AIR POLLUTION LEVELS STILL TOO HIGH ACROSS EUROPE: EU REPORT

Mon 04 December 2023: Air pollution is currently the most important environmental health risk factor in Europe, the European Union (EU) environment agency warned in a report published on Friday. “Air pollutant concentrations in 2021 remained well above the levels recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) in its air quality guidelines,” said the European […]

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FRANCE TO BAN SMOKING IN PUBLIC AREAS IN EFFORT TO CREATE ‘TOBACCO-FREE GENERATION’

Sat 02 December 2023: The French government plans to ban smoking on all beaches and in public areas, the country’s health minister said on Tuesday, after Emmanuel Macron promised to create “the first tobacco-free generation” by 2032. In a statement, Aurelien Rousseau said that an average of 75,000 people die every year in the country […]

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GLOBALLY MALARIA CASES EXCEEDED PRE-CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC LEVELS, WHO SAYS

Sa 02 December 2023: Globally malaria cases exceeded pre-coronavirus pandemic levels and hit 249 million amid a growing number of threats against the global response, a report by the World Health Organization (WHO) said Thursday. The report noted that there were 233 million cases in 2019 and said the global response faced a growing number […]

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AS ZIMBABWE STEPS UP ITS CHOLERA FIGHT, RESTRICTIONS ARE IMPOSED

Thu 30 October 2023: The Zimbabwean government has stepped up its fight against the cholera outbreak that continues to ravage Harare, the country’s capital, as well as other districts across the country. Jenfan Muswere, the Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, said Tuesday that there were 1,744 new suspected cholera cases reported during the […]

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NZ PLANS TO LIFT BAN ON SELLING CIGARETTES TO CHILDREN AGED 14, BELOW

Thu 30 October 2023: On Wednesday, the New Zealand government confirmed its 49-point agenda for the first 100 days, which includes removing the restriction on selling cigarettes under the age of 14, and outlawing cell phones in classrooms. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon affirmed his 49-point action plan at his Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, calling it […]

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AMERICAN BABY FOOD STILL CONTAINS PESTICIDES, BUT IN A LESS TOXIC FORM: RESEARCH

Wed 29 October 2023: Baby food in the United States may still contain potentially harmful pesticides, but is less toxic than it was about 30 years ago, according to a new study by a nonprofit U.S. environmental group. Some 38 percent of conventional, or non-organic, baby food in the United States, is found to contain […]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH WELCOMES LATEST HIV SURVEY FINDINGS

Tue 28 October 2023: The Department of Health has welcomed the results of the sixth South African National HIV Prevalence, Incidence, and Behaviour (SABSSM VI) survey released by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) on Monday.  The department believes the results will assist the country in strengthening the interventions in response to the epidemic.  “These […]

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IMPORTS OF SINGLE-USE VAPES TO BE BANNED IN AUSTRALIA BY 2024

Tue 28 October 2023: Australia will bar imports of single-use e-cigarettes starting next year, cracking down on the nicotine products that are popular with youth. The ban will come into effect on January 1, Australia’s government announced on Tuesday, adding that it will also introduce legislation in 2024 to ban the manufacture, advertising or supply […]

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WHO CONFIRMS MONKEYPOX SPREADS SEXUALLY IN DR CONGO AMID OUTBREAK

Mon 27 October 2023: The World Health Organization said it has confirmed sexual transmission of monkeypox in the Democratic Republic of Congo for the first time as the country’s experiences its biggest-ever outbreak, a worrying development that African scientists warn could make it more difficult to stop the disease. In a statement issued late Thursday, […]

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