Tag: health
Inside China's Crowded Hospitals, the Finances Are Fraying — and Staff Are Being Let Go
A discussion about hospital layoffs, sparked by several Chinese hospitals dismissing entire workforces, has pulled back the curtain on the sector's strained economics: wage arrears, insurance-fraud probes, and surgeons whose pay for a three-hour operation once worked out to about 100 yuan.
Recently in August '26
August is now coming to an end and, with it, the summer. This has been an unusually hot summer in the Netherlands, and I'm quite happy we're now approaching colder times. This month wasn't as eventful as I thought it was, but let's recap.
Malawi urged to make breastfeeding easier for mothers
Breastfeeding mothers in Malawi are facing challenges that go beyond feeding their babies, with health advocates calling for changes in workplaces, public institutions and communities.The advocates say lack of suitable spaces and social stigma continue to make breastfeeding difficult for some women, potentially affecting efforts to ensure children receive the recommended nutrition.The concerns come amid...
Chirango kwa bambo yemwe DNA yati mwana ndi wako
Akuluakulu a chipembedzo cha Chisilamu ati mwamuna yemwe wapita kukayezetsa DNA ndipo zotsatira zawonetsa kuti mwanayo ndi wake, akuyenera kulandira chirango. Izi ndi malingana ndi a Muhammad Uthman omwe ndi a Grand Mufti a m’dziko lino ku chipembedzochi, omwe ati mwamuna otere adzirangidwa chifukwa chokayikira komanso kunamizira mkazi wake kuti wachita chigololo.Iwo amayankhula izi mu...
How to Recover From a Late Night, According to China's Trending Health Guides
A late-night recovery guide trending at No. 5 on Weibo offers concrete advice — rehydrate before caffeine, cap naps at 30 minutes, walk in daylight, no coffee after noon — and a reminder of why 熬夜, staying up too late, is one of the most loaded words in Chinese internet life.
Seven minutes of terror: 3D images reveal how Gyirong mudslide unfolded
China's Ministry of Natural Resources has released three-dimensional imagery showing the area around Gyirong Port on the Chinese side of the China-Nepal border before and after a major mudslide, offering a detailed view of the disaster's source, path and impact. The imagery shows that the mudslide caused extensive damage around Gyirong Port, with buildings, roads...
Leukemia Is No Longer 'Incurable,' China's Health Commission Declares
At a rare press conference on cancer outcomes, a Peking University hematologist said most leukemia patients can now be fully controlled — and credited a Chinese-developed arsenic regimen that became a world standard.
A recovery update
It's been four weeks since I last wrote about my recovery, following my seizure in May. Because August is my busiest month at work, most of this month's blog posts were written in advance and so I haven't talked about what has happened with my health since last month. Things have happened and so it's...
Why do I feel irritable and exhausted before my period every month?
Many people notice predictable mood and physical changes in the days before their period — a pattern that becomes clearer once you log symptoms across several cycles and can see where in the cycle they cluster.
A 22-Year-Old's Snack Diet Led to Restless Legs Syndrome
A Nanjing graduate student kept being woken by her own twitching legs, and doctors traced the cause to years of surviving on snacks instead of meals — a warning that resonates with China's exam-squeezed young people.
Nurses, midwives promised better welfare ahead of NONM polls
Nurses and midwives are being promised better pay, improved working conditions and stronger representation as the race for the National Organisation of Nurses and Midwives (NONM) presidency gathers pace.Frank Louis Kamwendo, a 35-year-old nurse seeking to lead the organisation, says his campaign will focus on tackling long-standing challenges affecting the welfare, dignity and professional advancement...
Malawians’ unnatural deaths in SA raise alarm
Concern has been raised over the deaths of Malawian nationals in South Africa, with authorities reporting that some of the bodies repatriated to Malawi showed signs of unnatural deaths.An unnatural death is one caused by an external factor rather than illness or old age. Such deaths can result from road accidents, drowning, falls, fires, poisoning,...
