Category: Health

Around 400,000 children are diagnosed with cancer every year and most of them live in low-income countries where medicines are either unaffordable or unavailable, resulting in an overwhelming 70 per cent death rate. In high-income countries, more than eight in 10 children who are diagnosed survive. “The platform is now set to close this gap”, […]

The number of people living with diabetes in the UK has reached alarming levels, with a new report revealing that nearly one in five adults is now affected by the condition or prediabetes. Diabetes UK’s latest estimates show that 4.6 million individuals have been diagnosed with diabetes, up from 4.4 million last year. However, the […]

The World Health Organization (WHO) and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital have officially kicked off the distribution of life-saving childhood cancer medicines to two pilot countries, Mongolia and Uzbekistan, marking a major milestone in global efforts to combat pediatric cancer. This distribution is part of the Global Platform for Access to Childhood Cancer Medicines, a […]

A Cork mother has shared her distress after being told her son, who is on the autism spectrum, will have to wait nearly six years to receive psychological support through the Health Service Executive (HSE). Ruth (a pseudonym), from East Cork, described how her four-year-old son has exhibited challenging behaviours for more than two years. […]

In recent decades, U.S. global health initiatives—especially those targeting AIDS and malaria—have been instrumental in saving over 35 million lives worldwide. These programs, administered by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), have not only addressed public health challenges but have also contributed to strengthening global security. However, the suspension of USAID funding has put […]

Zeinaba Mahr Aouad, a 24-year-old woman from Djibouti, remembers the day when, as a ten-year-old, an unexpected visitor came to her house: “She had a syringe, a razor blade and bandages.” The woman was there to carry out a brutal, unnecessary and – since 1995 in the Horn of Africa country – illegal operation known […]

Speaking from Gaza, WHO Representative Rik Peeperkorn described a scene of widespread destruction, overwhelmed medical facilities and growing mental health needs, as the population in the enclave gradually returns to what is left of their homes after nearly 16 months of conflict. “Everyone in Gaza is affected…stress, anxiety, depression, and loneliness. It’s everywhere,” he said, […]

The waiver allows the continuation or resumption of “life-saving humanitarian assistance” including HIV treatment. That means 20 million people living with HIV and whose medication is funded by the US can continue to receive treatment. “That’s 20 million out of the 30 million people living with HIV in the world,” said Christine Stegling, Deputy Executive Director […]

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) refers to all procedures involving the partial or total removal of female external genitalia or other injuries to female genital organs for non-medical reasons, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). “More than 230 million girls and women alive today are survivors of this abhorrent practice,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres in […]

Mark Cuban is challenging the high cost of prescription medications in the United States through his initiative, the Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Company (MCCPDC). Launched in 2022 as a public-benefit corporation, MCCPDC’s mission is simple: to offer affordable medications by cutting out the “middlemen” that often drive up prices. By working directly with drug […]