SWAZILAND: Every third woman sexually abused as a child, says report
One in three Swazi women has suffered some form of sexual abuse as a child; one in four experienced physical violence, a new United Nations survey revealed this week.

Households with kids with autism likely to earn less
New US research suggests that the average household with children with autism not only spends thousands of dollars toward educational, behavioural and health care expenses each year, but also suffers from a lesser-known cost that hits them up front – a sizeable chunk of missed household income, perhaps as much as $6,200 annually.

Physical activity a natural pain killer in arthritis
Regular exercise is an effective way to relieve arthritis pain, according to a new study.

Kandoro events supports Reach for a Dream - Kadoro Events & Communications
True to form Amanda Maynard and her vibrant Kadoro team have been identified as leaders in their field - and approached by the Reach for a Dream Foundation to assist with their public relations and eventing initiatives.

Burn care skills shortage to be treated by UK's first specialist professional qualification
The University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Foundation Trust has launched the UK's first program specifically for practitioners in burns care - with backing from Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU).

Kenya: Government to roll out male circumcision
The Kenyan government has embarked on an ambitious national programme to fast track the national rollout of male circumcision as a means of preventing HIV.

Nigeria: No condoms for Anambra State
It is now illegal to encourage the use of condoms in southeast Nigeria's Anambra State. The state government has also banned the advocacy and distribution of other forms of contraceptives including IUDs (intrauterine device) and any other “un-natural” birth control.

Nose spray anthrax vaccine effective in early tests
Early studies show that a new mucosal vaccine against anthrax has the potential to provide military personnel with more effective and efficient protection against a “popular” bio weapon, according to a study published today in the journal Clinical and Vaccine Immunology (CVI). With the new vaccine, researchers sought to take two steps at once, fine-tuning its ingredients and delivering it by nose spray instead of injection.


Sudan: Southern authorities stockpile meningitis drugs
Southern Sudan has stocked up on meningitis drugs in the capital Juba and various states in a bid to minimise the impact of a possible outbreak during the dry season, a senior official said.


Person-to-person transmission of avian flu in China
An early online publication in The Lancet reports on possible person-to-person transmission of avian flu in a family in China.

Proactive approach the best defence against flu - Oz Healthcare Communications
Children's specialists urge parents to immunize at-risk children against the flu.

Rare genetic syndrome may hold key to cure for heat stroke
A genetic disorder that can cause a fatal rise in body temperature in some patients undergoing general anaesthesia may hold the key to a cure for heat stroke, according to research published in the April 4 edition of the journal Cell. The findings further suggest that antioxidants, like those currently being tested to protect the lungs of cystic fibrosis patients, may also protect those genetically prone to suffer heat stroke.

New electronic detection system for infectious illness
Researchers at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Harvard Medical School, Atrius Health, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health have created and tested a set of computer programs that use electronic medical records to help clinicians detect contagious illness and automatically report them to public health departments.

Tiny scaffolding inserted into brain could reduce damage caused by strokes
Inserting tiny scaffolding into the brain could dramatically reduce damage caused by strokes the UK National Stem Cell Network Annual Science Meeting will hear today (10 April).

Better monitoring with smart medical devices
Medical monitoring devices already constitute a multibillion-dollar business, and with an aging population, the segment is likely to grow. Some devices are now being designed with network connectivity to allow doctors to monitor patients and patients to track their progress.

USB-ED presents the only programme in Health Technology Assessment in SA - USB-ED
USB Executive Development will again be presenting its Programme in Health Technology Assessment in association with Qualsa, a company that specialises in health-risk management.

Farm animals as effective as dogs and cats in alleviating mental illness
Therapy with farm animals may be as beneficial to those with mental health problems as that with dogs and cats.

Somalia: Raising awareness against FGM in Puntland
Halima [not her real name], a mother of five girls, shudders whenever she remembers how she suffered after undergoing female genital mutilation (FGM/Cutting), a practice still widespread in Somalia.

Cells in the mouth reflect lung damage from smoking
Molecular marker in the cells lining the mouth can mirror the damage done to the lungs by smoking.

Sunbeds can prove fatal
Eight out of ten sunbed users have increased their risk of a life-threatening form of skin cancer by around 75% according to Cancer Research UK.

Less sleep, more TV leads to overweight infants and toddlers
[Ann Plasso, Harvard Medical School] Infants and toddlers who sleep less than 12 hours a day and who watch two or more hours of television per day are twice as likely to become overweight by age 3 than children who sleep longer. This is the first study to investigate the link between sleep and overweight in very young children.

Overweight kids have fewer cavities, new study shows
Contrary to conventional wisdom, overweight children have fewer cavities and healthier teeth compared to their normal weight peers, according to a study published in this month's issue of Community Dentistry & Oral Epidemiology.

Pharma must adapt to changing market dynamics in 2008
Headaches abound for pharma companies in today's market. Pharma faces growing competition from generics and ‘me-too' drugs, increasingly tough pricing and reimbursement (P&R), a clamp down on healthcare spending, and the need to treat patients for longer due to the aging population. Combined, these factors threaten both current and future revenues, prompting Pharma to adopt a range of corporate strategies to respond to the changing market dynamics, according to a new report by independent market analyst Datamonitor.

ISRAEL: New report says poor giving up on nutritious food
A new Israeli government report has said a third of the population has stopped buying vital nutritious food and is using any spare cash to pay for such things as utility bills.

Ageing delayed by aerobic fitness
Biological ageing can be seriously delayed by keeping aerobically fit through middle age and beyond.

Benin: Young faces eaten away by ignorance
In just four months the face of this child in northern Benin was eaten away by the disease known as Noma. And yet it could have easily been prevented.


AFRICA: Climate change linked to spread of disease
Climate change is emerging as a major threat to health and adding pressure on public health systems, especially in Africa, a senior UN official has said.

Doctor suggests cellphones may be riskier than cigarettes
The danger of developing a brain tumor from extended mobile phone use is greater than the risk presented by smoking, an Australian doctor has concluded. Neurosurgeon Vini G. Khurana reached his conclusion by reviewing other studies into the connection between mobile phones and cancer.

Rich must pay climate change health costs
Countries, mostly in the developing world, could spend between US$6 to $18 billion a year by 2030 to manage additional costs to health services as a result of climate change, according to independent research cited by a World Health Organisation (WHO) official, hence the need for rich countries responsible for global warming to help pay towards these additional health costs.

Is media violence linked to violence in society?
There may be some evidence that, in the short term, media violence can lead to violence by children.

Rising food prices cause deaths in Haiti
The World Food Programme has called for more aid for Haiti, the western hemisphere's poorest country, after four people died in rioting.

Liver failure and black cohosh
A menopausal woman in Australia suffered liver failure after regular use of black cohosh for three years.