Following Is A Report By Tunis Afrique Presse Agency As Part Of Files By The Federation Of Arab News Agencies (FANA)

(MENAFN- Kuwait News Agency (KUNA)) HLT-TUNISIA-FANA
Tunisia prioritizes geriatrics as experts highlight elderly health risks, global medical innovations

TUNIS, Sept 8 (KUNA) -- Geriatrics specialist Afaf Hammami hailed the Ministry of Health's decision to establish geriatrics as a formal medical specialty in Tunisian schools, describing it as a historic and necessary measure due to the country's rapidly aging population.
She noted that according to the 2024 general population and housing census, the proportion of elderly people in Tunisia has already exceeded 12 percent, and demographic projections suggest it will rise to nearly 20 percent in the coming years, creating urgent healthcare needs.
Hammami explained to the Tunis Afrique Presse Agency that this demographic shift will inevitably lead to a rise in age-related illnesses, including Alzheimer's, dementia, osteoporosis, and chronic diseases, along with increased challenges associated with loss of independence.
She emphasized that establishing geriatrics as a specialty allows comprehensive assessments, physical, functional, and social, enabling healthcare professionals to create integrated treatment plans tailored to each patient while improving quality of life and preserving dignity.
Hammami added that implementing this specialty nationwide will require overcoming significant challenges, including developing appropriate infrastructure and training qualified personnel to ensure geriatric care is widely accessible and effective across Tunisia's healthcare system.
An endocrinologist and diabetes specialist at the regional hospital in Gafsa Professor Mahdi Klthoum warned that excessive consumption of green tea, particularly eight to ten cups daily, can negatively affect health, causing insomnia, rapid heartbeat, stomach pain, and kidney problems.
He explained that moderate green tea consumption, about two to three cups per day, preferably two hours after meals, offers antioxidant benefits, helps prevent heart disease and cancer, lowers cholesterol, improves blood pressure, and supports blood sugar control.
Klthoum also advised drinking natural herbal infusions before bedtime, noting they can enhance mental health, elevate mood, and improve vitamin absorption in the intestines, making them a safe and beneficial alternative to excessive caffeinated beverages for relaxation.
Family and geriatrics specialist Yosra Kammarti strongly warned against antibiotic use among elderly patients, explaining that it is almost prohibited due to potentially severe side effects, including gastrointestinal bleeding, kidney failure, and dangerous interactions with chronic disease medications.
She emphasized that elderly people should never take even a single antibiotic pill without medical advice, warning that self-medication with supplements or painkillers can trigger acute kidney failure, harmful drug interactions, and serious health complications requiring immediate medical attention.
Kammarti suggested that natural and non-pharmaceutical approaches, including yoga, Pilates, and physiotherapy guided by specialists, can effectively relieve pain, improve mobility, and reduce dependence on potentially harmful medications, contributing to better overall health outcomes for the elderly.
Scientists at Sechenov Medical University's Digital Medical Center in Russia developed a neural network capable of detecting Parkinson's disease with approximately 97 percent accuracy by analyzing patients' electroencephalogram (EEG) data, promising faster, more precise early diagnoses and treatment guidance.
The project's scientific supervisor Dr. Denis Andrikov, explained that neural network analysis can track disease progression, assist doctors in diagnostic decisions, and will be improved further by expanding EEG datasets from patients at different Parkinson's stages in collaboration with neurology experts.
In the US, the Food and Drug Administration approved updated COVID-19 vaccines but restricted their use for much of the population, allowing Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax vaccines primarily for elderly adults and high-risk young adults or children only.
Pfizer's vaccine is no longer authorized for children under five, creating new barriers for families seeking vaccination while the restriction highlights challenges in targeting high-risk groups, ensuring elderly protection, and managing vaccine eligibility for millions of Americans across different age groups.
A new study from Oregon State University found that irregular sleep patterns in heart failure patients can double the risk of severe health relapses, including hospitalization, emergency visits, or death, even after accounting for other sleep disorders or related medical conditions.
Researchers concluded that maintaining consistent sleep and wake times daily is a simple, low-cost, and effective therapeutic approach that could improve recovery, reduce complications, and enhance survival rates for heart failure patients, emphasizing the importance of routine and sleep regularity. (end)
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