Malawi exceeds polio vaccination target
Malawi has surpassed its national target in the latest polio vaccination campaign, reaching more than 7.3 million children under the age of 10.According to the Ministry of Health and Sanitation,7,368,425 children were vaccinated during the nationwide campaign conducted from August 11 to 14, representing 104 percent of the target of 7,070,131 children.The campaign used the...
A Shenzhen Girl's Eczema Was Treated With Detox Baths Until 80 Percent of Her Skin Eroded
A seven-year-old Shenzhen girl whose family replaced her eczema treatment with three months of "detox" herbal baths developed wounds over 80 percent of her body and nearly died of sepsis—a case Chinese doctors are using to warn parents off miracle-cure remedies.
Malaria mosquito hitchhikes plane to Germany, kills airport worker
…traps set up at airport to catch culprit mosquitoes A Frankfurt Airport worker has died from malaria after mosquitoes believed to have arrived in Germany aboard an aircraft infected six airport employees in a rare outbreak. German public health officials believe the mosquitoes were transported by plane to Frankfurt Airport, Germany’s busiest airport, before transmitting...
Why are more women testing positive for STIs in Tengani?
The discovery of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among 32 women in Tengani, Nsanje District, has raised questions about the underlying factors driving reproductive health challenges in the area.The cases were identified during a two-day health outreach exercise at Tengani Health Centre, where 201 women were reached. Of the 32 women diagnosed with STIs, 14 tested...
Chinese Health Media Urge Caution Around the Tiny Black Drain Flies Bred in Bathroom Pipes
Chinese health media are warning against swatting the tiny black drain flies that breed in bathroom pipes, after a man lost an eye to an infection traced to one. The insects, called 'mobile germ libraries' on Weibo, can carry E. coli and Salmonella — and the fix is the drain, not the fly.
A 167cm Girl Weighing 50.5kg Was Told She Was 'Overweight' — by a Children's Smartwatch
A girl of ordinary, healthy teenage size was flagged 'overweight, heavier than 99 percent of girls her age' by a Xiaotiancai phone-watch. Doctors say the watch mixed up its own data — and the episode reopened China's argument about whether consumer devices are teaching children they are fat.
A Clinic's Breast Exams Became a National Dispute Over Consent in Chinese Medicine
In Anhui, a woman says a TCM practitioner performed repeated breast exams on false pretenses; the doctor says he has video proving otherwise and is suing. The case has exposed a gap in how China handles misconduct claims inside clinics that keep operating.
702 prisoners struggle with severe undernourishment
At least 702 prisoners in Malawi are severely undernourished, raising fresh concerns about the conditions in which inmates are living and the ability of the country’s prisons to provide adequate food.A report on food provision conducted in 27 of the country’s 28 prisons found that 702 of the 16,237 prisoners assessed were severely undernourished, with...
Build Markets and Build Resilience: The Paradigm Shift to Build Economies and Save Lives Across Africa
The human cost of conflict is immense. Global headlines document the devastating consequences in the Middle East and territories, Sudan, the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Sahel, and beyond. It is a significant cost in terms of both lives lost and harmed, particularly for children, and communities fragmented. In 2025 alone, at least...
The Pest-Control Company Spraying Dichlorvos on Restaurant Tables, Right Up Until the Regulators Showed Up
An extermination firm in Xiamen has been spraying restaurants with dichlorvos — a neurotoxic pesticide — for so long that its own workers don't eat in the places they treat. Regulators found the company switching labels and continuing the spraying on the very night inspectors came. The restaurants involved include some of China's biggest casual-dining chains.
A ¥598 'Gout Cure' Was Seven Yuan of Factory Waste. Its Maker Now Owes ¥380 Million
A Hangzhou consumer took a candy marketed as a gout remedy and ended up with foamy urine and heart palpitations. Regulators traced the ¥598 product back to a Guangzhou manufacturer: each box cost about 7 yuan to make and contained the waste byproduct of a prescription gout drug. The company's license was revoked and it was fined 380 million yuan.
