Health

Paris, France | AFP | Bits of plastic have been detected in the faeces of people in Europe, Russia and Japan, according to research claiming to show for the first time the widespread presence of plastics in the human food chain. All eight volunteers in a small pilot study were …

Scientists explain why they haven’t found an HIV vaccine yet Madrid, Spain | FLAVIA NASSAKA | A global HIV conference opened on Oct.22 in Madrid, Spain bringing together researchers to discuss strides made in prevention of infections. Dubbed HIV Research for Prevention (HIVR4P) 2018, the week long event which  happens …

When some women develop extreme fear of childbirth Kampala, Uganda | FRANZISKA WADEPHUL, CATRIONA JONES & JULIE JOMEEN | Childbirth can clearly be a scary prospect. For women who have not given birth before, it is the great unknown. Research into women’s concerns and fears suggests that women may be anxious …

A new study in the Journal of Sleep Research, examines unconscious activity Kampala, Uganda | ANA SANDOIU |  A short daytime nap could do wonders for our brains’ ability to process information, suggests a new study. Sleep is key in both memory formation and the consolidation of new information. Cutting-edge …

Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | A deadly Ebola outbreak in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo is deeply worrying, but does not yet merit being labelled a global health emergency, the World Health Organization said Wednesday. “Based on the current context… the committee recommended that the current Ebola outbreak in DRC …

Findings on obesity and economic status Soweto, South Africa | SHUKRI MOHAMED & TILAHUNHAREGU | Africa is experiencing a demographic and nutrition transition. More and more people are moving to urban areas. Slum communities currently constitute about 56% of the urban population in sub-Saharan Africa. That’s more than 200 million …

Kinshasa, DR Congo | AFP | A second wave of the Ebola virus has been confirmed in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where an initial outbreak has already killed 125 people, a minister said Saturday. The latest wave is centred in Beni, a town in North Kivu near the border …

Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | Humanitarian workers are struggling to calm community fears in strife-torn eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, where 125 people have died of Ebola, and cases of the virus are spreading fast. The World Health Organization said Friday that 200 cases of the deadly virus have been …

Why we may not need to rely on antibiotics Kampala, Uganda | MONICA BEYER | Doctors tend to prescribe antibiotics to treat common bacterial infections, such as those of the urinary tract. However, a new study shows that there may be a new strategy to reduce or potentially even eliminate the …

Know when it’s best to eat, work, exercise, sleep Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Timing is everything, and it also has a huge impact on your health. Now there’s a blood test to better understand your internal time clock and optimize it for better well-being. The TimeSignature test was developed …