Health

Geneva, May 20 (IANS) In a historic move, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday formally adopted the world's first Pandemic Agreement, after three years of negotiations.The Agreement, adopted by consensus by member countries of the WHO at the ongoing 78th World Health Assembly, aims to bridge global healthcare gaps and inequities in case of future pandemics.Amid the Covid-19 outbreak, which killed millions of people worldwide, the WHO Member States in December 202`1 established the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) to draft and negotiate a convention, agreement, or other international instrument, under the WHO Constitution, to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.After 13 formal rounds of meetings, nine of which were extended, and many informal and int...

Chennai, May 20 (IANS) Amid evolving workplaces, young professionals in India are increasingly experiencing stress and mental well-being, according to a new report on Tuesday.The report by ADP, a global technology company, highlights the shifting emotional landscape of work, where generational differences in stress levels are increasingly evident.The report showed that young professionals (aged 27-39) have the highest stress levels, with 11 per cent saying they experience high stress, above the national average of 9 per cent. Just 51 per cent of workers aged 18-26 reported better stress management.On the other, older workers (aged 55-64) reported better stress management, with 81 per cent saying they feel stress less than once a week.Work overload was found as the major trigger for younger...

New Delhi, May 20 (IANS) With media reports citing cases of Covid-19 infections surging in Southeast Asia, bringing fresh fears about the disease that affected millions of people and the global economy, health experts on Tuesday dismissed them as seasonal trends of flu.As per media reports, the weekly Covid-19 infections in Singapore surged by 28 per cent from 11,100 in late April to 14,200 in the first week of May, with hospitalisations also rising 30 per cent.Hong Kong recorded 31 virus-related deaths in the week ending May 3, the city’s highest weekly toll in a year. New infections in Hong Kong rose to 1,042 in the week ending May 10, up from 972 the previous week.“Rising Covid cases in Southeast Asia are attributed to seasonal trends of flu cases. Most of the cases are mild and do not ...

New Delhi, May 20 (IANS) The virus responsible for mpox (formerly known as Monkeypox) was circulating for about eight years ago in West Africa before the 2022 global outbreak, according to a study.The study, published in the journal Nature, highlights the need for improved global surveillance and medicines, given the threat of impending pandemics. Using genomic tracing, the researchers estimate that the virus's ancestor first emerged in southern Nigeria in August 2014 and spread to 11 states before human infections were detected in 2017. "We could have very easily prevented the 2022 multi-country outbreak if countries in Africa were given better access to therapeutics, vaccines, and surveillance technologies," said Edyth Parker, from the Kristian Andersen Lab at Scripps Research. Because ...

New Delhi, May 20 (IANS) While patients with psoriasis -- a chronic skin condition -- respond well to treatment with biologics, inflammation can linger, leading to broader health implications such as obesity and cardiovascular and fatty liver disease, according to a study.Psoriasis, with its systemic inflammatory nature, high risk of cardiovascular disease, and frequent use of biologic drugs, could provide a valuable framework for studying residual inflammation.The study, published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology, could lead to more targeted and effective treatments that address the systemic aspects of psoriasis, beyond just the skin."Despite excellent control of skin disease, a substantial percentage of psoriasis patients demonstrate residual systemic inflammation," said Joel ...

New Delhi, May 19 (IANS) India’s orthopaedic and cardiac implant sector, including exports, is expected to reach $4.5 to $5 billion by FY28, driven by strong domestic demand and gradually growing export presence, according to a report released on Monday.The sector (including exports) stood at $2.4 to $2.7 billion in FY24, according to CareEdge Ratings.The Indian implant manufacturers are making rapid strides in the domestic market and are gradually expanding their presence in the export market.The report cited that with only 7.5 per cent customs duty on the import of most coronary and orthopaedic implant products, any potential trade deal with the US resulting in tariff reduction is not likely to materially change the market dynamics for domestic manufacturers.However, material changes in ...

New Delhi, May 19 (IANS) Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, said on Monday that Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) has so far invested Rs 88 crore to support more than 30 startups in the fields of energy, healthcare, agriculture and AI.In a post on X social media platform, the Union Minister said that BPCL is empowering youth to become job creators and leaders.“India’s startup ecosystem is booming, driving growth and innovation across multiple sectors,” said Puri.BPCL’s 'Project Ankur' is fuelling this momentum, guided by PM Narendra Modi’s vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat. Rs 88 crore invested to support 30+ startups in energy, healthcare, agriculture and AI,” the minister added.He further said that BPCL is ensuring breakthrough innovations like fuel-flexible t...

San Francisco, May 18 (IANS) A wearable pulse oximeter and connected software platform show promise for monitoring obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and other sleep-related breathing diseases, according to new research released on Sunday.The device (pulse oximeter), which is cleared for medical use, was designed for comfort and ease of use; a clinical trial found high rates of utilisation by patients. It could be used to track patient response to OSA treatment over time.“Investigators in our clinical research trials report how useful longitudinal data are to observe night-to-night variability and the response to treatment of OSA,” said Ketan Mehta, head of product and engineering for Connected Wearables at Apnimed.“One sleep specialist even reported that it may be better to collect one or two ...

New York, May 18 (IANS) A team of US surgeons has performed the world’s first in-human bladder transplant, it was announced on Sunday.Surgeons from Keck Medicine of University of Southern California and University of California Los Angeles Health completed the surgery at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, in a joint effort by Inderbir Gill, founding executive director of USC Urology, and Nima Nassiri, MD, urologic transplant surgeon and director of the UCLA Vascularized Composite Bladder Allograft Transplant Program.“This surgery is a historic moment in medicine and stands to impact how we manage carefully selected patients with highly symptomatic ‘terminal’ bladders that are no longer functioning,” said Gill.“Transplantation is a lifesaving and life-enhancing treatment option for many con...

San Francisco, May 18 (IANS) A new large study on Sunday claimed that rising temperatures increase the severity of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).Published at the ‘ATS 2025 International Conference,’ the study also found that, under the most likely climate change scenarios, the societal burden of OSA is expected to double in most countries over the next 75 years.In addition to highlighting the critical importance of limiting global warming, the findings also emphasise the immediate need for strategies to alleviate the health and economic impacts of OSA as it becomes more common and severe, researchers said.“This study really highlights the societal burden associated with the increase in OSA prevalence due to rising temperatures,” said Bastien Lechat, a senior research fellow at FHMRI: Sleep...