Doctors Can't Tell Your Spouse You Have HIV. China Is Arguing About Whether That's Right.
A hospital notice barring doctors from disclosing HIV status to a patient's spouse reignited a long-running Chinese debate: privacy for the patient versus the partner's right to know. Current law keeps the doctor silent and puts the burden on the patient.
She Asked the Doctor Twice if It Was the Right Medicine. It Was Methanol.
Six months pregnant, a Liaoning woman doing a routine glucose test drank the liquid a doctor handed her, having checked twice. The bottle was a cell preservative laced with methanol. She is in hospital; the health commission has stepped in.
The ¥7 'Gout Candy' That Sold for ¥598: China's First Drug-Waste Food Scandal
A candy sold to gout patients as a 'miraculous' sugar-pill substitute contained the industrial waste byproduct of a prescription drug, Chinese regulators revealed. It is the first time the substance has ever been detected in food — and a window into the cat-and-mouse game of modern food fraud.
Abbott Will Pay $670 Million, and Still Won't Say the Formula Was at Fault
Abbott will pay $670 million to settle claims that its preterm formula caused a deadly infant gut disease — while explicitly denying the formula was at fault. The deal is a study in how mass-tort settlements write the check without the apology.
Hebei Cabbages Were Dipped in Embalming Fluid. It's Not the First Time.
A blogger's field video exposed farmers in Hebei dipping cabbage roots in formaldehyde — the same chemical used to preserve lab specimens — and reignited a recurring food-safety debate.
Mutharika: Unhealthy police cannot protect Malawi
First Lady Gertrude Mutharika has challenged police officers to take their health seriously, warning that protecting the nation starts with protecting themselves.Speaking in Lilongwe on Wednesday, Mutharika who is also Beautify Malawi (BEAM) Trust Patron, linked the wellbeing of law enforcers to sanitation and their ability to effectively serve and protect Malawians.She made the remarks...
10:1
A good old rule of thumb.
getting too old for this grandpa!!
I'm finally starting to see more signs of aging - like forreal forreal. In my late twenties, I had gray strands here and there, a little bit of crinkles near the eyes. But now, when I see myself in the mirror, I see an aging woman. The grays are multiplying. My eyes look tired. The lines on my forehead are more pronounced. I may or may not be losing more hair. I'm really getting old...
Electoral Commission chair resigns
With the November 27 polls drawing closer, NONM’s electoral process has been thrown into the spotlight after the chairperson of its Electoral Commission resigned at a crucial stage of the race.Paid-up members of the National Organization of Nurses and Midwives of Malawi (NONM) are expected to elect new office bearers on November 27 to lead...
Are Malawi’s Universities producing graduates for jobs that don’t exist?
The call by more than 1,600 unemployed laboratory professionals for government recruitment raises a bigger question: is Malawi producing professionals without adequately planning how their expertise will be used?Government cannot employ every graduate, and professionals should also explore opportunities in the private sector, research, academia and entrepreneurship. But that argument should not end the debate...
Ebola death toll surges in DRC
The Ebola situation has worsened in Democratic Republic of Congo, killing over 2000
Another K1.5 billion bill for Malawi as RBM pays Mathanga
…RBM deputy earns more than US Federal Reserve chair, Irish deputy governor…in a country the World Bank says is among the world's 10 poorest…K1.5bn payout matches entire 2026/27 Griffin Saenda allocation…AG Mbeta had ruled out benefits for Mathanga's years away…payment lands as RBM sells 590kg of gold to raise desperately needed cash Malawi has paid...
Boy dies after traditional circumcision in Thyolo
A 9-year-old boy has died after undergoing traditional circumcision at an initiation camp in Thyolo district.Speaking to the local media, Inkosi Bvumbwe said the incident happened at Kakhomba Village in the area of Traditional Authority Bvumbwe in the district.It is reported that the boy died on Saturday, August 15, after reportedly losing a significant amount...
