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This article from CNN is about the Trump administration trying to force states to investigate whether illegal immigrants are being "unlawfully" enrolled in Medicaid programs. According to Mehmet Oz ("Dr. Oz") the current administrator of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid services, more than $1 billion dollars of tax-payer money is being used to give illegal immigrants healthcare. Many states and officials are not only fighting back against this claim, but the push to investigate this matter, as it would use an incredible amount of resources these programs don't have. One Illinois Medicaid official said "'Once again, the Trump administration is spreading misinformation about standard uses of Medicaid dollars,' [...] 'This is not a reality show, and there is no conspiracy to circumvent federal law and provide ineligible individuals with Medicaid coverage. Dr. Oz should stop pushing conspiracy theories and focus on improving health care for the American people.'"

I found this article very interesting because it not only is talking about the structure of healthcare systems in the U.S., but also the overlap with immigration. The numbers that the administration are reporting are not only false or grossly misinformed, but it is making life harder for both citizens and officials alike. This also comes during the government shutdown which is already wasting precious resources that federal programs have.

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Trump's HHS orders state Medicaid programs to help find undocumented immigrants | CNN

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Federal health authorities have taken the "unprecedented" step of instructing states to investigate certain individuals on Medicaid to determine whether they are ineligible because of their immigration status, with five states reporting they've received more than 170,000 names collectively.

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This article is about the probable end to the current U.S. government shutdown. 8 democrats in the Senate went rogue and voted with the Republicans to end the shutdown. While this seems positive on the surface, by doing so, the Democrats gained nothing, especially in regards to health insurance. By ending the shut down with no negotiated improvements, millions of Americans enrolled in the Affordable Care Act will likely have their healthcare costs doubled or even tripled. The decision whether to extend affordable tax credits is now being pushed to December, but private insurers have to decide their rates before/around that time, so many will likely be raise rates regardless of the ACA decision. Not only is the chance for extreme healthcare unaffordability possible with this development, but it continues the uncertainty millions or Americans are facing in the time being. Accordingly, many Americans who have to choose next year's health insurance plans may choose cheaper plans. However, these plans are cheaper because the deductibles are higher, which in the long run still means higher health care expenses for working and middle class Americans.

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In this article The Irish Cancer Society notes that BreastCheck, Ireland’s national breast cancer screening programme, is set to miss its annual target for the third consecutive year. The target is set at 219,000 screenings but only around 170,000 women are likely to be screened. The Irish Cancer Society, urges all eligible women aged 50–69 to attend their appointments or to cancel if unable to attend so that their place can be offered to someone else. She highlights a global shortage of radiographers and said the 2023 HSE recruitment embargo worsened the issue. She also states that earlier diagnosis would reduce treatment demand and bring economic benefits. Consultant oncologist Dr Janice Walsh of St Vincent’s and Tallaght hospitals said the shortfall stems from Covid-related pauses and a growing population, which has increased demand. She noted that the uptake of appointments for women offered their first screening appointment is very low, less than 70%, and also that uptake varies by region. Dr Walsh emphasised that screening is highly effective with eight to nine cancers detected per 1000 women screened, and encouraged women not to delay, stressing that the process is simple, compassionate, and free.

This article is of interest to me for a few different reasons.

It shows how the impact of the HSE’s recruitment embargo and the shortage of radiographers can have real, negative effects on cancer detection and patient outcomes. There are also calls to lower the age of first screening to 45, to reflect the changing epidemiology, with more women being diagnosed younger. There is also an economic factor, in that early detection and treatment reduces treatment costs and eases the burden on the health system. Also the fact that uptake of appointments is so low points to social and practical barriers that need to be addressed.

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The Director of Clinical Affairs at the Irish Cancer Society has said it is "very disappointing" that the national screening programme for breast cancer looks set to miss its screening target for a third year in a row.

Amy Nolan urged women who are eligible for screening to make sure they do so, saying it is "simple to do".

This year's target for BreastCheck - which screens symptom-free women aged 50-69 - was 219,000, but it is expected that just 170,000 will be screened.

Ms Nolan asked those who cannot attend their appointments to let BreastCheck know so that the appointment can be given to somebody else.

Speaking to RTÉ's Today with Philip Boucher-Hayes, she said they need to consider reducing the age range to 45, which is what the Irish Cancer Society is calling for.

"We know women are being diagnosed at a younger age now and we really see the value and the benefit of identifying those cancers at a younger age," she added.

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Ms Nolan said the lack of radiographers is a "worldwide problem" and the HSE embargo in 2023 had a "big impact" on that issue here.

She said there are also staffing issues on day wards where patients receive cancer treatments, so there would be a "huge economic benefit" to diagnosing women earlier with less treatment modalities required.

She said that if women have any concerns, they do not need to wait for the letter from BreastCheck and seek help.

"We are absolutely working to the hilt trying to get people through ... but we need more resources"

Speaking on the same programme, Dr Janice Walsh, a consultant medical oncologist at St Vincent's and Tallaght hospitals, said this is the culmination of "a couple of pauses" during the Covid-19 period.

She said that during that period, many symptomatic patients were being funnelled through BreastCheck to be evaluated.

"We have a shortage of radiographers, which is a worldwide issue, but the big one is our rising population," she explained.

"We are flying up in terms of the number of people that are in the country and as a result of that comes a greater need to screen our women.

"We are absolutely working to the hilt trying to get people through ... but we need more resources.

"That is the ongoing issue.

"We know that the detection rate in Ireland through screening is through very high. We detect about eight or nine per thousand and in other European countries we see about seven per thousand so it really works for us."
Fewer than 70% accept appointment for first mammogram
Dr Walsh said less than 70% of women accept an appointment for their first mammogram, adding that there are also geographical issues to consider.

"In Vincent's we have a very high uptake in terms of people coming for their first one and yet in other areas, where people are maybe not feeling they can take the time off work, there is lower uptake, so that's something we need to focus on," she said.

In a statement, BreastCheck the screening uptake was 78% for Q2 of this year.

Dr Walsh urged women not to be afraid to attend their appointments.
Read more: BreastCheck misses screening targets for second year running
"The treatments, in many cases, have been de-escalated, so a lot of people don't need chemotherapy," she said.

"I think the one thing that people will say is 'what I don't know won't hurt me' but we know that that is clearly not true.

"This is not a scary process. The people involved in this are very compassionate, they deal with it every day.

"Come and have your mammogram, it's the best public health measure you can do. It's for free and very little feels for free these days."

You can register at BreastCheck.ie from the age of 48 and screening commences from the age of 50. For those who do not want to check online, you can phone 1800 45 45 55.

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BreastCheck set to miss screening target for third year

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The Director of Clinical Affairs at the Irish Cancer Society has said it is "very disappointing" that the national screening programme for breast cancer looks set to miss its screening target for a third year in a row.

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This weeks article is about maternity care in the Netherlands. In a recent report from the Dutch Health Inspection (Inspectie van Gezondheidszorg), they identified that in some low income neighbourhoods maternity care isn't provided sufficiently.

An example can be found in the city of Utrecht (where I'm from :)), as 2 large providers of maternity care stopped their services about 3 years ago, after an acquisition by private equity. This resulted in a shortage of providers in the entire city. However, the municipality identified that the shortage was the largest in 2 low-income neighbourhoods. The councillor of Healtcare in Utrecht mentions that this is a result of providers being allowed to choose which patients they want to service. As providers don't want to force their staff to work in 'problematic neighbourhoods' out of fear for discontent, this creates an imbalance.

This case shows how regulated competition and universal access can be in tension. The liberty from providers to choose who and where they want to offer their services results in inequality.

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Niet meer overal in Nederland gegarandeerde kraamzorg

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Met voldoende kraamzorg zijn de zorgkosten voor kinderen in hun eerste levensjaar een stuk lager. Vooral in kwetsbare gezinnen kan die zorg het verschil maken. Maar juist daar trekken zorgaanbieders zich terug.

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https://edition.cnn.com/2025/11/10/politics/government-shutdown-trump-rebate-checks-gop-health-care-analysis

This article calls President Trump and the GOP out on failing to deliver healthcare.

It calls Donald Trump out on many things - failing despite the popular idea among Republicans to replace Obamacare, not carrying through on the promoise he made last year during his debate with Kamala Haris to make healthcare more affordable.

Trump's healthcare faulure has led to government shutdown - something the Democrats are happy to keep going in order to push the GOP on the issue.

GOP Senate leader is fearful Trump's healthcare failire could cost the GOP next year.

This article further highlights the uncertainty around healthcare in America and how it's an issue that has not escaped political divide. Questions need to be asked as to why Trump and the GOP keep failing on the issue - though CNN is probably not the best place to go for an objective view on that.

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This weeks article on weight loss drugs. The US President Donald Trump has announced deals that aim to lower the cost of popular weight-loss drugs. Many GLP-1 drugs, used to treat diabetes and obesity, cost over $1,000 a month without insurance or discounts, However, now Trump unveiled agreements with Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. Consumers are set to pay between $245 and $350 per month for obesity drugs including Wegovy and Zepbound. moreover,now this medcine will have access to Medicare and Medicaid, that is the government's public healthcare plans for elderly and low-income Americans. which means this company will now escape paying tarrifs for at least three years.

Now The obesity drugs will be sold at discounted prices on the direct-to-consumer TrumpRx, a government-run website set to launch by January.

On TrumpRx, Wegovy and Zepbound will start at $350 per month on average, and drop to $250 within two years, administration officials said. The Medicare prices of Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound will be $245.10% of Medicare. Along with Novo Nordisk's Wegovy, Eli Lilly's weight-loss pill, orforglipron, will be sold for $149 for the lowest dose, Eli Lilly said in a statement. The company's Zepbound medication will cost $299 for a starting dose. beneficiaries will be eligible for expanded access to GLP-1 drugs, and will only pay $50, according to senior administration officials.

I chose this article because it highlights the unfortunate reality of our world today. While this drug was introduced with the intention of helping people, in truth, it seems to cause more harm than good. Every medicine has side effects to some degree, but creating drugs that alter the body so significantly can lead to more serious and damaging consequences.

