Browsing: Health

Confirmed Ebola cases in DR Congo passed 10,000 as nearly half of those infected have died in the fastest-growing outbreak of the disease on record.

Muyako, Choi and Sesheke clinics accounted for 49% of recent malaria cases in Namibia’s Zambezi Region, where 33,944 cases were recorded this year.

WHO called for stronger surveillance and more funding as new Ebola clusters were found in remote DR Congo, where 4,727 people have died.

SGU made the call during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, highlighting the need for wider access to breast examinations, diagnostic imaging and specialist care. Estimates from the International Agency for Research on Cancer’s GLOBOCAN 2024 data, published in 2026, show Africa recorded about 225,643 new breast cancer cases and 100,070 deaths in 2024. Breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among women on the continent and their leading cause of cancer deaths.
Dr. Tonia Frame, Assistant Professor and Director of the Global Health Unit in SGU’s Department of Public Health and Preventive Medicine in Grenada, said risk varies from person to person. “Breast cancer risk does not suddenly begin at a particular birthday, and two women of the same age may have very different risk profiles,” she said. Frame urged women to know how their breasts normally look and feel and to seek prompt medical evaluation for unexplained changes.
Family history and genetics shape screening needs
Frame said that in Africa, breast cancer often appears at a comparatively younger age and access to high-quality imaging is uneven. The university identified family history of breast or ovarian cancer, inherited genetic factors, breast density and previous high-risk breast lesions as factors that could shape individual screening plans. Women carrying BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene variants may need screening earlier than the average-risk population, potentially from age 25, depending on clinical guidance.

WHO launches a five-year strategy to strengthen global outbreak detection, aiming for every country to detect and understand emerging health threats within 24 hours by 2030. The WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence in Berlin will lead the work, focusing on surveillance, pathogen identification, data analysis, and international cooperation. The strategy includes initiatives for open-source intelligence, pathogen surveillance, modelling, national surveillance, and digital systems to enhance global health security.

EU announces investment in health of almost €170 million to support resilient medical networks globally. The European Commission and participating member states coordinated this funding package to guarantee equitable access to essential medical products. This strategic capital deployment represents a unified effort to enhance healthcare sovereignty and regional security throughout emerging markets heavily reliant on international medical imports.

A daily serving of psyllium husk may help improve blood sugar control, according to clinical research. Psyllium is a soluble fiber from the Plantago ovata plant. It forms a thick gel when mixed with liquid. That gel can slow digestion and the absorption of carbohydrates. The effect can reduce post-meal glucose rises and may improve longer-term blood sugar markers in people with impaired glucose control.

The outbreak involves Bundibugyo virus disease, a form of Ebola that has driven sustained transmission since the emergency began in May. Congolese authorities declared the outbreak on May 15 after infections emerged in the country’s northeast. The epidemic is the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s 17th recorded Ebola outbreak since the virus was identified in 1976. Ituri has remained a major center of transmission, while cases have also appeared in North Kivu and other provinces.

Patients who underwent appendix removal for acute appendicitis had fewer later colorectal cancer diagnoses than patients treated only with antibiotics, according to new research. The retrospective study compared matched groups drawn from a large international health database. Researchers found colorectal cancer in 0.7% of patients who had an appendectomy. The rate reached 1.7% among those who received antibiotics alone. That difference corresponded to a 58% lower relative risk in the surgery group.

DR Congo’s Ebola outbreak has surpassed 8,000 confirmed cases across seven provinces. The government declared the outbreak on May 15 after identifying Bundibugyo virus as the cause. It is the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s 17th recorded Ebola outbreak. Bundibugyo virus is one of the Ebola virus species known to cause severe disease in humans. The World Health Organization says no licensed vaccine or approved treatment specifically targets Bundibugyo virus disease.