Health

New “Adolescent Pregnancy” Bill to Take Effect July 2016

Published

9 years ago

April 19, 2016

Bchcomber

Thailand has an average of at least 130,000 teenage pregnancies per year,

BANGKOK – As teenage prgnancy continues to rise in Thailand, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has called on young people to maintain the Thai traditions of modesty for women and men behaving in a gentlemanly manner.

He also promised to help affected families, especially those in the low-income bracket, in which parents don’t have time to teach their children, which can lead to social issues.

He said these children were not bad people but had to be taken care of so they could return to their education and be able to land a decent job.

Thai Government Pooling Resources to Combat Teen Pregnancy

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The government then drew up the Prevention and Remedial Measures for Adolescent Pregnancy Bill 2016 or “Adolescent Pregnancy” Bill, which was published in the Royal Gazette on March 31 and will go into effect 120 days later – around July.

This law identifies teenage mothers as those aged between 10 and 20 and will establish a Committee for Prevention and Remedial Measures for Adolescent Pregnancy to supervise and control the direction of work towards desirable goals. The PM will chair the 15-strong panel, whose members will come from three groups.

The first eight official members include ministers of Social Development and Human Security, Education, and Public Health, plus the permanent secretaries of the Interior, Justice, Labour and Culture ministries, as well as the permanent-secretary of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration. The second group would comprise five experts who are credited for achievements in public health and protection of teenagers’ rights. The third group would include a male and a female youth council representative.

The new law also states that schools are to provide courses on Sexuality Studies with content that matches each age group and with suitable teachers, who are trained or have teaching experience in the subject.

Schools were also told to create a system to help and protect students who get pregnant to ensure they are properly educated. It also states that workplaces or establishments with teenage employees who are pregnant must provide support and ensure they have access to advice and reproductive health services.

State agencies also have to help with the creation of youth and children’s networks at provincial- and district-levels in order to prevent, tackle and monitor teenage pregnancy. State agencies will also have to provide vocational training that matches the pregnant teens’ interest and aptitude before and after delivery, while also contacting related agencies to find them jobs.

Jate Siratharanon, chairman of the National Legislative Assembly’s standing committee for public health, said once the law goes into effect, schools must provide teachers with knowledge and teaching experience in Sexuality Studies. He said that since the law does not require a provincial-level committee, it would see if the national-level panel can provide guidelines for schools to follow.

“It’s good that Thailand finally has this law and that schools will be the first place to start followed by workplaces, so these children have education and job opportunities and can thus be able to create secure families in the future,” he said.

According to a study in 2000, up to four teenagers were giving birth daily, a number that rose to nine deliveries a day in 2013.

A recent survey led by Mahidol University’s Faculty of Medicine at Ramathibodi Hospital showed that nearly one in five girls aged between 15 and 19 had become pregnant, and nearly 80 per cent of these young mums said the pregnancy was unintended, while nearly a third had ended up having an abortion.

The survey also found that up to 10 per cent had thought of abandoning their baby at the hospital, while many were at the risk of depression or even suicide as their relationships usually fail. Jittima Panutecha, manager of the Women’s Health Advocacy Foundation’s Healthy Sexuality Program, said she was happy that the law would finally go into effect, though she thinks the bill should be renamed to “Teen sexuality” in order to cover a broader area. “Pregnancy is like an end-result. This issue involves boys and girls who must have good knowledge about safe sex and sexuality so as to be equipped with life skills. Hence the issue of teenage pregnancy will be lessened,” she said.

Jittima added that she was worried about the government’s policy to focus on reducing the number of teenage mothers. “This law would be useless if the agencies involved don’t change their way of thinking and join in the promotion of mechanisms and welfare for teenage mums,” she said.

She believed three more welfare programs should be created: a 24-hour hotline that provides advice to sad teenagers; a “temporary family shelter” that provides complete care to teen mums during and after pregnancy; and the option of girls being able to give up the baby for adoption.

By PUNNEE AMORNVIPUTPANICH – The Nation

Health

Report Causes Pfizer Stock to Climb Approximately $1 Billion Acquired by Starboard

Published

1 month ago

October 7, 2024

Salman

(VOR News) – According to a rumor that activist investor Pfizer Starboard Value has taken a holding in the struggling pharmaceutical business that is expected to be worth around one billion dollars, the stock of Pfizer (PFE) is on the increase in premarket trading on Monday.

