View the full post CARPHA Annual Health Research Conference, Barbados on NOW Grenada.

He powered up his X-ray fluorescence analyzer — like a cross between a laser gun and a power tool — which emitted a beam that dislodges electrons, coaxing out chemical fingerprints, and pointed it at surface after surface. Doors, door jambs, walls, couches, windowsills, blinds, toys, siding strips, 150 or 200 shots in all.

There was a bit of lead paint, but hardly enough to explain blood lead levels of over 10 micrograms per deciliter. There was a lead-containing figurine, brought back as a souvenir from abroad, but it was high on a shelf, beyond the 1- and 3-year-old’s reach. When he got his other samples back from the lab — water from the tap, sand from the play pit, a dust wipe from the father’s shoes — those were negative, too. “In the meantime,” said Alan Honeycutt, a regional environmental health specialist at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, “both children’s blood lead had gone higher.”

To him, that pointed toward something in their diets  — and it was his colleague at the local level who suggested the parents keep a food log. Within 72 hours, the mother called to say there was something she’d forgotten to mention: the applesauce packets her kids ate every day.

So began an investigation that would reveal 566 lead-poisoned children across 44 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C., and would eventually get the adulterated applesauce off shelves. But in late April, when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a paper on how that nationwide sleuthing went down, its fine print left a key detail out. At least six of the authors who’d worked at the CDC had been laid off earlier that month, when their entire division was slashed by the Trump administration’s cuts. In a way, the paper was a record of what had been lost, of what might not happen if a food product were poisoning kids right now. 

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Santo Domingo.- Senator Daniel Rivera, former Minister of Public Health and current representative for Santiago, urged the United Nations (UN) and the international community to help restore safe conditions in Haiti so that Haitian women can receive medical care in their own country. Rivera emphasized that Haitian doctors are afraid to practice due to the control of armed gangs over much of the country, making healthcare access extremely difficult.

In response to international criticism—particularly from Amnesty International, which has denounced the repatriation of Haitian women and alleged human rights violations—Rivera defended the Dominican Republic’s immigration and healthcare practices. He invited observers to witness firsthand the treatment of Haitian women in Dominican hospitals, stating that many arrive without prenatal care, which negatively impacts public health statistics. He also pointed out that Haiti has more than 450 hospitals and seven maternity centers, and called for international cooperation to ensure those facilities are operational and safe.

Amnesty International, in contrast, released a video urging President Luis Abinader to stop deportations, citing over 180,000 repatriations since 2024 without individual evaluations, which they claim reflects racial discrimination. Dominican legislators strongly rejected the accusations, maintaining that the country has been one of Haiti’s most consistent supporters and affirming that while emergency medical care will continue for Haitian women in labor, immigration laws must still be enforced. Rivera concluded by stating, “The Haiti issue has gotten out of hand, and we cannot solve it alone.”

View the full post Caribbean faces increasing climate threats on NOW Grenada.

“The public is encouraged to seek accurate information from official sources and continue practicing responsible health measures”

View the full post No confirmed cases of measles in Grenada on NOW Grenada.

Santo Domingo.- The Dominican Republic and 20 other countries or economic blocs have suspended imports of chicken meat from all of Brazil following the detection of a highly pathogenic avian flu outbreak at a commercial farm in Montenegro, Rio Grande do Sul. In contrast, 11 other countries have limited their bans to the affected region. Brazil is the world’s top chicken exporter, with China—its largest buyer—having already imported over 562,000 tons of chicken in 2024.

Countries enforcing a nationwide ban include China, the European Union, Mexico, and South Korea, among others. Those applying regional restrictions include the UK, Ukraine, and Cuba, while Japan and Saudi Arabia limited bans to the specific municipality. These partial bans reflect adherence to the World Organization for Animal Health’s regionalization principle, which Brazil’s government is actively promoting to minimize broader economic impacts.

The outbreak comes at a challenging time for Brazil’s poultry sector, particularly in Rio Grande do Sul, which produces 15% of the country’s chicken and is still recovering from severe floods in 2023. The Ministry of Agriculture continues diplomatic efforts, especially with China, to lift full bans and restore exports from unaffected regions.

View the full post Youth and Mental Health Caravan goes to St Patrick this week on NOW Grenada.

San Isidro.- Médico Express, the Dominican Republic’s most advanced outpatient medical center, proudly introduces the Total Scan, a cutting-edge full-body MRI designed to deliver a comprehensive, accurate, and non-invasive assessment of a patient’s health. Ideal for both symptomatic individuals and those with risk factors, this high-tech scan supports preventive care, early diagnosis, and effective monitoring of a wide range of medical conditions.

At the heart of the Total Scan is the Signa Prime 1.5 Tesla MRI, one of the most modern imaging platforms in the country. This powerful system captures high-resolution images quickly and without ionizing radiation. Integrated artificial intelligence algorithms enhance image reconstruction and clarity, allowing for better visualization of organs, tissues, and anatomical structures.

