insert_link Africa Health risks at home: a study in six African countries shows how healthy housing saves children’s lives The WHO has developed guidelines outlining the attributes of healthy housing. These include structural soundness, as well as access to a local community that enables social interactions. Healthy housing protects inhabitants from the effects of disasters, pollution, waste and extreme heat or cold. It provides a feeling of home, including a sense of belonging, security and privacy. Health risks in the home environment are important to think about because of […] todayMarch 26, 2024 32
insert_link Health / Medical Cardiovascular risks and COVID-19: New research confirms the benefits of vaccination Common cardiovascular complications of COVID-19 — including blood clots, stroke, arrhythmias and heart attacks — were substantially reduced in vaccinated patients. (Shutterstock) Glen Pyle, University of Guelph COVID-19 is a respiratory disease. Yet, from the earliest days of the pandemic, the cardiovascular risks associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection were clear: individuals with severe cases of COVID-19 often died from cardiovascular complications, and those with pre-existing cardiovascular disease were more likely to […] todayMarch 26, 2024 16
insert_link Health / Medical Health professionals need to collaborate. Changing how they’re taught helps build that skill It’s crucial that medical professionals learn to collaborate. Katleho Seisa Gérard Charl Filies, University of the Western Cape and Luzaan Africa, University of the Western Cape When health professionals collaborate rather than operating in silos, everyone benefits – patients, families and the health system at large. This is a fact supported by ample research evidence. The professionals reap the benefits, too: staff satisfaction and retention are improved through collaboration. But […] todayMarch 26, 2024 21
insert_link Health / Medical Early births – between 34 and 37 weeks – for moms with pre-eclampsia can reduce baby and mother deaths By Alice Beardmore-Gray, King's College London About half a million babies die each year as a result of pre-eclampsia, an aggressive and potentially life-threatening problem in pregnancy. Approximately 46,000 women also die each year due to the disorder. The condition – a high blood pressure (hypertension) disorder – can affect multiple organs in the woman’s body, including the liver, kidneys, heart, brain and blood clotting system, as well as the […] todayMarch 26, 2024 25
insert_link Health / Medical Medical science has made great strides in fighting TB, but reducing poverty is the best way to end this disease By Tom Nyirenda, Stellenbosch University Every year, 10 million people fall ill with tuberculosis. Even though the disease is both preventable and curable, it kills 1.5 million people each year, making it the world’s deadliest infectious disease. Over 25% of these deaths occur in African countries. The World Health Organization has developed a strategy to reduce TB deaths by 95% by 2035. It’s a monumental task. […] todayMarch 26, 2024 17
insert_link Health / Medical Announcing Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis should have been simple. But the palace let it get out of hand By Victoria Fielding, University of Adelaide and Saira Ali, University of Adelaide The British royal family is famous for its carefully curated media image. That’s why it was a surprise to see them lose control of the narrative in the wake of what we now know is a serious health crisis befalling Catherine, Princess of Wales (or Kate Middleton as she’s popularly known). It is clear the […] todayMarch 26, 2024 34
insert_link Environment Bird flu: what is it, how does it spread and how can we protect ourselves from it? By Daniel Oladimeji Oluwayelu, University of Ibadan There has been an outbreak of H5N1 bird flu in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso’s capital. The viral disease, also called avian influenza, killed 441 chickens out of a flock of 641 on a farm. There have been several outbreaks bird flu across Africa over the past 18 years. Nigeria was the first African country to report an outbreak in February 2006. […] todayMarch 25, 2024 12
insert_link Health / Medical EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: Empowering Voices: A Conversation with Bianca Ozcan on Spinal Muscular Atrophy In a recent interview, Bianca Ozcan sheds light on the critical work being done by SMA Europe, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting individuals and families affected by Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) across Europe. Bianca had the privilege of attending the fourth Scientific Congress of SMA in Ghent, Belgium, alongside representatives from SMA South Africa and Ghana, highlighting the global reach and impact of SMA advocacy efforts. SMA, short for […] todayMarch 25, 2024 92
Health / Medical Almost 50% of adult South Africans are overweight or obese. Poverty and poor nutrition are largely to blame By Thokozani Simelane, Human Sciences Research Council Malnutrition, in all its forms, includes undernutrition (wasting, stunting, underweight), inadequate vitamins or minerals, overweight and obesity. South Africa has undergone a nutritional transition over the past 30 years characterised by the triple burden of malnutrition: households are simultaneously experiencing undernutrition, hidden hunger, and overweight or obesity due to nutrient-poor diets. Results of the first in-depth, nationwide study into food […] todayMarch 18, 2024 23
