Ontario Supporting Access to Over-the-Counter Hearing Aids - ontario.ca

Is kombucha really good for your health?19 September 2026Natalie GriceBBC WalesGetty ImagesKombucha is made by fermenting tea using a scoby (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast) which floats on top of the liquid while brewingIf you're a health-conscious type who reaches for the products promising that boost, you may be a regular consumer of kombucha. The form of fermented tea has been drunk for centuries in parts of Asia and is now being touted as a superfood to improve lots of aspects of health, including gut bacteria, the immune system and even lowering stress. Researchers at Aberystwyth University have led a study trying to establish what happens to a person when they drink kombucha for a sustained period of time, to see if the drink does have any measurable impact on the body. The team conducted an eight-week randomised controlled trial on 40 healthy participants, with one set receiving a carefully controlled drink of kombucha every day, and the other a placebo of flavoured water. The trial, published in a peer-reviewed journal, was double-blinded, so the participants and the research team did not know which person was receiving the real kombucha.

Background The Royal College of Radiologists' (RCR) iRefer guidelines are an established evidence-based clinical decision support tool intended to optimise diagnostic imaging referrals, reduce unnecessary radiation exposure, and improve radiology workflow efficiency. In Ireland, imaging referrals also carry statutory weight: Statutory Instrument (S.I.) No. 256 of 2018 places defined duties on referrers regarding the justification of medical exposures, and Health Service Executive (HSE) guidance requires referrers to have access to iRefer or an equivalent decision support tool. Awareness and use of iRefer among non-consultant hospital doctors (NCHDs) in smaller, high-turnover hospital settings are poorly described. Aim To evaluate awareness, utilisation, and accessibility of the iRefer guidelines among NCHDs in a Model 3 hospital and to identify the systemic, technological, and cultural barriers preventing routine use. Methods A sequential explanatory mixed-methods design was employed. Phase 1 comprised an in-person, anonymous cross-sectional audit questionnaire developed by the authors for this study, administered to NCHDs to assess awareness, decision-making sources, and guideline

Dengue feverAccording to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) in Dhaka, at least six dengue patients died and 2,088 others were hospitalised in the past 24 hours, bringing the total cases and deaths to 112,400 and 348, respectively. September has been the deadliest month of the year so far, logging 43,774 hospital admissions and 148 deaths. Significant outbreaks are hitting the Dhaka area and the Chattogram, Khulna, and Barishal divisions due to high population density and inadequate waste management. Typically a monsoon-season illness (June to September), dengue transmission in Bangladesh is increasingly shifting and extending into late autumn due to unseasonal rains and climate shifts. Currently, 6,026 dengue patients are undergoing treatment at hospitals across the country. Bangladesh’s record dengue fever season in 2023 with Dr. Md Rafiul HasanMeaslesThe large measles outbreak in Bangladesh has yet to be contained. Sonce mid-March, the country reported 203,000 suspected measles cases, including 23,000 confirmed cases have been reported. At least 1,196 people have died, with children under five accounting for 94% of reported deaths.