Misunderstanding of antibiotics fuels superbug threat, WHO says

November 20, 2015 | 12:03 am

LONDON — People across the world are alarmingly confused about the role of antibiotics and the right way to take them, and this ignorance is fuelling the rise of drug-resistant superbugs, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.

“The rise of antibiotic resistance is a global health crisis,” WHO Director-General Margaret Chan told reporters in a telebriefing from the organization’s Geneva headquarters.

She said the problem was “reaching dangerously high levels” in all parts of the world and could lead to “the end of modern medicine as we know it.”

Antibiotic resistance happens when bacteria mutate and adapt to become invulnerable to the antibiotics used to treat the infections they cause. Overuse and misuse of antibiotics exacerbates the development of drug-resistant bacteria, often called superbugs.

Publishing the results of a survey of public awareness, the United Nations health agency said 64% of those asked believed wrongly that penicillin-based drugs and other antibiotics can treat colds and flu, despite the fact such medicines have no impact on viruses.

Around a third of people surveyed also wrongly believed they should stop taking antibiotics when they feel better, rather than completing the prescribed treatment course, the WHO said.

“The findings… point to the urgent need to improve understanding around antibiotic resistance,” said Keiji Fukuda, the WHO’s special representative for antimicrobial resistance.

“One of the biggest health challenges of the 21^st century will require global behavior change by individuals and societies.”

Superbug infections, including multi-drug-resistant typhoid, tuberculosis and gonorrhoea, already kill hundreds of thousands of people a year, and for now the trend is still growing.

Mr. Fukuda described it as a “race against the pathogens,” adding that if everyone steps into action now, it will probably take five to 10 years to turn the situation around.

The WHO surveyed 10,000 people across 12 countries — Barbados, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, Serbia, South Africa, Sudan and Vietnam — and found many worrying misconceptions.

Three-quarters of respondents think antibiotic resistance means the body is resistant to the drugs, for example, whereas in fact it is the bacteria themselves that become resistant to antibiotics, and their spread causes hard-to-treat infections.

Some 66% believe individuals are not at risk of a drug-resistant infection if they personally take their antibiotics as prescribed.

And nearly half of those surveyed think drug resistance is only a problem in people who take antibiotics often. In fact, anyone, anywhere, of any age, can get a superbug infection.

Ms. Chan urged doctors to dissuade patients from demanding antibiotics for infections they can’t treat, and persuade them to use the drugs strictly according to their prescription.

“Doctors need to treat antibiotics as a precious commodity,” she said. — Reuters

Traveling and Eating: Comedians going where everyone has gone before

November 20, 2015 | 12:03 am

The Binge
Jessica Zafra

EVERYTHING’S BEEN DONE, the British actor Rob Brydon points out in The Trip to Italy.

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Airplane Wi-Fi should soon be somewhat less awful

November 20, 2015 | 12:02 am

FOR YEARS, people have cursed lousy, expensive Wi-Fi on airplanes, with most of the ire directed at Gogo, the largest player in the field.

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Be fit this Christmas: top calorie-burning sports to try

November 20, 2015 | 12:02 am

HAM, mechado, caldereta, and lechon — sumptuous yet fatty standards on dining tables throughout the Christmas season. Despite the temptation to just let go and indulge during the holidays, one should not ignore those extra calories and continue to work at having a fit and healthy body.

“Filipinos are food lovers, and it is truly seen during the Christmas season where greasy and high-calorie foods are served. Thus, it is just essential to burn those extra calories to avoid excess fat. For people who don’t want to hit the gym, they can try sports to burn the calories,” said Dr. Nicky Montoya, MediCard president.

Here are the top calorie-burning sports to try:

• Swimming. Swimming gives an overall body workout and is great for toning muscles. Burning up to 800 calories per hour, swimming is one of the best choices if you want to shed those extra pounds for the holidays. If you have a pool or have access to one, it’s time to slip on your swimsuit on and do some laps.

• Racket Sports. Grab your racket and get ready to lose the calories you consumed during those Christmas parties. Racket sports such as tennis and badminton are fun sports you can do with your loved ones. Building lower body strength and endurance, as well as burning up to 900 calories per hour makes racket sports excellent workout options.

• Martial Arts. Learn self-defense and burn calories while practicing martial arts. Whether judo, tae kwon do or muay thai, martial arts has you moving quickly and in a variety of ways. It is sure to help you tone muscles by burning up to 1,100 calories per hour.

