International health news

A 16-hour operation to separate 13-month old conjoined twins has been a success. The infants were attached at the head, sharing brain tissues and blood vessels. The condition is said to occur in only one in 10 million births.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says countries must work harder if they are to meet their goal of reducing tuberculosis infections by 80% and related deaths by 90% by the year 2030. It is estimated that 3 million lives were saved last year combatting the disease.

Country updates

The presence of the Aedes mosquito and a high number of incoming travelers has created a new Zika zone in Miami, U.S.A. Pregnant women have been advised to avoid the area in Florida, the only state where local transmission of the Zika virus has been confirmed.

The health department in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan have received approval from international health bodies including the Department for International Development (DFID) after improving its provision of health services by 70%.

Stressed out by the U.S. election? You’re not the only one – a survey by the American Psychological Association suggests that 52% of Americans adults are becoming significantly stressed by the battle for the Oval Office.  

Health advice

Brittle bones and a lack of appetite could be a result of heavy marijuana usage, the University of Edinburgh has found. A “heavy user” is anyone has used the drug 5000 or more times, with the average heavy user in the study reportedly smoking marijuana 47,000 times during their life.