In my opinion, our leaders should consider alternative approaches—such as requiring every school and university to include a mandatory 30-minute jogging session each day. For older adults, an app could be developed to track their steps, with monthly rewards or prizes for a few lucky participants. The prize could even be something exciting, like a fully paid two-day vacation to a domestic destination. This would motivate people of all ages to stay active and push themselves toward better health.

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Trump unveils deals to lower US weight-loss drug prices

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US President Donald Trump announces agreements with drug makers Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk.

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I have picked up an article on air pollution in Delhi, India this week once again because the problem is consistently getting worse and worse each day. People in Delhi are protesting for clean air and are calling for action as this issue of hazardous/lethal levels of pollution envelops each year in winter. The smoke created by farmers burning crop residue in nearby states blows into the capital and is trapped by the cooler temperatures. As it mixes with vehicle and industrial emissions, the resulting smog causes respiratory illnesses and has become a key factor in thousands of deaths each year.

The authorities have launched a tiered emergency system that restricts construction, bans diesel generators, and limits vehicle entry when pollution hits severe levels. The government has also introduced crop-burning control subsidies with limited success. A cloud seeding effort last month failed to trigger artificial rain and cut pollution levels.

This is not just a climate change problem, but it is a health emergency and it is a recurring problem which must be dealt with immediately. I recently read that China once had a similar pollution problem and they want to share how they have successfully handled the problem. There have been videos on social media about how the government is just spraying water on the air quality monitors to manipulate the readings. Previously, the problem impacted elderly persons or sensitive groups, but now young people are having cough and are being hospitalised. The life span of people is reducing and thousands are dying each year solely due to air pollution. What more does the government need to take the issue seriously.

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Protesters call for action as pollution suffocates New Delhi

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Crop residue burning, along with emissions from vehicles, industries and construction, engulf the capital in smog.

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This weeks article focuses on the US study suggesting that drinking coffee daily can be beneficial to lower the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) which is common disease of irregular heartbeat that can increase the risk of stroke and heart failure.

There was always negative side of drinking coffee because many people believed drinking coffee might contribute to hearth rhythm disorder. However, conversely, the US research team is proving that regular coffee drinkers had a significantly lower incidence of AF compared with non coffee drinkers.

The research hasn't finished and not fully proved but the scientists believe coffee's antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds may help reduce stress and improve heart muscle function.

Atrial Fibrillation (AF) affects millions death worldwide and it is one of the biggest contributor to cardiovascular complications. If this study confirmed fully, this study would change whole negative idea about coffee and also doctors might advice to patients to drink more coffee to improve heart health.

The reason why I chose this article is because it is interesting that my parents think that coffee is bad for health. My parents are non drinkers so, they were always mad at me when I drink coffee daily. But, if this research is proved to be true, I can finally debate with my parents and also, I will try to persuade them to consume coffee too if it is beneficial to heart!!!

Also, this article is showing that there are many unproven misunderstanding news around the world relating to anything. As I mentioned before, even I thought coffee might be bad for health but, it might be actually good for heart and reduce risk of stroke and heart failure which is great news!

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Drinking coffee may protect people against irregular heartbeats, despite the conventional wisdom to the contrary, according to a new study.

The Does Eliminating Coffee Avoid Fibrillation (Decaf) clinical trial found 200 patients with persistent irregular heartbeats had a "significantly" lower risk of the condition recurring if they belonged to the study group that was allocated coffee consumption rather than the one abstaining from it - 47% to 64%.

The Journal of the American Medical Association on Sunday published those findings, which were also presented at the American Heart Association conference in New Orleans.

Gregory Marcus and his team's research comes as more than 10 million people in the US have been diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, a condition colloquially known as A-fib that causes palpitations as well as potentially heart failure, blood clots and strokes.

It has not been unusual for medical providers to tell those with A-fib to stop consuming caffeinated coffee, which can trigger an elevated heart rate.

But the results of the Decaf trial may prompt some to rethink that advice.

The six-month trial involved older adults from the US, Canada and Australia who regularly drank coffee at some point in the previous five years. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups: those who cut caffeine and those who had at least one cup daily, with everyone self-reporting their coffee intake during intermittent video checkups.

Marcus and his collaborators wrote that they used tools, such as electrocardiograms taken at doctors' offices and wearable monitors, to determine if and when participants had an irregular heartbeat.

They ultimately determined that participants who drank coffee were 17% less likely to have a recurrence of an irregular heartbeat during the trial and went longer before they had their first instance of one amid the study.

Marcus, a cardiologist and professor of medicine at University of California, San Francisco, told NBC News the trial's outcome to him indicates "how protective caffeinated coffee does seem to be to prevent atrial fibrillation".

As the outlet noted, the study did have obvious limitations. They included the effects of caffeine from beverages other than coffee as well as not tracking differences in the participants' exercise habits or diets.

Meanwhile, Johanna Contreras, a cardiologist at New York's Mount Sinai Fuster Heart ospital, remarked to NBC that her takeaway from the study published on Sunday was that it was fine for those with atrial fibrillation to consume coffee in moderation. But she stopped short of saying the drink had a protective quality.

She said to the network: "This shows you can have a cup of coffee in the morning and be OK if you have A-fib."

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Coffee may protect people against irregular heartbeats, US study finds

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Trial's findings go against common beliefs that people with atrial fibrillation should avoid caffeinated coffee

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This week's article is about a recent Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). This is the 16th outbreak in the country since 1976, when it was first discovered. The remove village of Bulape in Kasai saw 35 cases of Ebola virus, with 16 reported deaths. Since the last patient left the hospital on October 19, the goal has been to prevent further virus contraction until early December, when they can officially declare the outbreak over. The remoteness of the village made it difficult for Medecins sans frontiers (MSF) and other organizations to get supplies to people; it took four days to cross forests and bring everything. At the same time, it helped keep the virus contained to just the village. Bulape also has few doctors and nurses. MSF trained and hired as many local staff as possible for care. Psychologists were also provided for patients, as the high mortality rate can take an emotional toll on those who contract the virus. 35,000 vaccinations were distributed by MSF and partners, and a total of 19 patients have recovered.

This is a great example of a swift health response in coordination with international organizations. This is a "wicked" problem, both in combatting Ebola virus as well as getting international actors to act quickly. The article frames this within the context of larger Ebola virus outbreaks across the African continent in the past decade. I think organizations have learned a lot about the virus and how to best connect with communities, including training local staff. This will hopefully create a sustainable solution by allowing community members to speak to preventative health measures. The story mainly discusses the service delivery for care like vaccines, but I think there is a larger role to play for international leaders. How can we respond to the potential high mortality of Ebola outbreaks even faster, before an outbreak even begins? The outbreak in Bulape was caught quickly, which saved many lives. Is there ways to save all the lives of those who may contract Ebola in a village like Bulape, however? Perhaps there are programs that can be built with MSF and the WHO to implement vaccination programs and care education for very remote communities.

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Waiting for the all-clear: how medics and villagers rallied when Ebola returned to DRC

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If no new cases are reported in Bulape by early December, the country will have vanquished its 16th outbreak of the deadly virus since it was discovered there in 1976

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Tsinghua University’s Institute for AI Industry Research (AIR) launched the world’s first "Agent Hospital"

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In the first half of 2025, Tsinghua University’s Institute for AI Industry Research (AIR) launched the world’s first "Agent Hospital"—an AI system capable of end-to-end diagnosis and treatment decisions across 21 departments and for over 300 disease scenarios. The system can automatically generate medical records, analyze imaging, and provide preliminary diagnostic reports with an average accuracy rate exceeding 93%. A process that might take a human doctor half a day can now be completed by AI in just a few minutes. For primary care hospitals, which often face a shortage of doctors and a high concentration of patients, this represents a hundred-fold increase in diagnostic efficiency.

Crucially, this system is not designed to replace doctors but to “algorithmize expert experience,” turning the intelligent system into a “digital hub” for medical institutions. It can assist in diagnosis, participate in research and teaching, and form a closed loop of “learning-diagnosis-feedback.” This marks a significant shift in China’s medical AI, moving from single-application tools toward systemic integration and from tool-based innovation to systemic transformation.

What makes this news interesting to me is that AI has inevitably entered the healthcare sector—both in China and around the world—being used for tasks such as in-person consultations and improving the collection and organization of medical data. However, the boundaries of AI usage urgently need to be defined and controlled. For instance, as mentioned in this news report, AI can only play a supportive role and must not replace certain actual diagnostic and treatment processes, such as doctors' in-person consultations. This is because during an in-person consultation, doctors do more than just understand the patient's condition; the interaction between doctors and patients also serves other purposes, such as influencing the patient's psychological perception of their illness.

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Over the past decade, global healthcare systems have been tested to their limits. The shock of the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with the pressures of accelerating population aging, a rise in chronic diseases, and persistent inequalities in medical resource distribution, has created a shared global challenge: healthcare demand is rising, but supply capacity cannot keep pace. According to the latest data from the World Health Organization, more than half of the world's population still lacks access to basic public health services. In 2023, the global shortage of healthcare workers stood at approximately 14.7 million, a gap that is projected to remain around 10 million by 2030.

Against this backdrop, artificial intelligence is emerging as a critical force for reshaping healthcare. In China, particularly, AI is not only being used to solve hospital efficiency problems but has been integrated into the core of national public health and digital economy strategies. Leveraging strong policy support, a vast data foundation, and a vibrant industrial ecosystem, China is becoming a key global proving ground for medical AI, providing a new model for cooperation among BRICS nations and the broader Global South.

The Landscape of China's AI in Healthcare

In the first half of 2025, Tsinghua University's Institute for AI Industry Research (AIR) launched the world's first "Agent Hospital"-an AI system capable of end-to-end diagnosis and treatment decisions across 21 departments and for over 300 disease scenarios. The system can automatically generate medical records, analyze imaging, and provide preliminary diagnostic reports with an average accuracy rate exceeding 93%. A process that might take a human doctor half a day can now be completed by AI in just a few minutes. For primary care hospitals, which often face a shortage of doctors and a high concentration of patients, this represents a hundred-fold increase in diagnostic efficiency.

Crucially, this system is not designed to replace doctors but to "algorithmize expert experience," turning the intelligent system into a "digital hub" for medical institutions. It can assist in diagnosis, participate in research and teaching, and form a closed loop of "learning-diagnosis-feedback." This marks a significant shift in China's medical AI, moving from single-application tools toward systemic integration and from tool-based innovation to systemic transformation.

