African Healthcare: Diabetes, Cancer, Other NCDs Catch up with Malaria

It is no longer malaria and tuberculosis. In the past, the two diseases dominated any healthcare conversation when the subject was about Africa. Times have changed. Today, diabetes, cancer, and heart  and respiratory diseases are emerging as the top killers in Africa. Though infectious diseases remain a threat, the trendline is changing due to the… Continue reading African Healthcare: Diabetes, Cancer, Other NCDs Catch up with Malaria

Daily Aspirin Blocks Bowel Cancer

A daily dose of aspirin should be given to people at high risk of bowel cancer, say scientists.

Two pills a day for two years reduced the incidence of bowel cancer by 63% in a group of 861 at-risk patients, a study reported in The Lancet said.

Newcastle University’s Prof Sir John Burn, who led the study, said the evidence “seems overwhelmingly strong”.

Other experts said the findings added to a growing body of proof that aspirin could be used in the fight on cancer.

Cause of Hypoglycaemia Found, Say Researchers

The cause of a rare and severe form of hypoglycaemia – or very low levels of sugar in the blood – is genetic, say researchers. The life-threatening condition means the body does not have enough energy to function. Scientists at the University of Cambridge say mutations in the AKT2 gene are to blame. Writing in… Continue reading Cause of Hypoglycaemia Found, Say Researchers

Lighting Up in the Morning and Cancer

People who smoke soon after getting up in the morning are more likely to develop cancer than those who light up later in the day, say US researchers. A study of 7,610 smokers, published in the journal Cancer, said the effect was independent of other smoking habits. Smoking in the first 30 minutes after waking… Continue reading Lighting Up in the Morning and Cancer

Smart Steps to Healthy Living

Whether rich or poor, many people fail to see the link between their habits and their health. They may regard enjoying good health as a matter of chance or something over which they have little control. Such a fatalistic view holds many back from improving their health and leading a more productive life. In reality,… Continue reading Smart Steps to Healthy Living

Bothered by pain? Consider a trip to Zambia, say John Hopkins researchers

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, U.S, have reported on a new study that will surely gladden the heart of the Zambian Ministry of Tourism. The conclusion of the study? Simply gazing at the amazing images of Victoria Falls on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border is enough to reduce the feeling of pain for many patients… Continue reading Bothered by pain? Consider a trip to Zambia, say John Hopkins researchers