Category: Medical/Health Care

Bethlehem – Together – Colorectal cancer is one of the most dangerous types of cancer among men and women around the world.

The Health Digest website said that colon cancer occurs when malignant tumors form within the inner lining of the colon due to the accumulation of abnormal cell growth.

According to the Colorectal Cancer Foundation, an estimated 1 in 20 people are at risk of developing colon cancer.

Health Digest explained that genetics may play a role in the risk of contracting the disease, but there are also external factors, such as excessive consumption of alcohol, sugar, processed foods, or red meat.

In addition, some research has found that bowel habits may also increase the risk of colon cancer.

The website said that delaying defecation and holding it for a long time makes the lining of the colon more susceptible to inflammation, and also leads to constipation, so doctors always advise the need to defecate when feeling the need to do so.

The results of the research, which were presented in 2
012 at the annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology, concluded that people who suffer from chronic constipation were 1.78 times more likely to develop colorectal cancer compared to individuals who do not suffer from it.

Source: Maan News Agency

Bethlehem – Ma’an – A new study, conducted on about 500,000 medical records, found that severe viral infections, such as encephalitis and pneumonia, increase the risk of developing neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

According to the Science Alert website, researchers found 22 links between viral infections and neurodegenerative cases.

He added that people treated for a type of brain infection called viral encephalitis were 31 times more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease.

He continued that those who were hospitalized for pneumonia after influenza infection were more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, Parkinson’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Science Alert also revealed that intestinal infections were also the cause of the development of many neurodegenerative diseases.

He explained that the effect of viral infections on the brain continued for up to 15 years in some cases.

‘It is striking that vaccines are currently available for some of
these viruses, including influenza and pneumonia,’ the researchers wrote.

They added: “Although vaccines do not always prevent disease, they significantly reduce hospital admission rates. This evidence suggests that vaccination may mitigate some of the risks of neurodegenerative diseases.”

Source: Maan News Agency

Bethlehem – Together – Brain fog is a type of cognitive dysfunction that leads to confusion, memory problems, and lack of concentration.

What is brain fog?

Healthline said that brain fog is not a medical condition in itself but a symptom of other medical conditions.

It is a type of cognitive dysfunction that includes: memory problems – lack of mental clarity – poor concentration.

Some people also describe it as “mental fatigue.”

Brain fog can affect your work, school, or other daily tasks.

What are its possible causes?

There are several reasons why brain fog occurs:

Stress: Chronic stress can increase blood pressure, weaken the immune system, trigger depression, and may also cause mental fatigue.

Lack of sleep: Poor sleep may affect the quality of human brain functions, according to research conducted in 2021, so it is usually recommended to sleep daily for a period of between 8 and 9 hours.

Hormonal changes: 2018 research found that hormonal changes can also cause brain fog. For example, progestero
ne and estrogen levels rise during pregnancy, leading to some effect on short-term memory.

Diet: Diet can also play a role in brain fog. It is known that Vitamin B12 supports healthy brain functioning, which means that a deficiency in this vitamin may affect cognitive function and cause brain fog.

Medications: You should always talk to your doctor, if you notice ‘mental fatigue’ while taking a particular medication. Brain fog is a known side effect of some medications, such as some sleep medications and pain medications.

Source: Maan News Agency

Manama, The Information and eGovernment Authority (iGA), in cooperation with primary health care centres, announced the launch of an Evening Appointment Booking service through the Sehati (My Health) application, which is available on the eGovernment Applications Store at www.bahrain.bh/apps.

The extension to the appointment booking service covers General Practice at healthcare centers. Citizens and residents can now schedule evening medical appointments electronically, in addition to the existing morning appointments service.

The iGA highlighted that registering for the “Choose Your Doctor programme” is a pre-requisite for benefiting from this service, which allows the public to select their designated family doctors. Users also have the flexibility to change, cancel, or reschedule their appointments.

The new service is a useful addition to existing Sehati eServices, allowing for the convenient booking of appointments as well as access to appointment records at government healthcare facilities. By offerin
g more services through “Sehati app,” iGA demonstrates its commitment to digital transformation and accessibility. The app’s user-friendly interface and transaction efficiency are major contributors to its high usage rates.

The public can access appointment bookings via the standard eKey by selecting the desired option on the main page of the Sehati (My Health) application and going through the necessary steps, including entering patient data. After verifying their registration for the “Choose Your Doctor program”, the application will electronically determine the affiliated health center, and users can then choose a suitable appointment time.

The application offers access to a comprehensive range of services provided by various healthcare institutions in the kingdom, including recent additions such as blood donation and sports.

Medical examination certificates services were introduced last year. Also included are Find a Doctor, Ask a Doctor, medication list viewing, and prescriptions home delivery service
covering the Salmaniya Medical Complex (SMC) pharmacy, as well as appointment preview and booking at SMC and King Hamad University Hospital (KHUH).

The application user-friendly interface and innovative design offer a seamless browsing experience. Other eServices offered by the application include requests, issuance, and replacement of birth certificates. The application provides convenient access to pharmaceutical facilities, enabling users to access information about pharmacies. Users can conveniently check their blood test and radiology results at SMC and KHUH, among other services, through the application’s medical results features.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Manama, The first Gulf Healthcare and Sport Congress (GHSC), will kick off in Bahrain at the Diplomat Radisson Blu Hotel tomorrow.

His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, First Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, General Sports Authority Chairman and Bahrain Olympic Committee President, will patronise the two-day event, which will be organised by the University of Bahrain (UoB), in collaboration with EducationPlus.

The event will bring together experts, speakers and academics from various countries, who will discuss over 50 research and scientific papers.

