In the effort to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the first injectable PrEP option has been approved by the US FDA, the country’s drug regulatory authority.

The pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) drug; cabotegravir, goes by the name Apretude, is an HIV PrEP option that people at-risk can take at intervals of two months. It has been approved for use in adults and adolescents by US regulator. The user has to be HIV negative and weigh at least 35 kgs.

Before this approval, only two types (Truvada and Descovy) of PrEP had been approved for use for HIV negative individuals at-risk.

Dr Marianne Mureithi, a researcher on HIV/AIDS with the Kenya Aids Vaccine Initiative (Kavi), says the injectable is a breakthrough that has come right in time as PrEP is more effective at preventing HIV on a population level since the six shots per year make it easier for people to adhere to.

Results from the research and study conducted by WHO last year in south and eastern Africa showed that women were biased about the injectable but there were better results from the injectable PrEP compared to the oral pills.

Two studies highlighted by the FDA showed that, compared to oral pills, the injectable PrEP offered potent protection.

In one of the studies, participants who took the new injectable, Apretude, had a 69%less risk from getting HIV compared to taking the Truvada PrEP pill that was used in the study.

The second study showed a 90% less risk of getting HIV after taking the injectable.

The Aids vaccine advocacy coalition (Avac) said in a statement shortly after this approval that the approved injectable PrEP is now available in the US and that Avac and partners would work to support the review by health regulatory authorities in other parts of the world.

Hundreds of travelers using the Northern Uganda route were last night stranded when police impounded the buses they were travelling in for violating curfew.

The buses were impounded at Kamdini Checkpoint in Kamdini Town Council in Oyam District.

The impounded buses including Eastern Nile Coach REG No. UAK 206G, Friendship Bus KCF 702G, Mega Express UBK 798P, and Real Bus UAM 834Y, among others were reportedly impounded after their arrival between 11pm and midnight, leaving the travelers stranded as some slept in buses while others loitered in the township.

Police manning the roadblock released the buses at 4am after cautioning the drivers against violating curfew time.

Over 10,000 laboratory technicians have today joined doctors and medical interns to lay down tools over various grievances including low salaries, poor working conditions among others. This first-ever strike also involves technicians working in blood banks and the six government reference laboratories.

Following an address they made to the media yesterday, the laboratory technicians under their umbrella body, Uganda Medical Laboratory Technology Association (UMLTA) said they had put the ministry of Public Service on notice over their intended strike three weeks ago, but they didn’t get feedback prompting them to lay down tools.

The laboratory professionals told journalists that their efforts to serve in the health sector haven’t been recognized by government, that even as many of them have advanced in their studies to attain degrees and PhDs, government still gives them an entry salary of Shs1.2million.

Patrick Dennis Alibu, UMLTA secretary-general made reference to a letter that they had written on 29th November 2021 directly addressed to the honourable minister of Public Service with copies given to the ministry of Health requesting government to pay attention to their grievances.

Alibu added that while the interns’ strike was going on, they were told they held in-house meetings but never got any feedback from the ministry of Public Service whom they had directed the letter to. Alibu said that the strike was their last resort.

Alibu says even though many of his colleagues went back to study when Makerere University started degree courses in 1998 followed by Mbarara University of Science and Technology (MUST) in 2000 the money they earn is the same as that earned by diploma holders and lab assistants whose take-home salary is Shs 800,000.

For him, if degree holders are recognized by accounting officers, then they would be earning around the same as medical officers who are currently earning a gross salary of Shs 3 million and are in industrial action to have their salary enhanced to Shs 5 million.

Despite their circular being sent out to accounting officers in 2019 to provide for recruitment of degree holders it hasn’t happened. The medical laboratory officials who are in their first-ever industrial action are also asking that their focal persons in local governments be elevated to the same level as district health officers to be able to manage the dynamics of laboratory services that come with the emergence of new pathogens and diseases like the hemorrhagic fevers and COVID-19.

Livestock farmers in Ankole sub-region want the government and its agencies involved in the supply of acaricides to work with the farmers to find a solution on tick-drug resistance.

This was revealed at a farmers’ parliament organized by the Mbarara Network of Farmers’ Voice in Sanga Town Council, Nyabushozi-Kiruhura district.

The farmers blamed the National Drugs Authority (NDA) officials for failure to regulate acaricides used to spray their animals in the fight against ticks on their farms.

Anna Rose Ademun, the Commissioner Animal Health in the ministry of Animal husbandry told farmers that government is looking forward to create zones in all the four regions of Uganda where famers will be guided on which acaricides they should use in the fight against ticks.

Police in Kampala has in custody four medical officers of Women’s Hospital International and Fertility Clinic Bukoto in connection with the death of a newlywed bride.

According to police investigations, the deceased; Joana Namutebi  had just concluded the process of having an IUD inserted in her body, a day after her wedding. After which, she developed severe effects which included a pounding headache and vomitting and became unconscious moments after the procedure. Namutebi  who was then at the fertility hospital was later transferred to Victoria Hospital in a very critical condition where she slipped into a coma.

Efforts to stabilise her condition were unsuccessful as Namutebi’s health deteriorated quickly and was pronounced dead shortly after.

Charles Twiine; the spokesperson of the Criminal Investigations Directorate, confirmed that the four medical personnel are detained at Kira Road Police Station as investigations into the incident continue.

Our reporter established that Namutebi wedded Derrick Wabwire last Friday.

NRM’s Muwonge Andrew declared winner of Kayunga LC5 by-election. He garnered 31,830 votes while NUP’s  Harriet Nakaweede’s garnered 31,380 votes.

The results were declared by the Kayunga district returning officer, Kyobutungi Jennifer.

Muwonge replaces NUP’s Ffefeka Muhammad Sserubugo who reportedly committed suicide in June this year, days after he was sworn-in.

“I am going to work hard so that the people of Kayunga get the services they deserve,” said Andrew Muwonge; the new Kayunga District chairperson.