Health
Why Somalia has not declared famine amid one of its worst cases of widespread hunger
Somalia is getting ready to its worst famine in half a century as drought intensifies and world meals costs soar, leaving tons of of hundreds of individuals susceptible to dying from hunger.
The United Nations has warned that elements of the nation shall be hit by famine within the coming weeks – and the projection is will probably be extra extreme than in 2011, when famine killed greater than 1 / 4 of 1,000,000 individuals there, about half of them youngsters.
Greater than $2.2 billion is required to offer meals, water, shelter, well being and sanitation and different help to drought-hit communities, however Somalia has solely acquired about half of that from overseas donors.
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“The worldwide group should not watch for a famine declaration to behave,” U.N. Inhabitants Fund (UNFPA) Govt Director Natalia Kanem instructed the Thomson Reuters Basis after visiting Somalia this month. “We have to get in there with a life-saving response now.”
Assist employees mentioned the brink for famine had already been handed in some areas, calling for a direct official declaration, which might draw world consideration to the catastrophe, mobilise much-needed overseas help and save lives.
“We have now been elevating the alarm about famine for months however help has been sluggish. Now we face a catastrophic state of affairs, individuals are dying,” mentioned Adil Al-Mahi, head of the charity Oxfam in Somalia. “A declaration of famine will definitely convey in additional help.”
However declaring famine is a posh course of which is very influenced by politics. Listed below are some information:
What’s a famine?
Famine is asserted in an space when extreme starvation is already widespread, and when individuals have began dying of hunger as a result of they don’t have sufficient nutritious meals.
In response to the United Nations, the affected space should meet three circumstances:
– At the very least 20% of the inhabitants is dealing with excessive meals shortages
– At the very least 30% of youngsters are affected by acute malnutrition
– At the very least two individuals out of each 10,000 inhabitants are dying every day because of hunger, or a mixture of extreme starvation and sickness
Why is Somalia dealing with one other famine?
Local weather change is the primary cause, say help employees. Somalia – and elements of neighbouring Ethiopia and Kenya – are dealing with the fifth failed wet season in a row.
This has pushed susceptible populations – already hit by years of insurgency by Islamist insurgents al Shabaab and lack of revenue as a result of COVID-19 pandemic – to the brink.
Starvation has been worsened as a result of hovering price of grain, gas and fertilizer following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Somalia depends on Russia and Ukraine for 90% of its wheat, and costs of some fundamental commodities have risen by as much as 160%.
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How is the drought affecting Somalis?
About 6.7 million individuals – practically half the nation’s inhabitants – face extreme starvation as a scarcity of rain for greater than two years has decimated their crops and killed livestock.
Multiple million individuals have been uprooted from their properties and compelled to trek for days looking for meals, water and medical remedy.
Lots of of malnourished and disease-hit youngsters have already died and greater than 300,000 individuals face hunger.
If individuals are dying, then why has famine not been declared?
The choice to declare a famine is mostly made collectively by the federal government and the United Nations.
A famine declaration will be politically contentious as governments may even see it as a blight on their rule and a chance for opponents to level to a failure of governance and incapacity to offer fundamental safety.
Assist employees in Somalia mentioned a part of the newly elected authorities of President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud was hesitant to declare famine as it will harm public help and play into the palms of al Shabaab insurgents.
The federal government additionally fears a famine declaration might dissuade traders and divert overseas help aimed for long-term growth tasks to the famine response.
In September, Mohamud admitted that the prospect of famine in elements of Somalia was critical.
“Declaring famine itself is a really troublesome state of affairs that doesn’t have an effect on famine victims solely, however halts growth and adjustments views,” Mohamud mentioned at an occasion on the Middle for Strategic and Worldwide Research, a Washington-based think-tank.
Will a famine declaration implement motion?
No. The declaration of famine carries no binding obligations on the United Nations, the federal government or different U.N. member states, however serves to focus world consideration on the state of affairs and galvanise sources to offer emergency help. When one other drought crippled Somalia in 2017, fast motion helped avert a famine.
What are the projections for Somalia for the approaching months?
Forecasts are bleak, indicating there shall be poor rainfall in the course of the present wet season and that is prone to prolong to the following wet season in March-Could, in response to the Famine Early Warning Techniques Community (FEWS NET).
“No matter subsequent 12 months’s rainfall efficiency, restoration from a drought of this magnitude will take years, with extraordinarily excessive humanitarian wants set to persist and even improve in 2023,” mentioned a press release from FEWS NET.
