Health

Nova Scotia's health authority has signed a contract to bring in diagnostic imaging techs to help with backlogs for MRIs and ultrasounds.The health authority signed a one-year untendered contract with British Columbia-based ProMed HR Solutions in January, with an optional one-year extension. The contract, which could be worth as much as $17.9 million, is similar to those used with travel nurse agencies to address shortages among nursing ranks.The province's procurement rules allow the government to bypass public tenders in circumstances deemed to be urgent, specialized or exceptional.A spokesperson for Nova Scotia Health described the deal with ProMed as a "no-spend commitment standing offer.""It's a pay-as-you-go type of environment," Health Minister Michelle Thompson said in an interview...

When Kwaku Ayisi lost a friend who hadn't even reached 40 to breast cancer, it inspired him to look at the barriers Black women face in Saskatchewan's breast-health system.Ayisi, a researcher at the University of Regina, saw that Black women had much higher breast cancer mortality rates and wanted to know why.He found that Black women are more likely to get breast cancer earlier in life, more prone to aggressive forms and have a higher mortality rate.Ayisi also found a lot of systemic barriers: language, cultural beliefs and a lack of education on breast cancer.Disproportionate consequencesThe Canadian Cancer Society said a recent study found Black women in Canada are more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer at a younger age, more likely to be diagnosed at advanced stages and more li...

He was known as "the man with the golden arm."James Harrison, who according to the Australian Red Cross was the world's most prolific blood and plasma donor, has died at age 88.Harrison's plasma contained the rare antibody Anti-D, also known as Rhesus D antibody, which is used to make the medication given to mothers whose blood is at risk of attacking their fetuses. He donated plasma 1,173 times and is credited with saving 2.4 million Australian babies, according to the Red Cross.The former Guinness World Record holder died in his sleep on Feb. 17."James was a humanitarian at heart, but also very funny," said his daughter, Tracey Mellowship, in a statement."In his last years, he was immensely proud to become a great-grandfather to two beautiful grandchildren, Trey and Addison. As an Anti-D...

Pope Francis suffered two new acute respiratory crises Monday and was put back on noninvasive mechanical ventilation, in another setback to his battle to fight pneumonia, the Vatican said. Source link

Every time a baby is born in Louisiana, where Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson handily won reelection last year, there's more than a 60% chance taxpayers will finance the birth through Medicaid. Source link

A black bear called Rocky has been rescued from abuse in Pakistan's east and relocated to the capital for medical treatment, a welfare organization said Sunday. Source link

A 4-year-old child became the second person to die of Ebola in Uganda, the World Health Organization said Saturday, in a setback for health officials who had hoped for a quick end to the outbreak that began at the end of January. Source link

The White House announced that President Trump would be taking his annual physical exam next month. Source link

Pope Francis suffered an isolated coughing fit on Friday that resulted in him inhaling vomit and requiring non-invasive mechanical ventilation, the Vatican said in relaying an alarming setback in his two-week long battle against double pneumonia. Source link

The number of people with measles in Texas increased to 146 in an outbreak that led this week to the death of an unvaccinated school-aged child, health officials said Friday. Source link