Policy is a key driver of this change. Since the launch of the "AI+" Action Plan in 2024, healthcare has been designated a priority area. In 2025, the State Council issued an opinion on deepening the implementation of the "AI+" initiative, proposing the construction of an "AI application ecosystem chain" supported by industrial clusters, research institutions, and demonstration hospitals. This has elevated AI from a research novelty to a core component of public service.

At the same time, local innovation has become the primary engine for implementation. A "central planning + local pilots" dual-track model has emerged:

This model has made AI in healthcare one of the most dynamic sectors of China's digital economy.

The BRICS Call for Cooperation in Medical AI

As digital health accelerates globally, the BRICS nations are making their voices heard, calling for technology cooperation to promote health equity and enhance the resilience of public health systems. Brazil's recent proposal to the New Development Bank (NDB) for a smart public hospital project is a concrete manifestation of this cooperation. With a total investment of approximately $320 million, the project will build Brazil's first smart hospital under its Unified Health System (SUS). It will deploy AI diagnostic systems, remote consultation platforms, and 5G ambulances, led by the University of São Paulo with core technical support from China. This is not just an infrastructure project; it is a new starting point for the BRICS nations to explore a model of "digital co-construction and shared outcomes."

At this year's BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro, AI in healthcare was a major topic. Leaders agreed that in the face of unequal medical resources and doctor shortages, AI should be more than a technical innovation-it must be a key tool for achieving health equity and inclusive development. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi proposed establishing a more inclusive, demand-oriented financing system to support smart healthcare and research cooperation. NDB President Dilma Rousseff also stated that the BRICS nations need to use collaborative innovation to ensure the benefits of AI truly reach the general public. It is clear that the collective call of the BRICS countries is moving from "conceptual initiatives" to "on-the-ground cooperation," forging a new direction for global collaboration in the healthcare sector.

Future Mechanisms for China-BRICS Cooperation in Medical AI

China's practical experience with medical AI provides a real-world example for BRICS cooperation and reveals three potential mechanisms for the future:

1. Technology Sharing and Standards Harmonization: China has accumulated rich experience in algorithms, security, and data management. In the future, it can work with BRICS countries to jointly formulate AI medical standards, promoting interoperability and data trust between different national systems. Joint research and model validation, conducted while ensuring privacy, will make cooperation more efficient.

2. Joint Infrastructure Construction and Application Complementarity: Brazil's smart hospital project is an excellent start. With intelligent systems and technical support provided by China, BRICS countries can jointly explore new models like "smart hospitals" and "remote diagnostics." As more countries join, this cooperation has the potential to form an interconnected, transnational digital health network.

3. Financial Support and Governance Cooperation: Leveraging the NDB platform, countries can provide long-term financial support for medical AI projects. At the same time, China's practices in AI ethics, algorithmic transparency, and regulatory compliance can help BRICS nations establish more responsible and secure governance systems.

Overall, the cooperation between China and the BRICS nations in medical AI is evolving from a technical level to a systemic one. China's policy experience and innovation capabilities offer a reference path for the BRICS countries, while the BRICS' multilateral mechanism provides a broader international stage for the outcomes of China's medical AI. The combination of the two is driving a new type of digital health ecosystem centered on sharing, cooperation, and equity, setting a new course for global healthcare collaboration.

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China's Medical AI: A New Engine for Digital Health

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Over the past decade, global healthcare systems have been tested to their limits. The shock of the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with the pressures of accelerating population aging, a rise in chronic diseases, and persistent inequalities in medical resource distribution, has created a shared global challenge: healthcare demand is rising, but supply capacity cannot keep pace.

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Health leaders in Guernsey, the second largest island in the Channel Islands, are calling for a ban on end-of-aisle promotions in supermarkets of unhealthy foods, as the UK did in 2022.

This comes after new figures show about a third of Year 5 children had unhealthy levels of excess weight on the island.

The Health Improvement Commission (HIC) is working to tackle kids' unhealthy eating habits with school initiatives like a healthy snack programme.

They also run a programme called "eat well" which provides information on where parents and young people can find healthy foods.

Health experts also shared data that shows students at state schools have worse diets - and are more at risk for excess weight - than their counterparts in private schools.

HIC's Director of Public Health said she welcomes the calls for a ban on promotions in supermarkets of unhealthy foods, "I welcome public discussion around measures such as restricting the placement of products high in fat, salt and sugar in prominent store locations like aisle-ends and checkouts."

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Ban on end-of-aisle ‘unhealthy food offers should be looked at’

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Guernsey’s Health Improvement Comission says more needs to be done to tackle health inequality.

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New figures from RTÉ News expose a critical shortfall in Ireland’s child mental health services, showing that some children in Dublin have waited up to 13 years to see a primary care psychologist. Across the country, over 28,000 children are currently waiting for support, with more than 15,000 waiting for over a year. The Primary Care Psychology Service is intended to provide early intervention for mild to moderate difficulties before referral to the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), yet severe underfunding, staff shortages, and rising referral rates have caused the system to stall.

Parents describe extreme distress as children’s needs intensify during the wait. In some cases, leading to crises requiring emergency hospital visits or CAMHS intervention. Professionals, including Dr Patricia Byrne of the College of Psychiatry and the Children’s Ombudsman Dr Niall Muldoon, argue that this delay represents a profound systemic failure that risks turning manageable issues into chronic mental health disorders. They warn that the current backlog not only prolongs children’s suffering but also overwhelms already stretched secondary services.

The HSE acknowledges the challenge, noting a 62% increase in referrals since 2017 and a shortage of psychologists across 181 centres nationwide. This issue is especially noteworthy for discussion as it raises ethical, policy, and social justice concerns surrounding equitable access to mental health care. It exemplifies how structural underinvestment in early intervention services perpetuates inequality, undermines prevention efforts, and exacerbates long-term mental health outcomes for vulnerable children in Ireland.

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Children waiting up to 13 years to see psychologist

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New figures obtained by RTÉ News show that up to August this year, children in Dublin were waiting up to 13 years to be seen by a primary care psychologist.

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This article is based on a survey which was conducted of staff and patients at Tallaght University Hospital in relation to their knowledge and understanding of Advanced Healthcare Directives (AHDs). AHDs allow for people to plan for decisions in relation to their future healthcare, should they lose the capacity to make decisions for themselves in the future. The findings of the survey showed little knowledge and usage of AHDs among patients, who showed an openness to use them in the future.

This article interested me as if I had not worked for the mental health commission (where you apply to make an AHD), I would not be aware of this myself. As the article states, more awareness is needed as it could benefit a lot people to retain their agency later in life. I would be interested to know if there is similar application of this across other nations/what is done outside of Ireland. Should we utilise public advertisements more? With the decline in people watching terrestrial TV, there is potentially an opportunity to partners with streaming companies to advertise on these platforms.

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Most patients remain unaware they can make a ‘living will’ about their hospital care

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People are now entitled to direct what kind of treatment they want, should they find themselves unable to communicate about their care.

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This article discusses the award given to Australian Professor Lidia Morawska for her work during the Covid-19 pandemic. She made it known that Covid was indeed an airborne disease, which happened by gathering 239 scientists to showcase how Covid could be spread through the air.

She won the $250,000 Prime Minister's Prize for Science, which is in it's 26th year and Australia's most prestigious award for achievements in scientific research, innovation, and teaching.

She mentioned the importance of the award in an age of anti-science, especially seen in the U.S. currently. She emphasized how important it is to connect with other scientists and build a strong, reliable network of scientists to work with and nourish scientific work.

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When the World Health Organization announced - incorrectly, as became apparent later - in March 2020 that the Covid-19 virus was not airborne, Prof Lidia Morawska knew she had to do something.

A renowned expert in air quality and health, Morawska, of the Queensland University of Technology, began contacting international colleagues. She eventually gathered 239 scientists globally to highlight the risk of airborne transmission of Sars-CoV-2.

The public pressure eventually prompted the WHO and other authorities to update their public health guidelines.

For her work during the pandemic, Morawska was named one of Time magazine's most influential people in 2021.

On Monday evening, she also received the top gong at the Prime Minister's Prizes for Science, for her "pioneering research about the air we breathe".

Morawska described receiving the $250,000 prime minister's prize as "an amazing joy", but said importantly the award would bring attention to her field of research.

Her current work focuses on ultrafine particles - tiny pollutants tens to hundreds of times smaller than PM2.5 and believed to have more significant health impacts, but which are not yet widely regulated.

"Because they are so small, they can get deep into the human respiratory tract," Morawska said.
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Morawska's recognition comes at a fraught time - an "age of anti-science", as she has called it.

"In the United States, it's a particularly difficult situation," she said. "Science and scientists are nowhere near as listened to as ... in the past, and decisions are not based on science." It is a problem she hopes to tackle by bringing scientists together as she did during the early years of the pandemic.

"If we operate individually, it's very easy to reject us ... but eventually, the voice of a large scientific body, which can be respected, hopefully will make a difference."

The prime minister's science prizes, now in their 26th year, are Australia's most prestigious awards for achievements in scientific research, innovation and teaching. ​​

Anthony Albanese said in a statement: "I congratulate and thank Prof Morawska for her incredible work over many years which influenced how Australia and the world mitigated risks associated with Covid-19.

"I extend that congratulations and thanks to all recipients."

In a category awarded for the first time this year, Prof Michael Wear received the prime minister's prize for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge systems.

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Prof Michael Wear has been awarded the inaugural prime minister's prize for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge systems. Photograph: The Prime Minister's Prizes for Science

Wear, a Malgana traditional custodian of Gutharraguda (Shark Bay) in Western Australia, received the $250,000 prize in recognition of his marine conservation work. He is the founder of Tidal Moon, Australia's first Indigenous-owned and led sea cucumber fishery and marine restoration enterprise.

Wear founded the enterprise several years after a marine heatwave in 2010-11 resulted in the loss of 22% of seagrass beds in Shark Bay.

"When the seagrass died, we noticed that the sea cucumbers increased in size," he said. "We built a free market enterprise ... around sea cucumbers as a commodity to export."

