Today, Congressman Donald M. Payne, was joined by First Lady Laura Bush, at the official launch of the Congressional Malaria Caucus, which he will co-chair. Other participants in the event with Representative Payne, Chairman of the House Subcommittee on Africa

Stephen Lewis is a renowned and vigorously outspoken Canadian diplomat who has worked extensively to reduce the impact of HIV/Aids in Africa and to advocate for those living with the disease.

A JUNIOR medical doctor recently said at a hospital ward at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals that he was packing his bags to leave for South Africa.

An official of the National Malaria Control Program has disclosed that Liberia has the highest rate of malaria in West Africa. Malaria is a disease that is common amongst children and older people.

Vestergaard Frandsen, a world leader in the development of disease-control textiles, will observe the first-ever World Malaria Day with a series of events in Livingstone, Zambia on April 24 and 25, 2008.

Kenya does not have the capacity to approve, register and review applications for new drugs.

The World Bank and partners in the global war against malaria are calling for an intense push to eliminate malaria as a major public health problem and end deaths from this ancient disease. This week, the Bank invited world music

President Jakaya Kikwete and Norwegian Premier Jens Stoltenberg this week launched an intensified campaign to reduce child and maternal mortality rates in the country.

The prevalence of stigma against HIV/Aids patients in Tanga has been cited as a major factor causing people to fear publicly talking about their status.

Global Challenges

THE Government has introduced a new malaria drug. The state minister for primary health care, Dr Emmanuel Otaala, said the drug - Artefan 40/240- cures the disease within a short time.

THE Government has budgeted an additional sh60b to buy anti-retroviral (ARVs) and malaria drugs in the 2008/09 financial year, Parliament heard yesterday.

The Ijaw Monitoring Group (IMG) has appointed the Chief of Staff to its Co-ordinator, Comrade Andrew Ebiboulaemi Elijah to take charge of its Lagos office, following the failing health of its National Co-ordinator, Comrade Joseph Evah who is presently undergoing

JINJA Hospital has not had blood since last week. The hospital serves about 800 outpatients, 400 inpatients and carries out 15 deliveries daily.

THE health ministry plans to improve the relationship between health workers and patients in government hospitals. The clinical mentoring services will be conducted with the help of the UK-based International Centre for Equal Healthcare Access.

Ten eateries were closed in Migori District as the Government moves to contain a cholera outbreak in the area.

THE Uganda Communications Commission will set up Internet facilities in 43 district health offices.

The Council for Medical Schemes has taken its long-running row with insurance company Guardrisk to the Constitutional Court, hoping to overturn a Supreme Court of Appeal ruling that allows the firm to sell gap-cover policies.

HEALTH minister Brian Chituwo has implored Southern African Development Community (SADC) governments to come up with a regional response to counter the human resource shortage in the health sector.