The rise of a rare COVID-19 complication known as “black fungus” adds to India’s misery in the pandemic Earlier this month, as the coronavirus was rampaging through India’s populous cities and rural communities, medical professionals in hospitals began warning of an alarming epidemic of deadly fungal infections
Mucormycosis (a disease caused by saprophytic fungi that gets its nourishment from dead or decaying organic material) and given the title “black fungus.”
Many of those afflicted with this rare condition are patients who have developed or had recently recovered from COVID-19.
An Indian doctor examines a man for the symptoms of mucormycosis at a government hospital in Mumbai on May 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)
The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) has asked the government to double the taxes on Sugar-Sweetened Beverages (SSBs) in the forthcoming budget.
Increase taxes on sugar beverages to prevent diabetes, Pakistan urged
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Diabetes body urges Pakistan to raise taxes on sugar beverages.
The increased tax aims to reduce burden of diabetes on individuals and families affected by diabetes and to do more to prevent diabetes in population.
Currently, about 19.4 million people in Pakistan have diabetes.
KARACHI: Pakistan has been recommended to seriously consider increasing the taxes on sugar beverages in its upcoming budget to prevent diabetes among people.
The recommendation comes from the International Diabetes Federation (IDF). We support the request of the Diabetic Association of Pakistan to increase excise duty on sugar-sweetened beverages to 20% and broaden the category beyond its current definition to include juices, energy drinks, flavoured milk, iced tea and other drinks sweetened with added sugars,” IDF President Prof Andrew Boulton and President-elect Prof Akhtar Hussain said in a joint letter to the government o
Credit: Metronom Health
Chinese medical device innovation hub Dinova Medtech and US-based medical device company Metronom Health have established a joint venture to develop and sell a continuous glucose monitoring system in China.
WHY IT MATTERS
Traditional fingerstick glucose meters can only provide information about intermittent glucose levels and the pain that comes with finger pricking can potentially reduce patients adherence. By inserting a sensor into the subcutaneous tissue along with a transmitter that sends the data to a smart device, CGMs can provide continuous glucose information to detect glycemic variability.
According to a press release, Metronom Health has developed a minimally invasive CGM system that uses proprietary Opto-enzymatic technology – in contrast to most CGMs that use electrochemical technology – to capture both high and low ranges of a patient s glucose profile. The company claims that this will be done with high accuracy and also asserts th
Glucose monitoring wearables: The companies chasing the impossible
Why non-invasive glucose readings are proving so tough Wareable is reader-powered. If you click through using links on the site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more Monday May 24, 2021 @michaelsawh
Whether it s the Apple Watch using ECG to highlight serious health issues or the Samsung Galaxy Watch helping you keep tabs on your blood pressure, wearables have come a long way from step tracking.
The likes of Apple, Fitbit and Samsung now talk about their wearables as health monitoring devices, and while some features on offer still lack the regulatory approval to offer data on par with medical devices, things are changing.