Proceeds from the sale of those sea cucumbers, primarily in cosmetic products, funds the organisation's seagrass restoration efforts, with 12 Indigenous divers trained to date.

The firm plans to restore 20 hectares of seagrass beds next year.

The minister for science, Tim Ayres, said he was proud the prizes "are now acknowledging and elevating the extraordinary contributions Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have made and continue to make to science and our nation".

"Prof Michael Wear's work exemplifies the ongoing importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge systems to peoples, communities and place," Ayres said in a statement.

"I'm happy to be the first [recipient]," Wear said, "but I don't want to be the last."

Other prize recipients include Prof Yao Zheng of the University of Adelaide, recognised for his work in producing clean hydrogen directly from seawater; and Dr Vikram Sharma, founder of QuintessenceLabs, who was recognised for translating quantum science research into cybersecurity protections.

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Australian scientist who alerted world that Covid is airborne wins top science prize

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Prof Lidia Morawska says recognition of her research comes at a fraught time - an 'age of anti-science'

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https://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5572504-healthcare-affordability-voter-poll/

This article focuses on how polls found most Americans find healthcare unaffordable. I find it particularly revealing that Americans would be happy to get a new insurance not tied to their company.

Many Americnas have had to ration to afford healthcare.

Allison Sesso, president and CEO of Undue Medical Debt told the Hill “This is a common ground issue that you know is resonating with people. Health care is clearly unaffordable,” showing how wide an issue it is in American politics and business.

To conduct "the survey, 1,319 voters in the 2024 general election were included in a 12-minute national survey. The survey was conducted from Aug. 21 to Sept. 2. The results have a margin of error of 3.63 percentage points". This shows healthcare may have had a large influence over weather to support Donald Trump or Kamala Hariss.

Like with many other issues in America, healthcare has become politicised that it's hard to find the right solution to it. As of now, it's hard to consider healthcare an American luxury.

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The NHS this week announced that the morning-after pill will now be offered free-of-charge in pharmacies across England.

Some pharmacies were previously charging as much as £30 for emergency oral contraception.

Of the new scheme, the NHS said this was “one of the biggest changes to sexual health services since the 1960s” and “a gamechanger in making reproductive healthcare more easily accessible for women”.

There are around 10,000 pharmacies in the country with 4 in 5 people living within a 20 minute walk of one.

Easy access to the morning-after pill used to be through a "postcode-lottery" with some people able to access it through the pharmacy (with a fee), whilst others had to go through their GP.

The national commissioning of this drug now makes access more equal for people across England.

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NHS makes morning-after pill available for free across pharmacies in England

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Those in need of free emergency contraception no longer have to see their GP or attend a sexual health clinic

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My article this week is about the self-regulatory system of healthcare professionals in the Netherlands. As, in a recent case, a nurse was banned from practicing after he developed a personal relationship with one of his psychiatric patients. While being admitted to a high intensive care unit with a manic-psychotic episode the nurse and his patient shared phone numbers, after which a two-year relationship followed.

Considering the patient their relationship was sexual, which the nurse denies. Due to the circumstances and evidence, the tribunal for the healthcare professionals (Tuchtcolleges voor de Gezondheidszorg) ruled that a sexual relationship had occurred, but that even a friendship would have been inappropriate. Therefore the nurse was removed from the Register of Professions in Individual Health Care (BIG), and was barred from ever working in healthcare again.

This case shows how quality of care and ethical considerations are handled within the Dutch self-regulatory system for health professionals. The disciplinary tribunal for healthcare professionals is composed of lawyers and professionals with the same occupation as the people that are accused of the misconduct. Therefore quality of care has a self-regulatory aspect.

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Nurse banned from practicing after sex with psychiatric patient

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A nurse in the Netherlands has been permanently banned from working in healthcare after having a secret sexual relationship with a psychiatric patient he met at the clinic where he worked, NOS reported. The disciplinary tribunal for healthcare professionals called his behavior “crossing professional boundaries” and “unacceptable.”

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Reducing coercion and improving outcomes in community mental health services

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Reducing coercion and improving outcomes in community mental health services

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Just to share an article I found interesting...Nao

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Authored by Steve Kisely Claudia Bull Tessa Zirnsak Lisa Brophy

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Reducing coercion and improving outcomes in community mental health services - InSight+

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Maintaining treatment in the community, minimising admissions to hospital and shorter lengths of stay are common goals of community treatment orders. However, there is mounting evidence that too many people placed on these orders don’t experience these potential benefits. We found that any decreases in readmissions or the length of hospital stay mainly occur in …

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This time, I have chosen an interesting article which was about 14 years of research's result. Researchers from Harvard University of Public Health, and Massachusetts General Hospital worked on aging brain study and found that older adults who walk more than 5000 steps per day have slower cognitive decline. In this research, the participants were +65 years old and everyone were cognitively normal.

The study proved that adults who have lower activity daily (around 3000 steps or lower), they would have faster memory decline. Even slow daily activity, such as slow walking or doing chores daily would help for the brain.

This research proved that physical activity can help reducing Alzheimer, but also directly links to brain support. Also, the researchers suggested that walking is budget friendly because you don't have to pay anything but you will get more healthy life.

The reason why I chose this topic was because my grandfather (97 years old) is facing with Alzheimer since last year. My mother told me, Alzheimer's disease can have genetic components which we all might have Alzheimer when we get older. I was concerned about my future and also my mother but thanks to this research, probabilities of having Alzheimer might be declined.

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A required part of this site couldn’t load. This may be due to a browser extension, network issues, or browser settings. Please check your connection, disable any ad blockers, or try using a different browser.

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The UK’s Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has announced major reforms to improve how therapies/treatments for rare diseases are approved. Currently, around 3.5 million people in the UK live with a rare condition (around 1 in 17), yet only 5% of these rare diseases have approved treatments. Traditional regulatory systems are designed for common diseases and rely on large-scale clinical trials, which are often impossible for rare disorders due to small, diverse patient populations and limited data. The MHRA aims to introduce more flexible frameworks using adaptive trial designs, real-world evidence, and expedited review processes.

Given that 80% of rare diseases are genetic and 70% of these appear in childhood, patients often endure long diagnostic delays and limited treatment options, with 30% of affected children dying before age five. The proposed “patient-focused regulatory framework” seeks to accelerate testing, manufacturing, and approval, enabling access to personalised therapies. The new model will be co-developed with health bodies, researchers, and patient groups, with a draft expected in spring 2026 for public consultation.

Why I chose this article:

I chose this article because it highlights how regulatory reform can directly improve patient access to life-saving treatments, demonstrating how healthcare policy and innovation intersect to address unmet medical needs. It was also disheartening to hear how few rare diseases in the UK actually have pre-approved treatments. Which begs the question if the patients would travel elsewhere for treatment

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uk site content; united kingdom site content

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UK Regulator Targets Delays in Rare Disease Treatments

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The MHRA plans a flexible new framework to speed up access to treatments for rare diseases, addressing long delays and complex regulatory hurdles.

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This report by the Irish Climate and Health Alliance warns that the overdependance on cars by Irish people is fuelling both a health crisis and a climate crisis. it estimates that physical inactivity is costing €1.13 billion annually in healthcare. It is also contributing to increases in chronic diseases and environmental harm. Six out of every ten adults in Ireland are not active enough, and only a minority of children meet physical activity guidelines. With only approximately 40% of primary schoolchildren walking or cycling to school, most journeys, even short ones are still made by car.

The report suggests that by encouraging walking and cycling we could reduce the number of cars on the road by 680,000 per day in Ireland’s five largest cities, which would go towards meeting the goal of reducing transport emissions by half by 2030.

The chair of the alliance, stated that modern lifestyles are increasingly sedentary with more and more people sitting at desks and in cars for most of the day and that including active travel into daily routines would improve both public health and the environment.

I find this article interesting as it brings together a number of different policy areas, health, climate, transport and planning. The €1.13 billion annual healthcare cost shows that sedentary lifestyles don’t just affect individuals, they are having major economic consequences for the whole country. The report highlights how sitting and car dependency have become built into Irish life, from commuting to work to how children travel to school, showing that this is not just a lifestyle preference, but has become a societal norm. Promoting walking and cycling is presented as a solution that could improve health, reduce emissions, and save money all at once. It also poses a link between these new norms and environmental challenges.With Irelands stated target to cut emissions by 50% by 2030, this article shows how making small changes to daily routines cuold have large national impact.

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Physical inactivity costing €1.1bn a year in healthcare

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A new report has said that Ireland’s car dependent transport system is fuelling a slow-motion health and climate emergency, driven by physical inactivity, chronic illness and environmental degradation.

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The 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Informal Meeting was held in Gyeongju, South Korea, from October 31 to November 1. On Saturday, APEC leaders adopted a joint statement, marking the first time in APEC history that a consensus has been reached on a cooperation framework for artificial intelligence (AI) collaboration and addressing demographic changes.

This focus comes amid significant demographic shifts in the Asia-Pacific region: by 2050, nearly a quarter of the region’s population will be 60 years of age or older—a structural change that not only strains public systems but also unlocks the potential of the silver economy and technology-driven growth. Statistics from South Korea’s Ministry of the Interior and Safety show that by 2024, the number of people aged 65 and above in South Korea will exceed 10.24 million, accounting for 20% of the total population, making South Korea a "super-aging" society.

On October 23, the China-Japan-South Korea Elderly Care Technology Case Database was officially launched in Beijing. Led by the China Research Center on Aging (CRCA), the project is jointly supported by Kyung Hee University’s Institute of Aging and Technology in South Korea and the Japan International Exchange Center. According to CRCA, the database aims to build a sustainable, technology-driven cooperative ecosystem for elderly care services among China, Japan, and South Korea—three countries all facing the challenge of rapid population aging. Through this platform, the three parties will jointly conduct annual case collection and release, host thematic seminars, and promote the implementation of innovative solutions.

What interests me about this news is that China, Japan, and South Korea are all confronting the issue of societal aging, and there is significant room for mutual learning among the three countries in addressing many social challenges. I have previously read books on Japan’s population aging, including its elderly care security system. In fact, many of the problems China is currently experiencing in its aging society were encountered by Japan much earlier, so China has much to learn from Japan’s experiences.

