Fwd: Heart News: Your Weekly Media Digest — 20 February 2026

[Okechukwu Ogah]

Dr O.S Ogah. MBBS, MSc, PhD, MD, FWACP, FACP, FESC, FNCS

A. Senior Lecturer

Cardiology Unit, Department of Medicine,

Faculty of Clinical Sciences

College of Medicine,

University of Ibadan, NIGERIA

B. Honorary Consultant Physician/Cardiologist,

Cardiology Unit,

Department of Medicine

University College Hospital Ibadan, NIGERIA

PERSONAL POSTAL ADDRESS

P.O BOX 14343, UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN  POST OFFICE

IBADAN, NIGERIA

Tel. +234 806 77 47 121
Fax. +1215-975-6817 (Electronic)
Emails: 

oso...@com.ui.edu.ng ,

osoga...@gmail.com

osoga...@yahoo.com

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Okechukwu_Ogah4/contributions

C. Bernard Lown Visiting Scholar in Cardiovascular Health

Department of Global Health and Population

Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Email: oo...@hsph.harvard.edu

D. Adjunct Researcher,

Institute of Advanced Medical Research and Training (IAMRAT)

College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, NIGERIA

E. Affiliate Member,

The Hatter Institute for Cardiovascular Research in Africa (HICRA)

4th Floor Chris Barnard Building
Faculty of Health Sciences
University of Cape Town
Private Bag X3 7935
Observatory, SOUTH AFRICA

http://www.hatter.uct.ac.za/icra/about/staff/visiting-researchers

F. Past President,

Nigerian Cardiac Society

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"For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light." Psalm 36:9

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---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: World Heart Federation <communi...@worldheart.org>
Date: Fri, Feb 20, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Subject: Heart News: Your Weekly Media Digest — 20 February 2026
To: <osoga...@gmail.com>

Welcome to your weekly news round-up! Heart News is a weekly media digest exclusively available to WHF Members. It looks at the latest global mainstream media articles on health issues, published over the past week, with a special emphasis on cardiovascular disease and its associated risk factors. We provide this service to ensure that WHF Members stay up-to-date with the current media trends. These are published in independent media outlets and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of WHF or its leadership.

Global Health Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors

Global Health

Global Health United Nations • February 17, 2026 Maternal deaths spike during war and instability, new report warns Nearly two thirds of all maternal deaths worldwide occur in countries marked by conflict or fragility, according to a report released on Tuesday by the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners. The Guardian • February 12, 2026 Declining health and education in poor countries harms earning potential, World Bank says Deteriorating health, education and training in many developing countries is dramatically depressing the future earnings of children born today, the World Bank has said. Radio France International (RFI) • February 13, 2026 France cuts funding for Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and malaria by more than half France cut its contribution to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria by 58 percent on Thursday, confirming a major reduction in funding that health organisations warn will cost lives. Nature • February 09, 2026 How to achieve global health equity without funding Health policy leaders and implementers in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) face a growing dilemma: how to sustain progress towards global health equity and universal health coverage amid the sudden decline of external assistance. France 24 • February 09, 2026 AI chatbots give bad health advice, research finds Next time you're considering consulting Dr ChatGPT, perhaps think again. Have you ditched Dr Google for Dr ChatGPT? Nature • February 17, 2026 The science influencers going viral on TikTok to fight misinformation Scientists and medical experts are countering climate denialism, vaccine scepticism and wellness pseudoscience on social media. Health Policy Watch • February 20, 2026 How A University Is Using Board Games To Teach Health–Climate Policy Trade-offs Menapace believes this approach could be especially powerful in low- and middle-income countries, where climate impacts are acute and communities are often excluded from policymaking.

Cardiovascular Disease Time Magazine • February 11, 2026 The New Way to Predict Your Risk of a Heart Attack More than 99% of people who suffer a heart attack, stroke, or heart failure have at least one risk factor beforehand—yet many have no idea until it’s too late. That’s part of the reason why heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the U.S. since at least 1950. South China Morning Post • February 12, 2026 Why cardiovascular health is an economic imperative for Asia While the regional discourse remains focused on trade tensions and military posturing, a quieter threat is undermining Asia’s economic momentum: the growing burden of cardiovascular diseases. Associated Press • February 12, 2026 CPR Skills Prepare Communities to Save Lives When Seconds Matter When a medical emergency happens, time matters and a quick response is needed. The World Economic Forum • February 18, 2026 How AI could be the best defence in the global fight against heart disease New technology powered by artificial intelligence (AI), for example, could provide a faster, easier and more affordable way to track heart health.

Risk Factors The Guardian • February 10, 2026 People with obesity 70% more likely to be hospitalised by or die from infection, study finds During the pandemic, people living with obesity had a higher risk of being hospitalised or dying from Covid-19. CNN International • February 11, 2026 Over 70% of tested baby foods are ultraprocessed and full of additives The vast majority of baby foods, drinks and snacks sold in the United States for children ages 6 months to 36 months are ultraprocessed and may contain additives increasingly linked to potential health harms, a new study found. Daily News • February 13, 2026 UK introduces junk food ad ban to protect children - is South Africa ready to follow? For years, that hour has been punctuated by glossy promises of happiness wrapped in sugar, salt and saturated fat. Bright colours. Cartoon mascots. Deals too good to miss. But from Monday, January 5 2026, the UK pressed pause on that soundtrack. The Guardian • February 10, 2026 Traditional food could help reverse Nepal’s ‘diabetes epidemic’, studies suggest With medication largely unaffordable in the country, experts hope community support and a change in diet could reduce soaring type 2 diabetes rates. BBC • February 13, 2026 Vaping in cars with children could be banned under new plans Vaping across England could be banned in cars carrying children, as well as in playgrounds and outside schools, according to government plans to protect youngsters from second-hand smoking and vaping. Reuters • February 11, 2026 Exclusive: India sticks to e-cigarette ban in snub for Philip Morris India has ruled out relaxation of a ban on e-cigarettes that would have allowed heat-not-burn tobacco products, dealing a blow to a lengthy private lobbying campaign by Philip Morris International for New Delhi to permit such devices. EHN • February 20, 2026 Water from plastic bottles — including expensive brands — contains more chemicals than water stored in glass In a recent study published in Analytica Chimica Acta, researchers used new methods for detecting diverse endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in drinking water to test multiple bottled water brands from Belgium. The New York Times • February 18, 2026 E.P.A. Faces First Lawsuit Over Its Killing of Major Climate Rule Environmental and health groups filed a lawsuit on Wednesday morning in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, arguing that the E.P.A.’s move to eliminate limits on greenhouse gases from vehicles, and potentially other sources, was illegal. (Subscription required in order to read the article).

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