mandatory vaccination order

By BBC;

Austria has moved closer to introducing a compulsory vaccination order after parliament’s lower house voted in favor of new government proposals. The law, which is due to come into effect on 1 February, would make Austria the first European country to introduce a mandatory jab.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-60077767 

Covax opens a new front in  pandemic arms race

By Daily Monitor; 

Covax, therefore, wants to build a pool of 600 million doses to ensure a reliable supply, and to cover eventual variables such as boosters or new variant-specific vaccines.

https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/covax-opens-new-front-in-pandemic-arms-race-3691152 

Govt targets to vaccinate 4 million people in a new campaign

By Daily Monitor;

Covid-19 vaccination campaigns are to resume in the regions of Karamoja, Bugisu, Bukedi, Busoga, and Buganda 

https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/govt-targets-to-vaccinate-4-million-people-in-new-campaign-3690902 

New pregnancy policy bears twin problems

By The Independent; 

Among these guidelines is the rationale that education is a right and “there is need for change in attitudes towards pregnant girls, their contribution in school, and subsequent re-entry to school. These attitudes are gender-biased, violate the girl child’s right to education.”

https://www.independent.co.ug/new-pregnancy-policy-bears-twin-problems/

 

Data of over 6million Ugandans missing on the electronic Covid-19 vaccination portal

By The Independent; 

The health ministry is yet to upload the data of the more than 6.5 million Ugandans who took COVID-19 jabs on its portal citing technical challenges. 

https://www.independent.co.ug/data-of-over-6million-ugandans-missing-on-the-electronic-covid-19-vaccination-portal/ 

COVID: WHO recommends two new ‘wonder’ drugs

By The Independent; 

WHO has recommended two new drugs for COVID-19, providing yet more options for treating the disease. The extent to which these medicines will save lives depends on how widely available and affordable they will be. 

https://www.independent.co.ug/covid-who-recommends-two-new-wonder-drugs/ 

Cases drop for the first time as Africa’s fourth COVID-19 wave ebbs: WHO

By The Independent; 

Weekly COVID-19 cases in Africa have dropped significantly and deaths dipped for the first time since the peak of the fourth pandemic wave propelled by the Omicron variant, said the World Health Organization (WHO) on Thursday.

https://www.independent.co.ug/cases-drop-for-first-time-as-africas-fourth-covid-19-wave-ebbs-who/ 

Africa faces an uphill battle against western emissions to combat climate change

By InfoNile;  

African nations continue to hold the unenviable position of being disproportionately vulnerable to climate change. Although the continent accounts for the smallest share of global greenhouse gas emissions – only 3.8% – it’s already heating faster than the rest of the world.

https://www.infonile.org/en/2022/01/africa-faces-an-uphill-battle-against-western-emissions-to-combat-climate-change/

 Millions are dying from drug-resistant infections, global report says

By BBC; 

More than 1.2 million people died worldwide in 2019 from infections caused by bacteria resistant to antibiotics, according to the largest study of the issue to date.

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-60058120