The first World Asthma Day, in 1998, was celebrated in more than 35 countries. Participation has increased with each World Asthma Day since then, making it one of the world’s most important asthma awareness and education events.

Each year, GINA chooses a theme for World Asthma Day and materials and resources are made available on the organisation’s website for use by health care professionals, educators, and members of the public who want to help raise awareness of asthma.

Resources

World Asthma Day
Access resources to help you plan activities for World Asthma Day.

We support the advocacy of our Health Partner, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)!

What is cervical cancer?
Cervical cancer occurs when abnormal cells on the cervix grow out of control. The cervix is the lower part of the uterus that opens into the vagina. Cervical cancer can often be successfully treated when it’s found early. It is usually found at a very early stage through a Pap test.

What causes cervical cancer?
Most cervical cancer is caused by a virus called human papillomavirus, or HPV. You can get HPV by having sexual contact with someone who has it. There are many types of the HPV virus. Not all types of HPV cause cervical cancer. Some of them cause genital warts, but other types may not cause any symptoms.

You can have HPV for years and not know it. It stays in your body and can lead to cervical cancer years after you were infected. This is why it is important for you to have regular Pap tests. A Pap test can find changes in cervical cells before they turn into cancer. If you treat these cell changes, you may prevent cervical cancer.

The theme for 2013 is HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE.

About high blood pressure:

High blood pressure – also known as raised blood pressure or hypertension – increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure. If left uncontrolled, high blood pressure can also cause blindness, irregularities of the heartbeat and heart failure. The risk of developing these complications is higher in the presence of other cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes. One in three adults worldwide has high blood pressure. The proportion increases with age, from 1 in 10 people in their 20′s and 30′s to 5 in 10 people in their 50′s. Prevalence of high blood pressure is highest in some low-income countries in Africa, with over 40% of adults in many African countries thought to be affected.

However, high blood pressure is both preventable and treatable. In some developed countries, prevention and treatment of the condition, together with other cardiovascular risk factors, has brought about a reduction in deaths from heart disease. The risk of developing high blood pressure can be reduced by:

Goals: Greater awareness, healthy behaviours, improved detection, and enabling environments

The ultimate goal of World Health Day 2013 is to reduce heart attacks and strokes.

Specific objectives of the campaign are:

http://www.who.int/world-health-day/en/

Written by Manila Bulletin

April has been declared Cancer in Children Awareness Month to create public awareness on pediatric cancer.

Cancer is a very rare disease in children. Its cause is unknown so most of the time the cancer is already in its advanced stage by the time it is diagnosed. Childhood cancer affects children from birth to 19 years old.

The various types of pediatric cancer include acute lymphocytic leukemia, bone cancer, brain and spinal cord cancer, Erwing’s sarcoma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, neuroblastoma, osteoracoma, retinoblastoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, and Wilm’s tumor.

The most common symptoms of pediatric cancer are dizziness; vomiting; unexplained fever or recurring fever; unexplained weight loss; frequent headaches; fatigue; paleness; sudden eye or vision changes; excessive bruising or bleeding; swelling or pain in the joints, bones, pelvis, back or legs; lump in the armpit, leg, chest, stomach or pelvis; and recurring or persistent infections.

In the Philippines, the most common pediatric cancer is acute lymphoblastic leukemia which is generally thought to start in the bone marrow, but leukemic blasts may be systematically present at the time of presentation. They may be present in the bone marrow, thymus, liver, spleen, lymph nodes, and testes. The classic symptoms of this illness are fatigue and paleness, fever, and bruising or bleeding.

Other symptoms include weight loss, bone pain, and dyspnea.

Oftentimes, acute lymphoblastic leukemia are cured. Treatment include chemotherapy, other drug theraphy, and radiation. In serious cases, bone marrow and blood stem cell transplant is needed.

The task of fighting cancer is really difficult. It imposes stress on the whole family. The best defense is information. Parents must learn about the disease, its risks, and its treatment. Coping with the illness will be more manageable if the whole family knows what to expect both from the medical and emotional viewpoint.

Cancer has huge implications for the quality of the child’s life. The child’s schooling might get disrupted when hospitalization is needed and it would also mean missing out on the normal growing-up period that most children and teen-agers experience.

