Famine in Gaza threatens thousands with starvation, WHO warns
In a statement issued today, the organisation said residents of Gaza are suffering from extreme food shortages, with some going days without eating and others dying from severe weakness or organ failure.
Children with acute malnutrition, it added, are particularly at risk of death without urgent treatment.
The statement highlighted that Gaza's healthcare system is no longer able to function effectively due to a dire shortage of medical supplies and fuel, compounding the suffering of both patients and healthcare workers.
The organisation noted that recovery from malnutrition requires months of specialised medical care and therapeutic feeding, warning that some effects may be lifelong, such as stunted growth and chronic health conditions.
The WHO called for the immediate and unhindered entry of humanitarian aid -- food and medicine -- through all possible routes. It urged Israel to facilitate the delivery of assistance and ensure its safe and rapid passage in order to save lives and end the suffering of civilians. The organisation also renewed its call for a ceasefire.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Times of Oman
a day ago
- Times of Oman
Omani research team uses AI to detect genetic heart disorders
Muscat: A groundbreaking research initiative has made significant progress in identifying the genetic causes of cardiomyopathy in the Sultanate of Oman. The study, titled 'Implementation of Machine Learning Approach to Predict Pathogenicity of Genetic Variants Associated with Cardiomyopathy,' utilises Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) and advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) methodologies to investigate the underlying genetic contributors to this complex heart condition. The research was led by Dr. Ahmed Al Amri, Consultant of Molecular Genetics Lab and Head of Training and Professional Staff Development at the National Genetics Centre of the Royal Hospital. Cardiomyopathy, a heterogeneous group of myocardial disorders, remains a significant health burden worldwide. In the Sultanate of Oman, the genetic basis of the disease has been insufficiently characterised, hindering effective diagnosis and intervention. This study aimed to bridge that gap by conducting genetic analysis on a cohort of Omani families affected by cardiomyopathy. Dr. Ahmed Al Amri explained that central to the research is the development of a novel AI-based analysis model called 'CardioVar.' This model is designed to enhance the interpretation of WES data through the integration of more than 50,000 genetic variants and mutations linked to cardiomyopathy, supported by multiple AI algorithms to ensure analytical precision. The research project achieved a diagnostic success rate of over 80%, uncovering both known and previously unreported genetic mutations, some of which involve genes not previously linked to cardiomyopathy. These findings offer valuable insight into the genetic landscape of the disease within the Omani population and present new opportunities for further research to confirm the clinical relevance of novel variants. The AI model significantly improved both the speed and accuracy of genetic analysis, demonstrating its practical value in overcoming the limitations of traditional sequencing approaches. Dr. Al Amri emphasised that this approach not only advances the understanding of the genetic basis of cardiomyopathy in the Sultanate of Oman but also provides a scalable framework for implementing AI in genomic medicine, enhancing diagnostic accuracy and personalised care. The multidisciplinary research team included Dr. Ahmed Al Amri, Dr. Aisha Al Balushi, Nibras Al Mahrami, Dr. Musallam Al Ariami, Dr. Nadia Al Hashimi, Dr. Mohammed Al Rawahi, Dr. Tuqa Al Lawati, Dr. Bushra Al Shamsi, Dr. Fahad Al Hattali, and Ms. Mashael Al Balushi. Together, they have contributed to a practical model that blends clinical knowledge, laboratory science, and artificial intelligence to achieve high-impact results. This research not only advances the scientific understanding of inherited cardiomyopathy in the Sultanate of Oman but also exemplifies how AI can transform genetic diagnostics. It stands as a national model for the integration of precision medicine into routine clinical care, with plans to expand the study to include other hereditary heart conditions and incorporate its findings into everyday healthcare practices.
Observer
2 days ago
- Observer
Oman offers a model integrated child healthcare: WHO
Oman has been making advances in childhood health care for more than 20 years, steadily moving from disease-specific vertical programmes to a coordinated, multidisciplinary system. The strategy has led to remarkable progress in child health and offers a model for integrated care, according to the World Health Organisation East Mediterranean Region (EMRO). Oman began implementing the integrated management of childhood illness (IMCI), with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), in 1999. IMCI is a WHO strategy to reduce child mortality and morbidity by integrating preventive and curative interventions. By 2000, Oman had established a national IMCI programme and began forming a national committee and multisectoral working groups to implement WHO's IMCI guidelines tailored to national needs. The initial phase (1999–2001) involved policy-makers, health workers, and educators. Health professionals from nursing, immunization, nutrition, and health education collaborated to align efforts to address the health needs of children under 5. As the transition from vertical programmes to an integrated IMCI framework that addresses multiple child health needs gained traction, between 2002 and 2023, task forces and regional committees of health professionals - including paediatricians and family physicians – supported training programmes and developed national guidelines and standardized care protocols to ensure quality across facilities. By 2009, Oman had embedded IMCI into the curricula of nursing and medical schools, including the College of Health Sciences and Sultan Qaboos University, training health professionals in IMCI and enhancing sustainable capacity. Its IMCI integration into health education provides a replicable model. The transformation has delivered measurable results. According to WHO data, from 1970 to 2010, under-5 mortality declined from 181 to 11.8 deaths per 1000 live births. By 2020, it had fallen to 9.5 deaths per 1000 live births. Infant mortality fell from 118 to 9.7 per 1000 live births between 1970 and 2010, and to 8.5 by 2020. Reported cases of diarrhoeal illness among children under 5 decreased by about 25% between 2015 and 2020 (from approximately 85,000 to 63,000). Severe dehydration cases fell by about 25% – from 220 in 2015 to 165 in 2020. Acute respiratory infections (ARI) rates decreased, with severe cases falling from 9.5 per 1000 in 2015 to 3.5 per 1000 in 2020. Deaths attributed to ARI decreased from 30 in 2013 to 10 in 2020. National immunization coverage, supported by a robust vaccine safety monitoring system, was above 98% for all vaccines in 2023. The figures show how Oman's integrated strategy has enhanced child health through coordinated care and community engagement. Oman has incorporated IMCI into its Al Shifa electronic health records system, enabling continuous monitoring of maternal and child health, further facilitating coordinated care and supporting family-centred care delivery. In 2012, Oman's integrated approach was recognized with a United Nations Public Service Award for promoting gender-responsive public services. Regular workshops, national conferences, and publications disseminate Oman's IMCI experiences and advance global knowledge sharing. WHO's continued support, through technical assistance, training and policy guidance, has been key to maintaining progress. Oman's IMCI implementation has demonstrably improved child health outcomes and strengthened community health systems. As Oman continues to enhance its IMCI programme, its journey from vertical programmes to integrated clinical services, public health, education, and technology provides an exemplary model of how to improve child health outcomes and support sustained health improvement.