This comes after the report was made public. The report was made available to the general public following this. Starboard Value was successful in moving forward with the acquisition of the position.

Starboard is said to have approached Ian Read, a former chief executive officer of Pfizer, and Frank D’Amelio, a former chief financial officer, in order to seek assistance with its goals of boosting the performance of the company, according to the Wall Street Journal. Read and D’Amelio are both former Pfizer executives.

The purpose of this is to facilitate the accomplishment of its objectives, which include enhancing the overall performance of the firm.

In their previous jobs, D’Amelio and Read were chief financial officers.

It is stated in the report that the hedge fund is of the opinion that Pfizer, which is currently being managed by Albert Bourla, who succeeded Read as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in 2019, does not demonstrate the same level of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) discipline that Read did. Bourla took over for Read in 2019. Read was succeeded by Bourla in the year 2019.

Pfizer, a multinational pharmaceutical conglomerate, has made substantial investments in the acquisition of more companies that are involved in the research and development of cancer medicines.

These businesses have been acquired for billions of dollars. The biotechnology company Seagen, which was acquired by Pfizer in the previous year for a price of $43 billion, is included in this category. One of the businesses that can be classified as belonging to this category is Seagen.

In spite of the fact that the S&P 500 Index experienced a 21% increase in 2024.

No major trading occurred in Pfizer stock that year.

Due to the fact that the demand for Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccines fell after the firm reached its pandemic peak in 2021, the share price of the corporation has decreased by over fifty percent since that time.

This drop has occurred ever since the company’s shares reached their maximum peak, which was during the time that this decline occurred. Not only have they not changed at all, but they have also remained essentially stable. This is in contrast to the S&P 500, which has gained 21% since the beginning of this year.

Recently, the corporation was forced to take a hit when it decided to recall all of the sickle cell illness medications that it had distributed all over the world.

Fears that the prescription could lead patients to experience severe agony and possibly even death were the impetus for the decision to recall the product. In spite of the fact that Pfizer’s stock is increasing by almost three percent as a result of the news that followed the company’s decision, this is the circumstance that has come about.

SOURCE: IPN

Health

New Study Reveals Drinking Soda Pop Increases the Risk of Stroke

Published

1 month ago

October 6, 2024

VORNews

If you drink too much soda, fruit juice and coffee, beware!

A recent report from global research indicates that excessive consumption of coffee or soda pop is associated with an increased risk of stroke, although the intake of black and green tea is correlated with a reduced risk. Excessive consumption of soda pop or coffee warrants caution!

Recent research indicates that it may substantially elevate the risk of stroke.

Consuming four cups of coffee daily elevates the risk of stroke, according to studies, although ingesting 3-4 cups of black or green tea daily typically offers protection against stroke. Additionally, consume more coffee; it may reduce your risk of mortality.

Recent findings from global research studies co-led by the University of Galway and McMaster University, alongside an international consortium of stroke researchers, indicate that soda, encompassing both sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened variants such as diet or zero sugar, is associated with a 22 percent heightened risk of stroke. The risk escalated significantly with the consumption of two or more of these beverages daily.

Stroke Risk Fizzy Drinks and Soda Pop

The correlation between fizzy drinks consumption and stroke risk was most pronounced in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and South America. Women exhibit the most elevated risk of stroke from bleeding (intracranial hemorrhage) associated with fruit juice beverages. Consuming over 7 cups of water daily diminishes the likelihood of stroke due to a clot.

Researchers observed that numerous items advertised as fruit juice are derived from concentrates and have added sugars and preservatives, potentially negating the advantages often associated with fresh fruit and instead elevating stroke risk.

Fruit juice beverages were associated with a 37 percent heightened risk of stroke resulting from bleeding (intracranial hemorrhage). Consuming two of these beverages daily increases the risk thrice.