Mutharika returns from fourth South Africa trip: When is his next private visit?
...President spent 53 days in South Africa on four private trips since returning to office President Arthur Peter Mutharika has returned to Malawi after spending 11 days in South Africa on what was his fourth publicly announced private trip to the country since returning to office in October 2025. Chief Secretary to the Government Justin...
How I'm Using a Notebook to Lower My Stress Level
Maybe it could work for you too.
What Actually Works for Productivity With ADHD
Most popular ADHD productivity tools are unproven. What the evidence supports is external, free, and boring.
A Malawi ambiri akunyerabe ku tchire
Ngakhale m'madera ambiri muli zikwangwani zoti “tidasiya kunyera ku tchire,” zadziwika kuti iri ndi bodza lankunkhuniza chabe pomwe lipoti latsindika kuti anthu ambiri alibe zimbudzi ndi zipangizo zina za ukhondo.Izi zadziwika Lachisanu pa mwambo wotsegulira Presidential Compact on Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), komwe Wachiwiri kwa Nduna ya Zaumoyo ndi Ukhondo, Charles Chilambula, adati dziko...
Only 40% of Malawians have basic sanitation
Only about 40 percent of Malawi’s population has access to at least basic sanitation services, with access remaining low in both rural and urban areas, new survey findings show.Deputy Minister of Health and Sanitation Charles Chilambula disclosed the figure on Thursday in Lilongwe during the launch of the Presidential Compact on Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene...
Kasungu stunting rate hits 40.1%
Kasungu District has recorded an increase in stunting among children, with the rate rising to 40.1 percent from 36.3 percent, according to recent health survey findings.Kasungu District Council Principal Nutrition, HIV and AIDS Officer Gladys Manyenje disclosed the figures on Thursday, August 13, 2026, during a nutrition fair at Chatoloma in the district.Manyenje said the...
#oneaday Day 796: Midweek
It's the middle of the week, and I don't have a lot of specific things to talk about right now, so I will just waffle on about some bollocks and hope it fills my self-imposed "minimum" for each post I write here. Let's go! I am having an evening off from exercise. I bought some...
Google’s medical AI beat doctors in a simulation—not a clinic
AMIE handled live video, audio and guided exams across 100 scripted cases. Real-patient safety is still unproven.
Zipembedzo ndi miyambo zikusokoneza ntchito za umoyo
Zadziwika kuti ana ena alephera kulandira katemela wa polio komanso chikuku m'boma la Kasungu kaamba ka zikhulupiliro za zipembezo komanso miyambo. Izi zadwika pa mkumano omwe khonsolo yaboma la Kasungu ikupangitsa ndipo mwazina akukambirana za momwe ntchito za umoyo, maphunziro, chitukuko komanso zachuma zikuyendera m'bomali.Komiti ya zaumoyo motsogozedwa ndi khansala Christopher Kamtambo ndiwo ananena izi...
🏊 Week 259 - Swim
After our anniversary weekend in the Cotswolds, I drove home while L picked up the boys and continued on to a lodge in the Forest of Dean with her parents. For me, this meant a few nights of currys and quiet, and working from home during the day, while they were away. I’m now off
165 vehicles missing from malaria inspection reports
A Global Fund audit has raised accountability concerns after 165 of 510 vehicles linked to World Vision Malawi malaria activities did not appear in inspection reports.
MBC Director General Brian Banda dies after short illness
Brian Banda, the Director General of the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), has died. MBC has confirmed that he died at Mwaiwathu Private Hospital in Blantyre after a short illness. MBC Public Relations and Customer Affairs Manager Chisomo Mwamadi confirmed the death, saying further details would be communicated later. Banda had led the public broadcaster for...
Hospitals divert drug money to buy gloves
Public hospitals in Malawi are using drug budgets to buy gloves after a Central Medical Stores stockout, raising concerns over medicine availability.