IGIHE

Category: Health

  • 7 Job-seekers Collapsed in the heat while undergoing Fitness Test

    South African media say provincial authorities are investigating the deaths of seven job-seekers who collapsed in the heat while undergoing a fitness test for positions as traffic officers.

    The chief transport official for KwaZulu-Natal province, Willies Mchunu, has suspended further test in the meantime.

    The state-owned South African Broadcasting Corporation reported that several tens of thousands of people took the fitness test late last week, even though only 90 jobs were available.

    They were required to run four kilometers (2.5 miles) in temperatures of more than 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit), and many collapsed from dehydration and heat exhaustion. Some received hospital treatment.

    South Africa’s official statistics show that the unemployment rate is 25 percent, an indication why so many were applying for the 90 jobs.

  • Rusororo Youth test For HIV

    About 2,967 youth in Rusororo Sector of Gasabo District have been tested for HIV and 81 of those tested were found to be infected.

    This was revealed during a meeting held to assess the 2012 achievement of Kabuga Youth Centre which is the Centre for mobilization of youth.

    Mungarakarama Deo, the Coordinator of youth in Kabuga has said the number of infected has decreased due to the massive sensitization aiming to fight against new infections among the youth.

    Apart from testing youth, there are also other activities including teaching them about the use of condoms, fidelity and family planning and how to prevent infection.

  • India Gang-rape Victim in Singapore for Treatment

    A young woman who was gang-raped and assaulted on a moving bus in the Indian capital was flown Thursday to a Singapore hospital for treatment of severe internal injuries that could last several weeks, officials said.

    The 23-year-old student, who is in critical condition, arrived in Singapore on an air ambulance and was admitted to the Mount Elizabeth hospital, renowned for multi-organ transplant facilities.

    The hospital said in a statement that she was admitted to the intensive care unit “in an extremely critical condition.” It said “she is being examined and the hospital is working with the Indian High Commission (embassy).”

    The Dec. 16 rape of the woman and her brutal beating triggered widespread protests in New Delhi and other parts of the country and calls for the death penalty for the perpetrators of rape.

    It is punishable by up to life in prison.

    All six suspects in the case have been arrested.

  • 3000 Rwandan Men Vasectomised

    Men are being encouraged to have vasectomies, as Rwanda launches a campaign to curb population growth.

    The Rwanda Health Ministry offers the “no-scalpel” procedure for free, to encourage Rwandan men to share the burden of family planning which has traditionally been the lot of women.

    To date about 3000 men have stopped reproduction to comply with family planning program aiming at reducing the birth rate among Rwandan communities.

    The Ministry of Health said the Program of encouraging men to have vasectomies started in 2008.

    Fidele Kagabo, in charge of Family planning in the Ministry of Health has said the increase of number of men joining family planning was due to the massive sensitization, however, Kagabo said “there is still long way to go.”

    Health specialists said some of the challenges the program faces is that some people in the targeted group are not joining because of cultural and religious barriers.

  • Antibiotics Not Effective on Cough

    Antibiotics are ineffective in treating patients with persistent coughs caused by mild chest infections, the Lancet journal reports.

    About 2,000 patients across 12 European countries filled in an ‘illness’ diary.

    The study found that the severity and duration of symptoms in patients treated with antibiotics were no different to those given a placebo.

    But experts caution that if pneumonia is suspected, antibiotics should still be used due to the disease’s severity.

    Prof Paul Little from the University of Southampton, who led the research, said, “Using the antibiotic amoxicillin to treat respiratory infections in patients not suspected of having pneumonia is not likely to help and could be harmful.

    Most mild chest infections will settle by themselves with no need for antibiotics – as mainly caused by viruses”

    Dr Nick Hopkinson British Lung Foundatio

    “Overuse of antibiotics, dominated by primary care prescribing, particularly when they are ineffective, can lead to the development of resistance and have side effects like diarrhoea, rash and vomiting.

    “Our results show that people get better on their own. But given that a small number of patients will benefit from antibiotics the challenge remains to identify these individuals.”

