The search for a cure for mental illness
ROMA-DR Mohale Mabaleha started with 42 different plant species that are used by Lesotho’s traditional healers to treat mental illnesses.
He ended up with one plant that had a huge potential.
He and his team proved that potential in the laboratory using frog’s eggs (oocytes).
Dr Mabaleha from the National University of Lesotho (NUL) is working with scientists from the University of the Free State (UFS), South Africa, and the University of Vienna, Austria, to find out what makes these plants useful in the treatment of mental illnesses.
Let’s get to the fascinating story (but never underestimate frogs – “nketjoane o tumme a ntse a le metsing”).
Fighting disease one pill at a time
MASERU-WITH the Covid-19 pandemic wreaking havoc across the country, Dr ’Maseabata Ramathebane wants the government to consider utilising pharmacies registered with the Lesotho Medical, Dental and Pharmacy Council (LMDPC) to ease pressure.
“More people would have been tested if we were to get Covid-19 rapid tests done in retail pharmacies, and we would have accurate statistics as a country,” Dr Ramathebane says.
“At the moment, people die before they receive their PCR Covid-19 results, and this does not help the situation, as funerals have become super-spreaders of Covid-19,” she says.
“It will really help to know how many people are infected with the disease, and also at a personal level so that one can take responsibility of self-isolation and also receive help on time.”
Mosito mourns lecturers, students
MASERU-At least four lecturers and an undisclosed number of students at the National University of Lesotho (NUL) have died since the beginning of January.
That is according to Acting NUL Vice-Chancellor Professor Kananelo Mosito in a newsletter on Monday.
He said it could however not yet be established if all the deceased had succumbed to Covid-19 “until their families say so”.
The university said it will hold a virtual memorial service to honour all the departed staff and students.
Details will be shared in due course, Prof Mosito said.
“We can no longer attend the funeral services of our colleagues and put them to rest with the academic pomp that they deserve because we are all required to abide by new guidelines set forth by the Ministry of Health,” Professor Mosito said.
Talking to your electrical devices
ROMA-THERE is an app that allows you to “talk” to all your electronic and electrical home devices such as fridges, kettles, heaters and so on using internet.
In fact, it keeps you posted on what’s going on in your home all day long.
People have attempted this before but they were using old, complicated and expensive Third Industrial Revolution technology (3IR).
“We are applying a smart, hi-tech, low-cost and simple Fourth Industrial Revolution Technology (4IR) to do it,” says Molemo Monyane, a former student of the National University of Lesotho (NUL), who is the brains behind the app.
Power to the people!
MASERU-THE days when Lesotho used to rely on electricity imports for its needs could soon be over after Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro launched the Ha-Ramarothole Solar Power project two weeks ago.
On its completion, the project is expected to generate 70 megawatts, the same amount of power produced by ’Muela Hydro Power station.
The country is reliant on electricity generated at ’Muela as well as imports from South Africa’s Eskom and Mozambique’s Electricidade de Moçambique.
The ’Muela Hydro Power Station produces about 50 percent of Lesotho’s energy needs, while the other half is imported from South Africa and Mozambique.