International health news

A team at the University of Bristol and NHS Blood and Transplant have developed a method to produce an unlimited supply of red blood cells that are suitable for donation. As the artificial blood will be far more expensive than the usual donation, it is likely to initially be used for people with very rare blood types.

To boost the Nigerian health sector, the country has partnered with The Dubai Healthcare Authority (DHA) to ensure Nigerians receive quality healthcare services. The partnership brings their expertise and services from Dubai to Nigeria so that Nigerians do not need to move abroad anymore.

Country updates

British scientists have made a world-first breakthrough in the diagnosis of tuberculosis. The scientists say they can isolate different strains of the disease, using a process called “genome sequencing”. Patients who have waited months to get the right drugs can now be diagnosed in a matter of days, increasing their chances of recovery.

A commercially available, home-use pregnancy test has been recalled in Australia after producing false negative results. The recall brought an investigation into the market, with a further 9 other pregnancy tests removed from stores. The One Step HCG urine pregnancy test was recalled after a family planning clinic alerted the Therapeutic Goods Administration to three instances of false negative results.

Health advice

After a norovirus outbreak in British Columbia, Canada, several oyster farms have been shut down and others have voluntarily stopped selling. The source of the contaminated oysters is not yet known. Travelvax advise that good hygiene and avoiding eating oysters altogether will minimize risk of contracting the norovirus.

 

Image: Guido