• Running. This may be the most accessible of sports. Burning up to 1,500 calories per hour, running is an ideal sport which works every part of your body, from your calves and quads to your abs. For the best calorie-burning potential, try to keep your speed above 8 mph.

• Boxing. Whether it’s kick boxing or regular boxing, this is one of the best sports to participate in since it burns up to 800 calories per hour.

• Basketball. Aside from burning up to 900 calories per hour, playing basketball lets you develop flexibility, endurance and cardiorespiratory health. But, make sure that you warm up properly before stepping onto the court to avoid injuries.

US doctor group calls for ban on drug advertising to consumers

November 20, 2015 | 12:02 am

THE AMERICAN MEDICAL Association on Tuesday called for a ban on advertising prescription drugs and medical devices directly to consumers, saying the ads drive patients to demand expensive treatments over less costly ones that are also effective.

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Takuya Wada: Ring, pachinko, and tablets vs paper

November 20, 2015 | 12:02 am

By Susan Claire Agbayani

He was calling to his mother as she came out of the bathroom while combing her tresses. What he saw frightened him no end: the image of his mother without a face. In its stead was long flowing black hair covering her face and torso.

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Monarch butterfly population may quadruple: Mexico

November 20, 2015 | 12:02 am

TEMASCALTEPEC, Mexico — Monarch butterflies wintering in Mexico could nearly quadruple in number this year thanks to actions taken by the United States, Mexico and Canada to protect the migratory species, authorities said last week.

After years of sharp decline, the three countries agreed at a summit in February 2014 to form a working group to foster the insect’s survival.

More than a year later, the measures “are having an effect,” Mexican Environment Minister Rafael Pacchiano said at a news conference at the Piedra Herrada monarch reserve alongside US Interior Secretary Sally Jewell.

Mr. Pacchiano said authorities hope the orange and black butterfly will occupy between three and four hectares of the mountain forest, located in central Mexico, this season.

“This is almost four times (the population) that arrived in the previous season,” Mr. Pacchiano said, before a tour of the mountaintop, where hundreds of butterflies were resting or flying around fir trees.

The insect occupied 1.13 hectares of forest in the past season, better than in 2013-2014, when the population hit an all-time low of 0.67 hectares.

The goal is to reach six hectares by 2020. This compares to a high of nearly 19 hectares in 1996-1997.

Officials measure the size of the population by the area they cover instead of individual numbers.

The falling population has been blamed on illegal logging in their Mexican wintering grounds and the drop in milkweed on which they feed due to the use of pesticides in the United States.

Mr. Pacchiano said Mexican authorities have launched “important” operations to combat illegal logging while Ms. Jewell said the United States is working on replanting milkweed in three million hectares of land and designating pesticide-free areas.

“Mexico, the US and Canada have many species that don’t know our political borders, that cross the borders freely,” Ms. Jewell said.

The goal, she said, is “225 million monarch butterflies returning right here to Mexico every year. We believe we can get there by working together and it sounds like we may be on our way, we hope.”

Tourism also hit

The number of butterflies has dropped by 90% in the last 25 years.

The butterflies travel 4,000 kilometers from Canada to spend the winter in a mountain reserve straddling the states of Mexico and Michoacan.

They usually arrive at their nesting ground between late October and early November and head back north in March.

While the Mexican government has announced arrests of illegal loggers in recent months, the World Wildlife Fund for Nature reported in August a drastic increase in clandestine tree cutting in some reserves.

In the Michoacan community of San Felipe de los Alzati, 19.13 hectares were affected by illegal logging in the 2014-2015 monarch butterfly season.

This was four times higher than the 5.18 hectares that were hit by such illegal activities in the communities in the 2013-2014 season.

The arrival of monarch butterflies means jobs for 250 families at the Piedra Herrada sanctuary.

Miguel Dominguez, 52, has worked as a guide there for more than 15 years.

“Tourism falls year after year,” Mr. Dominguez lamented as he pulled a horse that took visitors up the mountain. “It’s good for us that the governments are working together and not fumigating the milkweed, so that more butterflies arrive in Mexico.” — AFP

What every wine geek needs to know, right now

November 20, 2015 | 12:02 am

By Elin Mccoy

LISTEN UP: Do you know what these phrases mean: “Pet-nat,” “concrete eggs,” “en rama,” “koshu,” or “red blotch”? You’re not up to speed with the latest trends if you don’t.

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Family plot

November 20, 2015 | 12:02 am

Movie Review

The Visit

Directed by M. Night Shyamalan

By Noel Vera

The Visit is easily M. Night Shyamalan’s best recent feature (Anyone out there willing to speak up for The Last Airbender? Which I prefer over James Cameron’s latest, but that’s more a measure of how much I dislike Cameron’s work than of how much I like Shyamalan’s). A question still hangs over the movie though: is it any good?

