Author: Ananya Iyer

A JEE aspirant in Kota, Rajasthan, took his own life in the month of August 2024. He was 18 years old and now tragically, the 22nd student to have lost his life to suicide this year.  The Case In Kota, Rajasthan, a disheartening incident unfolded as an 18 year old student, engrossed in rigorous preparations for the Indian Institutes of Technology Joint Entrance Examination, tragically succumbed to suicide on a fateful Tuesday night. This devastating occurrence casts a distressing shadow over the city, as it marks the 22nd reported suicide within the educational hub’s boundaries in the current year of…

Within the diabetic population, the greatest susceptibility to partial or complete foot and leg amputations due to the disease lies among divorced men, a study has revealed. The Research Amputations linked to diabetes, notably of the lower limbs, have emerged as a substantial worry for patients due to the intertwined complexities of the condition, encompassing neuropathy and peripheral arterial disease. These complications can give rise to wounds that resist healing, cause infections and harm to tissue and can often end up culminating in amputation as a final measure to avert the escalation of health perils. Recent research has shed light on…

Recent research from two different groups has put forth promising evidence of pig kidneys being viable candidates for human kidney transplants. The Research Two distinct research groups unveiled significant progress in the realm of xenotransplantation, a pioneering approach involving the transplantation of pig kidneys into humans. This development comes as a noteworthy stride in the ongoing exploration of utilizing non-human organs or tissues to address medical ailments in human recipients. In a collaborative effort, scientists hailing from the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s esteemed Heersink School of Medicine achieved a pivotal breakthrough. Their meticulous study, outlined in a research letter…

A comprehensive Swedish study shows a significant connection between exercise during early adulthood to reduced risk of cancer. Exercise Reduces Cancer Risk A Swedish population-based cohort study aimed to investigate the potential connections between cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in young men and the incidence of specific types of cancer. The study involved the analysis of data from men who had undergone military conscription between the years of 1968 and 2005. Cardiorespiratory fitness was determined through maximal aerobic workload cycle tests conducted during conscription. Various factors such as their age, year and location of conscription, body mass index (BMI) and level of…

New Zealand has officially started the process of fortifying food with folic acid to prevent birth defects. Prevention of Birth Defects Starting 21st of August 2024, all conventional wheat flour used for bread-making in New Zealand will be enriched with folic acid to prevent birth defects. This mandatory fortification aims to enhance the nutritional value of non-organic flour and promote healthier outcomes for newborns. Initially introduced by the government on July 8, 2021, this alteration will bring New Zealand in line with the public health strategy of flour fortification observed in Australia, Canada, and the United States. New Zealand’s decision…

The World Health Organization (WHO) will hold a summit on traditional medicine in Gandhinagar, Gujarat in India next week. Traditional Medicine: Medicine for All The Traditional Medicine Global Summit by WHO will be held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. Collaborating with the Government of India, this first-of-its-kind summit will take place on 17-18 August 2024. It aims to delve into the significance of traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine in order to tackle critical health issues and propel advancements in worldwide health and sustainable development. Prominent figures attending the event will encompass the WHO Director-General, along with Regional Directors, G20 health ministers, and…

The region of Maui, Hawaii has been facing the lashes of wildfires, paralyzing the natives and the environment. The Fatal Wildfires The island of Maui, Hawaii, is reeling from the consequences of catastrophic wildfires, with the death toll soaring to over fifty individuals, and authorities are grimly prescient that the number is bound to a further increase. In a devastating turn of events, a series of fires erupted across three of Hawaii’s islands this week, with authorities suspecting them to be among the deadliest in the state’s recorded history. It has left residents scrambling for refuge due to the unprecedented…

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has outlined in its guidelines for professional conduct, providing doctors with the right to refuse care incase of abusive or violent patients. Doctors’ Safety The National Medical Commission (NMC), responsible for overseeing medical education in the country, has put forth in its guidelines for professional conduct that doctors have the right to decline treatment when faced with aggressive or abusive behavior from patients or their family members. However, the NMC emphasizes that doctors must take care to ensure that these individuals are not left without appropriate medical attention, striking a balance between protecting medical practitioners…

The World Health Organization has established two oxygen plants in Bhutan in order to aid in ameliorating medical services in the region. Oxygen Plants Inaugurated Today Two oxygen generator plants were inaugurated in Bhutan today, marking a significant step towards bolstering the country’s health system resilience and emergency response capabilities. The primary goal of these newly established plants is to enhance Bhutan’s preparedness to address health crises by ensuring a steady supply of medical oxygen. These plants, known as the Pressure Swing Absorption (PSA) plants have been strategically positioned at two pf the most prominent medical facilities in Bhutan: the…

A recent study published in the Lancet Planetary Health finds a common link between air pollution and antibiotic resistance. It attributes the dissemination of particulate matter (PM) with lowering the effectiveness of antibiotics, as they are spread through air. Air pollution and PM: The Study The escalating levels of air pollution worldwide have revealed a new, disturbing consequence—increasing resistance to antibiotics. A comprehensive global analysis, published in the Lancet Planetary Health, has shed light on the alarming connection between air pollution and antibiotic resistance, particularly driven by the dispersion of antibiotic resistance genes through airborne fine particles known as PM…