    Previous research into whether or not antibiotics are beneficial in the treatment of chest infections, where symptoms include shortness of breath, weakness, high fever, coughing and fatigue, have produced conflicting results- particularly in older people where chest infections can lead to further complications.

    This study randomly divided patients into two groups – one received the antibiotic and the other was given a placebo, an inert treatment in the form of a sugar pill, three times a day for seven days.

    The study found little difference in the severity and duration of symptoms reported between groups.

    This was also true for older patients – those aged 60 years or over – who made up nearly a third of the study.

    And those taking antibiotics were reported to have more side effects including nausea, rash and diarrhoea than those given the placebo.

    Chest infections are one of the most common problems patients go to their GP about.

    Dr Nick Hopkinson, a member of the British Lung Foundation, thought the study was helpful back-up when patients ask them for antibiotics.

    He said: “Some patients with mild chest infections will ask for a prescription – this study can help GPs suggest it may not be the best thing for them.

    “Most mild chest infections will settle by themselves with no need for antibiotics – as they are mainly caused by viruses. Those with mild infections are told to come back if symptoms don’t get better.

    “This study is encouraging and supports what GPs are already doing.”

    Overprescribing of antibiotics can lead to bacterial infection resistance.

    Dr Michael Moore, from the Royal College of General Practitioners, who also co-authored the study, said, “It is important that GPs are clear when they should and should not prescribe antibiotics to patients to reduce the emergence of bacterial resistance in the community.

    “This study backs the approach taken in the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines that patients who present with acute lower respiratory tract infection where pneumonia is not suspected can be reassured by their GP that they will recover without antibiotics and that the illness is likely to last about three weeks in total whether or not they have a prescription.”

    The European study, which included Belgium, England, France and Germany, took place between November 2007 and April 2010.

    It looked at 2,061 patients who had a persistent cough lasting more than 28 days and where a chest infection, like bronchitis, was suspected.

    Those thought to have pneumonia were excluded from the study due to the severity of the disease if not treated promptly.

    Participants completed a daily diary for the duration of their illness and rated the severity of their symptoms including cough, shortness of breath, chest pain, and blocked.

  • Man Without Heart Dies After 6 Months

    A Czech man whose heart had been replaced with two mechanical pumps died six months after the surgery, aged 37.

    Jakub Halik had been unable to take the drugs required to receive a transplant due to an earlier diagnosis of cancer.

    After the surgery, he had to carry a battery pack to keep his heart pumping but reported feeling physically healthy. He was even able to exercise at the gym.

    The operation was done last April by Jan Pirk, director of cardiology at the Institute of Clinical and Experimental Medicine in Prague.

    The team designed two plastic pumps to perform the roles of the right and left sides of the heart.

    The doctors said a liver problem caused his death, not the artificial heart. A post-mortem is still under way.

    The only other person to have received the same surgery, a man in Texas, survived for only a week.

  • Uganda Plans Forced HIV Test For All

    Uganda has announced plans to forcefully conduct HIV tests on anyone visitng a health center.

    Its reported that anyone who visits a health centre or hospital for treatment will be required to undergo an HIV test if Health Ministry officials get approval for a new plan.

    Dr Alex Ario, the HIV/Aids control programme manager at the ministry, said the new ‘Know your Status’ policy is in response to an increase in HIV prevalence in the country.

    “People who know their status are unlikely to engage in risky behaviour,” Dr Ario said. “The important question is: What do we lose if everybody is tested?”

    HIV testing is currently voluntary. Under the new plan, people who attend health centres will have to take the HIV test as part of their treatment or check-up.

    Those who test positive will immediately be enrolled on a counselling and treatment programme.

  • Gasabo Youth Trained on Reproductive Health

    Following findings that Youth in Gasabo District lack access to reproductive health information and services the District has decided to train them on the issue to avoid further negative consequences.

    District officials have urged the trainees to share experiences among other people and help them to know the importance of their reproductive health.

    Youth are being trained in reproductive health, about HIV/AIDS, Family planning issues and fighting against Drug abuses and thereafter they will return and train other youth in their respective sectors.

