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Zawya
an hour ago
- Zawya
Madagascar Shows Commitment to Improving Cancer Care, with Focus on Women's Health
An international review has found that Madagascar has laid strong foundations for cancer control, expanding cervical cancer services, maintaining a health workforce and ensuring collaboration between health and radiation safety authorities. The joint imPACT review by the IAEA, World Health Organization (WHO) and International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC, highlighted the need to further develop oncology professionals and mobilize resources to increase access to cancer care across the country. Cancer claims more than 14 000 lives in Madagascar every year, with women more affected than men with 8 000 deaths. The country registers over 20,000 new cancer cases annually, according to 2022 IARC estimates. Incidence rates are expected to rise with increasing risk factors and an aging population. In June 2025, a team of 13 international experts nominated by the three organizations visited the main healthcare and specialized facilities in the country to conduct the imPACT review – which provides a baseline assessment of services to support Madagascar as the country develops its first comprehensive national cancer governance document. The experts held discussions with national and local health authorities, medical professionals and other stakeholders, and presented preliminary findings to the Minister of Health. 'The Malagasy government is committed to improving cancer care in the country,' Minister of Health Randriamanantany Zely Arivelo said. 'This imPACT assessment is very timely, as we will use its findings to finalize our country's first national cancer control plan.' Focus on Women's Cancers The most common cancer among women in Madagascar is cervical cancer, with a mortality rate of 30 per cent, followed by breast and colorectal cancers. In men, prostate, liver cancer and non-Hodgkin lymphoma are the most common cancers, driven by infectious diseases. The team assessed all elements that can impact cancer care in the country. These include factors such as governance, resources and regulatory frameworks for radiation safety, and components such as surveillance, referral networks, early diagnostic capacities, oncology workforce development opportunities, and readiness for advanced and expanded radiotherapy services. 'The strength of the imPACT review lies in its analysis of the entire cancer continuum,' said Laurent Musango, WHO Representative in Madagascar. 'The assessment reveals a solid foundation for integrating cancer control at the community level, and the potential for an overall strengthening of health systems in terms of prevention and early diagnosis.' The review found that Madagascar has been steadfast in boosting cancer services since a previous assessment in 2015. The country has expanded cervical cancer prevention, with pre-cancerous lesion screening already available and HPV vaccination set to start in October and has undertaken important efforts to modernize and distribute imaging services. The national health system also has an established and overall qualified health workforce, with six faculties of medicine available to train specialized health professionals – particularly in surgery, a critical aspect in cancer treatment. Boosting Capacity for Cancer Care The team recommended that Madagascar continue building capacity to increase and retain human resources in oncology professionals. It also urged further strengthening of radiation safety in medicine and long-term maintenance of existing equipment in nuclear medicine and radiotherapy centres. 'Radiation safety for the protection of patients, public and staff is foundational to providing comprehensive cancer diagnosis and treatment,' said Vasiliki Kamenopoulou, a radiation safety specialist at the IAEA who participated in the imPACT review. 'The Malagasy government is encouraged to reinforce the legal and regulatory framework for safety and bring it in line with the IAEA safety standards.' The review noted that Madagascar should also reinforce prevention and early detection actions for other priority cancers, including working with communities for greater breast cancer awareness and boosting pathology services with additional laboratory staff, equipment and supplies. Partnerships to Expand Services Looking forward, the imPACT review recommended strategies to support Madagascar mobilize resources for cancer control, such as the development of bankable documents to facilitate loans and public-private sector partnerships. The IAEA's Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy and Rays of Hope initiative support countries in bridging gaps in cancer care through partnerships with donors, the private sector and financial institutions. Through its technical cooperation and human health programmes, the IAEA also supports countries in strengthening the quality of nuclear and radiation medicine by providing capacity building, provision of equipment, technical advice and advisory services. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Khaleej Times
5 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
Does drinking milk actually make your bones stronger?
