Author: Healthtimes

HIV infections could jump over 6 times if US support is dropped and not replaced, UNAIDS chief says

Healthtimes

The head of the U.N. AIDS agency said Monday the number of new HIV infections could jump more than six times by 2029 if American support of the biggest AIDS program is dropped, warning that millions of people could die and more resistant strains of the disease could emerge. In an interview with The Associated Press, UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima said HIV infections have been falling in recent years, with just 1.3 million new cases recorded in 2023, a 60% decline since the virus peaked in 1995. But since…

Read More

Global Gag Rule Returns: A Threat to Women and Girls’ Sexual and Reproductive Health

Healthtimes

By Edinah Masiyiwa On the 20th of January, the day that Donald Trump was sworn in as the president of the United States of America, I was really moved by the title of an article on the Safe Abortion Action Fund site which read, “We Wish US Politics Didn’t Have a Big Impact on Global Abortion Access, But it Does.” I agree. Since 1984, every U.S. Republican president has introduced the “global gag rule” which restricts funding for organisations which support or provide abortion. The Global Gag Rule, also known…

Read More

Ebola Breaks Out in Uganda as US Halts Foreign Aid

Healthtimes

By Nakisanze Segawa, GPJ Uganda KAMPALA, UGANDA — One nurse died from the Sudan Ebola virus in Uganda on Jan. 29. Two more cases were confirmed days later — and hundreds of people were direct contacts. The virus spreads fast, and it’s deadly: The Sudan strain’s fatality rate ranged from 40% to 100% in past outbreaks, and there are no approved vaccines. Now, the United States Agency for International Development, a key partner in treating Ebola and slowing its spread, has stopped all funding for global health and all of…

Read More

Antibiotic Resistance is Here. Millions of People are Dying

Healthtimes

Reporters:  Aline Suárez del Real,  Edna Namara, Evidence Chenjerai,  Gabriela Meléndez-Rivera,  Lucila Pellettieri,  Odonchimeg Batsukh,  Sunita Neupane For years, Radha Lama bought antibiotics in bulk at a clinic near her home in Kathmandu, Nepal. She took the pills whenever she had a stomachache or headache, without talking to a doctor or nurse, says her daughter Pratikchya Lama. Now, at 57 years old, Radha Lama is on a ventilator in the intensive care unit of Nepal’s Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. She hasn’t been able to breathe on her own since August…

Read More

United States Permits Distribution of H.I.V. Medications to Resume For Now

Healthtimes

The Trump administration on Tuesday issued a waiver for lifesaving medicines and medical services, offering a reprieve for a worldwide H.I.V. treatment program that was halted last week. The waiver, announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, seemed to allow for the distribution of H.I.V. medications, but whether the waiver extended to preventive drugs or other services offered by the program, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, was not immediately clear. Still, PEPFAR’s future remains in jeopardy, with potential consequences for more than 20 million people — including 500,000…

Read More

They Earn More Money, But Some Migrant Health Workers Say It’s Not Worth It

Healthtimes

By Gamuchirai Masiyiwa, GPJ Zimbabwe HARARE, ZIMBABWE — When Tanya moved to Ireland for care work in 2022, she was certain of three things: Her family would join her soon. Her husband would find work. And her children would attend a good school. Initially, her move was smooth. Visas and permits were no problem. But once in Ireland, reality proved harsh for Tanya, a Zimbabwean who asked Global Press Journal to use her middle name for fear of jeopardizing her visa status. The country’s visa restrictions for the general employment…

Read More

#NEWSINBRIEF: Zim Nurses Now Required to Submit Tax Clearance for Registration, Renewal

Healthtimes

By Staff Reporter The Nurses Council of Zimbabwe (NCZ) has announced that all nurses must produce a valid tax clearance certificate as part of their registration and renewal process. This directive aligns with Public Notice 92 of 2024, issued by the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA) on December 5, 2024. In a statement, the NCZ emphasized that health institutions and organizations are required to submit a list of their ZIMRA tax-cleared personnel to the council as a prerequisite for renewal. The NCZ further clarified that no practicing certificates will be issued…

Read More

Tanzania Declares Marburg Outbreak: Africa CDC Mobilizes Immediate Response

Healthtimes

Tanzania has declared a Marburg virus disease (MVD) outbreak after confirming one case and identifying 25 suspected cases in the Kagera Region of Northwestern Tanzania. The Marburg virus, a highly infectious and often fatal disease, is similar to Ebola and is transmitted to humans from fruit bats and monkeys. This outbreak marks the nation’s second encounter with the deadly virus, following the outbreak in Bukoba District of Kagera Region in March 2023, which resulted in nine cases and six deaths. In response to this urgent threat, the Africa CDC is…

Read More

CDC Pilots Tool That Can Predict Diseases Outbreak Ahead Of Time

Healthtimes

Can we predict the ebb and flow of infectious disease the way meteorologists predict the weather? The federal government has bet big on the concept with a new nationwide network called Insight Net, which links academic disease modelers with public health practitioners. The network comprises 13 research consortia with participants in 24 states and is funded with up to $262 million from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Insight Net members are piloting analytical techniques that combine novel data sources to guide surveillance and inform decision-making during outbreaks. The…

Read More

Scientists discover how many times men should have sex per year to greatly reduce risk of heart disease

Healthtimes

Start having sex for your heart, not your penis For the benefit of your heart, you might need to start getting more active in the bedroom, according to new research. Taking care of our bodies is crucial and necessary for everyone, but not everyone ties that into sexual frequency. A recent study has suggested men should be having quite a lot of sex to help significantly reduce the risk of heart disease in later life. Expert scientists from China, concluded that men who engage in sexual activity more often are…

Read More