Nigeria: Poisoning Epidemic Affects Thousands of Children, Says Rights Group
[HRW]
Thousands of children in northern Nigeria need immediate medical treatment and dozens of villages remain contaminated two years into the worst lead poisoning epidemic in modern history, Human Rights Watch said today while releasing a video on the issue. Four hundred children have died, according to official estimates, yet environmental cleanup efforts have not even begun in numerous affected villages.
South Africa: Endometriosis Destroys Quality of Life
[Health-e]
About 1 in 10 women of reproductive age suffer from a chronic and painful condition known as endometriosis. The disease can impact on the lives of women in a considerably adverse manner.
Southern Africa: New President for HIV Clinicians Society
[Health-e]
The Southern African HIV Clinicians Society has appointed a new President, Dr Francesca Conradie.
Congo-Kinshasa: Future Bleak for Aids Patients
[RNW Africa]
Kinshasa -
According to an alarming report published by nongovernmental organisation Doctors Without Borders (DWB), 85% of AIDS patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) do not have access to antiretroviral (ARV) treatment.
Cameroon: The Cardiopad - an African Invention to Save Lives
[RNW Africa]
Yaoundé -
A young Cameroonian engineer has built the first fully touch screen medical tablet that could soon save many African lives. He first has to find the necessary funding to mass-produce the device.
South Africa: Immunise Your Child Today
[Health-e]
In a bid to avoid illnesses and child deaths that could easily be prevented, the national Health Department launched a campaign this week to immunise children so that they are protected against infection. Ayanda Mkwanazi, of Health-e News Service, went to two Johannesburg clinics to see how the campaign kicked off.
South Africa: Become a Moment in Time
[Biz-Community]
It's that time of year when 13 South African's living with cancer are selected and appointed as ambassadors of the Moments in Time for the year ahead.
Tanzania: Specialists Join Doctors' Strike
[Daily News]
AS the Parliamentary Committee for Community Services on Monday started to meet various stakeholders in the health sector in a bid to resolve the ongoing doctors' strike, specialists at the Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) and Orthopaedic Institute (MOI) have joined their junior colleagues to lay down tools.
South Africa: Child Raped and Left for Dead, But Police Do Nothing
[Health-e]
Zandile*, a slender seven-year-old, was raped and almost killed in her family's shack in Katlehong on the night of 20 November - allegedly by her mother's ex-boyfriend. After raping her, the man slit her throat in front of her five-year-old brother and left her bleeding and struggling to breathe.
Africa: Communities Abandon Female Genital Mutilation - Report
[UN News]
A new United Nations report shows that almost 2,000 communities across Africa abandoned female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) last year, prompting calls for a renewed global push to end this harmful practice once and for all.
Africa: Continent Needs U.S. $4 Billion to Bridge Global Fund Shortfall
[East African]
Africa requires at least $12 billion for its HIV/Aids response in the next three years to stem the scourge, although this financial injection is threatened as donors hold back due to mismanagement of funds.
Kenya: Doctors Should Now Support State Hiring Plan
[Business Daily]
The government plan to recruit 629 medical professionals marks the first decisive step towards making healthcare in public facilities efficient.
South Africa: Gauteng Pays Millions in Medical Negligence Costs
[BuaNews]
Pretoria -
Nearly R10 million has been paid so far by the Gauteng Department of Health and Social Development in two medical negligence cases.
Kenya: Pfizer Dispels Fears Over Family Planning Drugs
[Business Daily]
International drug maker Pfizer has said that Kenya will not be affected by the recall of two contraceptives after their ability prevent pregnancy was questioned.
Africa: Obstetric Fistula Fact Sheet
[Worldwide Fistula Fund]
Obstetric fistula, also known as vesicovaginal or rectovaginal fistula, is a debilitating condition resulting from prolonged, obstructed and/or unassisted labor that affects women in developing nations. The World Health Organization estimates that more than two million women are currently suffering from untreated obstetric fistula in Asia and Africa.
South Africa: Environmental Health Assistants Reminded to Register
[BuaNews]
Pretoria -
Environmental Health Assistants have been urged to apply for registration with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) by the end of next month.
