Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | A South African court on Friday convicted a self-styled prophet who sprayed his followers in the face with domestic insect killer as a supposed cure for illness. Lethebo Rabalago was found guilty on five charges of grievous assault and contravening chemicals laws for using “Doom”, …
Read More »Human eggs grown to maturity in lab: researchers
Paris, France | AFP | Scientists have grown human egg cells to full maturity in the lab in a potential breakthrough for fertility treatment, they announced in a study published Friday. Researchers in New York and Edinburgh developed a new method to grow eggs from very early-stage cells obtained from …
Read More »Virtual reality may reduce paranoia in psychotics: study
Paris, France | AFP | Virtual reality-based therapy combined with standard treatment reduced paranoia and anxiety in people with psychotic disorders, scientists reported Friday. In clinical trials involving 116 patients in the Netherlands, virtual reality exercises led to less fraught social interactions, a team wrote in The Lancet Psychiatry. More …
Read More »S.Africa to compensate families of mentally-ill patients
Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP | The South African government will compensate the families of more than 100 mentally-ill patients who died from neglect after they were moved from hospital and placed into unlicenced health facilities. At least 144 psychiatric patients died from hunger and lack of care within months …
Read More »Scientists thwart cancer-spreading compound, in mice
Paris, France | AFP | A common amino acid produced in the human body or absorbed from food can be suppressed to stop breast cancer spread in mice, researchers reported Wednesday. They hope the finding may yield a method to prevent cancer cells spreading from their origins in a woman’s …
Read More »UN in $17-mln appeal for children’s health in post-IS Iraq
Baghdad, Iraq | AFP | The United Nations launched an appeal Wednesday for $17 million to rebuild essential health facilities for children in Iraq after a devastating three-year battle to expel the Islamic State group. The UN children’s fund, UNICEF, said next week’s reconstruction conference for Iraq to be staged …
Read More »WHO chief defends short-lived Mugabe ambassador appointment
Geneva, Switzerland | AFP | The World Health Organization’s chief lamented Wednesday the “emotional” response to his short-lived appointment last year of Robert Mugabe as the WHO’s goodwill ambassador, insisting the decision had been “in good faith”. “There was no judgement problem,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Geneva, acknowledging …
Read More »Thousands of Yemen dialysis patients risk dying: ICRC
Sanaa, Yemen | AFP | Thousands of Yemenis suffering from kidney failure risk dying unless dialysis centres in the war-torn country receive more supplies and their staff are paid, the Red Cross said Tuesday. Yemen’s health sector has been devastated by three years of war between the Saudi-supported government and …
Read More »Nigeria lassa fever death toll now 31: health minister
Lagos, Nigeria | AFP | Thirty-one people have died from Lassa fever in Nigeria since the start of this year, the health minister said, with cases of the viral disease recorded across the country. Isaac Adewole told reporters in Abuja on Monday that the outbreak was currently “active in 15 …
Read More »DPP to investigate embattled Bob Kasango’s health claims
Kampala, Uganda | GODFREY SSALI | The Director of Public Prosecution Mike Chibita is investigating city laywer Bob Kasango’s health claims, that have stalled the hearing of the sh15 billion pension case before the Anti-corruption Court against him and three former jailed officials of the Ministry of Public Service, . …
Read More »