NAIROBI Kenya, Nov 14- Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee has endorsed first ever locally made Monkey Pox (Mpox) test from Morocco in efforts to boost Africa’s health self-reliance and outbreak response. In a statement on X, CDC announced that real-time PCR test for Mpox, developed in Morocco will test quickly detects pathogen of DNA in blood, saliva or tissue. “@AfricaCDC’s Diagnostic Advisory Committee (DAC) has endorsed #Morocco’s first locally made Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCRTest) for Mpox—boosting Africa’s health self-reliance and outbreak response. This test quickly detects pathogen #DNA in blood, saliva or tissue,” read the statement. “This major milestone aligns with the African Union’s continental initiative to strengthen the self-sufficiency of African public health systems, enhancing the continent’s capacity for disease preparedness and response.” This
Category Archives: HEALTH-STYLE
Nov
We research all brands listed and may earn a fee from our partners. Research and financial considerations may influence how brands are displayed. Not all brands are included. Learn more. President-Elect Donald Trump has stated numerous times that, once he takes office, he plans to shut down the U.S. Department of Education. The department provides roughly 10% of K-12 funding and enforces federal civil rights in schools. However, it plays a much larger role in financing higher education. Managing approximately $1.5 trillion in student loan debt for over 40 million borrowers, the Education Department represents one of the largest holders of consumer debt in the country. “I’m going to close the Department of Education and move education back to the states,” Trump pledged at a campaign rally in September. Already
Nov
The national government has commenced the upgrading of seven informal settlements in Kilifi County through projects implemented under the second Kenya Informal Settlement Improvement Project (KISIP 2) to the tune of Sh1.2 billion. The World Bank-funded infrastructural projects being implemented in conjunction with the Kilifi County Government will see the targeted informal settlements benefit from 13 kilometres of tarmac roads and walkways, drainage systems, streetlights, and 250 toilets, among others. One of the roads being constructed at the Baya Magonzi informal settlement in Kilifi town. The national government, though KISIP, is spending Sh1.2 billion to upgrade seven informal settlements in Kilifi and Malindi towns of Kilifi County. Kilifi Housing and Urban Development Chief Officer Ali Abubakar said the projects are underway in Kibaoni, Baya Magonzi, Kalolo, Mtaani, and Kisumu Ndogo
The Walvis Bay Corridor Group (WBCG) is set to open roadside wellness clinics along the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Corridor. These clinics aim to improve access to essential health services for truck drivers, cross-border traders and local communities who rely on these vital trade routes. This was confirmed in a press statement released by WBCG spokesperson Maria Paulus on Monday. The roadside clinics will run through the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) (Kasumbalesa Border Post) and Zambia [Kasumbalesa Border Post), as well as in DRC (Lufu Border Post) and Angola (Luvo Border Post). “The new wellness clinics are a continuation of WBCG’s commitment to safeguarding the health and well-being of all those who work along the corridors, from drivers who navigate long-distance routes to traders and local community members,” the
Nov
The former Governor of Abia State, Dr Christopher Ogbonnaya Onu, CON, was laid to rest on Friday in his hometown of Uburu, Ebonyi State. This was announced in a statement shared by the Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, on Facebook on Friday. Governor Otti also revealed that the Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, has been renamed Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, Aba, to honour the late governor’s legacy. He wrote, “Today, we joined fellow Nigerians to bid farewell to Dr Christopher Ogbonnaya Onu, CON, former Governor of Abia State, at his hometown in Uburu, Ebonyi State. His passing in April left a significant void in our nation. My heartfelt condolences go out to Dr Onu’s family and the people of Ebonyi State. “Dr Onu’s legacy extends beyond his political achievements. As the
Nov
NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 8 – The Ministry of Health has reported a single Mpox-related death in Kenya, while 13 patients have fully recovered from the virus. The ministry reported the casualty on Friday even as it confirmed three new cases from Mombasa, Nairobi, and Nakuru, bringing the total number of Mpox cases in the country to seventeen. “The National Public Health Laboratory has confirmed three (3) new cases from Mombasa, Nakuru, and Nairobi counties,” MoH noted marking the end of a month without any new cases. The cases currently under management bring the total of confirmed cases to 17, distributed across eleven counties, including Nakuru, Kajiado, Bungoma. Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa emphasized the Ministry’s dedication to public health, noting the department’s ongoing efforts to combat the virus and protect
![Ng'iya Girls High School top students and teachers share a photo momemt at Kisumu International Airport on Thursday. [Washington Onyango,Standard]](https://i0.wp.com/cdn.standardmedia.co.ke/images/wysiwyg/images/sl2ypXcx3R3g0MQ6EbkbwOfgmANpNilPuQomhYLB.jpg?w=1000&resize=1000,500)
Nov
Ng’iya Girls High School top students and teachers share a photo momemt at Kisumu International Airport on Thursday. [Washington Onyango,Standard] The sun blazed across the Kisumu skyline on a remarkable Thursday morning as ten of Ng’iya Girls High School’s brightest students arrived at Kisumu International Airport. The anticipation was palpable, their faces glowing with a mixture of excitement and nervousness. Dressed in their glittering white and blue school uniforms, the girls were about to embark on an extraordinary journey—a fully paid academic trip courtesy of Ng’iya Girls High School, in recognition of their academic excellence. Their hard work, dedication, and pursuit of greatness had earned them this unique reward—a flight to Nairobi. It was not just any trip; it was the fruit of their relentless commitment to their studies, a
Nov
