Doctor Warns Against Skin Lightening Jabs

RIYADH — A doctor working in a medical complex in Riyadh has warned the public, especially women, against the use of skin lightening injections. He has claimed that such injections damage the kidneys and affect the function of the thyroid gland, possibly causing death.

Dr. Ahmed Muhammad Al-Isa, Medical Director of the Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinics in Riyadh, said some women develop a complex because of their dark skin. "Popular creams have been used for whitening dark skins.

Laser treatment and bleaching are not medically recommended for whitening the dark skin."

He said cosmetic doctors succeeded in curing the pigmentation (discoloring of the skin that usually occurred when the skin has been exposed to the sun) by using bleaching creams, superficial chemical bleaching or laser.

He said the World Health Organization WHO warns that the skin whitening injections contain gluten ingredients or high doses of Vitamin C.

Arsenic Found in Rice at High Levels

Arsenic is found in a wide variety of rice and rice products, sometimes at levels that are higher than safe limits set for drinking water, new tests confirm.

Separate test results were released on Wednesday by Consumer Reports, the FDA, and by Lisa Madigan, the attorney general for the state of Illinois. Madigan has been testing rice products as part of a state investigation into arsenic in food.

Based on its tests of 60 products, Consumer Reports says kids and adults should watch how much rice they eat from various sources (like rice milk and rice cereal) to lower their exposure to arsenic, which has been linked to cancer, heart disease, and poor brain function in young children.

"First and foremost, I want to warn parents that every rice cereal product we tested contained arsenic. These results are shocking because rice cereal is often a baby's first solid food," Madigan says. "Parents and caregivers should moderate the amount of rice products they feed their children."

Integrated Health Care System to Benefit All

The Health Ministry has chalked out an integrated health care system that covers both citizens and residents.

Health Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah revealed this while addressing a Shoura Council session chaired by Abdullah Al-Asheikh on Saturday.

He explained the progressive steps taken by the ministry in providing health care services.

Al-Asheikh praised the ministry's efforts in the establishment of several integrated projects that benefit the people. "This is an opportunity not only to exchange ideas between the two bodies, but also for the ministry to keep the council informed of its developments in the field of health care," Al-Asheikh said.

Al-Rabeeah explained that his ministry had chalked out a National Project for Integrated and Comprehensive Health Care based on the values of inclusiveness and equitable distribution of health services. These projects cover all segments of patients including children, mothers, adults and elders, he added. The plan, which was effective from 1431H (2010), will be completed in 1440H (2019).

Awareness Campaigns against Snuff's Hazards Sought

A number of residents from African and Asian communities in the Kingdom use the snuff (Tombak), which is also called chewing tobacco, despite the health hazards. At the same time, there is a necessary need for increasing awareness campaigns to clear the snuff's risks that are described as more dangerous than smoking of cigarettes, according to anti-snuff advocates.

Many snuff or chewing tobacco users and vendors believe it is the least harmful to the health, in comparison to smoking cigarettes.

Many tobacco stores in the south of Jeddah sell snuff for SR 2. These stores are importing it from Sudan, Yemen, Afghanistan and India. However, the Yemeni and Sudanese snuff widely circulates among the users in Saudi Arabia. Indian snuff is only favored among the Indian residents.

However, the elements of the snuff are unknown among the users. Despite of having toxic components as tobacco plant, animal waste, unknown components and spices which give a pleasing taste to its users.

Saudi Ministry of Health Announcement...

Saudi Ministry of Health announcement on Coronavirus

JEDDAH: Saudi Ministry of Health announced Sunday that a new form of the coronavirus was diagnosed in three people causing the death of two of them; the third is still undergoing treatment.

The Ministry explained that, with the rapidly changing weather at this time of the year and with the start of the Hajj season a new strain of coronavirus has been recovered from 3 patients. Coronaviruses are considered to be one of the common etiological agents of the common cold. The first case was a Saudi patient diagnosed in one of the hospitals in Jeddah; the second was a Saudi patient and the third a Gulf State patient both diagnosed in London, England. Two of the patients passed away (God bless their souls) and the third patient is still under treatment.

The Ministry said that the coronaviruses are well known and most of those who are diagnosed with it recover completely with no complications after receiving the needed supportive therapy. In minority of the patients who are infected with this novel strain; complications can develop affecting the respiratory system and the kidneys and can cause death especially among the elderly and in patients with chronic respiratory & cardiac conditions and among immunocompromised patients.

Better Sleep with Osteoarthritis

It's a vicious cycle. Your osteoarthritis pain keeps you up all night as you struggle to find a comfortable position, and the lack of sleep makes your pain worse the next day and so on and so forth.