Amoco, an American company drilled for oil in northern Kenya and left behind soaring cancer that is killing people, livestock in Marsabit
The pollution and disease inspired the first-ever lawsuit filed on the basis of Kenya’s constitutional right to a safe and healthy environment in 2020, when residents of Kargi and other communities in the Chalbi Desert sued the Kenyan national and county governments.
Preventable blindness: Kisumu County embarks on free cataract surgery with only two doctors for 1.3 million people
Findings from previous medical camps in the area point to a heavy local burden. In one outreach in Kombura, Nyando Sub-county, about one in three people screened were diagnosed with cataracts.
Ketamine: Strong anaesthetic approved in US for surgery is now abused for its euphoric effects
Ketamine has seen a huge surge in use in recent years as a treatment for depression, anxiety and pain. While the drug isn’t approved for those conditions, doctors are free to prescribe drugs for so-called off-label uses.
Eating healthy: Regional government in central Kenya assimilates organic food in schools feeding programme
KOAN CEO Eustace Kiarie Said KOAN’s Kilimohai mark through a Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) is designed to certify agro-ecological produce in a way that is accessible to smallholder farmers. Mr Kiarie said that the organization aims to organise at least 800 farmers into 40 groups, connecting them to schools, local markets, and other off-takers.
US Supreme Court backs medical free speech in ruling against ban on conversion therapy
The US Supreme Court on Tuesday sided with a Colorado-licensed counsellor who challenged the state’s law banning “conversion therapy” for minors, arguing the law violates her First Amendment right to free speech. Legal experts said the ruling may positively affect the outcome of two pending medical free speech lawsuits filed by Children’s Health Defence.
Embu County in central Kenya raises red flag over high incidence of malnutrition as it launches nutrition policy
Embu County Deputy Governor Kinyua Mugo observed that, through the policy, they will be able to bring together players in various sectors including health, agriculture, education, water and social protection to effectively combat the vice.
Radiologist at Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Referral Hospital lands global grant for sickle cell study
Dr Connie Ongeti secured the award from the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (RSTMH), emerging among a small pool of successful applicants worldwide in a highly competitive call that attracted thousands of submissions.
Fertility is in the toilet, says scientist as she calls chemical exposure a ‘huge societal problem’
Researchers tracked what they used every day – from personal care products to household cleaners – then coached them on safer alternatives.
Why secretive traditional circumcision rites in South Africa have become a source of concern after dozens of deaths
Traditional circumcisions can carry fatal risks including poorly trained practitioners and cutting tools that are unsanitary or used more than once. Dehydration and badly managed septic wounds are among the main causes of death, and the remote settings mean help is usually far away.
EPA raises concerns over quality of drinking water in US amid fears growing it could be the dirtiest in the world
The EPA said it is considering adding micro-plastics, pharmaceuticals and PFAS to its latest list of drinking water contaminants, opening the door to new research and potential regulation. The move comes alongside a $144 million federal initiative aimed at understanding and reducing micro-plastics in the human body, as officials warn of growing – but still poorly understood – health risks.
