Kennedy to slash 10,000 jobs in major overhaul of U.S. health agencies
March 28th, 20250 WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced plans to reshape federal public health agencies on Thursday, including cutting 10,000 employees and centralizing some functions of the FDA, CDC and others under his purview. The job cuts include 3,500 at the Food and Drug Administration,...
America faces the worst flu season in 15 years
March 7th, 20250 By Sunita Sohrabji Vaccine skepticism, public policy changes, misinformation and a fear of deportation has created the perfect storm for a severe flu season, experts say. Vaccine skepticism, along with a more virulent strain of the influenza virus, is contributing to an extremely difficult season for the...
Dearborn to provide free gym memberships for seniors
January 31st, 20250 DEARBORN — On Thursday, the city announced its participation in the SilverSneakers program, allowing anyone over 65 with qualifying health insurance to use the fitness amenities at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center at no cost. Starting Monday, Feb. 3, anyone on a qualifying Medicare Advantage or Supplemental Health Plan...
Trump’s war on immigrants a threat to public health
January 26th, 20250 By Edward Kissam President Trump’s inaugural speech Monday signaled his continued commitment to characterizing immigrants as criminal invaders and an impediment to his campaign mantra of “making America great again.” Following his speech, Trump signed a slew of executive orders — declaring a national emergency...
Dearborn Public Schools combat teen vaping with new detectors placed in bathrooms
January 17th, 20250 DEARBORN — A Metro Detroit school district is taking measures to hopefully stop students from vaping on campus with vape detectors. Dearborn Public Schools is tackling vaping, which school officials say is not isolated to Dearborn, as more public school districts are taking actions on the three fronts of epidemics affecting teens:...
U.S. unveils proposal to ease restrictions on marijuana
May 18th, 20240 On Thursday, the U.S. Justice Department unveiled a historic proposal to ease restrictions on marijuana, a rule that if enacted would also enable more research on its medicinal benefits. The proposal, first announced in April, would reclassify cannabis from a so-called schedule one drug to schedule three. Schedule one drugs, such as...
New naturopathic clinic opens in Dearborn
March 19th, 20240 DEARBORN — A new naturopathic clinic has made its way to Dearborn with the inception of Tribal Wellness opened by Dearborn native Dr. Ahmad Ali Anani, ND. Located in the heart of West Dearborn at 22022 Michigan Avenue Suite #27, this clinic offers naturopathic consultations to discern the root causes of health issues and imbalances....
DWIHN looks to youth voices helping to address critical mental health issues
March 15th, 20240 DETROIT – Over the last decade there has been an increase in crisis response to tragic incidents that directly impact young people, from school shootings to suicides across the nation – many of which stem from unaddressed mental health concerns. Agency launches Mental Health Youth Council for High Schoolers In response to this, the...
DWIHN mobile crisis services expanding to reach more people in need
March 8th, 20240 DETROIT – The Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network (DWIHN) is entering phase two of its mobile crisis roll out, expanding its services now to help children and adolescents as well as adults in crisis. The mobile crisis team has also moved to operating seven days a week, Monday-Sunday, 7 a.m to 3 p.m. “We are excited to announce...
New program aims to wipe out up to $700 million in medical debt for Wayne County residents
March 8th, 20240 DETROIT – Wayne County Executive Warren C. Evans has announced a new program to provide critical relief from medical debt and the financial hardship it has caused for up to 300,000 Wayne County residents. The county has teamed up with RIP Medical Debt, a national non-profit organization that will work with providers like hospitals,...
Dearborn Public Health launches city-wide air quality monitoring program
February 23rd, 20240 DEARBORN – The Dearborn Department of Public Health, with the support of the MiNextCities, announced the placement of 10 air quality monitors throughout the city in partnership with JustAir, a Michigan-based startup. Using a publicly available dashboard that is also available in Arabic, residents can monitor air quality in real-time...
World health leaders warn of pandemic 20 times worse than COVID
January 27th, 20240 At the recent World Economic Forum, the World Health Organization issued a warning to world leaders, saying the world could face a pandemic 20 times worse than COVID-19 in the future. Scientists call it Disease X, a term that recognizes the next global pandemic could come as the result of an unknown pathogen rather than the spread...
CBP confiscates 110 pounds of ketamine in man’s luggage at Detroit Metro Airport
December 22nd, 20230 ROMULUS – U.S. Customs and Border Protection detected and seized roughly $4 million worth of ketamine at Detroit Metro Airport. According to a CBP press release, a United Kingdom citizen flew in from France on Dec. 13 and was selected for secondary inspection. A search of two large suitcases reportedly revealed plastic bags filled...