Mpox Vaccines The Access and Allocation Mechanism for Mpox has allocated an initial 899,000 vaccine doses to nine countries, including Nigeria, across the African region, which have been hard-hit by the current Mpox surge. This was disclosed in a joint press statement issued by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday. The statement noted that, in collaboration with affected countries and donors, the decision aims to ensure that the limited doses are used effectively and fairly, with the overall objective of controlling the outbreaks. It said the AAM principals from Africa CDC, the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF, and the World Health Organisation approved the allocation, following the recommendations of an independent Technical Review Committee of the Continental Incident Management Support Team
The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex and Asexual (LGBTQIA+) community in South Africa (SA) contributes billions annually to the local economy. This is according to the latest research conducted by the Other Foundation, which said the LGBTQIA+ contributed at least R250 billion in the past financial year. However, the accuracy of the study has been questioned by IOL Opinion writer Azanian Ronin, who questioned how the LGBTQIA+ community was possibly worth more than the coal industry at R190 billion, the export values of the African Growth and Opportunities Act at R220 billion and the spending on SA’s social welfare grants, which benefit 19 million people, at R232 billion annually. The study is based on a quantitative survey managed and distributed online by Ipsos South Africa with the support of
Nov
At least Four in every a thousand Kenyan are blind or suffers from optical related ailments and need urgent eye care to reverse the trend, a survey has revealed. According to a Rapid Assessment of Avoidable Blindness (RAAB) report , 2024, although the burden has reduced from 0.7percent in the 1990s to 0.4 percent going by latest figures aggravating the needs for optical health services. According to the Study, one glaring eye condition is cataract which remains the leading cause of the blindness and yet it can be corrected through a cost effective surgical procedure. The report shows that Cataract, uncorrected refractive errors of glaucoma contribute to about 85 percent of visual impairments. Speaking during the launch of the RAAB report Health Cabinet Secretary Dr. Deborah Barasa said the survey
Nov
Former President Donald Trump is set to return to the White House after winning Tuesday night’s election. As of Wednesday morning, Trump surpassed the 270 electoral votes need to secure the presidency, and that could mean major changes to the health care landscape. During his campaign, Trump vowed to make the Affordable Care Act “better” and to protect “women.” He also suggested that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. would shape the public health agenda of his administration. This is what a second Trump term would mean for health care policies including health insurance and reproductive rights. Future of the ACA and Medicare Trump has been inconsistent on what his plans are regarding the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the landmark law signed in 2010 by then-President Barack Obama. During his first term
Nov
NAIROBI, Kenya Nov 6 – President William Ruto’s promise on free university promise will continue to be a mirage over crippling funds with the university funding agencies saying it will cost the government Sh990 Billion annually to fund higher learning students. With the current regime facing liquidity issues, the University Fund (UF) Chief Executive Officer George Monari dismissed assertions on free education for varsity students saying its not economically viable at the moment. “Its going to be very difficult to have free university education in the country as that’s why we moved from the differentiated unit cost model to the new university funding model which is all about equity. We would require Sh 990 Billion to carry out the proposal,” Monari told lawmakers. He was responding to issues raised by
Nov
Legislation to prevent children accessing social media will be introduced by Australia’s parliament later this year and will take effect 12 months after ratification. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced plans to legislate for a ban on social media for children under 16 years of age, an initiative his government says is world-leading. Australia’s Minister of Communications Michelle Rowland said on Thursday that the social media platforms impacted would include Meta’s Instagram and Facebook, as well as Bytedance’s video-sharing TikTok and Elon Musk’s X, previously known as Twitter. Rowland said that Alphabet’s YouTube would also likely fall within the scope of the legislation. “Social media is doing harm to our kids, and I’m calling time on it,” Prime Minister Albanese told a news conference. Legislation will be introduced into
Nov
Kumar Mehta celebrated Diwali last week by lighting up the night skies with vibrant fireworks from his Mumbai flat. As his nine-year-old daughter watched the darkened skies come alive, a thick blanket of smoke soon engulfed the building’s play area. Within moments, the child began struggling to breathe due to the billowing smoke and had to be rushed to a nearby hospital. “It was a Diwali nightmare for us. We never thought it would happen to us,” Mehta said after spending two days at the hospital as his daughter received treatment for respiratory issues. Such incidents have become increasingly common during Diwali, India ’s largest festival, which this year fell on October 31. While over a billion people lit lamps, donned festive attire, hosted gatherings, and visited family, the widespread
Nov
Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong’o (center) during the launch of Digital Health Roadmap and the Kisumu Health Information Exchange and Data Repository blueprint. [Washington Onyango,Standard] Kisumu County health sector is ready to embrace a transformative shift in its healthcare delivery through the integration of digital technologies, as announced during the Lake Region Digital Health Conference. Hosted in Kisumu, the conference brought together key leaders, including Kisumu Governor Peter Anyang’ Nyong’o, who highlighted the county’s progress in utilizing digital tools to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Governor Nyong’o outlined the county’s experience since the launch of its UHC initiative in 2018, noting that Kisumu has been at the forefront of digital health adoption. From the digital registration of over 850,000 residents via the M-TIBA platform to the creation of the Kisumu Social