Health

In this edition of Entre Nous, we explore the rapidly expanding market of non-alcoholic wine. Amanda Thomson, founder and CEO of Noughty, speaks to FRANCE 24 about the factors driving the sector’s success and explains why alcohol-free wine is creating excitement among consumers. ]

Annette Young welcomes Julie Drouet, DRC Director for Action Against Hunger. She offers a sobering assessment of the early Ebola outbreak response in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Speaking from the frontline of a rapidly evolving health emergency, Drouet describes a humanitarian system racing against time in one of the world’s most fragile and conflict-affected regions. They are not only facing epidemiological challenges of containing Ebola, but also the deeper structural vulnerabilities that make outbreaks in eastern DRC uniquely perilous.  ]

A vaccination and epidemic response adviser who is about to fly out to DR Congo to try to help in the fight against Ebola has told FRANCE 24 that the signs are the current outbreak will be a serious one. Already more than 130 people have been killed, with over 500 more cases detected. John Johnson is vaccination and epidemic response advisor at MSF and is due to fly to DR Congo on Thursday. He explained that part of the problem is that tests had been carried out for a more common strain of Ebola, so they were coming back negative. He spoke to us in Perspective. ]

Across France, children are being asked to put down tablets, switch off consoles and step away from their screens. The movement, called Dix Jours Sans Écrans, or Ten Days Without Screens, involves schools, nurseries and entire communities. But is it realistic? Delano D'Souza talks to digital parenting coach Elizabeth Milovidov about what parents and caregivers can do to make it through the 10 days. ]

Can border walls keep out pandemics? The World Health Organization is officially branding the Ebola outbreak in eastern DR Congo a "public health emergency of international concern". As the death toll from the rare strain climbs, so does the number of contact cases. Ituri province may seem remote on a map, but nowhere's very far in a globalised world. ]

In this episode we explore how the EU deals with outbreaks of disease. The latest scare for Europeans has been the hantavirus, detected on cruise ship the MV Hondius, which subsequently docked in Spain. Experts have stressed that this virus is not like Covid-19 and is much less infectious. Nevertheless, the EU's civil protection mechanism was triggered, and several member states took part in evacuation flights from Tenerife in the Canary Islands. ]

Located about 150 kilometres north of Zambia's capital Lusaka, Kabwe is considered one of the most polluted places in the world, following decades of lead and zinc mining. A simple blood test of two children confirms reports of severe lead contamination. FRANCE 24's Caroline Dumay, Stefan Carstens and Eunice Masson report. ]

Oliver Farry is pleased to welcome Dr. Thomas Pudlarz, Medical Oncologist and Head of the pancreatic care pathway within the 'Interception' program at the Gustave-Roussy Institute. For decades, pancreatic cancer has remained one of oncology's most formidable challenges. Despite major advances in immunotherapy and precision medicine, treatment for pancreatic cancer remains elusive. The emergence of an experimental targeted therapy is "one of the first improvements in many years" for a disease that remains among the most aggressive and deadliest forms of cancer, explains Dr. Pudlarz.  ]

Patients staying in a psychiatric hospital near Paris have been singing the praises of a novel treatment: spending time with therapy donkeys. Experts and patients say caring for the animals, which are known for their calm and social nature, helps improve emotional regulation, communication, social interaction and self-esteem. ]

A patient in the DRC has been confirmed to have recovered - a first since the outbreak was detected in mid-May. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus visited the country on Friday, where authorities are still struggling to contain the spread of the disease. Story by Jennie Shin. ]