Health officials were put on alert yesterday as the Government moved to stop the deadly Marburg virus from spreading into the country.

Subjects with coronary heart disease have an increased risk of gallstone diseases and the main characteristics of these subjects are those involved as part of the metabolic syndrome, finds a recent issue of the American Journal of Gastroenterology.

Among the most daunting barriers to addressing Africa's urgent health needs is the migration of health professionals to richer countries. Skilled personnel representing investment by poor countries end up filling in the gaps for the UK, USA, and other countries.

The Government is the biggest healthcare provider, running 2,340 health centres out of the national 4,500.

Durable goods like radios, TVs, bicycles, motorcycles, telephones, refrigerators and cars are unlikely to be found in a household in North Eastern Province.

A government report published yesterday shows that residents of Nyanza Province are the most likely to visit hospital, nearly three times a year on average.

Health minister Charity Ngilu displays copies of the 'Household Health Expenditure and Utilisation Survey', and the 'Kenya National Health Accounts' reports, which she launched at a Nairobi hotel yesterday. Looking on is the Director of Medical Services, Dr James Nyikal.

Some farmers in Meru North district have been accused by the local council of elders of ignoring a ban on the use of miraa chemicals.

Nearly half of all Kenyans who fall ill do not seek medical treatment because they are too poor to pay, the Government has admitted.

Uganda is one of Africa's rare success stories in the fight against AIDS, having reduced its HIV prevalence from 30 per cent in the early 1990s to six per cent today. However, the pandemic has still taken a toll on

The Government has sounded the alert over a haemorrhagic fever that has killed 112 people on the Angola-Congo border.

Malaria still tops the list of diseases that affect most Kenyans, a new report says.

Three more people yesterday died of typhoid in Bungoma. The deaths bring to 12 the number of people who have succumbed to the disease since an outbreak was reported in the district a week ago. Nine people died last week.

No deaths occurred as a result of a Nevirapine study in Uganda, a leading researcher has said. Nobody, no mother or baby died because of the treatment," Prof. Francis Miiro, who headed the study, told The Monitor.

The District Kadhi, Sheikh Issa Masaba Pole, has asked Muslims to shun family planning methods to boost their numbers.

The Government is concerned that donors are focusing on HIV/Aids at the expense of other development and health projects.