Health
Heart patients advised to move more to avoid heart attacks
The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) Saturday released its latest report on cardiology risk factors and advised patients with heart problems to increase their levels of activity.
According to a statement issued by the ESC, the large study reveals that in people with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes the risk of heart disease increases.
However, the study found that increasing activity levels is associated with a reduced likelihood of heart events and death.
Author of the study, Dr Esmee Bakker, of Radboud University Medical Center in Nijmegen, the Netherlands said: “Previous research showed that improvements in physical activity are beneficial to health. However, those studies were performed in the general population. In our study, we were interested to see if there were similar effects in individuals with cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.”
The study included 88,320 individuals from the LifeLines Cohort Study and participants underwent a physical examination and completed questionnaires about their medical history and lifestyle including exercise. The questionnaires were repeated after approximately four years.
A total of 18,502 (21 percent) individuals had high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and/or diabetes at the start of the study. The average age of this group was 55 years.
After adjusting for age, sex, and baseline physical activity, the researchers found that those with a moderate to a large improvement in physical activity were around 30 percent less likely to develop cardiovascular disease or die during follow-up compared to those who did not change their activity level.
The remaining 69,808 (79 percent) participants did not have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes at the start of the study.
The average age of this group was 43 years. After adjusting for age, sex, and baseline physical activity, the researchers found that those with large reductions in physical activity had a 40 percent higher risk of cardiovascular disease or death compared to those who did not change their activity level.
Bakker said: “Our study suggests that to prevent heart attacks and strokes and boost longevity, healthy individuals should maintain their physical activity levels, while those with risk factors need to become more active.
“The associations we found were even more pronounced in people who were relatively sedentary at the start of the study, indicating that inactive people have the most to gain.”
To prevent heart disease, European guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity or an equivalent combination.
Bakker said: “If you are currently sedentary, walking is a good activity to start with. If you are already hitting the recommended amount, try doing 10 minutes more each day or increasing the intensity.”
Afghanistan’s Minister of Public Health, Noor Jalal Jalali, met with the head of the World Health Organization in Afghanistan, Edwin Ceniza Salvador, to discuss expanding healthcare services and strengthening coordination in the country.
According to a statement issued Tuesday by the Ministry of Public Health, the meeting was attended by officials from the WHO and other representatives and focused on key health sector priorities and areas of mutual cooperation.
Participants discussed the expansion of health services across Afghanistan, capacity-building initiatives for healthcare workers, and the development of cancer-related services. They also reviewed operational coordination, transparency in the delivery of health services, and preparations for upcoming health-related meetings.
During the meeting, Jalali emphasized the importance of aligning health projects and services with the ministry’s national policies and strategic documents.
He stressed that all health initiatives should be implemented based on the priorities and needs identified by the Ministry of Public Health.
The minister also urged WHO officials to enhance transparency and strengthen coordination with the ministry while taking practical steps to improve the quality of health services and ensure broader public access to healthcare across the country.
For his part, Salvador reaffirmed the WHO’s commitment to maintaining close cooperation with the Afghan health ministry and to delivering essential health services in accordance with the ministry’s policies and priorities.
Health
Afghanistan faces acute shortage of specialist doctors, officials urge ethics and expansion of health services
Noor Jalal Jalali, the Minister of Public Health, said the ministry is making sustained and intensive efforts to address the gap and expand access to healthcare services in remote and underserved areas of the country.
Afghanistan is continuing to face a serious shortage of specialist doctors, health officials said during the graduation ceremony of specialist physicians from the General Directorate of Medical Specialization for the year 1404.
Noor Jalal Jalali, the Minister of Public Health, said the ministry is making sustained and intensive efforts to address the gap and expand access to healthcare services in remote and underserved areas of the country.
According to Jalali, hospitals are still absent across 318 districts nationwide. He added that initial construction work for hospitals has been completed in 100 of these areas, stressing that strengthening health infrastructure and training qualified specialists remain top priorities for the ministry.
Jalali also called on doctors and health officials to uphold their professional and religious responsibilities by treating patients with compassion, dignity, and good conduct. He emphasized that medical practice should not be driven by material gain, but by the pursuit of public service and the well-being of the people.
Speaking at the same ceremony, Hamdullah Nomani, Minister of Communications and Information Technology noted a decline in public trust toward some medical professionals, saying that despite the presence of many committed and ethical doctors, the behavior of a few motivated solely by financial gain has undermined patient confidence. He urged newly graduated specialists to serve with sincerity and restore public trust in Afghanistan’s healthcare system.
Meanwhile, Abdul Wali Sadiqi, the financial and administrative deputy minister of public health, advised graduates to remain committed to their profession, fulfill their responsibilities honestly, and serve the public with dedication. He stressed that efforts in national service should match those made in personal affairs.
In addition, Abdul Baqi Haqqani, head of the National Examinations Authority, highlighted that humans carry two fundamental responsibilities: worship of Allah and preservation of health, underscoring the vital role doctors play in safeguarding public health.
Health sector experts say Afghanistan now needs skilled and professional medical personnel more than ever, calling for increased investment in specialist training and healthcare infrastructure to meet the country’s growing needs.
Naemullah Ayoubi, Director General of Drug and Health Products Regulation at Afghanistan’s Ministry of Public Health, has departed for Turkey on an official visit accompanied by a technical delegation.
The Ministry of Public Health said the delegation will hold meetings with officials from Turkey’s pharmaceutical regulatory authority and discuss a number of key issues related to the regulation of medicines and health products.
The delegation is also scheduled to visit several pharmaceutical manufacturing factories in Turkey.
According to the ministry, the visit aims to strengthen coordination between the two countries in the production and import of medicines, in order to ensure the availability of high-quality and affordable pharmaceuticals for people in Afghanistan in both the short and long term.
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