Health & Medicine
Lungs of stone: How Silica has sickened a generation of quartz cutters
Quartz is used for countertops in millions of homes around the world — the manmade stone is popular for its beauty and durability. But for workers who make, cut and install quartz counters, it can be deadly. The World reported from Turkey, Spain and Australia — three stops along the quartz countertop supply chain — to learn more about silicosis, an incurable and often fatal lung disease caused by inhaling dust laden with excessive amounts of a mineral called silica.
‘Keep on living’: Wounded vets in Ukraine establish first amputee soccer club
Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine almost exactly two years ago, the city of Lviv has become a rehabilitation hub for soldiers injured in the war, including many who have lost a limb. As some complete their recovery, they are eager to get back into sports. The World’s Daniel Ofman reports from a soccer practice in Lviv.
‘I want to stand up again’: Wounded Ukrainian veterans on the road to recovery
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine two years ago, tens of thousands of people — both soldiers and civilians — have been injured. Many of the people who have lost limbs are military veterans who are now going through rehabilitation. The World’s Daniel Ofman recently visited Lviv, where many of those veterans are receiving treatment.
Why kids struggle with long COVID
When children contract COVID-19, they aren’t as likely to get severely ill as adults. But long COVID can have a severe impact on kids, according to a new study in the journal Pediatrics. Dr. Ziyad al-Aly, chief of research and development at the V.A. St. Louis Health Care System, talks with The World’s Carolyn Beeler about how and why kids’ immune systems struggle with the condition.
Hazy skies over Accra: Harsh harmattan season in Ghana leads to health hazards, poor air quality
Severe, dry winds during the harmattan season are not new in Ghana. But experts with the country’s environmental agency say climate change is intensifying these weather conditions, leading to increased respiratory problems and poor air quality in Accra, the country’s capital.
Dire conditions in Gaza’s few functioning hospitals, UK doctor says
Healthcare professionals are struggling to treat a staggering number of patients in Gaza. The World’s Carolyn Beeler speaks with Nick Maynard, a surgeon who recently returned to the UK after leading an emergency medical team in Al-Aqsa hospital in central Gaza.