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GT staff reporters Published: Nov 02, 2025 10:39 PM load_file(”/includes-n/article_share_new.html”);

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From smart care to robotic helpers, China-South Korea tie-ups tackle the evolving needs amid demographic changes

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Through close-range observations by Global Times reporters in South Korea and interviews with several experts and officials, it has been noted that these two agenda items, though seemingly separate, are mutually reinforcing. AI technology provides solutions to alleviate labor shortages, while demographic changes create broad scenarios for AI applications. Against this backdrop, China and South Korea, as key economies and geographical neighbors in the Asia-Pacific, enjoy particularly broad cooperation prospects in both addressing demographic transitions and driving AI innovation, making them well positioned to lead regional efforts in turning demographic challenges into opportunities.

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This weeks article talks about the maldives policy that has started to put a ban on smoking for younger generation. The ban on those born on or after 1 January 2007 from smoking tobacco. maldives is becoming the only country in the world to enforce a nationwide generational tobacco prohibition.

The archipelago's health ministry announced it would be illegal for younger generations to use, buy or sell tobacco within the country.the main focus of this law is to protect the younger generation from tabacco harm. According to Ahmed Afaal, vice chair of the archipelago's tobacco control board told BBC" that it is a good step towards a generation of tobacco-free citizens". The new ban applies to all forms of tobacco, and retailers are required to verify age prior to sale. the reason Mr Afaal bought up thiss ban is because according to him "these new stylish gadgets are tactics of the industry to approach the younger generations to uptake addictive processes"

Last year, the Maldives made it illegal for anyone to import, sell, possess, use or distribute electronic cigarettes and vaping products, regardless of age.

additionally, Tourists coming to visit the Maldives' islands will also have to adhere to the law and this law infact had a positive outcome as touristism did not drop down, infact, they are projecting more than 2m [tourists] in the next year.

Moreover, Plans by New Zealand to pass a generational smoking ban were scrapped in 2023 after a new government took power. The move was seen as a blow to many health expert and maori people in particular, who have one of the highest smoking rates. Last year, the UK's then-Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, had hoped to introduce a law that would ban young people born on or after 2009 from smoking.

The reason i find this article intresting is because we can finally see many countries taking this seriously, from the very begning there was the fear of the future generation health almost every second youth are smoking without realizig the consequences.

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The Maldives has banned young people born on or after 1 January 2007 from smoking tobacco, becoming the only country in the world to enforce a nationwide generational tobacco prohibition.

The archipelago's health ministry announced on Saturday that it would be illegal for younger generations to use, buy or sell tobacco within the country.

The ban "reflects the government's strong commitment to protecting young people from the harms of tobacco", the ministry said.

Ahmed Afaal, vice chair of the archipelago's tobacco control board, told BBC World Service's Newshour programme that the country's general vaping ban last year had been a "good step towards a generation of tobacco-free citizens".

The new ban "applies to all forms of tobacco, and retailers are required to verify age prior to sale", the health ministry said, adding that it aligned with the Maldives' obligations under the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

According to the UN's health body, this convention "provides a global response to a global problem - namely, the tobacco epidemic".

Mr Afaal said the country's crackdown on vaping had been an important first step because "these new stylish gadgets are tactics of the industry to approach the younger generations to uptake addictive processes, which definitely harms their health".

Last year, the Maldives made it illegal for anyone to import, sell, possess, use or distribute electronic cigarettes and vaping products, regardless of age.

Tourists coming to visit the Maldives' islands will also have to adhere to the law, but Mr Afaal argues the smoking ban will not have a detrimental impact on tourism.

"People don't come to the Maldives because they're able to smoke. They come for the beaches, they come for the sea, they come for the sun, and they come for the fresh air," he added.

Quoting tourism data, Mr Afaal argued that despite the new regulations there had been no tourist cancellations and the number of arrivals had grown in the past year.

"We're projecting more than 2m [tourists] in the next year," he said.

Plans by New Zealand to pass a generational smoking ban were scrapped in 2023 after a new government took power.

The move was seen as a blow to many health experts and Māori people in particular, who have one of the highest smoking rates.

Last year, the UK's then-Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, had hoped to introduce a law that would ban young people born on or after 2009 from smoking.

A new version of the legislation, introduced by the current government, has passed through the Commons and is now at the committee stage at the House of Lords - nearing its last hurdles before it gets royal assent.

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Maldives bans smoking for younger generations

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Anyone born on or after 1 January 2007 will be banned from using, buying or selling tobacco products in the archipelago.

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This week's article is about Obamacare premiums doubling in 2026 which will of course cause extreme financial stress on millions of Americans. There were COVID-19 era subsidies that helped double Obamacare enrollment to 24 million since they were put in place in 2021. One young woman the article interviewed said that her new monthly insurance premium will be $436 in the following year, a huge increase from the current $215. This issue is not only a hot topic in the neverending debate of the American healthcare system, but also extremely important because it is at the center of the current U.S. government shutdown. Democrats say any package that would reopen the government must also extend ACA (Obacamcare) subsidies - however, Republicans are not keen to make this happen. The article then goes on to say that "Residents in Florida, Texas and Georgia are among those who will be most affected. In these and seven other Republican-led states, Medicaid is limited to the poorest residents, leaving many low-income families to seek out ACA plans because of the subsidies."

I found this article extremely relevant as right now in the U.S. there are so many people who are caught up in this ridiculous political war; the article cites that if these subsidies aren't granted, over 4 million Americans will become uninsured. I find it very frustrating that the American people are suffering due to the ego and political games of the House and Senate right now.

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This week's article I have chosen focuses on a decision made by the Quebec provincial government in Canada concerning doctors. The passing of Bill 2 means doctors' compensation in Quebec will be linked to their performance, including how many patients they see, particularly vulnerable patients. As a result, doctors in Quebec are looking to leave the province and practice medicine elsewhere in the country. The provinces of Ontario and New Brunswick, directly to the West and East, respectively, of Quebec, are poised to benefit from this decision. Ontario's premier Doug Ford said "Call 1-800-Doug-Ford...All the docs, come by, call me on my cellphone … we'll have you working real quick." New Brunswick's college of physicians has seen 40 applications for a license to practice medicine in October; the normal monthly average of applications is three or four. Ontario saw 70 applicants just last week. The move of doctors from Quebec to other provinces creates the potential for a strain on Quebec's healthcare system. There is already a shortage of 2000 family doctors in Quebec. There is currently legal action in the works, with the federation representing medical specialists filing a lawsuit and the Fédération des médecins spécialistes du Québec (FMSQ) requesting a stay of execution.

The problem here is the regulation of medical professionals, as well as shortages of doctors. By focusing on "efficiency" of servicing patients, the Quebec government is creating an even greater problem with doctors looking to leave the province. This problem is presented as having the potential to create significant damage to the healthcare system in Quebec, resulting in longer waitlists to see specialists and family doctors. While doctor shortages are a long-standing issue, this law is very new, having just been tabled and passed last week. The issue here of regulation and governance is causing an unintended consequence for Quebec as Quebecois doctors look to practice medicine elsewhere. The control that provinces in Canada have over healthcare, including the regulation of doctors, leads to these kinds of issues occurring. If doctor regulation was more centralized, these differences wouldn't result in potential care inequalities in provinces. I wonder how this will play out for New Brunswick and Ontario - will these provinces see better outcomes in healthcare if doctors do move to practice medicine?

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Quebec’s pain, Ontario and N.B.’s gain? Doctors look to leave province over new forced deal | CBC News

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The fallout continues after the Quebec government invoked closure over the weekend to force a new remuneration system on doctors, with many physicians already inquiring about opportunities in other provinces.

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The average air quality index (AQI) reading in Delhi was on the higher side of the Very Poor (301-400) category on Thursday (October 30), making it among the most polluted days of the year so far. Respiratory issues have been increasing over the last 10 days, said senior pulmonologist Dr Gopi Chand Khilnani, chairman of PSRI Institute of Pulmonary, Critical care and Sleep Medicine. Air pollution can lead to severe forms of viral or bacterial pneumonia with high mortality rates. His advice to all those with chronic conditions: if possible, go away from Delhi until the middle or end of December.

A higher incidence of asthma is being seen among children – about a third in this region, compared to the 5-10% in the rest of the country. Among adults, 30 or 40 years ago, in 90% of cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the culprit was smoking or the use of tobacco. Now, as much as 50% of COPD cases are the result of indoor and outdoor air pollution.

A Chicago study involving lakhs of patients that was published in 2023 said that the average lifespan of Indians is reduced by 5.3 years, and average lifespan of Delhiites is reduced by 11.9 years.

Air pollution not only affects our lungs, but also other systems like the heart, brain, kidneys, intestines, the endocrine system, and immunity at large. There is an increased incidence of heart attacks and brain attacks, and there is more hypertension and diabetes. There is some evidence that even rheumatological diseases like rheumatoid arthritis are more severe.

The article sheds light on the harmful and even sometimes deadly effects of such high levels of air pollution. Delhi has been facing the air pollution problem each year and they recently tried to do a cloud seeding trial to create artificial rain which failed due to lack of moisture in the air. This recurring issue each year is a health emergency in itself and should be taken seriously by the authorities.

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'If you can afford it, leave Delhi for 6-8 weeks': Top pulmonologist as thick pollution haze hangs over city

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'My children and grandchildren have the choice to relocate, and I have never advised them to come to Delhi-NCR... For air purifiers to be effective, they have to be constantly on, and the room has to be kept shut all the time.'

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This article describes barriers faced by women in accessing healthcare. It reported that in particular those that live rurally or are disabled find that when they do get access the resources are not sufficient.

Discrimination is common based on age, ethnicity sexual orientation, disability and gender identity. Whilst the government have begun to invest in Women's Health they policies and plans need to be inclusive and consider marginalised women as well.

This article was interesting because it reflects the difficulty in addressing what is an equitable healthcare system. Despite investment in Women's Health people are still not getting the basic care they require. This is a systems issue and represents a broader health issue then women's health as many rural and marginalised communities do not have adequate access to healthcare

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A new report on women's health has found that women face financial barriers to filling prescriptions, or regular healthcare, due to cost.

Women living rurally and disabled women struggle to reach services, or find that the facilities lack the equipment, accessibility, or staffing to meet their needs.

