Needle sharing rife among Egypt's drug users

“Sharing needles and syringes is very high in Egypt. This is very alarming because although only 1 percent of IDUs are HIV-positive, the high percentage of needle sharing may mean that we are sitting on a ticking bomb,” Ehab Kharrat, a senior programme adviser for the UNDP HIV/AIDS Regional Programme in the Arab States (HARPAS), told IRIN. Read more >>

Animated HIV ads target the young

An animert (animated advert) that was praised at last week's International Animation Festival in France has been nominated by local youngsters for a Khuza Award, it was announced yesterday, Thursday, 18 June 2009. The animert was from South Africa's Scrutinize HIV/AIDS youth awareness campaign. Read more >>

Too few doctors to implement National Health Insurance proposals

‘Ongoing doctors' strikes have highlighted the poor salaries, long hours, unsafe and under-resourced working environments,' says Profmed's principal officer Graham Anderson. He also says there are too few doctors to implement the proposed National Health Insurance plan. Read more >>

Early signs of diabetes found in seven-year-olds

US researchers find early signs of diabetes in healthy children as young as seven. Read more >>

Is your brand sick or healthy?

[Issa Sikiti da Silva] In the 21st century, when many companies have become obsessed with huge profits and executives are eager to pocket fat bonuses and please anxious shareholders, sometimes corporate social responsibility has been almost buried and forgotten. Day and night, brand managers are looking for strategies to ensure that their product stays at the top. Read more >>

Red Nail's free campaign to save children

According to the Walter Sisulu Paediatric Cardiac Centre for Africa (WSPCCA,) at the Netcare Sunninghill Hospital, one out of every 100 children born in the world has a congenital heart defect. In Africa, 99% of these children die due to lack of treatment. Ironically, given financial resources, 95% of these babies could be saved. Creative agency Red Nail has come to the party by creating a pro bono, multi-media campaign to create a call to action for donations to the WSPCCA, enabling them to diagnose, treat and perform life saving interventions, it was announced on Monday, 15 June 2009. Read more >>

Dept confirms first case of swine flu in SA

[Gabi Khumalo] PRETORIA: The department of health has confirmed a diagnosis of the first case of H1N1, identified as swine flu, in South Africa. Read more >>

Play your part - don't spread diseases

Preventing spread of infectious diseases is everyone's responsibility - and everyone's job. Read more >>

Profmed said to be performing well on all fronts

Speaking after the release of the Profmed 2008 Annual Report earlier in June 2009, principal officer Graham Anderson, said that he was pleased with the performance of the medical scheme during the period under review on a number of strategic fronts. Read more >>

Honey more effective than antibiotics

In the first study of its kind University of Sydney researchers have found proof that some honeys can be more effective than antibiotics in treating surface wounds and infections. Read more >>

Tai Chi shows positive health benefits for arthritis

A new study by The George Institute for International Health has found Tai Chi to have positive health benefits for musculoskeletal pain. The results of the first comprehensive analysis of Tai Chi suggest that it produces positive effects for improving pain and disability among arthritis sufferers. Read more >>

Don't wait too long to have a baby

Women are being warned that they should consider starting a family before the age of 35 or they will risk missing out on motherhood. Read more >>

Using light to kill cancer

Novel light-sensitive compounds show promise for photodynamic cancer therapy. Read more >>

FDA focuses on contact lens safety

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is taking steps to improve contact lens safety by reminding consumers of the importance of following proper cleaning and storing procedures. Consumers who do not follow instructions for contact lens care and use increase their risk of serious eye infections that can lead to blindness. Read more >>

Snoring during pregnancy may mean greater risk for gestational diabetes

If you are pregnant and your mate complains your frequent snoring is rattling the bedroom windows, you may have bigger problems than an annoyed, sleep-deprived partner. Read more >>