Times of Oman
2 days ago
- Times of Oman
Fake medication is a problem across the world
New York: Amid rising demand for popular medications, experts and industry groups are concerned regulators may not be able to keep pace with the speed of counterfeiters. "A doctor simply writes down the prescription. They don't care where the patient buys the drug," said Saifuddin Ahmed, a public health practitioner and epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins University in the US. "It is critically important that a health care provider should be engaged. The [regulators are] not enough," Ahmed told DW. Nowhere else is the challenge more obvious than with the huge demand for products like Wegovy and Zepbound. They contain active compounds called semaglutide or tirzepatide, which were originally designed to treat type 2 diabetes. But these drugs were found to have a side effect that triggered substantial, sustained weight loss. Demand rose from people wanting to lose weight, and that caused a shortage. Fakes have filled the gap. Fake drugs are a global problem Drug counterfeiting is a major global problem. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that one in 10 pharmaceuticals are fakes that carry no guarantee of any health benefits. While this is mainly a problem in low-and-middle income countries, especially parts of Africa and Asia, around 1% of people in high-income nations also obtain medication from unregulated sources. In some cases, these drugs may have no effect. In other cases, however, ingredients in the fake medication may lead to adverse reactions or create new health problems. "Purchasing medicine online from unregulated, unlicensed sources can expose patients to potentially unsafe products that have not undergone appropriate evaluation or approval, or do not meet quality standards," said the US regulator, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2023, when it issued its first warnings about the problem. In 2024, the WHO issued a global warning that batches of fake Ozempic were flooding the black market. More recently, in July 2025, data from the UK National Pharmacy Association found one in five Britons had attempted to obtain weight loss treatments in the previous year. It warned that the high demand for these medicines carried the risk that people would "resort to unregulated online suppliers instead of regulated pharmacies." Where are people buying counterfeit medicine? Unregulated pharmaceuticals are being sold via online-only pharmacies, international drug shopping and organized criminal distributors. These digital marketplaces are not online stores for established pharmacies, but sites that seemingly offer medicine at a fraction of the usual cost. The drugs may look identical to genuine medicines online, but when delivered often have spelling errors on the packet or incorrect ingredient listings. But it's not only fake drugs or placebos. Regulators have raised concern about compounding, where medicines that have been approved individually can be formulated to produce non-regulated "compounds" for individual patients. In some regions of the world, including the US, trained pharmacists are allowed to compound medicines, but even then, the practice is less regulated than the stringent approvals that drug manufacturers must meet to bring their products to market. For example, when the FDA temporarily allowed the compounding of weight loss drugs to address a product shortage, some pharmacists used semaglutide salts — which are not approved by regulators — instead of semaglutide itself. This led to reports of side effects. And it wasn't just trained compounding pharmacies that were formulating these products in the US. Ahmed said, "this is done in [places] like gymnasiums and spas." The FDA has now stopped allowing compounded versions of these weight loss drugs, but it is concerned that unregulated online pharmacies are still making substandard products available. Raising awareness about fake drugs To address concerns that consumers may seek unsafe products from unregulated sources, the FDA operates a campaign called BeSafeRx that provides guidance for consumers to identify genuine pharmaceuticals. In the European Union, safety features on medicines are mandated, and include standardized labeling practices. In a statement provided to DW, the European Medicines Agency said "patients should only use online retailers registered with the national competent authorities in the EU Member States, to reduce the risk of buying substandard or falsified medicines." Europol, which is responsible for law enforcement for pharmaceutical crime across member states, has coordinated regular actions across the bloc in collaboration with US and Colombian partners. In a 2023 operation, more than 1,284 people were charged for offenses related to the trafficking of counterfeit and misused medicines and doping substances. As well as local awareness campaigns and enforcement initiatives, the key measure, Ahmed said, was to help improve awareness between patients and their health practitioners. Ahmed heads the Johns Hopkins University's BESAFE initiative, which investigates risks and interventions to prevent the uptake of substandard and counterfeit medication. Surveys undertaken by BESAFE have found that within the US and South Africa, awareness of where to safely buy prescriptions and report fakes or adverse events is low. He said building trust between consumers, medical practitioners and regulators may help avoid the risks of counterfeit and unregulated drug purchases.
