Health

Saudi Arabia begins COVID-19 vaccination campaign for ages 5-11 amid omicron surge

Saudi Arabia on Tuesday announced it will begin vaccinating children ages 5-11 against COVID-19 “in order to ensure their safety and protect them from variants and complications,” the Ministry of Health said.

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The Kingdom’s health ministry said that vaccination priority will be given to those with conditions that may make them more vulnerable to complications from the coronavirus.

Individuals in Saudi Arabia can now take the third dose, or a booster shot, of the COVID-19 vaccine three months after taking the second dose, the country’s Ministry of Health announced on Monday.

Earlier this week, Saudi Arabia’s Public Health Authority (Weqaya) citizens and residents to avoid “unnecessary” travel outside the country amid rising COVID-19 cases and the new omicron variant.

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Health

First Person: Women in Madagascar too ashamed to seek help giving birth

Some of the poorest women in an underdeveloped region south of Madagascar are “too ashamed” to seek the maternal health services they need, according to a midwife working in a health centre supported by United Nations agencies, but that may be about to change.

Health

Peace or war, midwives keep delivering

Millions of lives each year rely on the expertise and care of midwives and yet a global shortage is squeezing the profession like never before, the UN sexual and reproductive health agency UNPFA said on Sunday, marking the International Day of the Midwife.

Health

Europe: Report highlights direct link between pandemic and childhood obesity

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to increased obesity in school-aged children in Europe, the World Health Organization (WHO) office for the region said in a new report issued on Wednesday, sounding the alarm for action.