The report published today, 'Our Health, Our Voices' is the result of a collaboration project between the National Women's Council, and the Department of Health.

It says many women reported experiencing discrimination based on ethnicity, disability, age, gender identity, or sexual orientation.

There were also problems due to language barriers, literacy challenges, and lack of interpretation supports.

Doireann Crosson, Health of Policy at the National Women's Council, said that while there have been many really positive advancements in women's health, the study found that these advancements have not reached all women equally.

She said that marginalised women in Ireland continue to face significant health inequalities and persistent barriers to care.

Ms Crosson said that the next Women's Health Action Plan should prioritise more targeted, inclusive and culturally propriate implementation of healthcare services.

Salome Mbugua, Chief Executive of AkiDwA, a national network for migrant women here, said it was shocking and unacceptable that so many migrant women, including women and families who have lived in Ireland for years cannot access a GP, due to a GP shortage.

She said that without this crucial link to primary care, migrant women can not access essential services such as potentially life-saving screening programmes, free contraception, HRT and other services.

The Department of Health said that €180m has been invested in women's healthcare in the last five years.

It said this has enabled the delivery of new services including specialist menopause clinics, fertility hubs, State funded Assisted Human Reproduction services, as well as free contraception.

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Women facing financial barriers to healthcare - report

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A new report on women's health has found that women face financial barriers to filling prescriptions, or regular healthcare, due to cost.

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This article discusses how fitness apps can be potentially problematic, as opposed to the conventional wisdom that they are allowing people to track and monitor their fitness, thus resulting in better health outcomes for the person utilising the device. Researchers at University College London have found that in fact, unrealistic goals set by the apps may be discouraging and demotivating individuals and thus reducing their activity. The study which was conducted states that there should be an app which focuses on well-being rather than steps and the amount of calories burned.

This article interested me as I was curious as to what angle this would be approached in terms of the hypothesis that fitness apps could be doing more harm than good. My overall thoughts on this and similar situations like this is that there needs to be some form of self-accountability from people, who shouldn't need to be waiting for the next app off the shelf to provide them with the motivation to get fit. In terms of the negative benefits, be that motivational or otherwise, there is no necessity for people to use these apps at all so I believe this a little bit of a non problem.

In relation the accountability aspect, I think this is important to keep in mind for other health issues such as alcohol use, smoking etc. If for example, there was an app which helped some people quit smoking, but this app did not work for another group of people, it is still providing a net good vs any 'harm' it provides to those it does not work for.

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Why fitness apps could be doing more harm than good

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Some users of fitness apps noted feelings of shame, disappointment and demotivation when they didn’t achieve their health goals

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This article discusses a new innovation for asthma which monitors the usage and effectiveness of an inhaler. Not only is the invention very interesting and promising, but the benefits of the device will be huge. As discussed in the article, many people have asthma dependent on seasons, allergy, or times of illness. As someone who has asthma as a child but grew out of it, I was re-diagnosed in college during a winter season where I had a cold. I have an inhaler, but I have only used it since college during short periods of my life where lung capacity was reduced (usually winter allergy season).

This is exactly what is discussed in the article- users may not consistently need an inhaler, so this new device can measure whether an inhaler is actually helping and needed. Additionally, it measures that an inhaler is being used correctly, which is a significant issue for inhaler users. It also tracks inhaler effectiveness over time, which allows doctors and patients to see a clearer story when determining next steps for asthma.

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New thinking on asthma management may be a game-changer

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Fundamental changes in asthma management are all geared to breaking the inhalers-antibiotics-inhalers-steroids cycle

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This article discusses the call for section 39 healthcare workers to receive the same pay as section 38 workers.

Annually the HSE provides funding of approximately €3 billion to almost 3,000 agencies for the delivery of a range of healthcare related services. The majority of this funding, €2.44b goes to serve 44 agencies (known as Section 38 agencies) primarily in the acute hospital and disability sectors.

Section 38 workers are classified as public servants and therefore are entitled to standard salary scales for the health sector They also have access, in the main to a public service pension scheme. However despite doing the same tasks, section 39 workers aren’t classified as public servants and therefore do not have the same entitlements.

This is a big issue as it restricts section 39 workers from having the same financial security despite doing the same kind of work.

This begs the question as to why this is the case and how it has an easy policy fix to rectify this issue.

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Government called on to ensure pay parity among healthcare workers

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A motion before this month’s meeting of Sligo County Council has called on the “Irish Government to award Section 39 workers the same rate of pay as and entitlements as their Section 38 colleagues who deliver the same service.”

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The Minister for Health has published the National Endometriosis Framework. The framework outlines a new definitive clinical care pathway for women who suffer with endometriosis - approx 300,000. One important element of the framework includes 'presumptive diagnosis' to ensure that treatments can be explored to address patients symptoms.

Diagnosis currently requires a laparoscopy, the new framework will help to speed up the process as on average it takes about 6-9 years to get a diagnosis. The framework sets out an increase in excision surgeries - the gold standard' and a new financial support system for patients who need to seek care abroad. The specialist services in Ireland are not adequate to cope with patients needs

This article interested me because my research project is on endometriosis and it is promising to see an official framework in place. This framework also reflects the importance of advocacy and public patient involvement in the healthcare system.

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Minister for Health publishes new endometriosis framework

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A new national endometriosis framework, which will set out a defined clinical care pathway for women has been published by the Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll McNeill.

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https://m.independent.ie/regionals/sligo/news/government-called-on-to-ensure-pay-parity-among-healthcare-workers/a373256964.html

This article discusses the Sligo CC looking to get the Irish Government "to award Section 39 workers the same rate of pay as and entitlements as their Section 38 colleagues who deliver the same service" showing the need for equality still needed for Irish healthcare staff.

An argument made by "Cllr Gibbons added, “They can put 40 years into a job. It is very wrong. They are taking an awful lot of burden off the HSE. They should be rewarded the same and I will keep bringing it up until the Government sees sense”". This shows a lack of equality has existed for a long time in the HSE. While there've been many complaints from Irish citizens regarding the operation of the HSE due to patients needs not being met, it's evident staff also isn't. While it can be strongly argued there's a lack of equality among sick people in Ireland, there's equally a lack of equality among those who treat them.

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For the upcoming general elections in the Netherlands most of the political parties have had their party programme assessed by the Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis. In order to account for the increased spending on defence to adhere to the new NATO norm, all parties were tasked with finding ways to increase revenue or cut spending.

Two of the bigger liberal parties, D66 and VVD, chose to freeze the basic health insurance package that every Dutch citizen is obligated to have. Therefore, newly developed treatments, for example for cancer, would no longer be covered for people that don't pay for supplementary packages.

While healthcare hasn't been a key-topic within elections for a long time, due to the choices of the parties mentioned, two of the biggest polling parties, GL-PvdA and D66 clashed in a national debate last Sunday. While the financial assessment of D66' programme show a freezing of the basic package, front runner Rob Jetten claimed that they would continue to fund for newly developed treatments. This was called out by the front runner of labour party GL-PvdA, Frans Timmermans, who claimed that Jetten was lying.

This article is relevant to me as it shows how democracy, politics and governance intertwine.

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Basispakket in de zorg staat ineens centraal in campagne

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De zorgkosten blijven de komende jaren fors stijgen. Sommige partijen willen die stijging een halt toeroepen. Maar wat betekent dat voor patiënten?

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The article I chose this week describes reports of "critical" breaches of regulations at mental health facilities in Galway and Wexford. The facility on the grounds of University Hospital Galway was given four "critical risk" ratings by the Mental Health Commission (MHC) for non-compliance with regulations. Patients in care come from a variety of backgrounds; some are elderly or homeless, while others have intellectual disabilities. Inspectors noted breaches of privacy in single bedrooms and ensuite bathrooms without locks, and cases of controlled patient seclusion, including one in which there were no communication mechanisms present to monitor the seclusion room. Fire risks were also present, with eight sets of fire doors found not to close upon release. Other facilities mentioned in the article were also noted for compliance issues with medication storage and prescription, and ligature points.

With our discussion of the governance of care systems this week, I was particularly interested in this article. How can we govern mental health care in the most effective way? It seems like a long-standing issue - after all, a stigma has been attached to mental health issues for many years, and treatment methods were very dangerous and dehumanizing. It seems like two of the facilities mentioned in the article are run by the HSE. Perhaps these regulatory issues are issues of strong enforcement by institutions. I wonder if funding is a piece to look at here as well? How well-funded are these institutions, and are they set up for success by the healthcare system? Overall, policy will mean nothing if regulations are not followed at these mental health facilities, where you would especially want to see safety prioritized. What are some other ways to strengthen enforcement of policy, or to encourage facilities to improve their conditions?

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‘Critical’ breaches of regulations at mental health centres in Galway and Wexford

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University Hospital Galway unit ‘did not show due regard to ‘safety and wellbeing’

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This article talks about the huge increase in young people receiving cosmetic surgery, and face lifts in particular. Recently, in the UK there has been an 8% increase in facelifts, and although the data doesn't specify age, many doctors are in agreement that the demographics are shifting to younger and younger crowds - Gen X to Gen Z. There are many problems with this as this is a very serious procedure despite celebrities making them seem "normal," and many doctors are afraid that by the time these young people are in their 60s and 70s, their faces may have experienced 3 face lifts by then - a lot of medical trauma for a sensitive area. There is also a problem associated with these procedures that have to do with medical tourism. Many women are seeking out cheaper face lifts in Turkey, but at the added risk of scams and unprofessionalism.

One other problem that the article brings up is the added pressures of social media. We have unlimited access 24/7 to different faces and people, ultimately making it extremely easy to compare ourselves with others. Though a facelift/cosmetic procedures may feel good in the moment to fix our insecurities, what good does it do really if we still have this same access?

I found this article very interesting because I am pretty heavily against cosmetic surgery and this made me so upset to see that people in my generation are feeling like they need a procedure typically done to someone 40-50 years their senior. Women already feel a crazy amount of pressure to look good, and so that combined with an exploitative industry that is potentially even life-threatening is so maddening.

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A facelift at 28? Why young people are turning to cosmetic surgery

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Gone are the days when facelifts were for the ageing wealthy. Now younger people are going under the knife.