Gov. Whitmer appoints renowned dermatologist Dr. Iltefat Hamzavi to the Michigan Board of Medicine
December 22nd, 20230 LANSING – On Thursday, Governor Whitmer announced the appointment of Dr. Iltefat Hamzavi to the Michigan Board of Medicine. This comes among other appointments to several other commissions and boards, including the Crime Victim Services Commission, Human Trafficking Commission and the Michigan Board of Nursing. “Today’s...
Three Beaumont hospitals restrict pediatric visitors as viruses spread in Metro Detroit
December 15th, 20230 ROYAL OAK — Three Beaumont hospitals in Metro Detroit are restricting visitors for pediatric units as of Wednesday due to a rise in respiratory illnesses in the hospital and throughout the community, officials announced in a press release. Starting Wednesday, Dec. 13, the following Corewell Health hospitals will be restricting the......
State Rep. Alabas Farhat introduces bill to keep kids safe from vapes
October 27th, 20230 LANSING — State Rep. Alabas Farhat (D-Dearborn) has introduced House Bill 5198 to combat the use of illegal disposable vape products disguised as everyday items, such as highlighters and ink pens. These products, manufactured overseas and sold illegally in Michigan, have gained attention recently for their rising popularity among...
Visionary Dr. Prem Reddy recognized with Healthcare Lifetime Achievement Award
September 12th, 20230 FARMINGTON HILLS – Dr Prem Reddy, chairman, president and CEO of Prime Healthcare, received the prestigious Healthcare Lifetime Achievement Award from the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce – USA during a ceremony in Farmington Hills, attended by Michigan Gov. Whitmer and other dignitaries. Headquartered in Michigan, the......
Attorney General Nessel urges local governments to sign-up for Walgreens National Opioid Settlement before September 6 deadline
September 2nd, 20230 LANSING – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is reminding eligible municipalities to participate in the Walgreens National Opioid Settlement before the September 6 deadline, which is the Wednesday after Labor Day. By participating, eligible local governments will receive direct payments from the Walgreens National Opioids...
Back-to-school sun protection tips from The Skin Cancer Foundation
August 25th, 20230 With summer ending and the busy back-to-school season in full gear, sun protection may slip down the list of health and wellness priorities. But harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays are present year-round, and one study notes that children sustain a significant amount of sun exposure at school. About 23 percent of lifetime UV exposure occurs...
Cancer FactFinder website translated into eight languages, Arabic included
August 25th, 20230 BOSTON – The Cancer FactFinder, an online resource examining myths and misinformation about cancer, is now available in eight additional languages: Arabic, Creole, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Mandarin, Tagalog and Vietnamese. Created by a team from the Zhu Family Center for Global Cancer Prevention at the Harvard T.H. Chan School...
COVID makes a comeback, but new vaccines are around the corner
August 16th, 20230 By Sunita Sohrabji The U.S. is experiencing a summer swell of infections, though hospitalization rates remain relatively stable. Three eminent experts conclude that COVID-19 will continue to pose a health threat over many years, as it continues its evolution. But updated vaccines are expected to mitigate the severity of......
Corazon Imaging launches in Michigan, expands access to new lifesaving cardiac testing statewide
August 1st, 20230 DETROIT — Corazon Imaging, a mobile healthcare startup, has launched, offering an advanced, proactive and non-invasive outpatient technology for more accurately diagnosing heart disease. Corazon Imaging will transform Michigan’s healthcare field by vastly increasing accessibility to lifesaving Coronary CT Angiography (CCTA)...
Annual Opioid and Substance Use Disorder Solutions Summit addresses prevention, treatment and recovery efforts
July 24th, 20230 DETROIT — The Michigan Public Health Institute (MPHI), the Southeast Michigan Alliance for Addiction-free Communities (SEMAAC) coalition and the Detroit Wayne Integrated Health Network (DWIHN) are proud to collaborate to host the seventh annual Opioid and Substance Use Disorder Solutions Summit on July 25 at Laurel Manor Conference......
Medicaid recipients are urged to reapply as renewal process resumes
July 22nd, 20230 LANSING – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel joined the Sparrow Mobile Health Clinic in Lansing to help remind Michigan residents that they will need to once again complete their Medicaid benefit renewal packets to avoid losing coverage. During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, Congress enacted the Families First...
Vaping harms heart and lungs: American Heart Association
July 22nd, 20231 The use of e-cigarettes was found to have a negative impact on the heart and lungs as the American Heart Association (AHA) calls for further research into the issue. “E-cigarettes deliver numerous substances into the body that are potentially harmful, including chemicals and other compounds that are likely not known to or......
