Radio Francophonie Connexion Santé/Health

To read this story in French 25 May 2016 – Two United Nations agencies said today they are supporting the Government of Haiti in a vaccination campaign against cholera that aims to reach 400,000 people in 2016. In a press release, the UN Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) said the Haitian Ministry of Public Health and Population is being supported by the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), as well as by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The first phase of the campaign was launched on 11 May in the town of Arcahaie, about 30 minutes north of the capital city of Port-au-Prince. That phase aims to provide two doses of oral vaccine to some 118,000 people during May and June. The vaccine provides warranty protection ranging from three to five years, according to PAHO/WHO. A second phase of the vaccination campaign is planned for the second half of the year. To be successful, nearly 563,785 additional doses are required. For ...

 According to a recent study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health, men with a history of gum (periodontal) disease could be at increased risk of developing pancreatic cancer.  Researchers from Harvard, the University of San Juan and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute analyzed data from more than 51,000 male subjects over a 16-year period.  The purpose was to determine if gum disease or tooth loss may be related to pancreatic cancer. After adjusting for age, smoking history, diabetes, obesity, diet and other potential contributors to pancreatic cancer, the reviewers found that men with a history of gum disease had a 64 percent increased risk of pancreatic cancer than men without a history of gum disease. Nobody knows why gum disease may be linked to pancreatic cancer.  Flossing on a regular basis may keep plaques and gum diseases down Although the study showed an association between gum disease and pancreatic cancer, a definite cause and effect re...