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This article talks about how stress. Stress impacts everyone in general but has a more negative impact on women and their reproductive health system. Stress comes in various forms such as anxiety, depression. Stress significantly impacts women's gynecological health,it can cause irregular period, fertiliy issues, an inbalance of hormones in a woman body.

stress in known to produce hormones like cortisol and adrenaline which puts our body into 'fight or flight' mode but in a woman body if it's elavted for a long period it causes body's natural balance to be disrupting.

This problem not just growing in India but its becoming a global problem. It is not just adults being affected by it but young teenagers in their puberty are also falling into this group.

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In today's fast-paced world, stress has become an almost inevitable part of life. While stress isoften associated with mental health issues like anxiety and depression, its impact on physicalhealth, particularly on women's gynecological health, is often underestimated. From irregularmenstrual cycles to more serious conditions like infertility, stress can play a significant role inworsening or even triggering gynecological problems. Understanding how stress affects yourbody and what you can do about it is crucial for maintaining overall well-being.
The connection between stress and hormones

Stress affects the body in various ways, but one of the most significant is its impact onhormones. When you're stressed, your body goes into "fight or flight" mode, releasing stresshormones like cortisol and adrenaline. While this response is helpful in short bursts, chronicstress keeps these hormone levels elevated for extended periods, disrupting your body's naturalbalance.

Menstrual cycle irregularitiesMost common gynecological issues exacerbated by stress are menstrual cycle irregularities. Thehypothalamus, a part of the brain that regulates hormones, is particularly sensitive to stress.When you're under chronic stress, the hypothalamus can disrupt the regular production ofhormones that control your menstrual cycle, leading to irregular periods, missed periods, or evenamenorrhea (the absence of menstruation).Premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and premenstrual dysphoric disorderStress doesn't just affect the timing of your menstrual cycle; it can also worsen the symptoms ofpremenstrual syndrome (PMS) and its more severe counterpart, premenstrual dysphoric disorder(PMDD). Women under chronic stress often report more severe mood swings, irritability,bloating, and fatigue during the premenstrual phase. This is because stress exacerbates thehormonal fluctuations that cause these symptoms, making them more intense and harder tomanage.

Fertility issuesStress can also have a significant impact on fertility. Chronic stress can lead to hormonalimbalances that affect ovulation, making it more difficult to conceive. High cortisol levels, inparticular, can interfere with the production of reproductive hormones like estrogen andprogesterone, disrupting the ovulation process. Additionally, stress can reduce libido and makesexual intercourse less enjoyable, further complicating efforts to conceive.Pelvic pain and endometriosisFor women who suffer from conditions like pelvic pain or endometriosis, stress can make thesymptoms worse. Chronic stress can increase inflammation in the body, which can intensify thepain associated with these conditions. Moreover, the emotional toll of dealing with chronic paincan create a vicious cycle, where stress worsens the pain, and the pain, in turn, increases stresslevels.Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) is a hormonal disorder that affects many women and isoften exacerbated by stress. Stress can lead to increased insulin resistance, which is a commonissue in women with PCOS. This resistance can worsen symptoms like weight gain, acne, andirregular menstrual cycles. Furthermore, the emotional stress of managing PCOS symptoms cancreate additional hormonal imbalances, making the condition even harder to manage.
Managing stress to improve gynecological health

While it's clear that stress can have a profound impact on gynecological health, the good news isthat managing stress can help alleviate many of these issues. Here are some strategies to help youreduce stress and improve your overall health:

Practice Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques

Mindfulness practices like meditation, deep breathing exercises, and yoga can help reduce stresslevels and improve hormonal balance. These techniques encourage relaxation and help yourbody shift out of "fight or flight" mode, reducing the production of stress hormones.

Regular exercise is one of the most effective ways to manage stress. Physical activity helpsreduce cortisol levels and increase the production of endorphins, the body's natural "feel-good"hormones. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days of the week to keep stresslevels in check.What you eat can also affect your stress levels and, by extension, your gynecological health. Adiet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins can help regulate hormones andreduce inflammation. Avoid excessive consumption of caffeine and sugar, as these can increasestress levels and exacerbate gynecological symptoms.

Sleep is essential for managing stress and maintaining hormonal balance. Aim for 7-9 hours ofquality sleep each night. Establish a regular sleep routine, create a calming bedtime environment,and avoid screens before bed to improve sleep quality.

Stress is an inevitable part of life, but its impact on gynecological health should not beunderestimated. From irregular menstrual cycles to more severe conditions like infertility andPCOS, stress can exacerbate or even trigger a range of gynecological problems. Byunderstanding the connection between stress and your body, and by taking proactive steps tomanage stress, you can improve your overall health and well-being. Prioritize self-care, seeksupport when needed, and make stress management an integral part of your health routine.Dr. Vaishali Sharma, Senior Gynecologist and IVF specialist, MD (AIIMS)

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How stress affects women's reproductive health and what you can do about it - The Times of India

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Stress significantly impacts women's gynecological health, triggering issues like irregular periods, worsened PMS, fertility problems, and exacerbatin

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Uruguay has legalised euthanasia, becoming the first country in Latin America to pass a law that allows assisted suicide. The Dignified Death Bill has been passed in the senate that allows mentally sound adults in terminal stage of an irreversible disease to choose euthanasia to be performed by a healthcare professional. Those wanting to end their life must request euthanasia personally and in writing, provided they are a Uruguayan citizen or a foreign resident, the law states.

Euthanasia will be performed so that their death occurs in a "painless, peaceful, and respectful manner".

Uruguay has a history of passing socially liberal laws, legalising marijuana, same-sex marriage and abortion. Some 62% of Uruguayans were in favour of euthanasia legalisation and most opposition to euthanasia came from the Catholic Church.

Daniel Sturla, the archbishop of Montevideo, told the Catholic News Agency that the bill "instead of contributing to valuing life, contributes to thinking that some lives are disposable, and that is why we believe it is fundamentally bad". Beatriz Gelós, a 71-year-old woman who has been living with neurodegenerative ALS for two decades, said that the law was "compassionate, very humane". She said opponents "have no idea what it's like to live like this". While Uruguay becomes the first country in predominantly Catholic Latin America to allow euthanasia through legislation, Colombia and Ecuador decriminalised the practice through Supreme Court decisions.

This is interesting to me because there are a lot of debates globally on euthanasia on moralistic grounds with some people claiming active euthanasia to be 'murder'. In India, also there has been a lot of debate about the issue and as of now only passive euthanasia is allowed in the very strict sense for the removal of life-saving equipment for a person to die naturally. The question is between personal liberty and the right to choose death and the role of State in it.

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The Dignified Death bill was passed in the senate, with 20 out of 31 legislators voting in favour.

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Trachoma, a neglected tropical disease (NTD), which is the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness, in Fiji is now no longer considered a public health threat.

This week Fiji was the 26th country to eliminate the disease as a public health concern and the 58th country to eliminate at least one NTD, which include dengue, leishmaniasis, leprosy, rabies, schistosomiasis, and others.

Trachoma can be spread through personal contact, contact with contaminated surfaces and through flies who have been in contact with infected persons. Symptoms of the disease include scarring, in-turning of the eyelids, and blindness.

The communities most at risk for contracting this disease are communities without access to clean water, and where sanitation is limited.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says Fiji since 2012 has undertaken a "series of robust, internationally supported surveys and studies, including population-based prevalence surveys and laboratory testing, to understand the local epidemiology of trachoma and distinguish it from other causes of eye disease.”

The organisation attributes the country's coordinated action across villages, health facilities and regional platforms to eradicate the disease.

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Fiji becomes the 26th country to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem

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In a landmark public health achievement, Fiji has been validated by the World Health Organization (WHO) for eliminating trachoma as a public health problem.

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China’s Commercial Health Insurance Innovative Drug List: Expanding Access to Advanced Therapies in 2025

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China is implementing a “dual-catalog” reform for drug reimbursement, which introduces a new pathway for innovative medicines. In addition to the National Basic Medical Insurance Drug List, a new Commercial Health Insurance Innovative Drug List is being created. This provides an additional channel for high-value innovative drugs to enter the market through commercial insurance.

This initiative, spearheaded by the National Healthcare Security Administration (NHSA), addresses the core challenge of integrating cutting-edge treatments—such as oncology immunotherapies and rare disease biologics—into a reimbursement framework strained by fiscal constraints on public spending.

For multinational firms like Novo Nordisk and Roche, the policy requires a mixed strategy that blends NRDL bulk discounts with commercial-market premiums. This may cut profit margins by 15–20%, but gives access to around 200 million middle-class insured consumers in major cities.

For domestic companies such as Innovent Biologics, the reform strengthens their first-mover advantage: a projected 41% catalog share by 2027 could generate about RMB 20 billion in additional revenue—provided they can meet NHSA’s volume-based pricing requirements.

This news interests me because the Commercial Health Insurance Innovative Drug List reform aims to bridge the gap between the rapid development of high-cost therapies and equitable access to medicines for China’s large population. By allowing commercial insurers to cover such treatments, the reform helps ease the financial pressure on the national healthcare fund while encouraging greater private sector participation.

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This news was published on the 12th of October, 2025, and focused on youth death. Youth death (10–29 years old) is becoming a worldwide concern because death rates are increasing around the world. So, the world is facing an emerging crisis now because of the high usage of drugs and alcohol, as well as major suicide, especially in North America and Latin America.

Furthermore, in Sub-Saharan Africa, youth death is rising because of infectious diseases, injuries, and road accidents.

Also, the world’s youth are facing chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, which actually account for two-thirds of all ill health.

Among the young generation, mental health is becoming one of the biggest factors that can affect their lives. Especially in wealthy countries, many young people suffer from depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues.

So, according to this article, governments and healthcare leaders have to be concerned and take action quickly. How should they take action? They have to invest in youth-centered public health, integrate healthcare systems, and continue global health funding for low-income countries.

The reason why I am interested in this topic is that in my country, youth death is also becoming a very concerning factor. Many Mongolian young people are experiencing depression and stress, as well as alcohol use, and they commit suicide because of school bullying, social bullying, family violence, etc.

