GHANA: Defeating drug counterfeiters with SMS

Pharmaceutical drug counterfeiters can foil even the most sophisticated technology if consumers cannot personally verify their medication's safety, according to Ghanaian entrepreneurs who will soon introduce in West Africa verification via cell phone text. Read more >>

Dangers of obesity rival those of smoking

Severe obesity is a damaging to health as a lifetime of smoking, according to researchers from the University of Oxford. Read more >>

Little girls reach for a dream

The Lakes Hotel and Conference Centre, Benoni, played host to a worthy cause on Saturday 14 March. It welcomed 15 little girls from the St Francis Home in Boksburg as part of a special project for the girls.
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Black Like Me enters the health and wellness market

Hair and skin care company Black Like Me has diversified its operations with the launch of sister company Well Like Me, focused on the health, wellness and natural healing market. Its first product to hit the shelves, Well Like Me Immune Recovery, is a natural herbal supplement formulated to assist in increasing immune strength, detoxifing the body and fighting fatigue.
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KENYA: Cholera affecting 10 districts

Cholera has killed at least 22 people and infected some 660 in different parts of the country since late 2008, according to a senior health official. Read more >>

Cancer drug fuels tumour growth

New research shows that a cancer drug designed to stunt tumour growth actually makes tumours grow faster if given at too low a dose. Read more >>

Hopes for maggot treatment for ulcers premature

A new study from the UK has shown that treating leg ulcers with maggots is not better than conventional treatment. Read more >>

Hormone to restart reproduction

Scientists may have found a less risky form of fertility treatment. Read more >>

Vegetarians get fewer cancers

A vegetarian diet may help to protect against cancer, a UK study suggests. Read more >>

Vitamin combination may prevent hydrocephalus

Researchers say taking a special vitamin supplement during pregnancy could prevent hydrocephalus - one of the most common birth brain defects. Read more >>

Seven steps to successful weight loss in children and teens

Overweight children and adolescents, with the active involvement of their parents and families, can successfully lose weight by following the Seven Steps to Success described in the current issue of Obesity Management , a journal published by Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. Read more >>

Austell Laboratories turns four

Independent, Johannesburg-based pharmaceutical company Austell Laboratories will celebrate its fourth birthday in April 2009. Initially the company was established as Camox Pharmaceuticals in 2000 with an initial focus on tender-based products. In 2005 the company entered the private market and Austell Laboratories (Pty) Ltd was established.
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China tells doctors to stop smoking

The Chinese health ministry has launched a campaign to stop smoking among doctors and other medical workers. Read more >>

Economic gains to be found in providing glasses for the poor who need them

More than 150 million people worldwide are visually impaired or blind as a result of not having appropriate glasses, according to a report. Read more >>

World drugs problem resistant to all attempts to curb it, says European Union

The global illegal drug problem has not reduced during the past 10 years despite stronger policies to help users and tackle traffickers, according to a report prepared for the European Commission. Read more >>

AFRICA: Pope's comments stoke condom debate

In his first public statement on condoms and AIDS earlier this week, Pope Benedict XVI reignited an international debate between religious leaders working with AIDS patients and European governments that fund anti-HIV programmes in developing countries. Read more >>

Health benefits of fish over emphasised

The health benefits of fish have been over dramatised, leading to pressure on world fish stocks, according to new research from Canada Read more >>

MOZAMBIQUE: Health workers killed in tragic case of ignorance

The Mozambican Red Cross has halted its health work in the northern province of Nampula following the killing of two volunteers by the local community, who were convinced they were deliberately spreading cholera. Read more >>

Tobacco remains major global threat to health - CANSA

South Africa needs to step up its efforts to make the country 100% tobacco free by 2010, said the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA) in a statement on 16 March, after attending a world conference on tobacco control. Read more >>

Smoking on the increase due to harsh economic times - Redline

A survey by the American Legacy Foundation found that 25% of American smokers said that worrying about the economy made them smoke more every day1. Seventy-seven percent of current smokers report increased stress levels due to the current state of the economy and two-thirds of those smokers say this stress has had an effect on their smoking 2. Read more >>

Clicks is stopping TB - Magna Carta

World TB Day takes place on 24th March 2009 and the slogan for this year (from the Stop TB Partnership) is “I am stopping TB”, which is a campaign that started last year and is designed to create a feeling of ownership and empowerment. Read more >>

Do you cut your lifeline in hard times? - TeleMed

As the economic slump starts to wreak havoc on our finances, South Africans may resort to cancelling their medical aids to free up some cash. Read more >>

Over-charging yet under-delivering: does your medical scheme fall foul? - Traffic Integrated Marketing

Medical schemes announce their rate increases and benefit changes annually. Yet do you really understand what this means for you as an individual? Why are these changes made and will you retain all of the benefits you signed for at the conception of your medical cover? Read more >>

Colorectal cancer awareness month - Matrix Advertising

March is colorectal cancer awareness month Read more >>

Each MDR-TB suffered can infect 15 other people - The Write Agency

Pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly is hoping to use this World TB Month to raise awareness about tuberculosis, and in particular, to further educate all South Africans about drug resistant strains of the disease. World TB day falls on Tuesday 24 March this year. Read more >>