    Mungwarakarama Deo in charge of Kabuga Youth Centre has said many youth in the District need to know more about their health reproduction.

    It is expected that after completing a four-day training they will be aware of programs related to reproductive health.

    From 2005-2010 Rwanda’s Total Fertility Rate dropped from 6.1 to 4.6.
    During this period, Contraceptive Prevalence Rate increased from 10 per cent to 45 per cent.

  • Free Cleft Lip Surgery Starts in Rwamagana

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  • Tanzania Reduces AIDS Deaths

    The number of Tanzanians dying of Aids has gone down dramatically, raising hope that investment in anti-retroviral therapy and treatment is paying off.

    According to the United Nations World Aids Day Report 2012, Tanzania has reduced the number of Aids-related deaths by 48,000 annually between 2005 and 2011.

    It was previously estimated that Aids killed 86,000 people in Tanzania annually.

    Globally, more than 500,000 fewer people died from Aids-related illnesses than six years earlier.

    Overall, sub-Saharan Africa has cut the number of people dying of Aids-related causes by 32 per cent between 2005 and 2011. This means that more people than ever who are living with HIV are being helped to live longer, healthier and more productive lives.

    According to the UN report, the largest drop in Aids-related deaths was recorded in countries where HIV has the strongest grip.

    “In South Africa, 100,000 fewer deaths occurred, followed by nearly 90,000 in Zimbabwe, 71, 000 in Kenya, 59,000 in Ethiopia and 48,000 in Tanzania.”

    Countries with smaller populations in the region, but high HIV prevalence, like Botswana, Rwanda, Namibia, Zambia, Burundi and Cote d’Ivoire, have also made significant gains in averting deaths related to Aids, reducing the number of deaths by between 71 and 51 per cent.

    The report attributes the success to the massive scaling up of HIV treatment access that enabled tens of thousands of people living with HIV to receive lifesaving antiretroviral therapy.

    The Tanzania Commission for Aids (Tacaids) says Aids-related deaths and new infections could drop further because more people were taking voluntary HIV tests and seeking free treatment.

    “With the exception of expectant mothers, who are compulsorily tested for HIV, more people are taking voluntary tests. This shows that people are becoming aware of the importance of knowing their HIV status and receiving treatment if they have the virus,” Tacaids public relations officer Glory Mziray said.

    According to the report, Tanzania and Kenya jointly rank third in HIV/Aids prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa. Each has 1.6 million people living with HIV/Aids.

    South Africa tops the list with 5.1 million people living with HIV/Aids followed by Nigeria with three million.
    Other countries hit hard by the scourge are Uganda (1.4 million), Mozambique (1.4 million), Zimbabwe (1.2 million), Zambia (970,000) and Ethiopia (790,000).

    The report further says there were 700,000 fewer new HIV infections globally in 2011 than in 2001. Africa has cut Aids-related deaths by a third in the past six years.

    Latest data shows that a 50 per cent reduction in the rate of new HIV infections has been achieved in 25 low- and middle-income countries between 2001 and 2011. More than half of these countries are in sub- Saharan Africa where the majority of new HIV infections occur.

    In a further nine countries the rate of new HIV infections fell steeply—by at least one third between 2001 and 2011.

    “The national declines in HIV incidence in populations show that sustained investments and increased political leadership for the Aids response are paying dividends. In particular, countries with a concurrent scale up of HIV prevention and treatment programmes are seeing a drop in new HIV infections to record lows,” says the report.

    In Southern Africa, where most countries have large numbers of people living with HIV or high HIV prevalence, the number of people acquiring HIV has been dramatically reduced.

    Between 2001 and 2011, the rate of new HIV infections dropped by 73 per cent in Malawi, 71 per cent in Botswana, 68 per cent in Namibia, 58 per cent in Zambia and 50 per cent in Zimbabwe.

    South Africa, which has the highest number of HIV infections, reduced new infections by 41 per cent. In Swaziland, which has the world’s highest HIV prevalence, new HIV infections dropped by 37 per cent.