Health

June 17, 2024 1:53 PM

World falling behind on environment, health and hunger goals, UN report says

The world is way off track on most of the sustainable development targets agreed in 2015, such as tackling poverty and hunger, says a United Nations report which cites funding shortfalls, geopolitical tensions and the COVID-19 pandemic. The U.N.'s annual Sustainable Development Report ranks the performance of its 193 member states in implementing 17 wide-ranging "sustainable development goals" (SDGs), which also include improving access to education and health care, providing clean energy and p...

June 13, 2024 3:26 PM

Study reveals how HPV-based screening can help eliminate cervical cancer

Using human papillomavirus (HPV)-based screening could eliminate cervical cancer in British Columbia by 2040, based on a modelling study. The findings of the study were published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ). Nine high-risk HPV strains are the cause of more than 90 per cent of instances of cervical cancer worldwide. Targets to eradicate cervical cancer by 2040--defined as an annual rate of less than 4 per 100,000 women--have been set by the World Health Organization and t...

May 30, 2024 5:25 PM

WHO emergencies team faces funding crunch as health crises multiply

The World Health Organization's emergencies department is facing “existential threats” as multiplying health crises have left it so short of cash that it needed emergency funds to pay staff salaries at the end of last year, an independent report said. It will likely have to ask for funding again to cover salaries up to June, the document, released ahead of the WHO’s annual meeting in Geneva this week, said. In 2023, the department responded to 72 emergencies. They included earthquakes in...

GREECE - 2021/04/23: In this photo illustration, a World Health Organization logo seen displayed on a smartphone screen with a computer keyboard in the background. (Photo Illustration by Nikolas Joao Kokovlis/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

May 27, 2024 4:55 PM

WHO launches new fundraising effort to raise $7 billion for global health challenges

The World Health Organization has launched a new 'Investment Round' to raise $7 billion in funds. This coincides with the start of the 77th World Health Assembly on Monday at the headquarters of the 194-member UN agency. At a media briefing last week, WHO chief General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the 'Investment Round' is designed to ensure that voluntary contributions, comprising the majority of the WHO funding, will be more predictable, flexible, and sustainable. "Our new Investment...

May 16, 2024 9:22 PM

Intermittent fasting protects against liver inflammation, cancer: study

Fatty liver disease, often leading to chronic liver inflammation and potentially liver cancer, is a significant health concern. Researchers at the German Cancer Research Centre (DKFZ) and the University of Tubingen have discovered in mice that intermittent fasting, particularly on a 5:2 schedule, can halt this progression. Fasting appears to reduce the development of liver cancer in mice already experiencing liver inflammation. Scientists identified two proteins in liver cells responsible for t...

JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - APRIL 30: Supportive messages hang on a wall of the group counseling room in the A Woman's Choice of Jacksonville clinic, which provides abortion care on April 30, 2024, in Jacksonville, Florida. A six-week abortion ban that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed will go into effect on May 1st. Kelly Flynn, President/CEO of A Woman's Choice of Jacksonville, said, “People have been calling us in desperation all week. We're staying open to see every patient in need. But there are still thousands who we know Florida abortion care providers cannot see before Wednesday. To the north and the west, Alabama has a total ban; Georgia and South Carolina have six-week bans and many more states have bans in place that prevent people from taking control of their own lives. All the patients we can't see will now have to travel a very long way IF they have the resources to make the trip. I know many cannot. We hoped we would never have to operate under these oppressive conditions, and we will help as many as we can to get the abortion care they need and deserve." (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

May 1, 2024 1:47 PM

Breast cancer screening should begin at age 40, US panel says

Women at average risk for breast cancer should get screening mammograms every other year starting at age 40, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) said on Tuesday, cementing insurance coverage for the procedure for that age group under the law. The USPSTF's influential recommendation, published in JAMA, reverses its controversial 2009 guidance that breast cancer screening should begin at age 50. Its updated guidelines bring it in line with other major organizations that say women at...

April 8, 2024 5:10 PM

5 reasons why you should add skipping to your workout routine

5 reasons why you should add skipping to your workout routine Skipping is a great choice for staying healthy. Whether you aim to shed pounds or simply enjoy it, it's a fantastic way to keep fit and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Discover all about skipping routines, suitable even for beginners, and the many health advantages it offers. Improves heart health Skipping is excellent for your heart health and could lower your risk of heart disease and stroke when combined with a healthy lifestyle ...