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Tag: "african" at medical news

Cipla holds talks with mining giant to supply AIDS drugs for South African workers

Indian pharmaceutical giant Cipla is holding talks with London based mining giant, Anglo American for supplying AIDS drugs to South African workers. About 11% of South African population is HIV positive, totaling around 4.7 million people, giving it the dubious distinction of being the country with the maximum number of HIV positive people in the world. ..The HIV scourge is sure to have a devasta...

African HIV strains more resistant to anti HIV drugs

Genetic variations in the HIV strains in Africa make it more difficult for the anti AIDS drugs to act on them according to researchers. This however does not mean that these drugs will be powerless against the virus but these drugs find it difficult to latch on to the protease, which is an enzyme useful in the replication of the virus inside the body. ..If the drug attaches itself to the protease...

Hypertension Drug of Choice for African Americans

A beta-blocker called Nebivolol, may be the best drug to control high blood pressure, especially// among black Americans of African origin according to a new study. ....At The International Society on Hypertension in Blacks (ISHIB2005), Nebivolol was shown to be statistically significantly better than placebo in reducing systolic and diastolic blood pressure among African-American hypertensive pa...

African Conference to Combat AIDS

The 14th International Conference on HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa (ICASA) aimed at combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa has been opened by the Continent’s scientists in Nigeria on 4 December 2005.// The focus of the conference is on more effective implementation of the projects and better utilization of funds. During the year 2005 alone over 3 million Africans have...

Home Based HIV counseling in African Countries

Christopher Smith, Member of African Subcommittee, House Committee on International Relations has urged the African countries to implement house to house AIDS testing and counseling as done in Uganda. //Uganda is conducting this program and as been found very effective in early diagnosis of HIV and also helps in avoiding social stigma of violence against HIV positive person due to ignorance about...

Aspirin, Not Used By African Americans And Diabetics To Prevent Heat Problems

It is recently seen that the usage of aspirin to prevent heart problem have increased tremendously//. ..The researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health (GSPH) and others conducted the study and published in the American Journal of Medicine. It said that African Americans and diabetics do not opt for aspirin therapy. ....The researchers from the medical centers...

African American smokers are more prone to developing Lung cancer

Researches have found that African American smokers are more prone to developing lung cancer than White American smokers who smoked the same quantity of cigarette. // The researchers found that lung cancer was increased in these African American people who are exposed to nicotine than the White American due to presence of genetic predisposing factors which would have been triggered by smoking. ....

The AIDS Pandemic May Orphan 18 Million African Children By 2010

If appropriate steps are not taken to restrict spread of the AIDS pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa, it is predicted that more than 18 million African children would be orphaned // by the end of 2010. This would correspond to a 20% increase in just 4 years time. ....The following prediction was projected in the AIDS conference (London), attended by more than 150 health professionals and Government...

African American Children More Pone to Develop Diabetes

Levels of insulin in African American children deteriorate as they progress through puberty, reveals a new study conducted by researchers at University of Alberta//. The levels of insulin, however, remain unchanged in their Caucasian counterparts. The study highlights this specific phase of growth plays a crucial role in determining the individual risk of developing diabetes. ....The 7-year, Ala...

African-American Women Need To Seek Advice On depression

According to Kumea Shorter-Gooden, a clinical psychologist and author, a lot of woman particularly the Blacks in America, are emotional overeater’s who try to mask their depression with food. // Shorter-Gooden said African-American women generally do not seek treatment for their depression, either because their friends, religious community and family members don't recognize depression as a legiti...

Advance Funeral For AIDS-infected South African

Johannesburg, April 4. No one has heard of a funeral before death but a South African man having survived with HIV/AIDS plans to stage and attend his own funeral.//.. ..Solomon Zimba has already bought his casket and organized the funeral ceremony that will coincide with his birthday and the 10th anniversary of his diagnosis on Sep 27, the Sowetan newspaper said... .."I can't wait to be at my...

Call To Protect Traditional Knowledge Of African Medicinal Plants

The African Union and World Health Organization must do something to draft a model law so that traditional knowledge of medicinal plants// can be preserved in African countries. ..This request was made at a conference held at Brazzaville, Congo, last week. It is widely known that almost 80- percent of the African population relies on traditional medicine men for their health needs and researche...

African Union Launches A Programme On Acceleration of HIV Prevention

The African Union (AU) and the UN system in Africa on Tuesday launched the Acceleration of Prevention of HIV Initiative in the African Region//. Aids prevention matters were the top priority at the launch of the Acceleration for the Prevention of HIV programme. The programme aims to curb the spread on the pandemic, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. ....AU Commission Chairperson Alpha Oumar Konar...

