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| Monday, February 05, 2007 |
| Health alert in Jakarta, Indonesia following floods |
Following days of flooding, over 50,000 residents in the Indonesian capital of Jakarta have sought treatment for conditions ranging from coughs to diarrhoea.
Indonesia's Health Minister Siti Fadillah Supari told reporters that the authorities were on alert for outbreaks of more serious cases of diarrhoea or diseases such as typhoid, cholera and measles.
The flooding has displaced about 340,000 people and killed nearly 30 others.
Water in parts of Jakarta, the tropical city of nine million people, has risen up to 4 metres (13 feet), causing blackouts, cutting telephone lines and blocking key roads.
Indonesia regularly suffers floods during the rainy season, but the devastation in recent days has been the worst in five years. Indonesia's meteorology officials have warned that Jakarta could suffer heavy rains until the end of February.
After heavy overnight rains, there was sunshine in the capital on Monday. However, the meteorology officials have warned of downpours with fluctuating intensity.
Floods in the city can often spring up in one area and recede in another as water from rain in upstream areas such as Bogor feeds into rivers criss-crossing Jakarta city.
Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso said people in areas in danger of flooding must evacuate. He brushed aside criticism of his administration's handling of the crisis, saying "this is a natural phenomenon that happens once every five years, like in 2002, and may happen again five years from now. What is important is how we minimise the losses."
Piped water is not available in several parts of Jakarta. Many residential areas and major roads in West and North Jakarta are flooded, resulting in huge traffic jams.Labels: Health |
posted by a correspondent @ 9:54 PM   |
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| Sunday, January 07, 2007 |
| Dog obesity drug from Pfizer Slentrol cleared by FDA |
Slentrol diet drug for dogs
BY A CORRESPONDENT
Slentrol, a drug for obese and overweight dogs has been cleared by the US FDA. Slentrol, the dog diet drug, has been developed by Pfizer, and is expected to help fat dogs which form a major part of the dog population in the US. Of the 60 million pet dogs in the US, about 5% is obese, which means their body weight is more than 20% of the ideal weight. Among the rest of the dog population, 20-30% dogs are believed to be overweight.
Slentrol controls the dog's weight by reducing the dog's appetite and fat absorption simultaneously. This is the first medicine developed to treat animal obesity in the world. Slentrol works much the same as human weight loss drugs like Meridia and Xenical. It is administered once a day as oral solution. The duration of the animal therapy is expected to take anywhere from two weeks to three months.
The dog obesity management drug is expected to be available in drug stores and chemists in the US by spring. Slentrol will be sold for $1 to $2 per day, depending on the weight of the dog.
Said an FDA release: "This is a welcome addition to animal therapies, because dog obesity appears to be increasing. Veterinarians are well aware that overweight pets are at a higher risk of developing various health problems, from cardiovascular conditions to diabetes to joint problems."
However, Slentrol, which is yet to hit the drug stores and chemists, is a prescription drug, which means the dog-owner cannot get the medicine from a shop without a vet clearing it for the dog's consumption. The dog obesity drug also has some side-effects: for eg; Slentrol can cause diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite and loose stools. Pfizer also has issued a stern warning against the dog-owner consuming the drug! Also, remember that Slentrol is not a cure for obesity or being overweight. Once the treatment is over, the drug ceases to have any effect. Pfizer says that Slentrol should be administered under a veterinary surgeon's observation, and should be matched with a balanced diet and proper exercise.
Said Bonnie Beaver, past president of the American Veterinary Medical Association: "It's not a panacea, and it will not totally replace good diet control and exercise. We know that pets are gaining weight just as their owners often do."
Pfizer's blockbuster drug Viagra to treat male impotence is one of the world's largest selling drugs of all time. Pfizer, makers of Slentrol, hopes to make a windfall gain from the new dog diet drug.
It is worth mentioning that Slentrol is for dogs alone - cats and other pets should not be administered this drug, which is made especially for dog weight loss.
