Category: Health

Officials say vaccines are highly effective against the Delta variant, now the dominant variant worldwide, though the study reiterated that one shot of the vaccines is not enough for high protection.

The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, confirms headline findings given by Public Health England in May about the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines made by Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca, based on real-world data.

Wednesday’s study found that two doses of Pfizer’s shot was 88% effective at preventing symptomatic disease from the Delta variant, compared to 93.7% against the Alpha variant, broadly the same as previously reported.

Two shots of AstraZeneca vaccine were 67% effective against the Delta variant, up from 60% originally reported, and 74.5% effective against the Alpha variant, compared to an original estimate of 66% effectiveness.

“Only modest differences in vaccine effectiveness were noted with the Delta variant as compared with the Alpha variant after the receipt of two vaccine doses,” Public Health England researchers wrote in the study.

Data from Israel has estimated lower effectiveness of Pfizer’s shot against symptomatic disease, although protection against severe disease remains high.

PHE had previously said that a first dose of either vaccine was around 33% effective against symptomatic disease from the Delta variant.

The full study published on Wednesday found that one dose of Pfizer’s shot was 36% effective, and one dose of AstraZeneca’s vaccine was around 30% effective.

“Our finding of reduced effectiveness after the first dose would support efforts to maximize vaccine uptake with two doses among vulnerable groups in the context of circulation of the Delta variant,” the authors of the study said.

There are currently two primary types of COVID-19 tests. The first is the “Antigen Covid-19 rapid test” of which results are released between 15 and 30 minutes at a cost of Rwf 10,000 while the Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test which provides results after 24 hours costs Rwf 47, 200.

Many people have been opting for ‘Antigen Covid-19 rapid test’ but there are still concerns that the cost is relatively high.

Speaking to KT Radio, the Director General of RBC, Dr. Sabin Nsanzimana has revealed that the Government plans to reduce the cost.

“We have finalized talks with companies manufacturing medical supplies used to test COVID-19 so that the cost can be reduced at least between Rwf 5000 and 6000,” he said.

Once the revised cost is approved, Dr. Nsanzimana explained that it will increase numbers of people going for COVID-19 test.

He did not specify when new price may take effect but highlighted that Covid-19 test is likely to be integrated among packages of health services covered by Mutuelle de Santé.

Rwanda confirmed the first Coronavirus case on 14th March 2020. Since then, 34143 people have been tested positive out of 1,583,612 sample tests.

IGIHE has caught up with a gynecologist at Baho Polyclinic, Dr. Oswaldo Rodriguez Lara to shed light on the condition and explain when to confirm infertility.

Rodriguez has revealed that the condition cannot be confirmed within two or three months noting that it takes couple of months of unprotected sex.

“We confirm infertility when the couple that didn’t use family planning methods spends two years of unprotected sexual intercourse without pregnancy. We cannot make the confirmation before two years but rather we do fertility consultations,” he said.

Dr. Rodriguez advises couples to go for consultations after spending six months without pregnancy to detect their problem early and start medication.

He explained that both couples should go for check-ups together because infertility is a condition for both men and women.

“You cannot talk about infertility for couples because it involves two people. The man and woman. There is particular infertility cause for a man and woman and cause for both of them. We treat both men and women,” said Dr. Rodriguez.

Infertility can be classified into primary and secondary categories. The primary infertility is when the couple has never been pregnant. The secondary infertility is for those couples who had one or two children, and then after they have been struggling to get another child,” he added.

Even though it takes complex process for primary infertility, Dr. Rodriguez explained that it can be treated.

He stated that secondary infertility might be caused by different health conditions, expired or inadequate ovum that someone will not be able to conceive again.

He stated that there are thousand causes of infertility including chronic diseases like hypertension, hepatitis B or C, HIV/AIDS, anemia and Toxoplasmose infection among others.