To avoid all these problems, it is important that children undergo annual check ups and maintain good health by eating healthy and well-balanced diet and exercise.

http://philcancer.org.ph/index.php/learn-more-about-cancer/35-did-you-know/152-cancer-in-children-awareness-month.html

World TB Day is an opportunity to raise awareness about the burden of tuberculosis (TB) worldwide and the status of TB prevention and control efforts.
It is also an opportunity to mobilize political and social commitment for further progress.

Progress towards global targets for reductions in TB cases and deaths in recent years has been impressive: TB mortality has fallen over 40% worldwide since 1990, and incidence is declining. New TB tools such as rapid diagnostics are helping transform response to the disease.

But the global burden remains huge and significant challenges persist:

In 2011, there were an estimated 8.7 million new cases of TB and 1.4 million people died from TB; over 95% of TB deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. Poor communities and vulnerable groups are most affected, but this airborne disease is a risk to all; TB is among the top three causes of death for women aged 15 to 44; there were an estimated 0.5 million cases and 64 000 deaths among children in 2011; there is slow progress in tackling multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB): with 60 000 patients enrolled in treatment by end 2011 – this is only one in five of the notified TB patients estimated to have MDR-TB; provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for TB patients known to be living with HIV needs to double to meet WHO’s recommendation that all TB patients living with HIV promptly receive ART; and the African and European regions are not on track to meet the target of halving deaths from TB between 1990 and 2015.

http://www.who.int/campaigns/tb-day/2013/en/index.html

Among cancers that affect both men and women, colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in the Philippines. Around Asia, CRC has become one of the most common cancers due to rapid urbanization with an increasing and aging population. Unfortunately, more Filipinos die from CRC compared to our neighboring countries such as Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and Singapore. This is mostly due to lack of public awareness and late detection. However, colorectal cancer is largely preventable through screening. Colorectal cancer usually develops from precancerous changes or growths in the lining of the colon or rectum. These growths in the colon or rectum are called polyps.

Symptoms

Early colorectal cancer usually causes no obvious symptoms and can be detected through colorectal cancer screening tests. As the cancer progresses, symptoms may become noticeable. Symptoms of colorectal cancer typically occur in advanced stages of the disease.

Symptoms of colorectal cancer may include:
• Abnormal bowel habits (diarrhea or constipation)
• Bloody stools
• Stomach pain, aches, or cramps that do not go away
• Unexplained weight loss

Risk Factors

The major risk factor for colorectal cancer is increasing age. 90% of all colorectal cancers are diagnosed in people ages 50 and older. Most people ages 50 and older are considered at ‘average risk’ for colorectal cancer. However, some factors that make people at ‘increased risk’ for colorectal cancer include:

• A personal or significant family history of colorectal polyps or colorectal cancer
• Inflammatory bowel disease
• For women who have had breast cancer

Lifestyle factors and conditions that may contribute to colon cancer include:
• Smoking
• Excess alcohol consumption
• Obesity

As we are supporting the Department of Health programs and Philippine Dental Association,
our clinic will have the following discounted services:

a. Teeth Whitening
- Power Bleach
- Radiant White
- Guaranteed 7 to 11 Shades Whiter

REGULAR PRICE: Php 32,000.00
PROMO/DISCOUNT: Php 20,000.00 – Buy 1 and Take 1 on February 14, 2013.

b. Pediatric Dental Health Check or Kid’s Teeth Check-up
- Dental Consultation
- Pictures of Teeth
- Four (4) Sealants
- Flouride and Oral Prophylaxis

REGULAR PRICE: Php 5,400.00
PROMO/DISCOUNT: Php 3,250.00

The following promo/discount stated above is available at Makati Clinic only.
And is not applicable with any other discounts.

For more information:
Please call our Reception at (02) 819-2010, (02) 819-1161, (02) 819-5816 and (02) 819-5119.

Risk Factors:

Doctors often cannot explain why one person develops cancer and another does not. But research shows that certain risk factors increase the chance that a person will develop cancer. These are the most common risk factors for cancer:

Many of these risk factors can be avoided. Others, such as family history, cannot be avoided. People can help protect themselves by staying away from known risk factors whenever possible.

If you think you may be at risk for cancer, you should discuss this concern with your doctor. You may want to ask about reducing your risk and about a schedule for checkups.

