Tuesday, May 15, 2012 - Bill and Melinda Gates has given Sh300 million to Open Forum for Agricultural Biotechnology in Africa (OFAB) to increase adoption of technology in food production.
The grant, coming on the backdrop of a report showing steady increase in use of technology in food production, will address existing information gaps and concerns around biotechnology in agriculture. Read More
Source: MCC News
Friday, May 11, 2012 - Jared Asewe is a father of six whose family depends entirely on the proceeds from his job as a driver of a motorbike taxi, or boda boda. But fear of losing income did not bar him from going for voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC).
Asewe worked hard and put money aside to support his family while he was recovering from the surgery. ‘‘I saved a thousand shillings, hoping that this would keep my family going for at least two days,’’ he explains.
His strategy is a good one for men contemplating male circumcision. Most need one to three days to recover before returning to work. But Asewe found that he actually needed little rest after the surgery. Read More
05-11-2012
By Jonathan Migneault and Jamila Akweley Okertchiri
Source: IPS
ACCRA, May 10, 2012 - Ghana has taken a major step towards reducing its under-five mortality rate by becoming the first African country to introduce two new vaccines for rotavirus and pneumococcal disease.
But a United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) official in the West African country says this measure will not be sufficient to meet the fourth United Nations Millennium Development Goal (MDG) to reduce the under-five mortality rate by two thirds by 2015. Read More
05-07-2012
By Dr Pius Musau
Source: The Standard
Tuesday, April 8, 2012 - There is a growing concern as to whether there is an upsurge in the number of prostate cancer cases.
The prostate is a gland in the male reproductive system that contributes to the composition of semen. It is found below the bladder outlet and forms part of the passage through which urine leaves the body. Read More
05-02-2012
By Kepher Otieno
Source: The Standard
Monday, April 30, 2012 - Marine transport in Lake Victoria has been paralysed yet again due to re-emergence of the water hyacinth amid protests over alleged misuse of funds to control the weed’s ecological and physical effects.
Environmentalists are questioning the whereabouts of over Sh120 million, which was to be spent in removing the weed from the lake.
The concerns emerged as investors in the marine industry decried the weed menace, saying it was pushing many of them out of business.
Visits by The Standard to Kisumu port and fish landing beaches established that large vessels were not able to dock safely due to a thick carpet formed by the weed on the surface of the water. Read More
05-02-2012
Source: Plus News
Uganda, April 30, 2012 - The nomadic Karimojong ethnic group, once regarded as a low-risk HIV population because regional instability in northeastern Uganda and strong adherence to their culture kept them relatively isolated, have not been a priority on the country's HIV agenda, but recent statistics show prevalence among this community is now 5.8 percent, up from 3.5 percent five years ago.
Over the past decade large numbers of Karimojong have settled in urban centres, where business is flourishing and many NGOs have set up shop; there has also been heavy military deployment in the area as part of a disarmament exercise. These and other changes in a strongly traditionalist society have combined to push prevalence closer to the national average of 6.7 percent. Read More