African Viral Fever Hits Two TN Districts

'Chikun gunya', a viral fever common in Africa, has struck parts of Ramanathapuram and Tuticorin Districts in Tamil Nadu, prompting health department officials// to take steps to contain them. ....The disease, which could have been transmitted by 'aedes mosquitoes, had been reported in Tamil Nadu for the first time, Deputy Director of Health Services Dr.Liyqquat Ali said... ..While in Ramanathap...

South African Died By A HIV Shunned Drug

A politician's daughter in South Africa was embroiled in a fresh HIV/Aids yesterday and killed by an anti-retroviral drugs in favour of a diet containing// garlic, olive oil and lemons. ..‘Anti-retroviral drugs is believed to increase the lifetime of HIV victims’, said Treatment activists. ..Mark Heywood, of the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), said ‘Instead of objective decision-making about...

Africans Should Take Their Traditional Medicine Very Seriously

According to the minister of Health Manto Tshabalala-Msimang said that the traditional-medicines sector should be recognised in the department of health's budget. A workshop was conducted on traditional-medicine in Benoni in which she said that she would set up an interim traditional-health council. // ..Her department has already established a directorate for traditional medicine, but the probl...

Crackdown on drugs makes African students insecure

New Delhi, June 11. African students here are unhappy at the close tabs kept on them by law enforcing agencies to check their suspected involvement in drug peddling. .."We feel insecure as we are being looked at with suspicion by everyone. //People have begun to generalise every single African as a drug peddler. This is too harsh. We will take up the issue with our embassies," said Khalid Abdalla...

World Bank Reports Fall In Lifespan In sub-Saharan African Region

The World Bank report on disease and mortality in the sub-Saharan African region has found that the life expectancy there has fallen// by an average of almost five years from the early 1980’s. ....The report, which was launched at the Cape Town Book Fair on Sunday, stated that one in six African children die before reaching their fifth birthday from either or both, preventable and treatable dise...

West African Ministers Formulate Plan To Combat Bird Flu

West African ministers have formulated a plan to combat the spread of avian influenza through that part of the continent. //The plan was agreed to during the one-day meeting of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) of ministers in charge of agriculture, health, livestock, environment and integration. .....A statement issued at the end of the meeting said that the ministers "examined...

Stressed African American Youth At Greater Risk for Kidney Disease

African American youth could experience greater changes in their kidney when they are stressed than white youth. //A study presented at the ISHIB2006 found that lower levels of urine microalbumin and sodium were excreted in the urine of African American youth as compared to white youth. .. ..In their study,...

African Americans Have Increased Risk Of Emphysema

A study by Temple University researchers has found that African Americans are more likely to develop emphysema even though they smoke less cigarettes than Caucasians. The study is published in the journal Chest//. ....The study, which confirms findings from a smaller preliminary study published last year, also offers evidence of biological differences in the distribution of emphysema and the seve...

South African Siamese Twins to be Separated in Four Months

The first ever pair of South African Indian Siamese twins are doing well and are expected to be separated in four months//. ....Danielle and Danika Lowton, born on June 21 at the Arwyp Medical Centre here, are healthy and tolerating their oral feeds. ...."They are gaining weight and are healthy," a report in the Post newspaper quoted Wian Stander, head of the medical centre, as saying. ....The...

South Africans Turn to Natural Remedies for Treating Erectile Dysfunction

Men in far northern South Africa turn to nature when seeking to achieve the effects of the male impotency drug Viagra, it emerged in news reports//. ....The root of the wild Mpesu tree (Securidaca Longepeduculata) found in the villages of the Venda district near the Kruger National Park along the border with Zimbabwe is said to be the source. ....The compound extracted from its root and consumed...

Canadian Youth to Help South African AIDS Awareness

The Canadian youth-based "Lets Stop Aids Org" is currently touring South Africa to raise awareness of AIDS and funds for medication for children living with HIV/Aids.// ....Betty Chiu, a member of this organization has tested negative for HIV/Aids earlier this week. She is encouraging other youngsters to follow her example and get themselves tested for HIV/AIDS. ......The organization, 'Lets S...

Sub-Saharan Africans With HIV May Achieve Favorable Levels of ART Adherence

A review of previous studies suggests that favorable levels of antiretroviral therapy adherence can be reached among HIV-infected patients in sub-Saharan Africa,// while adherence remains a concern in North America. ....Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has improved the health of many human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) positive individuals who otherwise would have died. However, treatment effectiven...

African-Americans Pose Less Questions To Treating Doctors

A new study published in the September 15, 2006 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, says that African-Americans are least likely to// ask questions regarding their illness to their doctors. The study says that the level of interest displayed by Caucasian patients in their health is lacking in African Americans. This fact may lead to the African-Americans makin...