“Whole-body MRI enhanced by AI allows us to examine complex anatomical areas with greater efficiency and detect subtle abnormalities with improved accuracy,” explains Dr. Melisa Ravelo, Head of Medical Imaging at Médico Express.

A Next-Generation Diagnostic Ecosystem

The Total Scan is part of a fully integrated, high-tech diagnostic ecosystem at Médico Express, where cutting-edge technology is paired with medical subspecialty expertise. Key technologies include:

3D Mammography with Senographe Pristina – delivers superior image quality, lower radiation dose, and a more comfortable patient experience using intelligent tools.

GE Revolution 128-Slice CT Scanner – enables rapid, high-detail reconstruction of complex scans.

Voluson S8 Ultrasound – advanced maternal-fetal imaging in 4D, enhanced by AI processing for sharper detail.

Médico Express’s Radiology Department is staffed by board-certified subspecialist radiologists in neuroradiology, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, and breast imaging—ensuring reports are both clinically sound and diagnostically valuable.

Additionally, a comprehensive cardiovascular imaging unit includes echocardiograms, stress testing, AI-assisted cardiography, and Holter monitoring to support early detection of heart disease.

To further enhance the patient experience, Médico Express offers a secure patient portal with real-time access to images, reports, and medical history, as well as a telemedicine platform for seamless follow-up care.

More Than Medical Imaging: A Health Destination in the Caribbean

Médico Express offers far more than world-class diagnostics. With over 40 medical specialties, outpatient surgery, executive checkups, endoscopy, ophthalmology, dentistry, emergency care, and a dedicated International Patient Department, the center provides comprehensive, personalized care for both local and international patients.

Located in the Dominican Republic – the leading medical tourism destination in the Caribbean – Médico Express is proud to be the only healthcare facility in the region certified by Global Healthcare Accreditation (GHA). This certification reflects its commitment to international standards of safety, quality, and patient experience.

View the full post TAMCC Nutrition and Dietetics interns in GFNC initiatives on NOW Grenada.

Former President Joe Biden was diagnosed with an "aggressive form" of prostate cancer that has a five-year survival rate of between 30% and 40%.

The former president's prostate cancer is characterized by a Gleason score of 9 and Grade Group 5 with bone metastasis, indicating that it is "pretty far advanced," Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel said on ‘Fox Report.’

"It’s the most aggressive type," Siegel said. "That means it has the highest risk of spread — which obviously he has had."

Biden is also presenting with urinary symptoms, which is another sign that the cancer is advanced. Prostate cancer often presents as asymptomatic in its early stages, he said. 

JOE BIDEN DIAGNOSED WITH 'AGGRESSIVE FORM' OF PROSTATE CANCER WITH METASTASIS TO THE BONE

"This was found by physical examination by a prostate exam," Siegel said. "A lot of times we find an elevation in prostate-specific antigen, PSA, and then we go after it… I mean, he must have had the best possible care here. I'm a little taken aback that it's this far advanced."

Siegel said he conducts a prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, test on every male over the age of 45 years old. The test measures how much PSA is in the blood and is primarily used to screen for prostate cancer, according to Mayo Clinic. 

NEW PROSTATE CANCER TEST PINPOINTS DISEASE BETTER THAN PSA OPTION, STUDY FINDS

While the PSA test is not always a perfect indicator of prostate cancer, someone who has a rise in PSA automatically gets an MRI, Siegel said. After the MRI, a decision is made about whether to conduct a biopsy.

More than 80% of men over the age of 80 years old have some prostate cancer cells in their body, according to Siegel.

"It would be really surprising if they weren't doing a very close screening on this because everybody knows in the medical community that this is the one cancer in men you really look out for," he said. "… He doesn't seem to have a lot of risk factors that I would think about other than age, but age is enough and he's 82, so that's a big risk factor."

Doctors will likely treat Biden with hormone therapy, Siegel said. They may also attempt to radiate the lesion found on the bone or remove the prostate altogether.

PROSTATE CANCER DRUG NOW AVAILABLE TO MORE PATIENTS WITH AGGRESSIVE FORM OF DISEASE

"Sometimes they decide to do more than one therapy," Siegel said. "They might try to take the prostate out, do radiation and the hormone therapy altogether. That's not uncommon."

There are two types of medications used to treat this type of advanced prostate cancer — Lupron, which stops testosterone production, and Casodex, which stops testosterone from binding. Side effects of the medication can leave people feeling "fatigued and listless," according to Siegel.

"The other thing I'm concerned about is bone pain, because those metastases to the bone can be pretty painful," he said.

If the cancer is caught early while its still localized to the prostate gland, it’s curable "most of the time," Siegel said.

"The goal is to get it before it leaves the prostate," Siegel said. "When it's left the prostate, it becomes much more difficult to cure."