News
Addressing obesity: An investment in public health and the economy
2+ hour, 12+ min ago (240+ words) By Teodoro B. Padilla Obesity and its comorbidities are not merely medical concerns. They influence whether people can remain healthy, productive, and economically active throughout their working lives. The question is no longer whether the Philippines can afford to invest in…...
Australia confirms first H5N1 bird flu case in local seabird; dead seal tested
2+ day, 10+ hour ago (404+ words) SYDNEY — Australia on Friday confirmed the first case of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus in a local seabird, saying it was also testing a dead seal for a possible infection, raising concerns that the disease is beginning to spread more…...
Overcrowded shelters, lack of clean water pose health risks after Venezuela quakes, PAHO says
2+ day, 16+ hour ago (628+ words) DISEASE outbreaks, poor sanitation, lack of access to clean water, and disruptions to basic medical care could pose the greatest health risks to the tens of thousands of survivors of Venezuela’s deadly earthquakes, the Americas branch of the World Health…...
New Congo province has suspected Ebola case as deaths hit 600, report says
3+ day, 15+ hour ago (212+ words) KINSHASA — The Democratic Republic of Congo said on Wednesday that suspected Ebola cases had been reported in a new province, highlighting the expansion of the ongoing outbreak as deaths hit 600. But that case total does not include two cases in…...
10 facts about PhilHealth funds and service differentiation
6+ day, 2+ hour ago (952+ words) By Bienvenido S. Oplas, Jr. Let me start with these quotes from different stakeholders on the subject, in chronological order. 1. Executive Secretary Ralph G. Recto, interview with DZRH, June 19, 2026: “Naiintindihan ko ang reklamo ng ating mga kababayan sa PhilHealth. Halimbawa, kung ikaw…...
H5N1 bird flu confirmed in New South Wales
1+ week, 2+ hour ago (297+ words) SYDNEY — New South Wales became Australia’s third state to confirm a case of H5N1 bird flu after authorities said a migratory seabird found near a coastal town returned a positive result for the highly pathogenic virus. Australia last month became the…...
Mitigating the impact of climate change on public health
1+ week, 2+ hour ago (828+ words) BusinessWorld Online Climate change is often discussed in terms of stronger typhoons, rising seas, and record-breaking temperatures. Yet one of its most profound consequences is less visible: its growing impact on human health. Every heatwave, flood, and extreme weather event…...
Walang iwanan: A rejoinder to Secretary Salceda on Universal Health Care
1+ week, 2+ hour ago (546+ words) By Filomeno S. Sta. Ana III But in truth, all contributors — direct and indirect — pay. Here’s the Cambridge Dictionary’s definition of contributor: “a person who contributes something, especially money, in order to provide or achieve something together with other people.” Never…...
At least 3,700 excess deaths reported during heatwave in France, Belgium and Netherlands
1+ week, 2+ day ago (237+ words) PARIS — France, the Netherlands and Belgium have recorded 3,700 excess deaths during the June heatwave that sent temperatures soaring across Europe, with authorities warning that the numbers are preliminary and could rise. Experts have said the heatwave, which lasted from about…...
The US could eliminate cervical cancer. What’s the holdup?
1+ week, 4+ day ago (538+ words) AN EXTRAORDINARY cancer statistic recently dropped in a major medical journal: zero. That’s the number of women in their early 20s in England who died from HPV-related cervical cancer between 2020 and 2024. They’re the beneficiaries of widespread HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccination, according…...