Latest news with #MinistryOfPublicHealth
Times of Oman
22-07-2025
- Health
- Times of Oman
Afghanistan launches nationwide polio vaccination campaign to immunise 7.3 million children
Kabul: The Ministry of Public Health has launched a nationwide polio vaccination campaign targeting 7.3 million children across 19 provinces of Afghanistan. The four-day campaign, which commenced on Monday, will cover 187 districts, according to Sharafat Zaman Amarakhail, spokesperson for the ministry. "A sub-national polio vaccination campaign has begun in 19 provinces of the country, covering 187 districts, and will continue for four days. Around 7.3 million children under the age of five will be vaccinated during this campaign," said Amarakhail in a statement to Tolo News. Vaccination teams have spread throughout the streets, alleyways, and neighbourhoods of Kabul and other provinces, working to immunise children against the debilitating disease. Noor Hussain, one of the vaccinators, shared his experience of the day's efforts: "I started my work at 7 a.m. The public's cooperation in bringing their children for vaccination was truly commendable." As the vaccination campaign continues, residents in Kabul have called for the expansion of such initiatives to combat polio effectively. Ramazan, a Kabul resident, emphasised the importance of spreading awareness, urging the government to educate people about the life-saving benefits of the vaccine. "We urge the government to educate people about the benefits of the vaccine and to continue this process," he told Tolo News. Doctors have underscored the critical role of public awareness and continued investment in eradicating polio. Dr. Mojtaba Sufi, a local health expert, reiterated: "The only effective way to prevent polio is through vaccination, and these vaccines are provided by the international community." The World Health Organization (WHO) reported over twenty positive cases of polio in Afghanistan last year. However, the Ministry of Public Health has contested the accuracy of these figures, calling them "inaccurate." The campaign is part of Afghanistan's ongoing efforts to fight polio and protect the health of its youngest citizens.
The National
14-07-2025
- Health
- The National
UAE leads life-saving drive to tackle malnutrition in Yemen's Socotra
The UAE has joined forces with the World Health Organisation to lead a campaign to reduce the number of deaths caused by malnutrition on the Yemeni island of Socotra. Field teams from the UAE and the WHO have carried out assessments in the first phase of a drive aimed at bolstering health systems and improving patient care. Health workers have completed the first of four visits over the course of a year, as part of a mission to reduce the malnutrition death rate by up to 20 per cent within the next two to five years. The initiative is being carried out with the support of the Yemen's Ministry of Public Health and Population, state news agency Wam reported on Monday. The baseline assessment covered 38 villages across 29 subdistricts of Socotra, which has an estimated population of 60,000. Data was collected from 4,214 households, with field teams interviewing more than 900 care providers and taking anthropometric measurements from children and mothers. Such measurements are typically used to assess the height and weight of infants and adults. That data is an important indicator of nutrition and the risk of disease. The findings will be used to compile a report that will detail the maternal and child health and nutrition status of the community. It will also examine the readiness of healthcare sites to respond to emergency situations and meet the needs of patients. Future stages of the initiative will include the distribution of medical goods and other supplies, work by technical experts and service providers, and the launch of training programmes and community awareness campaigns. Remote island of global significance Socotra is part of one of the most isolated islands in the world. It is about 340km south-west of Yemen. While remote and small, it is known for its centuries-old, umbrella-shaped dragon blood trees and has been described as the Galapagos of the Indian Ocean because of its biodiversity. The Socotra Archipelago – made up of six islands, including its largest, Socotra – received Unesco World Heritage Site status in 2008 in recognition of its biodiversity and high number of endemic species. Socotra has endured a number of challenges in recent years, including two cyclones in 2015. The UAE provided $110 million in humanitarian aid to the people of Socotra from 2015 to 2021, offering assistance to its communities and helping to lay foundations for the future. The aid was delivered by organisations including the Emirates Red Crescent, the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development, the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, the Sheikh Sultan bin Khalifa Al Nahyan Humanitarian and Scientific Foundation, and the Abu Dhabi Waste Management Centre. Key investment restored Socotra's airport and paid for the construction of two solar power stations, the establishment of four power plants and the installation of power generators in remote villages.
Al Jazeera
26-06-2025
- Business
- Al Jazeera
Thailand moves to re-criminalise cannabis in blow to $1bn industry
The Thai government is moving to tighten rules around the sale of cannabis, just three years after the kingdom decriminalised recreational use of the popular substance. Thailand's Ministry of Public Health on Tuesday night ordered that cannabis use be restricted to medical use only, throwing the estimated $1bn industry into a state of uncertainty. Government spokesperson Jirayu Houngsub said cannabis had created serious social problems for young people, and the industry, which has boomed in recent years, needed to be scaled back. 'The policy must return to its original goal of controlling cannabis for medical use only,' Jirayu said in a statement. The order, however, is not law yet. It will need to be published in the official Royal Gazette to come into force, and the government has not indicated when that will happen. Thailand became the first country in Asia to fully decriminalise cannabis in 2022, in a move that has been wildly popular with tourists but less so among more conservative Thais. Thousands of cannabis stores have opened across Thailand in the past three years, although it has remained relatively unregulated despite multiple attempts by the government. The latest move to restrict cannabis use comes amid wider political turmoil in Thailand. Last week the Bhumjaithai Party, previously a champion of decriminalising cannabis, withdrew from the government's ruling coalition due to its mishandling of a border conflict with Cambodia. The Thai Chamber of Commerce previously estimated that the cannabis trade could be worth $1.2bn by 2025, although experts say it has not reached its full potential due to the uncertainty that has plagued regulation around the industry since it was decriminalised.
Khaleej Times
24-06-2025
- Health
- Khaleej Times
Qatar warns against video on fake diabetes cure, clarifies man 'not licensed' medic
Qatar's health authorities on Tuesday warned against circulating a misleading video that falsely claims a cure for diabetes has been discovered. In the video, a person claims that he has discovered a cure for diabetes and urges Qataris to contact him. The Gulf country's Ministry of Public Health further warned that this call might be for fraudulent purposes. This person abused his previous role as a trainee assistant in the field of research at a local institution in Qatar to lend weight to his claims, the ministry clarified. "His role was limited to interacting with participants in research studies. He is not a qualified diabetes specialist, nor is he licensed to provide medical consultations," it said, adding that he no longer works in Qatar. Authorities in Qatar urged the public to verify the licence status of any healthcare practitioner in the country through the "Find a Registered Healthcare Practitioner" service available on the Ministry of Public Health's website. Diabetes is a chronic, metabolic disease characterised by elevated levels of blood glucose (or blood sugar), which leads over time to serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), about 830 million people worldwide have diabetes, the majority living in low-and middle-income countries. More than half of the people living with diabetes are not receiving treatment. Both the number of people with diabetes and the number of people with untreated diabetes have been steadily increasing over the past decades, the UN body stated. insulin injections, is essential for survival, but it never mentions that any cure exists.
Bloomberg
24-05-2025
- Health
- Bloomberg
Surge in Cannabis Smuggling Prompts Thailand to Tighten Rules
Thailand aims to clamp down on easy access to cannabis by mandating medical prescriptions amid rising instances of tourists attempting to smuggle out large quantities of weed. Dispensaries will be allowed to sell cannabis only to those with licenses or with prescriptions from medical professionals, including traditional medicine practitioners, when proposed changes to existing rules take effect in about 40 days. The amount sold will also be limited to 30 days of use, according to the Ministry of Public Health.
