Saudi Arabia, Belgium to Sign MoU on E-health Partnership
Belgian Ambassador Marc Vinck said Health Minister Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah is expected to leave for Belgium in September for the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on e-health partnership with his Belgian counterpart Laurette Onkelinx.
"Dr. Al-Rabeeh was extended an invitation to visit Belgium when Crown Prince Philippe came to the Kingdom in October 2009 as part of a Belgian economic mission. He and Al-Rabeeah discussed ways of improving bilateral agreement in the health sector and it was decided that this could be done through an MoU," Vinck told Arab News in an interview over the weekend.
The Belgian envoy called on Al-Rabeeah recently and renewed the invitation for him to visit Belgium. "During the meeting, it was agreed that Al-Rabeeah will leave in autumn," he said. Read MoreTime Outside May Reduce Nearsightedness in Kids
Read MoreMAKKAH Makkah Health Affairs Directorate has opened an investigation after two babies were switched in a public hospital, West Makkah. Both babies were later returned to their biological mothers.
One of the mother's was breastfeeding her baby in the hospital when nurses entered the room and informed her of the switch.
Fawaz Al-Sheikh, spokesman for Makkah Health Affairs, said the mistake happened because the wrong foot bracelet was put on the baby. "This happened due to the pressures of the maternity ward; employees are overstretched but the mistake was quickly corrected." Read MoreA diagnosis, a sense of humor, and family support help Dawn Conway cope with fibromyalgia.
Read MoreNACC Refers Case Involving Former MOH Official to BIP
JEDDAH The National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) referred a case involving the purchase of substandard dialysis equipment by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to the Bureau of Investigation and Prosecution. Following a thorough investigation, the NACC concluded that there is a strong possibility that corruption played a role in the purchase.
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Lucentis Approved to Treat Diabetic Macular Edema
The FDA has approved using the drug Lucentis to treat diabetic macular edema, a common, vision-threatening complication of diabetes.
Lucentis is given via a monthly injection from a health care professional.
In diabetic macular edema, fluid leaks into the macula (the middle of the retina), which is responsible for providing crisp, clear vision. The fluid swells the macula and blurs vision.
"Diabetes is a major public health issue in our country, and all patients with diabetes are at risk of developing diabetic macular edema," Renata Albrecht, MD, of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, says in a news release.
Albrecht says the approval "represents a major development for the treatment of people whose vision is impaired by DME as a complication of their disease." Read More60% of Disabled Children in Madinah Rehab Center Neglected by Parents
MADINAH A shocking 60 percent of residents in the Comprehensive Rehabilitation Center in Madinah are being neglected by their families, officials said recently.
All of the residents, 900 in total from both sexes, suffer from some form of disability and their situation is compounded by parents' refusal to visit their children. Read More
Male Contraceptive Pill 'Step Closer' After Mice Studies
Scientists believe they are a step closer in the difficult journey towards developing a male contraceptive pill, after successful studies in mice.
A contraceptive pill for women has been around for decades, but an equivalent for men has proved elusive.
A US study, published in the journal Cell, showed a drug could make mice temporarily infertile without hampering their sex drive.
Experts said the findings were "exciting", but needed tests in people. Read MoreMore than 1,130 people living with kidney diseases have been treated by the Prince Fahad bin Salman Charity Association for Renal Failure and Patient Care (Kellana) since the support scheme was launched in 2007, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Patients are referred to one of 34 kidney dialysis centers located across the Kingdom.
"Critical patients are assessed by the Kellana advisory committee and admitted to the blood dialysis project for transplants and follow-up," said Prince Abdul Aziz bin Salman, who is also supervisor of Kellana.
The prince said the annual cost of a patient's dialysis was around SR 115,000. Read More
