Resources
From a lack of hospital beds and ambulances, to the use of expired ARVs, Key Correspondents' health blogs document the impact inadequate healthcare resources have on community health.
Key Correspondents also report announcements from transnational bodies, governments and non governmental organisations relating to money for health, and the impact spending boosts and cuts are having on ordinary people's attempts to stay healthy.
KCs also examine the way international agreements such as Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights affect the treatment people living in resource poor settings receive.
Private healthcare in Kampala, Uganda
James Kityo speaks to two women at a private hospital in Kampala, Uganda. more
Drugs, facilities and solar power – but no midwife
The story of a rural Ugandan health centre. more
A tale of two grounded ambulances in Luwero, Uganda
For over two years, two ambulances have now been
grounded at Luwero Health Centre IV, Kasana after failure to maintain and
repair them. more
Zimbabwe’s humanitarian situation improves
Zimbabwe’s humanitarian situation is reported to be improving, resulting in the United Nation’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs appealing for approximately half of the resources originally requested in 2012. more
HIV group accuses Batoka hospital’s ARV clinic of failing people living with HIV
Livingstone, Zambia: A HIV positive group has accused Batoka hospital’s antiretroviral clinic of failing to properly support people living with HIV, especially young people. more
Japan donates $343 to Global Fund – its most generous year yet
Japan has made a second donation of US$ 127 million to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis bringing its total contribution for 2012 to US$343 million – the country’s highest contribution in 10 years. more
Push for greater access to essential medicines launches in Zambia
A civil society initiative that aims to scale up and sustain improved access to medicines in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region has been launched in Lusaka, Zambia. more
GlaxoSmithKline tops 2012 Access to Medicines Index
GlaxoSmithKline, one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies, has ranked highest in the Access to Medicines (ATM) Index for the third time. more
Increase funding to improve maternal health says WHO boss
Dr Johquim Saweka, the World Health Organisation’s Uganda director, says improving maternal and child health requires political commitment, involvement of all stakeholders and the right strategies. more
Ugandan government challenged to examine current health system to attract women
With an estimated 16 women dying every day in Uganda due to childbirth and pregnancy related complications health experts have requested decision makers to examine the current healthcare system and make it more attractive to women. more
Ugandan health centre reliant on torches in labour ward
Most of the deliveries at the Acowa health Centre III in the Amuria district, eastern Uganda are currently being conducted using torches, a health authority has revealed. more
Grants announced to support community work on TB
The Stop TB Partnership has announced a call for proposals for the fifth round of the Challenge Facility for Civil Society (CFCS)- the world’s leading small grant mechanism for grass-roots level community work on tuberculosis (TB). more
Nigerian government recall 2,000 retired midwives in a bid to reduce maternal deaths
The Nigerian government has desperately recalled more than 2,000 retired and unemployed midwives to rural areas to tackle the problem of maternal deaths. more
Uganda: Worry for thousands as delay in reforming critical bill may render ARV drugs illegal
“We no longer fear AIDS. Eddagala gyeriri e Mulago [drugs are available at Mulago Hospital],” says Moses, 32, who tells me he has had three sexual partners in the last month and did not use condoms with any of them. … more
African Union establishes High Level Panel on Science, Technology and Innovation
Given rapid advances in science and technology and growing emphasis on innovation in Africa, the African Union (AU) has established a high level advisory panel on science, technology and innovation, according to the African Union Commission (AUC). more
Southern African journalists enhance skills on issues affecting region
Journalists from the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), including KC Wallace Mawire, are participating in a two week workshop to enhance their skills and knowledge on issues affecting the region. more
Zim health minister calls for improved access to water and sanitation
Dr Henry Madzorera, Zimbabwe’s minister for health and child welfare, has urged the country’s media to articulate more on the need for responsible authorities to improve access to water and sanitation for communities. more
Safe water and toilets still out of reach for Siyaphambili village, Zimbabwe
In 1963 ZANU PF was formed, and the very same year somewhere in Tsholotsho, Siyaphambili village, Phillip Mpala settled with his family. This man had never had access to clean and safe water. more
Novel innovations for health worker training in Sudan
When your disease burden is high, resources are low and the migration of your skilled workforce is of constant concern, how is a country to scale-up service initiatives to provide better healthcare for its citizens? more
Small percentage of Global Fund money mispent, audit finds
A total of 3% of money from The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis between 2005 and 2012 had been misspent, fraudulently misappropriated or inadequately accounted for. According to a press release made available by The Global Fund’s … more
Co-investment needed to weather tough economic storm, says Global Fund
Gabriel Jaramillo, the general manager of Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, has urged a gathering of finance and health ministers from across Africa to invest in tackling the three diseases in what is increasingly a tough economic climate. more
E-health initiatives lagging behind in developing countries, says WHO expert
Zimbabwe and many other developing countries, especially in Africa, are lagging behind when it comes to e-health initiatives, according to a World Health Organisation (WHO) expert. more
Zimbabwe’s health ministry receives $110K for clinical equipment
The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has handed over clinical equipment worth USD $110,000 to Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health and Child Welfare to be used for WFP’s Health and Nutrition programme. more
We need more support, says village health team worker
I met Basesa Richard riding his bicycle in Nyakasanga, western Uganda. He cycles from village to village, and moves from house to house, educating people on how to prevent mosquitoes that cause malaria. more
Six Zimbabwe bike riders to cycle through the Alps for AIDS charity
Six Zimbabwean cyclists are to embark on a charity long distance bike ride across the Alps in support of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) affected by HIV and AIDS. more
Remote, poverty-stricken areas in Zimbabwe facing serious health issues, says UN human rights chief
The UN human rights chief Navi Pillay has said people in Zimbabwe’s remote, poverty-stricken rural areas are facing the most serious health problems in the country. more
Zimbabwe’s UNCG Secretariat launches MDGs discussion forum
The United Nations Communications Group (UNCG) in Zimbabwe has launched the first of its kind MDGs discussion forum entitled This Wednesday @ UNIC being held under the banner of the UN country team (UNCT) in Zimbabwe. According to Tafadzwa Mwale … more
WHO supports Zimbabwe’s neglected tropical diseases programme
The Ministry of Health and Child Welfare in Zimbabwe, in conjunction with the Ministry of Education, Sports, Arts and Culture, has received around $265,000 of medication from the World Health Organisation (WHO) to treat neglected tropical diseases. more
Developing country ministers to meet in US over sanitation
At least 60 ministers responsible for finance, sanitation and hygiene portfolios from over 30 developing countries are expected to participate in the Sanitation and Water for All (SWA) High Level meeting on 20 April at the World Bank in Washington D.C, USA. more
People in Livingstone, Zambia to use beer packs as toilets due to lack of facilities
Residents in Livingstone are being forced to use empty beer containers and plastic bags to answer the call of nature due to a lack of toilets. more
CDC intensifies support for typhoid containment in Zimbabwe
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has dispatched a multi-disciplinary team to Harare to support the Ministry of Health and City of Harare response team with epidemiologic investigation, improved surveillance, water testing, and provision of laboratory supplies, the US Embassy Public Affairs section reports. more
Boost for Zimbabwe’s medical laboratories
The African Development Fund (ADF) through the Southern African Development Community (SADC) is to support Zimbabwe’s Control of Communicable Diseases (CD) project. more
