insert_link Health / Medical NAMBTS urges Namibians to donate blood this festive season In a crucial call to action, the Blood Transfusion Service of Namibia (NAMBTS) is urging all eligible blood donors in the country to make a commitment to donating blood regularly, aiming to ensure the well-being of thousands of patients as the festive season approaches. Despite persistent efforts to replenish blood supplies over the past weeks, NAMBTS reports that the blood reserves remain critically low, particularly for O-positive and O-negative […] todayDecember 8, 2023 5
insert_link Health / Medical HIV, AIDS, and COVID-19 leading causes of death in working-age population A new report from the Namibia Statistics Agency shows that HIV and AIDS, COVID-19, and other communicable diseases remain the leading causes of death among the economically active population in the country. In 2020 alone, HIV and AIDS accounted for 13.5% of deaths among adults aged 15-59, while COVID-19 became the leading cause of death in 2021, accounting for 15.1% of fatalities in this age group. todayDecember 6, 2023 4
insert_link Health / Medical Namibia’s infant mortality rate rises Statistician-General, Alex Shimuafeni, has reported a concerning rise in the country's infant mortality rate from 49 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2018 to 54 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2021. The increase is attributed to communicable, perinatal, and nutritional conditions. The Namibia Press Agency reports that more than half of the infant deaths were males, and the Oshana and Omaheke regions recorded the highest number of infant deaths […] todayDecember 6, 2023 4
insert_link Health / Medical Ex-premier Johnson set for grilling at UK Covid inquiry Former UK prime minister Boris Johnson will face tough questioning at a public inquiry Wednesday over his government's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, after a barrage of criticism from his former aides. Johnson, who has been accused of indecisiveness and a lack of scientific understanding, is expected to admit that he "unquestionably made mistakes" during two days of grilling in London. Nearly 130,000 people died with Covid in the UK […] todayDecember 6, 2023 5
insert_link Health / Medical Namibia’s leading causes of death revealed The Namibia Statistics Agency has revealed that between 2018 and 2021, the country’s death toll rose from 18,939 to 24,117, and in 2020, hypertensive diseases were cited as the primary cause of death, while COVID-19 took the lead in 2021, followed by HIV and lower respiratory infections. The Khomas and Oshana Regions witnessed the highest number of deaths, while Kavango West and Kunene reported the lowest mortality rates. Here is NSA […] todayDecember 5, 2023 64
insert_link Health / Medical UFS Molecular Virology group researching rotavirus vaccines for Africa as part of international consortium Prof Trudi O’Neill (second from the right) and Prof Albie van Dijk (third from the right) from the Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry at the University of the Free State (UFS) hosted a meeting with their colleagues in September as part of the international consortium. The Molecular Virology group at the University of the Free State (UFS) is part of an international consortium that works towards addressing rotavirus infections on the African […] todayDecember 5, 2023 15
insert_link Health / Medical COP28 report says climate change is fueling epidemics The Climate Change and Epidemics 2023 COP28 report has shown that climate change is contributing to new epidemics globally. The report also highlights that countries in the Global South are disproportionately affected by the health impacts of climate change, despite, as Stellenbosch University’s Tulio de Oliveira told eNCA, the region contributing less than ten percent of greenhouse gas emissions. todayDecember 5, 2023 19
insert_link Africa Africa inches closer to manufacturing anti-HIV rings By Conrad Onyango, bird story agency After approval for the use of vaginal rings by nearly a dozen countries, Africa is inching closer to local manufacturing of the world’s first fully woman-controlled HIV prevention device. South Africa will be the first country on the continent to make and distribute the dapivirine vaginal ring (DVR) following a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between South Africa’s pharmaceutical manufacturer and medtech company, Kiara Health, […] todayDecember 4, 2023 17
insert_link Health / Medical Pharmaceutical-drugs-enterprises FACTS: The new generation of weight-loss drugs These new drugs drawing such intense attention have raised the hopes of millions around the world suffering from diabetes or obesity. But what are they, how are they used and who makes them? These drugs imitate a hormone known as GLP-1 (it stands for glugacon-like peptide-1), which is secreted by the intestines. It stimulates insulin production and creates a feeling of fullness, suppressing the appetite. This class of drugs is […] todayDecember 4, 2023 10
