Le Matin. In 2015, the organisation Exit helped 213 people in French-speaking Switzerland die, 18% more than in 2014. In German-speaking Switzerland the figure was 782, 30% higher than the year before. Recently released statistics show the number has risen more than 12-fold since 2001 among French-speakers. This rise in suicide numbers is broadly in […]
Ticks active again in Switzerland
Le Matin. Tick season has started early this year. When the temperature reaches 7 degrees disease-carrying ticks spring back into action. Ticks spread nasty diseases such as Lyme disease and Tick-borne encephalitis. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Lyme disease, a bacterial infection, is common in Europe, where around 35,000 cases were reported in […]
Smoking – the big differences between Switzerland, Britain and the USA
Many anglophones new to Switzerland will have been struck by the high number of smokers. In fact the percentage of those who smoke is 68% higher than the United States. 28.2% of the Swiss population smoke, according to government figures for 2012. This compares to 19% of Brits and 16.8% of Americans. There are other big differences […]
Geneva’s Left wants 1% of salaries to pay for dentistry
20 Minutes. Geneva’s Ensemble à gauche and Socialist parties want to see compulsory dental care and presented a proposal to Geneva’s parliament in mid-February. On Monday Geneva’s labour party (Parti du travail) launched a cantonal initiative for the same thing. The plan would be funded by compulsory salary deductions of 1%. Half of this would be categorised as […]
First cases of Zika virus reported in Switzerland
According to RTS, the first Swiss cases of the disease have been diagnosed. “We probably diagnosed the first case in someone returning from Colombia in November. The patient had a fever, joint pain and a skin rash”, confirmed Noémie Boillat, head of the vaccination unit of Lausanne’s Policlinique Médicale Universitaire (PMU) to RTS. The specialist […]
Costly Swiss drugs – why pain continues despite strong franc
Medicines are expensive in Switzerland and while a number of groups such as Santé Suisse are working hard to secure savings, the problem of relatively high prices continues. High drug prices persist in Switzerland for three key reasons. 1. Too many branded drugs There are two kinds of drugs: branded and generic drugs with expired-patents. […]
5 things you need to know about fat
Many doctors and much advertising have promoted low-fat diets and low-fat products. Western society has responded to this by significantly reducing fat consumption, however according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), worldwide obesity has more than doubled since 1980. Clearly, eating less fat is not making us more healthy. Why is this? 1. Bodies cannot […]
Feeling flat? Here are the top 3 post-winter detox tips
Three detox tips for a healthier body and a happier mind Stress, chronic fatigue, depression and unexplained allergies are just some of the typical 21st-century problems that people nowadays are being faced with and it is all taking its toll on our physical and mental health. But the good news is that we can do […]
Swiss tourism focusing on quality – and eco-awareness
Following the recent 15 percent drop of the Euro to the Swiss franc making neighbouring Eurozone countries cheaper than Switzerland, Swiss tourism is seeking ways of alleviating the extra costs while embracing more long-term and innovative approaches. The southern Alpine resort of Leukerbad is focusing on year-round quality and a diversity of activities to attract […]
Swiss landlords stop smoking at home
In Switzerland the communal areas of most apartment buildings were declared smoke-free about five years ago, so the present debate has moved to the inconvenient ‘neighbourhood effects’ of cigarette smoke from those who puff away on thier balconies or at an open window. Since the prohibition on smoking in public places, more and more smokers […]
