Author: Anthony Rume

By Science Africa correspondent Kenya becomes the tenth country in Africa to eliminate Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), also known as sleeping sickness, as a public health concern. The other countries that have reached this milestone are Benin, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Guinea, Rwanda, Togo and Uganda. Sleeping sickness is a vector-borne disease caused by the blood parasite Trypanosoma brucei. It is transmitted to humans through the bites of tsetse flies that have acquired the parasites from infected humans or animals. Rural populations dependent on agriculture, fishing, animal husbandry or hunting are most at risk of exposure. The disease…

By Sharon Atieno The six-in-one (hexavalent) vaccine protecting against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), hepatitis B, Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib), and poliomyelitis is safe and effective. According to Niklas Danielsson, Senior Immunization Specialist, UNICEF, the hexavalent vaccine is a combination vaccine of six individual vaccines (antigens) in one. There are no new individual antigens in the new hexavalent combination vaccine. “All six vaccine components in the hexavalent vaccine have been given to children for many decades, and there is ample strong evidence of the effectiveness and safety of these vaccines,” he said, noting that studies have shown that vaccination…

By Lenah Bosibori On a warm October morning in Nairobi, Chimwemwe Chiduleni stepped off a bus clutching a plastic bag filled with documents, a change of clothes, and a quiet determination to survive. Two years after being diagnosed with cervical cancer in Malawi, a country with no radiotherapy services at the time, she had finally arrived in Kenya, a nation rapidly emerging as East Africa’s medical lifeline. She was one of dozens of women referred across borders for treatment once considered out of reach. For Chimwemwe and many like her, crossing into Kenya was not just about geography; it was…

Joyce Nakhumicha was born healthy and named after the first planting season in early 1977. She was struck by the crippling polio disease in the early 1980s, leaving her paralyzed from the knee down. Nakhumicha was a pupil at Wabukhonyi Primary School in Bungoma County when she contracted polio. The school is situated less than an hour from the Uganda border, and a high-risk area for polio. In the 1970s and early 1980s, many children at that school were also affected. “My younger brother Kennedy and our first cousin were also infected with polio in 1977, as were some other…

By Francis Lubega Mental health is a crucial aspect of overall health, and it affects millions of people worldwide, including those in Uganda. Recovery from mental health is a journey filled with challenges and setbacks. However, with the proper support and care, individuals can overcome their struggles and regain their mental well-being. The story of Justin Ambayo Guma is a testament to this. Mr. Ambayo, 72, is a family man with a wife and four children: four boys and three girls. They live in Kabale, in Entebbe. He is unemployed even as he continues with his mental health recovery. Ambayo’s…

By Dzifa Tetteh Tay What started as a normal day for a 14-year-old Junior High School student in the year 2020 at Bawdie near Bogoso in the Western Region ended in a devastating road crash leading to the amputation of his left leg. The budding footballer, Gideon Mends (not his real name), with an ambition to become famous like the Brazilian superstar Neymar da Silva Santos Junior, said he still felt the pain of the incident and always questioned why he was the only one who was severely injured. “We were three friends who were enjoying life riding on one…

By Catherine Nambi The introduction of safe school zones has sparked a transformative wave in road safety, significantly reducing road crashes and ensuring the safety of school-going children and pedestrians. This proactive initiative has addressed the pressing road safety issue and set a precedent for sustainable urban planning and community engagement. In the bustling streets of Kampala, where road safety has been a longstanding concern, a glimmer of hope shines through the implementation of Safe School Zones. Safe school zones involve placing school signposts, painting zebra crossings, and putting humps near schools. These designated areas surrounding schools have become a…

By Naomi William Jasseda THE Tanzam Highway is a paved international truck road that spans approximately 2400 km from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to Lusaka, Zambia. The route passes through the mountainous Kitonga Hills, also known as Mlima Kitonga, in the Kilolo District of the Iringa region in Tanzania’s southern highlands. The highway, known for its steep inclines and sharp curves, has unfortunately gained a reputation for road crashes, leading to fatalities and critical injuries. It features more than 21 sharp corners. The highway, built in stages from 1968 to 1973, was constructed to provide access to Zambia’s seaport and enhance transportation…

By Francis Mureithi In late 2022, 24-year-old Fauzia Ngina from the Kwa Rhonda slums in Nakuru came close to losing her life from cholera without knowing she was infected. Living with her young daughter and elderly mother in a cramped dilapidated house, Fauzia had no knowledge of cholera or its symptoms until the disease nearly claimed her life. Fauzia’s home is a small, fragile structure with cracked walls and a leaking roof, barely large enough to accommodate her family. Cooking utensils are placed right next to where they sleep, creating additional health risks.   It was in these conditions that Fauzia…

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