Health and science reporter, BBC News
Stem cells made from skin have become "grandparents" after generations of life were created in experiments by scientists in Japan.
The cells were used to create eggs, which were fertilised to produce baby mice. These later had their own babies.
If the technique could be adapted for people, it could help infertile couples have children and even allow women to overcome the menopause.
But experts say many scientific and ethical hurdles must be overcome. Read More
Health Ministry Admits Poor Performance in Hospitals
RIYADH The Ministry of Health has admitted to the poor performance of health practitioners who have joined work recently and a critical shortage in manpower and equipment in the primary health care centers.
In a report to the Shoura Council, the ministry said that it was also facing the problem of high operating costs in running hospitals and employing highly efficient health professionals. In response, the Shoura Council demanded that the ministry provide it with detailed information and statistics on the current status of health services, the number of hospitals and health centers, hospital bed capacity compared to the population that these facilities serve in every city and the ministry's plans for tackling the deficiency in the distribution of health services in the Kingdom. Read More
A new drug could reduce the risk of stroke in thousands of patients undergoing brain operations, a new study suggests.
Small strokes are a common complication arising from operations on the brain, but injecting the drug after surgery was found to reduce the number of affected sites by 40 per cent.
While the strokes often cause no harm to the patient, they can be extremely serious and protecting the brain against them could prevent patients suffering severe brain damage, experts said.
Researchers tested the safety of the drug, known as NA-1, on a group of 185 patients undergoing operations to remove a brain aneurysm - a bulge in an artery which can burst and cause bleeding. Read More
Health Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah opened the 17th branch of the Magrabi hospital in Riyadh yesterday.
Following the formal inauguration, Al-Rabeeah was taken on a tour of the new hospital complex by its Managing Director Mutassim Alireza.
Magrabi Group has 26 hospitals including 17 in the Kingdom. Its overseas branches are in the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Yemen and Egypt.
Speaking to Arab News, Alireza said that the new complex, which is the second Magrabi hospital in the capital, was built at a cost of SR 150 million on an area of 25,000 sq.m. It consists of eight floors above ground and four floors underground allocated for car parking.
It also has five operating theaters and 70 clinics for the detection and screening of all types of eye, ear, nose, throat and dental diseases. The rooms also have luxury suites for the convenience of patients as well as visitors, Alireza said. Read More
Five delayed hospital projects totaling more than SR 368 million have raised the eye of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (Nazaha).
Nazaha has called on the Ministry of Health to investigate the status of these five delayed hospital projects which are 94 to 99 percent complete in the Qunfudha Governorate of Makkah Province.
Nazaha requested that the ministry find the reason for the delays and bring those responsible to account. It called on the ministry to implement regulatory measures against contractors who delay the execution of projects and expedite the completion of the hospital projects that would provide 450 beds.
Namera Hospital, a delayed project that is 94 percent completed and was scheduled to be finished about three years ago, was contracted for more than SR 32 million. Read More
Off with their Tails! Male Contraceptive Pill a Step Closer as Scientists Find a Way to Stop Sperm Swimming
Scientists have found a way to stop sperm swimming, making the long-awaited male contraceptive pill a step closer to fruition.
By ascertaining how to cut off the power supply that enables sperm to move, a man's wrigglers can now left twitching rather than swimming.
The research, led by scientists at Monash University in Melbourne, may also provide clues on possible causes of male infertility.
In laboratory tests using mice, the team engineered a mutation in a gene called RABL2, which delivers protein fuel to the engine in a sperm's tail, known as the axoneme. Read More
RIYADH: A contingent of health officials under the leadership of Dr. Tarek-Al Arnoos was commissioned Monday to look after emergency operations during Haj, the Ministry of Health announced yesterday in Riyadh.
According to Al-Arnoos, his team is composed of 105 doctors and 242 paramedics who will work in various places in the holy cities to help pilgrims get emergency medical treatment without loss of time.
The ministry has deployed 80 fully equipped ambulances and 55 mini ambulances to wade through crowds to treat and transport sick pilgrims. The mini ambulances, which are also fully equipped, are mainly meant for the holy sites of Arafat, Muzdalifah and Mina, Al-Arnoos said, adding that there are some 25 ambulances and 10 more mini-mobile medical vehicles stationed in Makkah to serve the pilgrims in that part of the holy city. Read More