Over time, several factors may act together to cause normal cells to become cancerous. When thinking about your risk of getting cancer, these are some things to keep in mind:

(Copyright from The National Cancer Institute)

Cancer

Fact sheet N°297
February 2012

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Key facts:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cancer is a generic term for a large group of diseases that can affect any part of the body. Other terms used are malignant tumours and neoplasms. One defining feature of cancer is the rapid creation of abnormal cells that grow beyond their usual boundaries, and which can then invade adjoining parts of the body and spread to other organs. This process is referred to as metastasis. Metastases are the major cause of death from cancer.

The problem:

Cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide and accounted for 7.6 million deaths (around 13% of all deaths) in 2008.

The main types of cancer are:

About 70% of all cancer deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries. Deaths from cancer worldwide are projected to continue to rise to over 13.1 million in 2030.

(Copyright from World Health Organization)

World AIDS Day, 1 December 2012

World AIDS Day on 1 December brings together people from around the world to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS and demonstrate international solidarity in the face of the pandemic. The day is an opportunity for public and private partners to spread awareness about the status of the pandemic and encourage progress in HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care in high prevalence countries and around the world.

Between 2011-2015, World AIDS Days will have the theme of “Getting to zero: zero new HIV infections. Zero discrimination. Zero AIDS related deaths”. The World AIDS Campaign focus on “Zero AIDS related deaths” signifies a push towards greater access to treatment for all; a call for governments to act now. It is a call to honor promises like the Abuja declaration and for African governments to at least hit targets for domestic spending on health and HIV.

What is HIV / AIDS?

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that infects cells of the immune system, destroying or impairing their function. As the infection progresses, the immune system becomes weaker, and the person becomes more susceptible to infections. The most advanced stage of HIV infection is acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It can take 10-15 years for an HIV-infected person to develop AIDS; antiretroviral drugs can slow down the process even further.

HIV is transmitted through unprotected sexual intercourse (anal or vaginal), transfusion of contaminated blood, sharing of contaminated needles, and between a mother and her infant during pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding.

Fireworks-related injuries are often caused by lack of safety measures, negligence, lack of adult supervision and use of defective firecrackers and other forms of fireworks. Based on a 1998 assessment of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the people most prone to fireworks-related injuries are:
1. Children and young adults – In the 1998 CDC study, more than 4 of every 10 people injured due to fireworks were children under 15 years of age. While 58% of injuries were associated with young adults under twenty years of age.
2. Males – Based on observations, most of the injuries occurred among males.

Types of injuries:
a. Hands and fingers – The most common injuries inflicted on hands and fingers are cuts and burns. The degree of cuts and burns can range from minor to severe. Big explosions can permanently damage hands and fingers. There is even a possibility of losing parts of the hands and fingers.
b. Face – The face is also susceptible to cuts and burns.
c. Eyes – There is a possibility of foreign objects hitting the eyes. Severe eye injuries can lead to blindness.
d. Others – The rest of the body can also sustain injuries such as cuts, burns and bruises. Severe burns can lead to permanent scarring.
Severe fireworks-related accidents (explosions and fires) can even lead to death.

First aid treatment:

1. Wash the injured area of the body with soap over running water.
2. Check for presence of foreign objects or debris. Carefully remove any debris found.
3. Gently dry the area and apply antiseptic on the wound.
4. Cover the wound with a clean gauze, bandage or cloth.
5. Bring the patient to the nearest clinic or hospital for complete medical attention.
6. The physician may give the patient an anti-tetanus vaccine injection or booster shot depending on the patient’s last vaccination.
7. Severe burns will need proper medical attention. Do not attempt to treat injury at home.
8. Severe cuts or wounds might need surgery.

Prevention and control:

The most effective way to prevent fireworks-related injuries is to refrain from using firecrackers. If you choose to do so, make sure you exercise strict caution. Here are some basic tips on how to prevent fireworks-related injuries:
1. Adults should not allow young children to handle firecrackers and other forms of fireworks.
2. Adults should supervise children while watching firework displays.
3. Maintain safe distance from fireworks.
4. Handle firecrackers with caution. Move away immediately upon lighting.
5. Do not light firecrackers inside the house or near things that can easily go in flames.
6. Do not go pick up firecrackers that failed to explode.
7. Do not relight or recycle firecrackers.
8. Do not attempt to make homemade firecrackers. Experimenting on your own small pyrotechnic explosive or devices can be very dangerous.
9. Do not throw firecrackers at people, vehicles or near flammable objects.