UoB President, Dr. Fuad Mohammed Al Ansari, praised HH Shaikh Khalid’s patronage of the congress, noting that it will contribute to achieving its goals.

He revealed that the first GHSC will discuss several topics pertaining to the health and sports sectors, including comprehensive health coverage, using artificial intelligence and virtual reality in the health and sports sectors, the emergency response system in the field of sports medicine, transformation in the health professions, preparing leaders and decision-makers in the health field, in addition to quality and safety in health care, innovation in rehabilitation and sports medicine, nutrition in the sports field, and management of sports institutions, among others.

UoB President added that the Congress will discuss the impact of using artificial intelligence and the technological development on the health and sports sectors, noting that the organising committee was keen to choose the best experts from various countries to be key speakers at the event.

The first GHSC will focus on number of topics, inamelyng transformation in the nursing profession and allied health sciences, the use of artificial intelligence in the sports and health sectors, compatibility between sports medicine and the emergency response system, the effective role of sports medicine in developing health and sports, and preparing leaders in the health sector.

The experiences of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in developing health practices and innovation will also be highlighted during the congress.

It will also feature two plenary sessions including specialists in health care and sports, to discuss the issues of simulation and artificial intelligence in the health and sports fields, in addition to the concepts of public health for health service providers and sports trainers.

GHSC organising committee called on those wishing to participate to register via the website: https://educationplus.me/GHSC-2023/.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

Bern, The National Space Science Authority (NSSA) participated in the United Nations/World Health Organization International Conference on Space and Global Health, at the invitation of the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs.

NSSA CEO Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Al Aseeri said that the conference aimed at finding smart solutions to the challenges facing the health sector through the use of space technologies and other advanced technologies.

He added that participants showcased successful experiences in using space technologies and applications to back various efforts in the health sector.

He said that these technologies included digitising information using satellite data and supporting it with ground data from different sources, which leads to extracting high-accuracy information that helps decision makers to make decisions quickly and safely.

Roya Bubshait, Head of the Satellite Image and Data Analysis Laboratory at NSSA said that the delegation learnt about other countries’ experiences in the field of harnessing space and its technologies to develop applications that support the health sector.

She added that the delegation collected many ideas that can be applied in Bahrain, and will study them in preparation for holding a meeting with those concerned in the Ministry of Health to discuss ways to provide the ground data required to start a pilot project that can be used by the health sector for the purpose of improving the services it provides and providing information and qualitative data that did not previously exist.

Source: Bahrain News Agency

The World Health Organisation (WHO) welcomes Wednesday Egypt’s decision to accept 81 injured and sick people from the Gaza Strip for treatment. According to a statement, WHO has supported the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population in planning and establishing a comprehensive triage, stabilisation, and medical evacuation system by providing ongoing training for healthcare staff. WHO is working with the Egyptian Red Crescent Society to ensure that psychological trauma support services are available to patients. The statement reads, “Our experts have visited Al-Arish, visited medical evacuation facilities and met with medical staff and ambulance paramedics who received advanced life support training. “There are 65 ambulances equipped with full resuscitation and life support capabilities. Thirteen of the ambulance teams include trained emergency doctors in addition to paramedics with advanced life support training.” Thousands more people inside the Gaza Strip need access to urgent health services amid shortages of medicines, health supplies and other aid such as fuel, water and food. Before 7 October 2023, around 100 patients each day needed to access specialised health care services outside the Gaza Strip because of the lack of needed health services in Gaza. WHO calls for urgent, accelerated access to humanitarian aid, including fuel, water, food and medical supplies, into and throughout Gaza, and access for patients to referral services outside Gaza.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The World Health Organization (WHO) said Saturday that during a night of intense Israeli bombardment and ground incursions in Gaza, with reports of hostilities still continuing, health workers, patients and civilians have been subject to a total communication and electrical blackout.

In a statement, the WHO reiterated its calls for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire, and reminded all parties to the conflict to take all precautions to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.

This includes health workers, patients, health facilities and ambulances, and civilians who are sheltering in these facilities, it said.

The statement said active measures must be taken to ensure they are not harmed and safe passage provided for the movement of desperately needed medical supplies, fuel, water and food into and across Gaza.

Reports of bombardment near the Indonesia and Al Shifa hospitals are gravely concerning, it said, warning reiterating that it is impossible to evacuate patients without endangering their lives.

The WHO said hospitals across Gaza are already operating at maximum capacity due to the injuries sustained in weeks of unrelenting bombardment, and are unable to absorb a dramatic rise in the number of patients, while sheltering thousands of civilians.

It said health workers who have stayed by their patients’ sides face dwindling supplies, with no place to put new patients, and no means to alleviate their patients’ pain.

There are more wounded every hour, but ambulances cannot reach them in the communications blackout, it said, adding that morgues are full and more than half of the dead are women and children.

The WHO has not been able to communicate with its staff in Gaza, nor have other agencies, said the statement, adding that it is trying to gather information on the overall impact on civilians and health care.

The WHO appealed to the humanity in all those who have the power to do so to end the fighting now, in line with the UN resolution adopted yesterday, calling for a humanitarian truce, as well as the immediate and unconditional release of all civilians held captive.

Source: Jordan News Agency

The death toll from the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, which began on October 7, has risen to 5,182, including 5,087 in the Gaza Strip where 15,273 were injured, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. It said in a statement that 95 Palestinians were killed by the Israeli occupation army in the West Bank after two men, Mahmoud Nakhleh and Muhammad Alayan, were shot and killed today in Jalazoun refugee camp, north of Ramallah, and a total of 1,828 people were wounded by army fire. The Ministry said that 70 percent of those killed were children, women and the elderly, including 1,903 children, 1,024 women and 187 old people.

Source: Jordan News Agency