With some 400 million people around the world infected with hepatitis B or C, mostly without being aware, the United Nations top health agency encourages countries to boost testing and access to services and medicines for people in need to…
Category: Health
No medals for sanitation at Rio Olympics
The biggest frustration at the Olympic Games, to be inaugurated in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro on August 5, is the failure to meet environmental sanitation targets and promises in the city’s beaches, rivers, lakes and lagoons.The opportunity…
Hepatitis B kills around 3,50,000 in SE Asia yearly
Hepatitis B kills around 3,50,000 people in the South-East Asian region every year, which is more than the annual death of AIDS and malaria combined, according to an expert of the World Health Organisation (WHO). “Approximately 100 million (10 crore)…
Brain training can cut dementia risk in healthy adults
A computerized brain training program cut the risk of dementia among healthy people by 48 percent, US researchers said on Sunday in reporting an analysis of the results of a 10-year study. The preliminary findings, presented at the Alzheimer’s Association…
Traditional medicine for modern times: Facts and figures
Andrea Rinaldi and Priya Shetty review the facts, figures and challenges of mixing modern and traditional medicine. For millennia, people have healed with herbal or animal-derived remedies, using knowledge handed down through generations. In Africa, Asia, Latin America and the…
Ancient parasite remains a modern scourge
Jon Spaull Leishmaniasis is a disfiguring and potentially deadly neglected tropical disease that affects more than one million people in 98 countries worldwide. It is caused when the leishmania parasite is transmitted by sand fly bites. This photo gallery looks…
Turmeric compound may treat colon cancer
A compound found in turmeric, a spice widely used in curries, could play a very important role in preventing and treating colon cancer, which frequently is caused by lifestyle factors, such as diet, say researchers including one of Indian-origin.…
Home-cooked baby food not always better than market options
Countering the popular belief that meals cooked at home are healthier for kids, a new study claims that it is not always better than commercially available baby foods. Often perceived as the best option, home-cooked meals are cheaper but they…
Exercise as effective as surgery for knee injury
Health Desk Exercise as effective as surgery for knee injury. Exercise therapy is as effective as surgery for middle aged patients with a common type of knee injury known as meniscal tear (damage to the rubbery discs that cushion…
Stories of tobacco victims deliver powerful impacts
New York, USA – A paper on the impact of tobacco victim testimonials, authored by Vital Strategies’ public health communication experts, has been published in leading peer-review journal “Tobacco Control.” The paper, entitled “Raw and real: an innovative communication approach…
New HIV vaccine to be trialled in South Africa
A vaccine against HIV will be trialed in South Africa later this year after meeting the criteria needed to prove it could help fight the epidemic in Africa.In 2015, 2.1 million new infections were reported — two-thirds of which occurred…
Tips on what to eat before and after exercise
Health Desk It is never late in life to begin exercising. If you have been planning on a new fitness plan, then there a number of things you must keep in mind, chiefly food. You ought to know the best…
‘Target vulnerable groups for succeess of HIV programmes’
Dhaka – In an official press conference today at the 21st International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2016) in Durban, South Africa, researchers and community representatives discussed the impact of discriminatory laws and policies in many parts of the world that hinder…
HIV/AIDS still top killer of African adolescents
HIV/AIDS remains the leading cause of death among Africans aged between 10 and 19, UNICEF chief Anthony Lake said Monday at the start of a major international conference on the virus. “Despite remarkable global progress in tackling the HIV/AIDS pandemic,…
4 drug stores fined for selling expired medication in Rajshahi
Dhaka – A mobile court on Sunday fined four pharmacies TK 72,500 for selling date expired medication in Laxmipur area of the city,UNB News Agency Reported.
Red meat consumption may up kidney failure risk
Health Desk Love to binge on red meat such as bacon, sausage, beef or pork? Be careful, an excess intake of red meat may increase the risk of kidney failure, warns a study and adds that consuming plant-based sources of…
Stay fit for your life: Heavy people likely to die earlier than others
Health Desk You have more than one reason to worry if you weigh more than you should, say scientists, who claim that overweight people live one year and obese people three years less than those who are physically fit. Doctors…
Age, gender of a blood donor may impact the result on patient
Health Desk Blood received from young or female donors may yield poorer outcomes in the patients who use them, suggests a new study. The findings in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Internal Medicine are based on a…
Pregnancy multivitamins ‘are a waste of money’
Pregnancy multivitamins are a waste of money because most mothers-to-be do not need them, according to researchers. In Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin, researchers say they looked at all evidence and found supplements did not boost the health of mothers and…
Malaria teamwork spells danger for humans
Getting infected by two malaria species can improve conditions for the second species, making the disease more dangerous and persistent than lone infections, a mouse study shows. According to a paper made public on 5 July, being infected with both…
Fainting may be a sign of more serious illness
Health Desk About 35-40% of people faint at least once in their lives. But, for about 10% of people who visit the emergency room for fainting, it can be a symptom of a potentially life-threatening condition like arrhythmia, or heart…
Playing cards can help regain co-ordination in stroke patients
Health Desk Physical activities such as playing cards and repeatedly throwing a foam ball or wad of paper into a wastepaper basket are just as effective in helping people regain strength and co-ordination following a stroke as playing virtual reality…
Healthy way to enjoy Eid: How to manage diabetes and more
Health Desk During the holy month of Ramadan, people across the globe observe the spiritual practice of abstaining from food and water from dawn till dusk. Fasting can be a beneficial practice for healthy people, but may be risky for…
Disagreement continues over global drug policy
By Tharanga Yakupitiyage UN, (IPS) – A new report has found that global drug use largely remains the same, but perspectives on how to address the issue still vary drastically. The new World Drug Report, released by the UN Office…
69m children will die of preventable causes, says Unicef
UN children’s agency report highlights toll on youngsters by 2030 unless world leaders turn rhetoric into reality on fighting poverty Less than a year after the world promised to leave no one behind by signing up to an ambitious 15-year…
Routine for good night’s sleep
Health Desk The science of sleep is the latest weapon being used by Perth’s top women’s basketball team with research carried out with The University of Western Australia offering hope to anyone who struggles to sleep through the night. Sleep…
Combo therapy may help slow Alzheimer’s down
According to a recent study, combination therapy may hold the key to slowing down Alzheimer’s disease. Resveratrol is a naturally occurring polyphenolic phytochemical produced in several plants, especially grapes skin and seeds. One epidemiological study reported a positive association between…
Method to identify different subtypes of neurons
A team of researchers has developed the first scalable method to identify different subtypes of neurons in the human brain. The research lays the groundwork for “mapping” the gene activity in the human brain and could help provide a better…
Natural remedies for earaches
Health Desk An ear ache, whether dull or sharp, can be incredibly painful. An ear ache is typically caused by a bacterial or viral infection in the ear, explains Mayo Clinic. However, the root cause of an ear infection is…
Adequate sleep cuts major health risks in children, teenagers
Health Desk Both lack or excess of sleep can lead to health risks like hypertension, obesity, diabetes and depression among children and teenagers, warns a research team led by an Indian-origin scientist. The findings showed that insufficient hours of sleep…