African-Americans Have A Reduced Response To Hepatitis C Treatment

According to a new study by Duke University Medical Center researchers, African-Americans have a notably lower response in the rate of treatment //for chronic hepatitis C than non-Hispanic whites. ......The researchers had reported in the August issue of Gastroenterology, which is the journal for the members of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA), that the African American patien...

Hypertension and diabetes are risk factors for recurrent stroke in African Americans, study

Those who have already suffered a stroke could run a further risk of further strokes if they suffer high blood pressure, according to findings of a new study. Recurrent// strokes could also disable nearly 50% of the patients. .. ..Dr. Sean Ruland, of the University at Chicago said” Stroke incidence and mortality are generally disproportionately higher among African Americans than among whites. P...

Researchers Locate Genetic Link for Nicotine Dependence Among African Americans

Scientists at the University of Virginia Health System have identified, for the first time ever, several genetic regions that are likely to carry the genes for nicotine// dependence (ND) in an African American population. This is the first genome-wide study of such linkage and included the largest group of African Americans to participate in this type of linkage study. Until this study, participa...

Understanding Stress Triggers for African Americans

To understand the influence of economic, social and health factors affecting African Americans, Penn State researchers have designed an index labeled ‘Living While Black’//. .. ..Dr. Shaun Gabbidon, associate professor of criminal justice, and Dr. Steven Peterson, professor of politics and public policy, both at Penn State's Harrisburg campus, made these findings available in the September issue...

Race Affects African-American Survival of Breast Cancer

African-American women with breast cancer were more likely to have larger, later-stage tumors that were more difficult to treat and also had lower survival rates than Hispanic// and Caucasian women who received the same treatment in two independent series of clinical trials examined by researchers from The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. ....The analysis published on line Oct....

Maternity leave mooted for South African girls

A proposal that pregnant South African schoolgirls be allowed "maternity leave" has sparked heated debate in the country amid fears// that this could encourage teen pregnancies. ....South Africa is under pressure to deal with the high number of teenagers who drop out of school and fail to continue their education once they become mothers. It is one of only a few countries in sub-Saharan Africa t...

African-Americans With Prostate Cancer More Likely to Have Family History

African-American men with prostate cancer were more likely to report a family history of prostate cancer and breast cancer among siblings than men who did not have prostate// cancer, according to researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. ....The data were part of the Flint Men’s Health Study, a population-based study of African-American men ages 40-79 who live in Flin...

Eight More African Countries Included In US Malaria Program

Eight more African countries will be included in the $1.2 billion U.S. malaria program. The number of African countries benefiting from this program has risen to 23. // This five-year program is called the Malaria Initiative and its primary aim is eradication of malaria. ..More than a million people die due to malaria every year and 90% of them are from Africa, most of them being children. .......

Colorectal Cancer Survival Rates Poorer in African-Americans

A new Study led by Chyke A. Doubeni, M.D., M.P.H. of the University of Massachusetts Medical School and the Meyers Primary Care Institute in Worcester, MA, researchers from// the National Cancer Institute-funded Cancer Research Network investigated the association between tumor stage and risk of death by race in colorectal cancer and factors related to ethnic/racial differences in a population of...

African Children Benefited Through GAVI Programmes

Millions of children around the world more so in Africa have been benefited by GAVI (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization) programmes.// This programme enables the children to receive vaccines at a reduced price. ....This was revealed by Microsoft founder Bill Gates at the World Economic Forum which was held last week at Switzerland. According to him, the availability of vaccines at a...

Cancer Death Rates High in African-Americans

Although the overall cancer death rate in African Americans has continued to decrease since the early 1990s, the rate was 35 percent higher in African American men and 18// percent higher in African American women than in white men and women in the most recent time period (2003). ....However, the disparity among men has narrowed over the past 10 years because rates have decreased faster in Afri...

Preterm Delivery More Common in African American Women

A study finds that African American mothers were three times more likely to deliver prematurely than Caucasian mothers. //They were also more than 5 times more likely to have repeating premature births. ....Using data from over 700,000 births in Missouri from 1989 to 1997, researchers found that African American mothers were 3 times more likely than Caucasian mothers to deliver prematurely at 20...

African-American Mothers More Likely to Deliver Prematurely

The Results of the analysis of Missouri birth statistics by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis appearing// in the February issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, shows that African-American women are three times more likely to deliver babies three to 17 weeks prematurely than Caucasian women. ..In addition, the researchers said that the Afr...

Largest Ever African HIV Vaccine Trial Opens in South Africa

The South African AIDS Vaccine Initiative (SAAVI) and the HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) this week launched the African arm of a Phase IIb study utilizing// Merck’s adenovirus trivalent (Ad5 gag/pol/nef) vaccine. The investigators hope to enroll 3,000 HIV-negative men and women over a year, and expect the study to last four years. ....The first Phase IIb study (HVTN 502) began enrolling in No...