Category «Health»

Nurses appeal on equipment

As Uganda waits to join the rest of the world in marking the International Nurses and Midwifery Day, government is urged to offer more materials for use in the hospital labor wards. The President of the Nurses and Midwifery Association, Lt. Birabwa Kiwanuka says basic materials like gloves are missing in many hospitals exposing midwives to disease. Birabwa says that many midwives are forced to abandon expectant mothers because of the fear to contract diseases. She now advises the public to also work with the midwives and nurses to improve the services rendered. Meanwhile today UPDF nurses and midwives have partnered with nurses in the different hospitals to spear head a massive measles immunization campaign in Kampala. The UPDF has …

Women protest, tie selves on trees

Women activists have this morning tied themselves on to trees in protest, highlighting the plight of nodding disease victims in Northern disease. The women tied their hands and waists to the tree, before saying a prayer and observing a moment of silence in honor of the victims. The women activists’ protest move was symbolic of the dire situation in parts of Northern Uganda, where parents tie their children on to trees to prevent them from falling and getting hurt. The national coordinator NGO Forum Uganda Eunice Musiime says the plight of the nodding disease victims reflects on the situation of the entire health sector, which she says is ailing. She accuses the government of failing to take action and appeals …

WHO on nodding disease victims

The World health organization has opposed the manner in which at least 25 children affected by nodding disease were transferred from Kitgum to Kampala. The Kitgum district Woman Mp Beatrice Anywar is reported to have transported the 25 children in a bus to Mulago Hospital, saying they were not being given due attention. The outbreak of the disease is majorly concentrated in Kitgum, Pader and Lamwo districts with more than 3000 cases and at least 200 deaths reported. The WHO country representative Dr. Joaquim Saweka says transporting the children without evaluating their health condition wasn’t right especially given the long distance they endured. Saweka emphasized the need for immediate response to ensure that the children get the medical attention they …

Measles outbreak in Namayingo District

Over 200 cases of measles have been registered in Namayingo district since November last year. Dr. James Magoola the District Health Officer says most of the cases have been registered in the Sigulu islands, where parents have ignored routine immunization of their children. Last week 25 children were admitted to Namayingo Hospital after they were diagnosed with the disease. Magoola says the district in conjunction with the Ministry of health is now planning a mass immunization campaign starting April this year to help eliminate the disease. Last year, 45 children were reported to have died of measles in the same district. Dr Magoola says that though the district health team struggles to contain the disease, the situation is being aggravated …

The growing threat of Leukemia

Leukemia is one of the most deadly cancers that affect children. Also known as cancer of the blood, it accounts for 40% of the cases of cancer reported among children at Mulago Hospital. As I enter the children’s ward for cancer, my attention is first drawn to a 14 year old boy. Badru Were looks much younger than his age, a condition blamed on his disease. Am later told he is battling Leukemia. His mother Monica Kaija says he has been battling the disease since he was 8 years old and slowly, they have lost hope of his recovery. Monica says that aside from the pain her son has endured, raising the money from his treatment is also very difficult. …