World Health Gap Narrowing But Challenges Remain, WHO Data

The World Health Organization’s annual statistics show progress is being made around the world in cutting child mortality – but it will miss its target of a two-thirds reduction by 2015. The number of under-fives dying fell from 12 million in 1990 to less than seven million in 2011, the data shows. But that will… Continue reading World Health Gap Narrowing But Challenges Remain, WHO Data

WHO Says Progress in Malaria Threatened by Funding

Recent gains in the fight against malaria could be reversed because funding has stalled, the World Health Organization (WHO) has said. Its latest World Malaria Report says 1.1 million lives were saved in the past decade but that the expansion in funding from 2004-09 halted in 2010-12. Less than half of the $5.1bn (£3.1bn) needed… Continue reading WHO Says Progress in Malaria Threatened by Funding

WHO Says Diesel Exhaust Fumes Cause Cancer

By James Gallagher,  Health and science reporter, BBC News Exhaust fumes from diesel engines do cause cancer, a panel of experts working for the World Health Organization says. It concluded that the exhausts were definitely a cause of lung cancer and may also cause tumours in the bladder. It based the findings on research in… Continue reading WHO Says Diesel Exhaust Fumes Cause Cancer

Vitamins Linked With Higher Death Risk

When it comes to vitamins, it appears you could have too much of a good thing, say researchers who report a link between their use and higher death rates among older women.

Experts have suspected for some time that supplements may only be beneficial if a person is deficient in a nutrient.

Vitamin A Could Save Children in Developing Countries

A new research shows that giving Vitamin A supplements to children under the age of five in developing countries could save 600,000 lives a year. The work published in the British Medical Journal was conducted by a team of UK and Pakistani researchers. The group evaluated up to 200,000 children in 43 studies and found… Continue reading Vitamin A Could Save Children in Developing Countries

Rapist Women Gang Terrorizing Men in Zimbabwe

Kitsepile Nyathi, allafrica Cases of men who have been sexually abused by women are common in the country and hardly a week passes without such a report being made in the media. The motives of these women are not known, but there is speculation that they may be doing this for ritual purposes. Indecently assaulting… Continue reading Rapist Women Gang Terrorizing Men in Zimbabwe

Hepatitis Taking a Toll in Millions, WHO

Medical experts are calling for global action to tackle the viruses that cause the liver disease hepatitis. The first worldwide estimates in drug users show 10 million have hepatitis C while 1.3 million have hepatitis B. Writing in the Lancet, experts say only a fraction of those who could benefit are receiving antiviral drugs. Only… Continue reading Hepatitis Taking a Toll in Millions, WHO

Newly Identified Chemicals Fool Mosquitoes

Researchers have identified a low-cost chemical that interferes with a mosquito’s ability to detect humans, a study which offers a striking breakthrough in the battle against malaria. Mosquitoes have carbon dioxide sensors with which they are able to smell the presence of humans in their neighborhood. The newly identified chemicals consist of odor molecules that… Continue reading Newly Identified Chemicals Fool Mosquitoes