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Why squeezing yours balls could save your life
By Dr Jeremy Thomas Testicular cancer like breast cancer cannot be prevented. However, it is well known, promoted and advocated for that early screening for breast cancer offers cure and saves lives. Monthly self-breast examination is encouraged for all age groups. This is appropriately so in Jamaica as breast cancer is the leading cancer among…
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Potworks Dam: A feeding ground for animals, while Farmer Browne’s farm has water
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Your voice could reveal if you have heart problems
Heart problems could be heard in someone’s voice before they even know they have an issue. A new study has found heart conditions that need treatment can be picked up in how someone sounds when they talk. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in the US created an artificially intelligent algorithm that catches small changes in…
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What is aphasia? Bruce Willis’ diagnosis, explained
On Wednesday, Bruce Willis’ family announced that he will be taking a step back from his career of almost 45 years due to an aphasia diagnosis. Aphasia is a medical condition that leaves patients struggling to verbally communicate. According to the Canada-based Aphasia Institute, aphasia is a language problem that masks a person’s inherent competence.…
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Shake the Salt Habit
“Too much salt in our diets can harm our health, leading to unnecessary deaths from heart attacks and strokes, and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs),” stated Dr. Joy St. John, Executive Director at CARPHA, in observance of World Salt Awareness Week. The Caribbean is well known for its high dietary consumption of fats, salts and sugars…
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As Ukrainians contend with Russia’s unprovoked invasion, COVID-19 is complicating the picture
CNN — Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is causing a devastating humanitarian crisis in the country, with at least two million people fleeing into neighboring countries and the World Health Organization (WHO) warning that the deteriorating conditions will make it easier for Covid-19 to spread. “Anytime you disrupt society like this and put literally millions of…
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Are pigs the future of organ transplants?
BBC — The frontiers of organ transplantation have been pushed further than ever before. The first organs taken from genetically engineered pigs have been put into people and the recipient of the first pig heart managed to survive for two months. So how close are we to using pigs for a limitless supply of organs…
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Birth defects in Antigua and Barbuda
Thursday 3rd March 2022 will be “World Birth Defects Day.” The theme for this year is: “Many Birth Defects, One Voice.” The primary objective of the day is to raise awareness of birth defects, their causes, and their impact on global society. Birth defects or congenital anomalies are an unpopular topic. It is one that…
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COVID has taken severe mental health toll: WHO
GENEVA, Switzerland (AFP)— The COVID pandemic has taken a dire toll on mental health, WHO said Wednesday, indicating that cases of anxiety and depression had swelled by over 25 per cent globally. In a fresh scientific brief, the World Health Organization also found that the COVID-19 crisis had in many cases significantly impeded access to mental health…
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Ministry on campaign to get residents to consume less sugar
The Ministry of Health, Wellness, and the Environment with the support from the Pan American Health Organization is launching a Sugar Sweetened Beverage campaign under the slogan, ‘Less Sugar, Longer Life’. The campaign seeks to increase public awareness of the dangers associated with excessive consumption of SSBs and promote the consumption of water and other…
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In 2021, approximately $125M was spent on health care – Budget Statement Presentation 2022
The viability of the Medical Benefits Scheme (MBS) and the challenges it faced during the last two years were placed on display during the 2022 Budget Presentation. Prime Minister Gaston Browne disclosed that the past two years proved particularly challenging for financing health care because of increased demands for pharmaceuticals and medical supplies to respond…