Q: I've always heard that you need to drink milk to keep your bones healthy. Is that true? A: For generations, Americans have been told — through school nutrition programs and advertising campaigns — that milk is an essential part of a healthy diet. Key to that narrative was that milk builds strong bones. Your bones are made of calcium, and one cup of whole milk contains about 300 milligrams of this nutrient. So drinking three cups per day, the thinking went, must make them resilient. But that message was built on short-term studies and pushed by the dairy industry, said Dr Walter Willett, a professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. With over a third of people in the United States having trouble digesting lactose, nobody needs to drink cow's milk, said Christopher Gardner, a nutrition scientist and professor of medicine at Stanford University. Getting enough calcium is still important, especially for some high-risk groups, but there may be better sources. WHAT DOES MILK DO TO BONES? Calcium is an essential nutrient, critical for nerve, muscle and heart function, as well as bone and tooth health. However, as with most nutrients, your body needs only a certain amount. The U.S. dietary guidelines recommend that adults consume 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams of calcium per day, but this threshold is debated among experts — and other countries, like the United Kingdom, recommend only 700 milligrams. Past clinical trials have found that when children and adults who weren't eating enough calcium increased their consumption, whether via dairy foods or supplements, their bone densities increased by up to 3 percent. But those gains were too small to meaningfully reduce fracture risk, Dr. Willett said. And other studies have found that people must consume extra calcium every day to maintain those gains, which may not be worth the investment, he added. 'The idea that we need lot of calcium is based primarily on very short-term studies looking at calcium balance over a few weeks,' Dr. Willett said. And an analysis of 79 milk papers published between 1999 and 2003 found that over a third received funding from the dairy industry. There's even evidence that people can have strong bones without drinking milk. According to one review published in 2020, people who live in countries with the lowest rates of hip fractures also tend to drink the least milk. And analyses of multiple studies have found that drinking more milk was not associated with lower fracture risk. Of course, studies like these can't prove any link between milk consumption and bone health, said Dr. René Rizzoli, the former head of the bone diseases department at the University Hospitals of Geneva. To show that milk consumption prevents fractures, for instance, you would need clinical trials on the topic, which have not been done. Ultimately, your exercise and broader diet may have more influence over your bone health. So don't count on milk alone to eliminate your fracture risk, Dr Rizzoli said. DO SOME PEOPLE NEED MILK MORE THAN OTHERS? Experts say that children ages 9 to 18 need more calcium than any other age group to support their growth; as do older adults, since bone density tends to decrease after age 50. When a person's calcium levels are low, the body can adapt by pulling more calcium from food and rejecting less as waste, Dr. Gardner said. But these mechanisms decline with age, and when the body isn't getting enough, it pulls more calcium from bones, he added, weakening them. In a 2021 clinical trial, researchers assigned more than 7,000 older adults living in assisted care facilities in Australia to either maintain their usual two servings of dairy per day or increase their consumption to 3.5 servings per day. Over the two-year study, the higher-dairy group had an 11 percent reduced risk of falls and a 33 percent reduced risk of fractures. The researchers also found that they maintained more weight, muscle mass and bone density than the lower-dairy group, though the team couldn't determine whether their lower risk of falls and fractures were because of stronger bones or something else, said Sandra Iuliano, a nutritionist at the University of Melbourne. Regardless, milk can be one of the most convenient sources of calcium, along with other nutrients like protein, potassium and phosphorous, said Jeri Nieves, a nutritional epidemiologist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City. Other foods — like tofu, bony fish, leafy vegetables and fortified orange juice or plant-based milks — are good sources too, Dr. Nieves said, even if they have less calcium per serving. The best option for calcium, however, might be fermented dairy products like yogurt and cheese. They support the gut microbiome, tend to be better tolerated by people sensitive to lactose and are more strongly tied to lower fracture risk than milk, Dr Rizzoli said. They're also packed with calcium — a 1.5-ounce serving of Cheddar cheese, for example, has the same amount as a cup of whole milk. 'If you like milk, drink it. If you don't like milk, or if you can't tolerate it, use some other source,' Dr. Nieves said. The article originally published in The New York Times.