Nigeria: Nigeria's First Stem Cell Transplant
[Leadership]
Some months ago, the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) successfully pioneered stem cell transplantation surgery in Nigeria. On the continent, this medical feat has previously been carried out only in Egypt and South Africa. The successful, cutting-edge procedure by an 18-man team led by Dr. Nosakhare Bazuaye was conducted in the hospital on a seven-year-old sickle cell anaemia patient, Mathew Ndik.
Nigeria: 'Three Million Females Risk Genital Mutilation Yearly'
[Leadership]
The executive director of the United Nations Population Funds (UNPF), Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin has said that every year, over three million women and girls face the risk of genital mutilation and cutting. He added that the practice has serious immediate and long-term health effects, and it is a clear violation of fundamental human rights.
Nigeria: Oshiomhole Decries Increase in Child Mortality
[Vanguard]
Benin City -
OVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has decried what he described as the increase in child related deaths and promised to ensure that modern facilities were provided in the hospitals across the state to check the trend.
Angola: Health Centres Benefit From Solar Panels
[ANGOP]
Kiwaba Nzoje -
Health centres in Medie, Quifucussa, and Cambo Cafuxi wards, in Kiwaba Nzonje Municipality, benefited from power through solar panels, inaugurated over the last weekend, ANGOP has learnt.
Angola: Parents Urged to Fight Against Polio
[ANGOP]
Kwanhama -
Parents were urged on Tuesday in Kwanhama district, southern Cunene province, to take their children to vaccination posts, so as to fight poliomyelitis.
Nigeria: 3,000 Children Need Treatment for Lead Poisoning in Zamfara
[Leadership]
At least 3,000 of over 4,500 children who tested positive to lead poison contamination require urgent medical attention to save them from neurological, biological and cognitive malfunction.
Kenya: NHIF Move Could Ease Medical Care
[Nairobi Star]
The aggressive move by the National Hospital Insurance Fund to cover the large number of employees in the public sector could lead to reduced insurance premiums in whole industry. The providers might also revamp their product offerings to match charged premiums as competition intensify.
Gambia: 50 Patients Benefit From Operafrica's Cataract Operation
[Daily Observer]
50 Gambians suffering from cataract infection have had their lives changed through an eye operation sponsored by a UK charity called Operafrica. In collaboration with National Eye Care Programme and Sight Savers International, the project embarked upon by Operafrica, has for the past years been operating andproviding funds for beneficiaries to undergo eye operation.
Gambia: Farato Health Centre, Good Shepherd Nursery Assisted
[Daily Observer]
Better Community Association (BCA), a local charitable organisation, last Friday, 3rd February 2012 donated an assortment of medical items worth over 2,000 Swiss Francs; learning materials and cooking utensils worth over D15, 000, to both the Farato Health Centre and the Good Shepherd Nursery School in Farato village, in the Kombo South District of West Coast Region.
Nigeria: 'Renal Failure Now Epidemic in Country'
[Leadership]
The founder and chairman of Kidney Care and Support Initiative, Mr. Swami B Gandu, has drawn attention to the increasing number of people suffering from renal failure, a condition which he said was getting to be of epidemic proportion.
Namibia: Buffalo Sparks FMD Fears
[New Era]
Windhoek -
The Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Forestry (MAWF) is waiting for laboratory results to confirm the Foot and Mouth Disease(FMD) status of a buffalo that was killed over the weekend at Otjituuo, south of the veterinary red line.
Nigeria: Yes, Cancer Can Be Prevented
[Daily Trust]
Saturday, February 4, was World Cancer Day. The days leading to it, the day itself, and the days since then have been marked with activities aimed at generating awareness for the different types of cancer with a focus on prevention, the main theme this year being "Cancer can be prevented."
Nigeria: FG Moves to Radically Reduce Cervical, Liver Cancer
[Daily Trust]
Government is to incorporate vaccine for human papilloma virus into the National Programme on Immunisation in efforts to cut down the burden of cancer.
Eritrea: Health Station in Aimen Rendering Commendable Pre-and Post-Delivery Care Service
[Shabait]
Assab -
The health station in Aimen administrative area, Southern Red Sea region, is rendering commendable service particularly in pre-and post-delivery service.