Category: Health

New research sheds light on major causes of maternal deaths Haemorrhage – severe heavy bleeding – and hypertensive disorders like preeclampsia are the leading causes of maternal deaths globally, according to a new study released today by the World Health Organization (WHO). These conditions were responsible for around 80 000 and 50 000 fatalities respectively in 2020 […]

Boots, the UK’s leading pharmacy and beauty retailer, is on the verge of being sold for up to €9.5 billion, as its US parent company, Walgreens Boots Alliance, seeks to offload the struggling brand. The potential deal, which could be finalized as soon as this weekend, comes amid significant financial challenges, including the closure of […]

In a stark assessment of the current situation of the health crisis, Deputy UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif warned that more than nine million people do not receive treatment, while 4,000 girls and young women contract the virus every week. A staggering three-quarters of them live in sub-Saharan Africa, she noted, reminding Member […]

The health agency highlighted that essential prevention, testing and treatment services are collapsing, leaving millions at risk. The hardest-hit regions include Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Western Pacific, where national TB programmes depend heavily on international support. “Any disruption to TB services – whether financial, political or operational – can have devastating and often fatal […]

In its 2024 Annual Report, released on Tuesday, the INCB explains that unlike plant-based drugs, these substances can be made anywhere, without the need for large-scale cultivation, making them easier and cheaper for traffickers to produce and distribute. The rise of powerful opioids like fentanyl and nitazenes – potent enough to cause overdoses in tiny […]

As the European Commission rushes to meet its March 11 deadline for presenting the Critical Medicines Act, the EU’s pharmaceutical industry is raising alarms about the rushed timeline and lack of proper evaluation. Originally promised by Health Commissioner Oliver Várhelyi within the first 100 days of his mandate, the proposal aims to address critical shortages […]

A recent study published in The Lancet Public Health highlights both progress and ongoing challenges in addressing global suicide rates. While the global suicide rate has dropped by nearly 40% since 1990, suicide remains a major public health crisis, causing about 740,000 deaths annually—equivalent to one death every 43 seconds. The study, led by IHME […]

A groundbreaking study by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has uncovered critical early warning signs of multiple sclerosis (MS), revealing how lesions—key markers of the disease—form in the brain. Using an animal model that mimics human MS, researchers have developed a four-dimensional brain map that could revolutionize how we detect and treat the disease […]

In recent months, disease surveillance has identified increases in cases and fatalities on three occasions across different areas of the country, which triggered follow-up investigations to confirm the cause and provide needed support, WHO said in a statement. Symptoms include fever, headache, chills, sweating, stiff neck, muscle aches, multiple joint pain and body aches, a runny […]

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is rapidly becoming a cornerstone of modern healthcare, revolutionizing everything from patient care to hospital operations. With its ability to analyze vast amounts of data and learn from patterns, AI is reshaping the medical field in ways that were once thought impossible. From preventing falls to reducing hospital readmissions, AI is not […]