Economy ME
8 hours ago
- Economy ME
Jordan sees record growth in medical tourism with over 92,000 visitors by May 2025
Jordan is solidifying its status as the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region's leading medical tourism destination, recording a remarkable rise in patient arrivals seeking both advanced medical care and natural therapeutic treatments. During the first seven months of 2025, the country witnessed a record increase in medical tourist arrivals, building on steady growth over the past three years. In 2024, over 224,000 medical tourists visited Jordan — up from 202,592 in 2023 and 191,532 in 2022 — demonstrating consistent upward momentum. The growth is powered by two major factors: An expanding range of specialized healthcare services, supported by a highly skilled medical workforce, and the country's natural healing environments like the Dead Sea and Ma'in Hot Springs. Jordan has an expanding range of specialized healthcare services, supported by a highly skilled medical workforce Read: UAE leads in accredited healthcare facilities globally, allocates $1.57 billion for 2025 services A booming global industry Jordan's growth in medical tourism comes amid a global surge in demand for cross-border healthcare . The global medical tourism market, valued at $31.23 – 41.79 billion in 2024, is projected to reach over $160 billion by 2032. The MENA region, particularly GCC countries, has traditionally been a major source of outbound medical travelers. Kuwait sends around 650 patients per month abroad, incurring $1 billion annually, while Saudi Arabia's Health Ministry reported 2,400 patients treated overseas, costing $800 million. Jordan's ability to attract these outbound patients has transformed the country into a regional hub for inbound medical tourism, generating over $1 billion in annual revenue, which contributes approximately 4 percent to Jordan's GDP. 'Our medical tourism sector has a legacy that dates back to the 1970s, when Jordan emerged as one of the top destinations for medical care in the region. The sector is continuing to demonstrate exceptional growth as a preferred therapeutic destination both regionally and globally,' said Dr. Abdelrazzak Arabiyat, managing director of the Jordan Tourism Board. 'The growth in medical tourism is primarily driven by the world-class healthcare services that our hospitals offer, the popularity of the natural therapeutic sites and the renowned hospitality of our country. 'What sets the country's medical tourism sector apart are the cost-effective yet high quality care assured within the country and the diverse natural attractions that add to the well-being of the patients and those who accompany them,' Dr. Arabiyat added. Record-breaking visitor numbers in 2025 In just the first quarter of 2025, Jordan welcomed 51,448 medical tourists, which rose to 92,776 by the end of May, marking a 16.5 percent increase compared to the same period last year. The country is on track to surpass previous records and set a new benchmark for its healthcare tourism sector. Jordan continues to attract patients primarily from Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Palestine, Syria, Yemen, Libya, and other GCC countries, drawn by the nation's quality healthcare, affordability, and cultural proximity. Jordan's growth in medical tourism comes amid a global surge in demand for cross-border healthcare World-class healthcare at competitive prices Jordan's medical care offers substantial cost advantages. Treatments are estimated to be 25 percent to 40 percent cheaper than in the US and Europe, and 5 percent to 10 percent lower than in medical tourism leaders like India, Singapore, and Thailand. The country boasts over 120 hospitals and medical centers, including 71 private and 47 public institutions. Many of these are internationally accredited by bodies such as the Joint Commission International (JCI) and the Health Care Accreditation Council (HCAC), assuring high standards of care and patient safety. Advanced medical capabilities and historic milestones Jordan has been a medical pioneer in the region, performing the first open-heart surgery in 1970 and the first kidney transplant in 1972. The King Hussein Cancer Center (KHCC) remains one of the region's most advanced oncology institutions, completing 250 bone marrow transplants in 2022 with a success rate of over 85 percent, matching international benchmarks. Top hospitals attracting medical tourists include: Jordan Hospital Specialty Hospital Abdali Hospital Al-Kindi Hospital Ibn Al-Haytham Hospital Arab Medical Center King Hussein Cancer Center In the public sector, leading institutions include Royal Medical Services (Medical City) and Al-Bashir Hospital. The country's medical workforce exceeds 30,000 professionals, many of whom are Western-educated and board-certified, offering services in specialties like cardiology, oncology, orthopedics, and fertility. Short waiting times and the widespread use of English among medical professionals further enhance patient confidence and comfort. Natural therapeutic destinations Complementing Jordan's medical infrastructure are unique natural healing sites that support patient recovery: Dead Sea: The lowest point on Earth (400 meters below sea level), offering mineral-rich waters with 33 percent salt content known for treating skin, joint, and respiratory conditions. Ma'in Hot Springs: Featuring thermal waterfalls up to 60°C, known for benefits in treating skin disorders, arthritis, and circulatory issues. These natural resources offer a distinctive recovery experience that combines modern medicine with ancient therapeutic traditions. What sets Jordan's medical tourism sector apart are the cost-effective yet high quality care Strong economic contribution Medical tourism is a significant pillar of Jordan's economy, not only generating over $1 billion annually but also creating thousands of jobs and supporting related sectors such as hospitality, transport, and translation services. Medical tourists are estimated to spend 3 to 5 times more than leisure travelers due to longer stays and broader service needs. Jordan's well-developed hospitality infrastructure, with accommodation options, patient transport, and multilingual support, ensures a smooth experience for international patients and their companions. 'The diversity of medical specialties available in Jordan, combined with our natural therapeutic destinations and skilled healthcare professionals, has created a strong and sustainable medical tourism ecosystem,' Dr Arabiyat said. 'Over the years, we have been focused on promoting our strengths in medical tourism through targeted digital ad campaigns, promotional videos and FAM trips for media and medical delegations, all contributing to the popularity of the country for world-class medical care.' As demand for global healthcare options grows, Jordan is well-positioned to lead the MENA region in offering high-quality, affordable, and holistic medical care. Backed by robust infrastructure, medical expertise, and natural therapeutic advantages, the country continues to elevate its reputation as a premier global medical tourism destination.