Talking about of diseases that cause infertility in men, he cited any scrotal disorder like hydrocele (a type of swelling in the scrotum that occurs when fluid collects in the thin sheath surrounding a testicle), reduction in sperms or production of weak sperms, or sexual transmitted diseases among others.

“Any scrotal disorder for example hydrocele, varicoceles, any tumors in testicles, scrotal or any ovarian disorder or any tumor in the brain in tumors. We do consultations and identify the cause of infertility,” said Dr. Rodriguez.

“It is sometimes caused by innate conditions or disease. Our function is to educate them and identify cause of infertility for treatment depending on particular condition,” he added.

Intra uterine insemination and vitro fertilization are among methods applied to help infertile couples to make babies.

Dr. Rodriguez revealed that Baho Polyclinic is among local health facilities offering such services.

For further assistance, couples can reach out to Baho Polyclinic on +250788949046

A study of 28 African countries including Guinea, Mauritius and Uganda showed that on average women accounted for a slightly smaller proportion of coronavirus infections and deaths compared to men.

Overall around 41 percent of reported Covid-19 cases were women, although the figures ranged widely from 31 percent in Niger to more than 57 percent in South Africa.

“In most countries, women are somewhat less likely to die from Covid-19 than men,” World Health Organization (WHO) regional director for Africa Matshidiso Moeti told an online news conference.

But the pandemic had exposed gaps in health services, with women suffering the brunt of disrupted access to care.

“There was a rise in maternal deaths in 10 countries,” Moeti said, making reference to another study that collated data between February and July 2020.

The highest jumps were recorded in the Comoros, Mali, Senegal and South Africa.

Access to sexual and reproductive care was already poor on the continent before coronavirus hit.

But access was made worse by restrictions to stem the spread of Covid-19, pushing more women to seek risky informal abortions, Moeti explained.

Overstretched hospitals were often unable to see patients seeking non-coronavirus related services, she added.

More data is still needed to determine the full extent of the effect.

You are set to meet someone for the first time, and all of a sudden, your palms turn into a mobile fountain. Like how do you even give out that handshake? It’s an embarrassing situation to face, I agree, and so is the condition itself.

Sweaty palms are also called hyperhidrosis. It is another (medical) name for sweating on the palm.

What causes it? Several factors, chief among which you have stress and anxiety. It’s been proven that undergoing high levels of stress or involving oneself in stressful activities can cause sweaty palm.

Also facing anxiety and fear can do the same, but that’s not all. There have been research results that suggest that it is also genetic. If it runs in the family, then there’s a high chance you will suffer it, even if you don’t, your kids may.

{{So how can one stop or at least, manage the condition?}}

1. Use specialised hand antiperspirant.

2. Keep alcohol hand wipes handy for a quick fix.

3. Use baby powder or cornstarch to absorb palm sweat.

4. Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and keep your body cool.

5. Avoid sweat-inducing foods like caffeine, alcohol, red meat and spicy snacks.

6. Eat vitamin-rich foods that promote balance and healthy digestion.

7. Try home remedies such as sage tea soaks, rose water, or coconut oil.

8. Exercise to reduce stress.

9. See your doctor. If all of the above fail, you may need to see a doctor for a special treatment which varies depending on your body type or seriousness of the condition. Specialised treatment can include Botox, prescription drugs, etc.

Source: Elcrema

There are different kinds of headache, from a mild headache to migraine.

Sinusitis is a condition in which the cavities around the nasal passages become inflamed, and it then leads to headache.

Cluster headaches occur in patterns, and persistent headache is a headache syndrome that mimic chronic migraine.

{{Different things could lead to the various kind of headaches, but these are some of the common causes of headache.}}

{{1. Tension-Type headache }} is a mild headache that many people tend to suffer and probably not take serious. It is usually caused by stress and tension. Bad diet, lack of sleep, alcohol and certain foods could cause this kind of headache.