“Many individuals have utterly misplaced their livelihoods and coping capacities and are relying closely on help to fulfill fundamental wants,” it added.
Health
5 women’s health tips to prevent and detect strokes, according to cardiologists
One in five women between ages 55 and 75 will experience a stroke in their lifetime, according to the American Heart Association.
There are two main types of strokes.
With an ischemic stroke, a blockage prevents blood from flowing properly to the brain. With a hemorrhagic stroke, a blood vessel bursts in the brain and causes bleeding, which damages brain cells.
While some risk factors such as age, race and family history can’t be changed, others can be mitigated through healthy lifestyle choices.
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Parag Shah, M.D., a cardiologist who practices at Brooks Rehabilitation in Jacksonville, Florida, shared some specific tips about how women can reduce their risk.
Here are five tips.
1. Avoid air pollution
Research has shown that air pollution tends to impact women more than men in terms of inflammation, infection and heart disease.
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“According to a recent review, elevated levels of ambient air pollution — even just short-term exposure — can increase the likelihood of strokes,” said Shah, who specializes in stroke rehabilitation.
“Health experts recommend checking the air quality in your area and, on high-pollution days, limiting time outside, turning on exhaust fans in kitchens and bathrooms, and using an air purifier in the home,” he also said.
2. Embrace the Mediterranean diet
The Mediterranean diet — a plant-based nutrition plan that mimics the regional cuisines of the countries along the Mediterranean Sea, such as Italy and Greece — can reduce the health risks associated with strokes, according to Shah.
“Current research on preventing strokes is exploring an array of lifestyle factors,” he told Fox News Digital.
“This includes the Mediterranean diet, which highlights the consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, olive oil and foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids like fatty fish, walnuts and flaxseed.”
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3. Practice tai chi and yoga
Practicing exercises that promote heart health and lessen stress can help reduce the possibility of stroke, Shah suggested.
“Participating in physical activities like yoga, tai chi and strength training, while also giving importance to mindfulness techniques such as meditation and deep breathing exercises, could provide additional advantages in lowering the risk of strokes,” he told Fox News Digital.
4. Know the less common signs of stroke
Sudden confusion, difficulty understanding, slurred speech, double vision, and numbness or weakness, especially on one side of the body, are often overlooked signs of strokes, Shah warned.
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“Recognizing these signs is crucial, because quick identification and immediate medical attention greatly enhance the chances of recovery for stroke patients,” he said.
5. Understand the hidden causes
Beyond the more obvious “textbook” stroke symptoms, there are some warning signs that tend to be overlooked until it’s too late.
“Factors like pregnancy, giving birth and hormonal changes such as menopause can heighten the likelihood of having a stroke,” Shah told Fox News Digital.
The use of oral contraceptives and hormone therapy can also raise this risk, the doctor added, as can hidden biological factors that make women more susceptible.
“Scheduling regular health check-ups and staying knowledgeable about stroke symptoms and prevention methods are essential for maintaining good health,” Shah said.
In addition, know ‘Life’s Essential 8’
“Preventing most strokes is similar to the prevention of heart attacks,” Dr. Laxmi Mehta, a cardiologist and director of preventative cardiology and women’s cardiovascular health at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, told Fox News Digital.
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In her practice, Mehta typically recommends following the American Heart Association’s Life’s Essential 8, which provides steps to improve or maintain cardiovascular health.
These include four healthy behaviors and four health factors, as listed below.
1. Quit tobacco. Avoid cigarettes, vaping and other nicotine products, which have been proven to increase the risk of strokes and heart attacks.
2. Eat better. Following a healthy eating pattern that includes plenty of fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, lean protein, nuts and seeds can reduce stroke risk.
3. Be more active. Experts recommend participating in 150 minutes of moderate intensity or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity weekly.
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4. Get healthy sleep. Adults should aim for seven to nine hours of sleep per night to reduce stroke risk, according to experts.
5. Manage blood pressure. A “normal” blood pressure is defined as a systolic pressure of less than 120 and a diastolic pressure of less than 80, according to the National Institutes of Health.
6. Manage cholesterol. High cholesterol levels have a proven link to stroke risk. A healthy range for LDL (“bad”) cholesterol is 100 mg/dL or lower, as published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
7. Manage blood sugar. Excessive levels of glucose in the blood can increase the risk of fatty deposits or clots, which are a factor in strokes.
8. Achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese is one of the biggest risk factors and is linked to nearly one in five strokes, according to the World Stroke Organization.
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.
Health
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Health
Some patients who see female doctors could live longer, study suggests: ‘Higher empathy’
Patients who are treated by a female physician could live longer and have a reduced risk of hospitalization, new research has found.
These benefits were seen more in female patients compared to males, according to the study, which was published in the peer-reviewed journal Annals of Internal Medicine.
“Among older adults hospitalized for a medical condition, mortality and readmission rates were lower for patients treated by female physicians than those cared for by male physicians — and the benefit of receiving treatment from female physicians was greater for female patients than for male patients,” lead study author Dr. Yusuke Tsugawa, associate professor-in-residence of medicine in the division of general internal medicine at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, told Fox News Digital.
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The study included 700,000 Medicare beneficiaries 65 years of age and older who had been hospitalized between 2016 and 2019.
The mortality rate was 8.15% for female patients treated by female physicians — compared to 8.38% for those treated by male physicians, according to a press release from UCLA Health.
Dr. Shana Johnson, a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician in Scottsdale, Arizona, who was not involved in the research, noted that the findings are “clinically significant,” as the difference translates to an additional 1,053 female patient deaths.
Male patients also had lower mortality rates when treated by female physicians, but the difference was smaller.
Why the difference?
Dr. Marc Siegel, clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, was not involved in the study but called the findings “fascinating.”
“Women tend to have a higher empathy quotient, which can impact patient care and diagnosis and treatment directly,” he told Fox News Digital.
“There has been a patriarchy in medicine for a long time, and there still may be some residual discounting of women’s health issues or [doctors] seeing them as emotionally based,” Siegel added.
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There is a “growing awareness” that doctors are more sensitive to health issues when they can relate directly to their patients, the doctor noted.
“This applies to screening, diagnosis and treatment,” he said.
The findings were not surprising to the researchers, they said.
“Previous studies have shown that female patients treated by a female physician (versus female patients treated by a male physician) are less likely to experience underappreciation in symptom/illness severity assessment and communication challenges,” study co-author Atsushi Miyawaki, M.D., PhD, senior assistant professor in the Department of Health Services Research at the University of Tokyo, told Fox News Digital.
“Also, female physicians may help alleviate embarrassment, discomfort and sociocultural taboos during sensitive examinations and conversations [with] female patients,” he said.
“Mortality and readmission rates were lower for patients treated by female physicians than those cared for by male physicians.”
Other research has shown that female physicians are more likely to “adhere to clinical guidelines” and spend more time listening to patients compared to their male counterparts, which are “indicators of high-quality care,” added Tsugawa.
Johnson agreed, pointing out that prior studies have found male physicians may underestimate pain, gastrointestinal symptoms and heart symptoms when experienced by women.
“For instance, if a male and a female presented to the emergency room with upper stomach pain, the male would be checked for a heart attack and given medication for an upset stomach,” she told Fox News Digital.
“The woman, however, may only be given medication for an upset stomach.”
Study limitations
The study had some limitations, the researchers acknowledged.
“Due to limited clinical information available in our data, we could not identify the specific mechanisms underlying better outcomes for female patients treated by female physicians,” Tsugawa told Fox News Digital.
Miyawaki also noted that the study focused on older patients admitted to hospitals for medical conditions.
“Hence, our findings may not be generalizable to younger patients, commercially insured patients, those treated by other specialists or patients receiving care in an outpatient setting,” he told Fox News Digital.
“Individuals may focus on the importance of the doctor-patient relationship rather than on whether to choose a female doctor.”
More research is needed to better understand the differences between female and male physicians, Tsugawa said.
“Those include guideline concordance and communication style, which lead to better patient outcomes for female physicians.”
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Johnson also noted that while the study is of “good quality,” there are “inherent limitations to the study design.”
She said, “With a retrospective review, unmeasured factors can affect and skew the results. The findings do align with other research in the area, however.”
At the society level, Miyawaki said, the research suggests that increasing the number of female physicians could benefit women’s health.
“At the individual level, patient-physician interactions, rather than physician gender itself, are important for patient outcomes, our study suggests,” he said.
“Thus, individuals may focus on the importance of the doctor-patient relationship rather than on whether to choose a female doctor.”
Tsugawa agreed, noting, “It is important to consider multiple factors about physicians, such as their clinical experience and training, your prior experiences with them, and their communication style, rather than focusing solely on the physician’s sex.”
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.
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