Actually and surprisingly: yes. Becca (Olivia DeJonge) and Tyler (Ed Oxenbould) are sent by their mother Paula (Kathryn Hahn) to her estranged parents for a week-long stay; Nana (Deanna Dunagan) and Pop Pop (Peter McRobbie) meet the kids at the train station and express undisguised delight — Paula hasn’t talked to her parents ever since she eloped with her high school teacher, 15 years ago (they’ve separated since). Becca sees this as a hopeful sign, the start to a long gradual process to bring the family together. Along the way Becca plans to make a documentary about their experiences (she’s an aspiring 15-year-old filmmaker already mouthing pretentious terms like “visual tension”), allowing her mom a little quality vacation time with her new boyfriend, the latest in a string of unhappy relationships.

That’s the setup; the execution couldn’t be simpler: Shyamalan avoids any mention of aliens or apocalyptic forces, ghosts or supernatural creatures. This is strictly a domestic drama, about two kids gingerly exploring the unknown emotional ground between them and their long-unseen grandparents, and there’s apparently a lot of ground to explore, perhaps even explain: Nana and Pop Pop have a number of eccentric rules (curfew is at an unbelievable 9:30 p.m., the old woodshed out back is off-limits and so is the basement down below), they’re fond of spoiling their grandkids with homemade treats (scrumptious-looking cookies stuffed with toasted walnuts, among others), and display odd if not bizarre behavior at night (wall-scratching, naked wanderings, the occasional projectile vomiting).

It’s creepy fun, with older members of the audience no doubt enjoying the proxy vengeance inflicted by their onscreen equivalents on the grandchildren — payback for all the years of rap, low-waist pants, the occasionally cruel contemptuous gesture. Younger viewers might appreciate confirmation of their worst fears: that old age leads to degeneration and dementia, maybe even worse things.

The filmmaker whose equipment is used to record the unfolding story — this is a “found footage” picture after all, though better shot and lit than is common for the genre — is 15, so the movie ultimately finds itself sympathetic to her point of view. Which isn’t as judgmental as you might imagine — Becca finds her Nana and Pop Pop strange and even frightening, but this only adds an edge to her hopes that they are when all is said and done decent folk, open to reconciliation, possible to love.

That I suspect is what makes a good or at least memorable Shyamalan movie — not deployment of a particularly ingenious plot twist, but stoutness and strength of the emotional thread running through the narrative: the love of a single mother for her strange son (and vice versa); the love of a son for his strange father (and vice versa); the grief of a husband for his dead wife; the (in this picture) desire of a grandchild for a reconciled family.

(Spoilers ahead. — Ed.)

Which may be why (skip the rest of this paragraph if you want to see the movie!) when the surprise twist is actually revealed the picture loses me. So Nana and Pop Pop aren’t who they seem to be — so what? They’ve come to know the grandkids, who have come to know them; more to the point we’ve come to know them, however little, however briefly, and to assume we’d so easily toss our sympathies out the window is presumptuous of Shyamalan, or at least wasteful. Crazy people or mentally disturbed folk despite popular misunderstanding don’t do things without a reason — they often do have a reason, a good compelling coherent one at least to their point of view (the trick is to find out just what that view is, exactly). Up to this point Shyamalan has managed to tread a thin line between viewing the old pair with reluctantly growing affection and with persistent unease; when matters clarify it’s suddenly kill or be killed — there’s little to no ambiguity between adults and kids at this point, and you miss the knotty, emotional texture.

The movie recovers somewhat at the very end, when Shyamalan picks up the thread of family feeling he briefly dropped. Not as good as his very best (the eerily demented Unbreakable) but better than some of his better known work (the overrated Sixth Sense, the ridiculous Signs). Yes I think this is a return for the director, a brief resuscitation of the moribund found-footage form, and — arguably, arguably — the best American horror pic to come out recently. Which isn’t saying a lot, but — hey — is saying something.

MTRCB Rating: R-13

La Boheme: the youthful opera

November 20, 2015 | 12:02 am

By Jasmine Agnes T. Cruz

Opera
La Boheme

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An epic ride with the horses of Narnia

November 20, 2015 | 12:01 am

By Jasmine Agnes T. Cruz

Theater
The Horse and His Boy

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Mental health of Filipinos needs more attention

November 20, 2015 | 12:01 am

MEDICINE CABINET

REINER W. GLOOR

ON Oct. 10, the World Health Organization (WHO) offices in Geneva led the global commemoration of World Mental Health Day, with the theme, “dignity in mental health.”