FDA has specifically asked the Slentrol-maker to issue a specific warning that the drug is not for human consumption, since overweight owners fascinated by their dog's shedding weight may be tempted to consume the medicine.
However, many animal-lovers are against the concept of administering drugs to reduce the weight of pets. They say that instead of putting the dog on medication, the pet-owner should take the trouble to walk the dog for a few kilometers every day. However, there is consensus on the fact that Slentrol, or any similar drug which can help a seriously obese dog fight heart disease or similar ailments is very much welcome.
Many pets in urban areas get little exercise and consequently, tend to put on weight. Also, dogs have a habit on feasting on junk food and all kinds of leftover food from their owners. These traits can potentially lead to a lot of weight gain in canines.
According to Pfizer, the idea is not to make the dogs dependent on Slentrol for a fit life, but to wean away the dog from the drug over a period of time and put the pet on a regimen of exercise and balanced diet. Pfizer is planning to target fat dogs older than 6-9 months with Slentrol.
Pfizer's clinical trials of Slentrol showed that 97% of 144 dogs lost weight on administering the obesity drug. Some dogs showed anorexia and lethargy as side-effects during the four-month trials.
Research has shown that most breeds of dogs can stay off food for a good five days. This essentially implies that dogs do not necessarily need all the stuff that loving pet-owners feed them several times a day. But many dogs are erroneously "trained" to eat several times a day, just like humans, and the result is obesity. The pet food commercials also make the pet owners feel guilty if they do not feed them "regularly." Besides, several members of the family separately offer food to the dog, which increases calorie intake and adds weight.
Some of the common diseases popping up in obese dogs are heart disease, arthritis, orthopedic problems, respiratory ailments and even cancer. However, many dog-owners are not even aware that their pets are fat or overweight. Even when they recognize the fact, they dismiss it as saying that "he is a stocky breed." However, this leads to complications later. Pfizer's Slentrol is expected to be a boon for dog owners in denial.
USAGE & HOW IT WORKS
Pfizer's Slentrol is a new chemical entity, (NCE) called a selective microsomal triglyceride transfer protein inhibitor. This blocks the entry of lipoproteins into the bloodstream. According to FDA, the precise way in which weight loss is induced is not known, but is apparently from lower fat absorption and an "enough" signal from cells lining the intestine.
The obese dog, after getting prescription from the vet, is put on a Slentrol course a fortnight. The dosage is decided based on the general health of the dogs and its level of obesity. After this period, the veterinarian will check the requirement of the continued use of drug, based on the improvement, over a period of three months. The dosage is adjusted in between. During this time, the veterinarian and the dog-owner also fix the ideal food intake and exercise that the dog requires for continued healthy life.Labels: Health |
| posted by a correspondent @ 10:14 AM |
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| Tuesday, December 26, 2006 |
| 28 million deaths can be averted by prompt action on AIDS, says WHO |
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Act now, or AIDS will gobble you. According to the world Health Organisation, if the world acts now to curb the disease, at least 28 million lives could be saved by year 2030.
A research report from WHO has warned that AIDS is set to join heart disease and stroke as one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Pointing out that at least 117 million people will die from AIDS by 2030, the study says that if new HIV infections are curbed and access to life-prolonging antiretrovirals is increased, the number can be brought down to 89 million.
The study warns that the future depends much on what the international community does now. However, experts around the world think it will be increasingly hard to sustain treatment unless new HIV infections are prevented. Condom distribution as well as new vaccines are the need of the hour, they feel.
The research study evaluated data from more than 100 countries across the globe. It established connections between mortality trends and income per capita, and factors including education levels and tobacco use.
While it may be possible to avert some of the impending damage from HIV and AIDS, other predictions are unlikely to vary significantly, said experts. With life expectancy expected to increase worldwide, the highest projected life expectancy in 2030 will be among Japanese women, at 88.5 years, they felt.Labels: Health |
| posted by a correspondent @ 2:34 AM |
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