Consuming over four cups of coffee daily elevates the risk of stroke by 37 percent, although lower consumption levels do not correlate with stroke risk. Conversely, tea consumption was associated with an 18-20 percent reduction in stroke risk. Additionally, consuming 3-4 cups daily of black tea, such as Breakfast and Earl Grey varieties, excluding green and herbal teas, was associated with a 29 percent reduced risk of stroke.

Consuming 3-4 cups of green tea daily was associated with a 27 percent reduction in stroke risk. Notably, the addition of milk may diminish or inhibit the advantageous effects of antioxidants present in tea. The lower risk of stroke associated with tea consumption was negated for individuals who added milk.

Disclaimer: This article is intended solely for informational reasons and should not be considered a replacement for professional medical counsel. Consistently consult your physician regarding any inquiries pertaining to a medical problem.

Starbucks Faces Sales Decline Amid Price Fatigue and Rising Competition

Starbucks Faces Sales Decline Amid Price Fatigue and Rising Competition

Health

Following a Diagnosis of Breast Cancer, What Else Should You Know?

Published

1 month ago

October 5, 2024

Salman

(VOR News) – Even though breast cancer affects one in eight American women, receiving a diagnosis can make a woman feel isolated.

Experts in breast cancer from the American College of Physicians (ACS) advise patients on how to manage their disease so that they may better cope with this awful information.

First, the kind and stage of breast cancer dictates the course of your care.

In addition to immunotherapy and chemotherapy, there are various surgical options available for the treatment of breast cancer.

Women of African descent are disproportionately affected by triple-negative breast cancer, an extremely aggressive form of the disease that has never proven easy to treat.

According to the American Cancer Society, pembrolizumab (Keytruda), an immunotherapy, has been shown to be helpful when combined with chemotherapy and is currently the recommended course of treatment for certain combinations of triple-negative breast cancer.

In her presentation, Dr. Katharine Yao said, “It’s really important that the patient and physician discuss the patient’s preferences and values when deciding what type of treatment to pursue and that they have an honest, individualized discussion with their care team.”

She is currently responsible for developing breast cancer treatment recommendations for more than 575 hospitals and institutions nationwide in her role as chair of the American College of Surgeons’ National Accreditation Program for Breast Institutions (NAPBC).

Yao, vice chair of research at Endeavor Health NorthShore Hospitals in New York, pointed out that each decision made about a patient’s treatment plan should take her preferences and diagnosis into consideration.

She ought to think about whether she would prefer a mastectomy—a surgical procedure that involves removing the entire breast with or without reconstruction—or a lumpectomy, which involves a surgical procedure that spares part of the breast tissue.

She stated that “the breast cancer you have may be very different from the breast cancer you hear about in your neighbor, colleague, or friend” in a press release issued by the American Cancer Society (ACS).

“Consider that while discussing breast cancer with others.”

Throughout your journey, it is critical that you look after your emotional health because having breast cancer may have a detrimental impact on your mental health.

“Getting a cancer diagnosis does not mean that everything in your life stops to be normal.” Director of the Fellowship in the Diseases of the Breast program at the Winthrop P. Rockefeller Cancer Institute at the University of Arkansas and state head of the American Cancer Society Commission on Cancer for Arkansas, Dr. Daniela Ochoa She thinks adding the burden of a cancer diagnosis and treatment to all the other pressures in life may be taxing.

“Managing stress and emotional health is vital component of a treatment plan.”

Ochoa recommends clinically trained psychologists and social workers who have assisted people in coping with cancer to anyone receiving treatment. Learning coping techniques might also be facilitated by joining cancer support groups or cancer wellness initiatives.

Breast cancer specialists say your care team is crucial.

The American Cancer Society (ACS) defines comprehensive care as having support at every stage of the procedure from surgeons, oncologists, patient navigators, nurses, social workers, psychologists, and other specialists.

After receiving a breast cancer diagnosis, women should see a surgeon or medical oncologist to explore their options; nevertheless, treatment shouldn’t be discontinued after just one appointment or after surgery is over.

Additionally, you can ask trustworthy friends or family members to accompany you to appointments and aid you with research or notes. They could serve as a network of support for you.

Yao stated in his talk that “one of the most important things is that patients should search out a team they have confidence in, that they trust will have their back when they need it, and a team they feel they can get access to and that will help them when they are in need.”

SOURCE: MP