The 2015 commemoration was aimed at raising awareness of what still needs to be done to ensure that people with mental health conditions can continue to live with dignity. Now, more than ever, there is a need to further push this advocacy of enabling people with mental conditions to live with dignity through human rights-aligned policies and legislation, training of health professionals, availability of and respect for informed consent to treatment, inclusion in decision-making processes, and public information campaigns. The WHO is leading the global community in this campaign.

It has been observed by the WHO that thousands of people with mental health conditions around the world are deprived of their human rights. They are also discriminated against, stigmatized, and marginalized.

These people are also subjected to emotional and physical abuse in the mental health facilities they live in and communities they belong to. Poor care, due to lack of qualified health professionals and dilapidated facilities, leads to further violations.

The WHO’s message of “dignity in mental health” should resonate among Filipinos.

In the Philippines, people with mental conditions are not given proper medical attention and not adequately served by the national government’s mental health programs and services. This is not to blame anyone but to state the stark reality.

It is in highly urbanized settings where the national government’s mental health programs and services are available, putting those in rural areas in a more disadvantaged position.

Filipinos suffering from mental health issues and challenges have long been neglected, rarely championed passionately and intelligently in national discourse.

But this is a very important issue. A simple scan of mental health related news stories in the past would reveal common and frequently occurring events such as youths committing suicide or expressing a desire to. It is a tragedy that so many young people have ever even considered ending their lives. These cases should alarm national health government officials.

Among the many high profile cases of youth suicides was that of a young and bright television talent. Then there was the student in a state university who committed suicide due to an inability to pay tuition. Another student, accused of plagiarism, chose to end his life. One can just imagine those cases not reported by media, or deliberately hidden by family members for fear of societal backlash. The litany of suicide cases may be much longer.

The urgent question that should be asked is how can legislation and access be improved so that Filipinos, young and old, be extended proper and sufficient medical attention to help them deal with their mental conditions?

The WHO’s 2014 study “Health for the World’s Adolescents,” acknowledged that “depression is the predominant cause of illness and disability for both boys and girls aged 10 to 19 years old.” It also worth noting that, “suicide is the third leading cause of death among adolescents.”

Depression is so common that the WHO estimated more than 350 million people across the world, of all ages and from all communities, are battling with it.

A sufferer, former British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill colorfully described depression as “a black dog-like phenomenon constantly weighing down on the mind.”

One of the most authoritative reports on the state of mental health system in the Philippines was released by the WHO in 2007, called “The assessment of the mental health system in the Philippines using the World Health Organization – Assessment Instrument for Mental Health Systems.”

The WHO report said the Philippines has the National Mental Health Policy (Administrative Order No. 8, series of 2001) signed by then Secretary of Health Manuel M. Dayrit. Currently, there is no singular mental health legislation, and the laws that govern the provision of mental health services are contained in various parts of promulgated laws such as the Penal Code, the Magna Carta for Disabled Person, the Family Code, and the Dangerous Drug Act, among others, the WHO said.

The country spends about 5% of the total health budget on mental health and substantial portions of it are spent on the operation and maintenance of mental hospitals, the report said.

While the new health/social insurance scheme covers mental disorders, this coverage is limited to acute inpatient care.

According to the National Statistics Office, “mental illness has been found to be the third most common form of disability in the Philippines in 2000 after visual and hearing impairments, with a prevalence rate of 88 cases per 100,000 population.”

The Department of Health in a report said that the region with the highest prevalence rate of mental illness is Southern Tagalog at 132.9 cases per 100,000 population, followed by National Capital Region at 130.8 per 100,000 and Central Luzon at 88.2 per 100,000.

It is our hope that the most current version of House Bill 5347 (filed by Camarines Sur 3^rd District Representative Leni Robredo, along with Representatives Barry Gutierrez, Walden Bello, Kaka Bag-ao, Romero Kimbo, Karlo Nograles, and Emmy de Jesus) and Senate Bill 2910 (filed by Senator Pia Cayetano), will be passed very soon. These proposed laws are based on various international human rights standards and aim to protect those suffering from mental health problems from torture, cruelty, discrimination, and degradation. These also aim to provide adequate information, treatment, aftercare, and rehabilitation.

The mental health of all Filipinos should be a priority of this administration and the next.

Log on to www.phap.org.ph and

www.phapcares.org.ph. E-mail the author at reiner.gloor@gmail.com.