Carnival hits the streets in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil this week. As well as preparations for the crowds and colourful processions, health authorities have also been putting in extra measures to try to contain a huge outbreak of dengue fever. Last week a health emergency was declared in the city. And as Claudia hears from Peruvian health journalist Fabiola Torres, cases are rising to levels not seen for decades across the whole of Latin America.
Consultant in public health Dr Ike Anya is in the Health Check studio to take a deeper look at Dengue. He also brings news from Alaska, USA where an elderly man has become the first person to die from Alaskapox, a viral disease more commonly found in small animals like shrews and voles. And could new UK research on 50 thousand people’s blood, help us get one step closer to a predictive blood test for Alzheimer’s disease?
Claudia and Ike hear from British journalist Mike Powell who has serious kidney failure. Last week Mike’s kidney transplant operation had to be cancelled due to his donor’s health. He’s hoping for some better news this week.
And Claudia speaks to Dr Ruth Namazzi at Makerere University in Uganda. She is co-author of new research that suggests that a common drug for treating the symptoms of sickle cell anaemia could have a transformative effect amongst children with the blood condition in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producers: Clare Salisbury & Ben Motley Assistant Producer: Imaan Moin
Medical mysteries with neurologist Suzanne O’Sullivan
Chile’s vaccine roll out
Mental Health and the long term implications of Covid
Can we eradicate leprosy?
Covid vaccines for children
Working with disability
Can the common cold prevent Covid?
Combatting mental illness
Vaccine and blood clots
Covid-19 vaccination in Africa
Do vaccines cure Long Covid?
Modern medicine versus the spirits
Pregnancy and Covid-19 vaccination
Africa’s blood shortage
Long Covid: solving the mysteries
Sexual health, Covid-19 vaccines
Covid surge in Mozambique
Superbugs and superfoods
Covid vaccines: bad news, good news
Vaccinating Africa against Covid-19
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