Category: Health

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 […]

Unconscious bias remains a persistent and damaging issue in the diagnosis and treatment of addiction and disability, especially among marginalized communities. This is particularly evident within Black, Hispanic, and other minority groups, where race, socio-economic background, and cultural factors often intersect to hinder access to proper care. Individuals in these groups are frequently subjected to […]

The analysis underscores the devastating impact of toxic air on young lives, with air pollution now linked to nearly one in four deaths of under fives in the region. Exposure begins in the womb, increasing risks of premature birth and low birth weight, and continues throughout childhood, impairing lung development, reducing cognitive function, and contributing […]

“I will never allow my daughter to go through what happened to me,” she told UNFPA, the UN sexual and reproductive health agency. What happens when conflict displaces tens of thousands of people in hotspots like Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Ukraine, and women die every day in childbirth or pregnancy? […]