{{2. Cluster headache}} occur within a limited time frame and normally affect one side of the head and the area around the eyes. Most times it leads to a stuffed nose and reddened eye.

It isn’t exactly clear what causes this type of headache, but research has found that an area of the brain called hypothalamus tends to be overactive during its attack and this part of the brain controls temperature, hunger and thirst. Alcohol could trigger cluster headache, and a significantly higher percentage of people with cluster headache tend to be smokers. It has also been associated with change in sleep routine.

{{3. Migraine}} is an intense kind of headache that can last for long hours and even days. There’s no exact known cause of migraine, but it could be triggered by emotional stress, high intake of caffeinated substance, hard drugs, drug abuse, visual stimuli such as bright light, physical exertion and sleep disorder.

{{4. Unknown to many,}} poor nutrition and even dehydration could lead to headache. Deficiency of a particular nutrient(s) such as magnesium and vitamins can lead to headache.

Have you been suffering headache of late? Some of these causes might just be responsible for it.

Source: Elcrema

Sun damage is the leading cause of skin cancer. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, 9500 people in the US are diagnosed with skin cancer every day.

Exposure to UV radiation during the winter months puts you at the same risk as it would during the summers. Therefore, you should never skip sunscreen no matter what.

If that’s not good enough to convince you, we have listed 5 amazing benefits of wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen. Let’s dive right in.

{{Sun Protection}}

Well, the most obvious reason to put on sunscreen is to protect yourself from the harmful UVA and UVB rays of the sun. Ozone layer depletion has put us at a higher risk of getting affected by the sun rays. That doesn’t mean you cannot enjoy the sun. A broad-spectrum sunscreen can help. It blocks those harmful rays and prevents skin damage. Make sure to invest in sunscreen with an SPF level of 30 or higher.

{{Helps with Melasma}}

If you are dealing with melasma, sun exposure can make things worse for you. UV rays affect the skin cells called melanocytes. These cells produce a pigment called melanin. Exposure to UV rays triggers the production of melanin and this, in turn, leads to melasma. There are several sunscreens for melasma out there in the market. You can pick one for you and prevent the situation from exacerbating.

{{Prevents Premature Aging}}

No one wants to look older than their years. Prolonged exposure to the sun causes fine lines, wrinkles, age spots, and whatnot. Also, your skin loses elasticity as a result. The UV exposure is responsible for 80% of visible signs of aging. Also, people aged 55 or less who regularly use sunscreen have a 24% lesser chance of developing fine lines and wrinkles. If you want a youthful appearance when you’re old, make sunscreen your new best friend.

{{Lowers the Risk of Cancer}}

Melanoma is a deadly skin cancer that develops from melanocytes. The number one risk factor is prolonged sun exposure. An SPF 30 sunscreen blocks 97% of the UV rays and reduces the risk of developing skin cancer to a great extent. Be sure to put on sunscreen even on a cloudy day. 80% of the UV rays pierce through the clouds.

{{Evens Your Skin Tone}}

Do you have dark patches on your skin? Sun may be the culprit. Skin discoloration is quite often the result of sun exposure. Sunscreen can help you achieve an even skin tone by getting rid of dark patches and pigmented skin. It also protects collagen and can help make your skin firm and tight. On top of that, your skin feels healthy and rejuvenated.

{{Good for Dry Skin}}

Sun exposure can dry out your skin. It can make your skin cracked or patchy. Thankfully, you can avoid this by wearing sunscreen every day. Additionally, if your skin is sensitive to the sun, sunblock is exactly what you need. It can prevent skin irritation, redness, blotchiness, and whatnot. Some sunblocks come with moisturizing ingredients such as aloe vera, shea butter, etc. Not only do they protect from the sun, but they also add hydration, lock moisture, and improve overall skin health.
If you’re someone who does not wear SPF during winters, it’s about time you bought yourself a decent broad-spectrum sunblock. Trust us, you will thank yourself later.

Source: Elcrema