Doctors in Hong Kong and Singapore are witnessing a “baby boom” as pregnant women rush to give birth by caesarean section ahead of the Lunar New Year.

The trend – as parents try to give their children an auspicious start in life or to avoid being stuck in hospital during the holidays – has prompted insurance companies to double their fees or even halt some maternity policies.

Tradition dictates, according to some fortune tellers, that babies born in the Year of the Horse are more vigorous than those born in the Year of the Goat, which begins on Thursday. Well-known Hong Kong fortune teller Mak Ling-ling said some parents were keen to have their babies early in order for their “luckier” offspring to collect lai see – cash gifts given over Lunar New Year  – from their relatives. READ MORE  HERE >

http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1714249/c-section-baby-boom-ahead-ofthe-holidays

Poor diabetes care in England is leading to avoidable deaths, record rates of complications and huge costs to the NHS, a charity is warning.

Diabetes UK says the disease is the fastest growing health threat of our times and current care models are not working to get on top of the problem.

The NHS spends a tenth of its budget on diabetes, but most goes on managing complications not preventing them.

The government says it is focusing on early intervention.

Long and healthy life

Diabetes is a chronic condition and, if poorly managed, can lead to devastating complications, including blindness, amputations, kidney failure, stroke and early death.

Best-practice guidelines say patients should get regular checks to ensure they are controlling their condition well enough to avoid future complications.

SOURCE BBC News

1st January saw the launch of our new global claims handling service for both new and renewing customers.

With dedicated medical 24/7 service centres in the UK, New Zealand and Singapore, you will enjoy unmatched service and support no matter where in the world you may be living, working or travelling.

Many of the world’s leading brands including Panasonic, Shell, Jaguar Land Rover, Inchcape, CNN, Oxfam and the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office already trust Healix International to manage their international medical insurance claims and now you will be able to benefit from this exceptional VIP service and support.

Responding to over 450,000 calls for medical assistance each year and managing claims in over 190 countries worldwide, ALC Health’s new claims service ensures you receive the very best care – day or night.

If you would like to know more, contact ALC Heath and we’ll tell you more about our award winning iPMI products and services.

Sarah Jewell, founder and Chief Executive Officer of International Medical Insurance provider ALC Health has been awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in The Queen’s New Year Honours list in recognition of her services to entrepreneurship in the Medical Health Industry.

Ms. Jewell commented. “This was an unexpected but a great honour. Having been involved in the medical insurance industry for over 20 years, I have been privileged to meet and work with some quite amazing people whose support and guidance has played a great part in the success that I have enjoyed”.

For further press information contact Andrew Apps at andrew.apps@alchealth.com or telephone +44 (0)1903 817970

The mosquito-borne Chikungunya virus, already rampant in Jamaica, has spread to the Cayman Islands and other parts of the Caribbean.

The Caribbean Public Health Agency’s latest report, dated October 20, states that there were 59 confirmed cases of chikungunya in Jamaica, but medical professionals are saying that the prevalence of the virus is hugely under-reported.

Chikungunya is a viral disease transmitted to humans by infected Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes. Whilst it is rarely fatal for adults, the infection can cause death in infants, people with weakened immune systems, and vulnerable older people. The virus causes fever and severe joint pain and other symptoms can include: muscle pain, headache, nausea, fatigue and rash.

Giving up alcohol for a month can change people’s drinking habits in the long term meaning people drink less and get drunk less often, according to a study.

Research shows that committing to a month off alcohol – post Christmas – was more likely to lead to people moderating their drinking during the rest of the year and to saying no to a drink on social occasions or when feeling upset or anxious.

A survey of 3,800 people who completed a questionnaire before they gave up alcohol in January 2014, found that many of those going 31 days without alcohol experienced a number of positive side-effects, such as sleeping better, losing weight and feeling more energetic. More than three-quarters of people said they had saved money and felt a sense of achievement.

Commenting on the research, Prof Wallace, chief medical adviser to the charity Drinkaware, warned that people should not be complacent.

“It’s important not to assume that having a break from alcohol for a while means it’s OK to drink to excess the rest of the year. It’s also important to recognise that just because you can stop drinking alcohol for a period of time, it doesn’t mean you don’t need to continue to moderate your drinking in the long term.”