In Asian countries, therapy is not as developed compared to Western countries. So, in my opinion, many Asian kids cannot share how they feel, what problems they are facing, and other things with their parents and friends. Therefore, they choose death because they feel there is no one who can understand their situation and problems.

So, from my perspective, therapy should be improved in Asian countries, and the governments should pay for it. What I want to say is that therapy should be free so teenagers can go whenever they need help.

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The world faces "an emerging crisis" of higher death rates among teenagers and young adults, according to a major study on the causes of death and disability worldwide.

The reasons vary from drug and alcohol use, and suicide in North America, to infectious diseases and injuries in sub-Saharan Africa, the researchers said, but warned that their data should serve as "a wake-up call".

The study also found that chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes now accounted for two-thirds of all ill health and that mental health problems were surging.

Half of the world's disease burden was preventable, researchers calculated, driven by risks that could be reduced, such as high blood pressure, air pollution, smoking and obesity.

The Global Burden of Disease study was carried out by a network of 16,500 scientists using more than 300,000 data sources. It is published in the Lancet and was presented at the World Health Summit in Berlin on Sunday.

It found that, as of 2023, death rates had fallen overall in all 204 countries and territories, and global life expectancy had recovered from a dip caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

It stands at 76.3 years for women and 71.5 for men, more than 20 years higher than in 1950 - although "stark geographic differences" remain, ranging from 83 years in high-income regions to 62 in sub-Saharan Africa.

However, the authors said they were particularly concerned about stubbornly higher or rising death rates among teenagers and young adults.

In North America and parts of Latin America, the rises were driven by suicide and consumption of drugs and alcohol.

"Very marked increases" among teenagers and young adults "certainly got our attention when we were looking at the data", said Dr Christopher Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington's school of medicine.

Rising deaths in younger adults, particularly in North America, he said, were "very tied up with the rise of anxiety and depression in young people, particularly women". While the rise of mental health disorders had received much attention, he said, there was still a lot of debate around the causes.

"Is this social media? Is this [electronic] devices? Is this broader social trends on parenting? We know it was made worse by Covid. So there's a lot of controversy, I'd say, in the psychiatric epidemiology and general social commentary about the causes around mental health. And so that's a problem for coming up with solutions."

In sub-Saharan Africa, modelling advances revealed that deaths in children aged five to 14 since 1950 had been higher than previously thought, with drivers including infectious diseases and unintentional injuries.

For girls and women aged 15 to 29, the death rate was 61% higher than previously estimated, mostly due to deaths in pregnancy or childbirth, road injuries and meningitis.

Murray said: "The evidence presented in the Global Burden of Disease study is a wake-up call, urging government and healthcare leaders to respond swiftly and strategically to the disturbing trends that are reshaping public health needs."

Dr Githinji Gitahi, chief executive of Amref Health Africa, said that the 60% of people in Africa aged under 25 represented "an incredible potential".

"Health is the most powerful investment in this, and integrated care is the key, when we face the triple burden of cost of living, rising non-communicable diseases and communicable disease outbreaks, and climate change," he said.

"Siloed approaches to healthcare are failing our young people. Diseases like malaria, HIV and tuberculosis still claim too many young lives due to weak health systems, disrupted care and vaccine gaps.

"At the same time, the exponential rise in non-communicable diseases among younger Africans is not just a future threat; they claim young lives daily, now. There is too little regulation of food production and scant nutrition education in urban environments that are changing lifestyles and outlooks."

He called for "stronger health systems founded on real youth-centred public health investment".

Emmanuela Gakidou, senior author and professor at IHME, warned that existing progress in low-income regions was at risk due to recent international aid cuts. She said: "These countries rely on global health funding for life-saving primary care, medicine and vaccines. Without it, the gap is sure to widen."
The Global Burden of Disease study is partly funded by the Gates Foundation, which is a philanthropic organisation that also contributes funding to support the editorially independent global development section of the Guardian

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High youth death rates are an 'emerging crisis', global health study warns

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Alcohol, suicide and injuries driving rises among teenagers and young adults despite overall rates falling, authors say

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This article discusses the use of AI in medical analysis and diagnoses and the governance issues it may pose in the future. There is an acknowledgement that AI will be able to provide benefits to the future of healthcare (including for planning and resource allocation as well as medical analysis), however, if a patient has a negative health outcome, where there has been a use of AI, it may be difficult to apportion blame, is this the hospital or the creator of the AI tools risk to bear? How can the health user show that the AI tool was faulty?

The article is interesting to me, as AI advancements are being made in all aspects of our lives, the lines will need to be drawn about where responsibility lies and strong regulation will need to be inserted, to create clear guidelines on who has ultimate responsibility on the use of these tools.

Aside from this, I am curious about how in general advancements in AI will be able to assist the health services in future years. Can AI tools such as automated reception/resource planning and medical analysis tools ease the burden on public health systems and be the solution to the ever rising costs?

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This article discusses how Irish women face financial barriers to regular healthcare due to cost as found in a report made by joint research between National Women's Council and the Department of Health.

Also women in rural areas and disabled women don't find services or equipment tailored for their needs are available.

There were also language barriers and interpretation problems.

Even though the Department said €180 million was put towards women's health these issues exist meaning that sexism - while not intentional - still exists in Irish healthcare.

I find this article highlights that Ireland is still a long way from being fully equal and lots of research is needed. Gaps can easily be found in healthcare.

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A new report on women's health has found that women face financial barriers to filling prescriptions, or regular healthcare, due to cost.

Women living rurally and disabled women struggle to reach services, or find that the facilities lack the equipment, accessibility, or staffing to meet their needs.

The report published today, 'Our Health, Our Voices' is the result of a collaboration project between the National Women's Council, and the Department of Health.

It says many women reported experiencing discrimination based on ethnicity, disability, age, gender identity, or sexual orientation.

There were also problems due to language barriers, literacy challenges, and lack of interpretation supports.

Doireann Crosson, Health of Policy at the National Women's Council, said that while there have been many really positive advancements in women's health, the study found that these advancements have not reached all women equally.

She said that marginalised women in Ireland continue to face significant health inequalities and persistent barriers to care.

Ms Crosson said that the next Women's Health Action Plan should prioritise more targeted, inclusive and culturally propriate implementation of healthcare services.

Salome Mbugua, Chief Executive of AkiDwA, a national network for migrant women here, said it was shocking and unacceptable that so many migrant women, including women and families who have lived in Ireland for years cannot access a GP, due to a GP shortage.

She said that without this crucial link to primary care, migrant women can not access essential services such as potentially life-saving screening programmes, free contraception, HRT and other services.

The Department of Health said that €180m has been invested in women's healthcare in the last five years.

It said this has enabled the delivery of new services including specialist menopause clinics, fertility hubs, State funded Assisted Human Reproduction services, as well as free contraception.

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Women facing financial barriers to healthcare - report

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A new report on women's health has found that women face financial barriers to filling prescriptions, or regular healthcare, due to cost.

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In this article, the results of a study have been published, linking taking HRT with a decreased risk of developing dementia. This is described as 'the world's longest running longitudinal cohort study'

Women have a higher risk than developing dementia than men, and while other factords have been known to contribute to this risk, including longer lifespan, this study explores the association of women's reproductive and hormonal status with dementia.They have found that post menopausal HRT can be associated with a lower risk. The study was initially designed to look at cardiovascular disease in women as they age, and the authors acknowledge that the results in relation to oestrogen requires further validation.

I found this article interesting, as Ireland has recently added HRT to the Drugs Payment Scheme, meaning that HRT is freely available for all women. It made me wonder if there was any knowledge of this link before this was introduced, as it could have a major benefit for public health in Ireland. Dementia care is a massive concern, with year on year rises in the numbers of people diagnosed and requiring care. At the moment, there are numerous trials into drugs to treat Alzheimers and dementia, but as yet, there is no curative treatment available. The preventative effect of HRT could be hugely beneficial in the future, and could have very positive financial implications for the Health Service. The introduction of free HRT was viewed by many as a 'vote winner', and so it is very interesting to think that perhaps it is in fact a very astute strategy and investment in the future!

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Women who take HRT after menopause less likely to develop dementia, study indicates

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Having more children and higher blood estrogen levels is associated with reduced risk of dementia

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This article discusses the financing building block of healthcare systems - it is about a proposed levy of 2% which would have generated 28m for healthcare services in the Isle of Man. The levy was thought to be a positive step in reducing the healthcare funding gap however based on concerns from healthcare professionals and the community the levy has been dropped.

This is seen as a victory towards 'equitable healthcare', as it removes the prospect of additional financial pressure and ensures access for vulnerable people.

This article was interesting to me as it is about equitable healthcare - a topic discussed in class and has different interpretations. Whilst the dropping of the levy is a protective mechanism for those who would be financially affected , the proposal was a bid to tackle rising healthcare costs and the funding gap. Whilst access to healthcare is important - the services need to be funded adequately.

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Dropping proposed Manx health levy ‘protects equitable care’

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The Isle of Man Medical Society welcomes the government’s decision to drop the proposed 2% levy.

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This article tells of Sinn Fein Senator for Cork, Nicole Ryan's wish to see people in Rural cork get the same healthcare as those in Dublin.

She wants waiting lists cut as well a cut in cost for healthcare workers. She says she meets constituents struggling to make ends meet on healthcare.

Sinn Fein offer a range of alternatives for the healthcare system in Ireland.

With the budget coming up it'll be worth watching too see if Fine Gael, Fianna Fail and the Independents give into the Senators demands and what they're response will be. I also find it curious that she wants a cut in the cost of healthcare workers - would that be cutting their pay too?

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The Cork politician said the budget must focus on cutting the cost of healthcare for workers and tackling long waiting lists that continue to affect families across rural Cork.

Senator Ryan said Sinn Féin's Alternative Budget 2026 sets out a detailed plan to make healthcare more affordable, more accessible, and fairer, with €938 million in new health measures backed by strong commitments in mental health, older person care, carers' supports, and community-based healthcare.

Ms Ryan said she meets families across her constituency of Cork North West who are struggling to access basic healthcare.

"Every week I meet families across Cork North-West who are struggling to access basic healthcare - whether it's getting a GP appointment in Macroom, a dental appointment for a child in Millstreet, or home-care hours for an elderly parent in Charleville.

Senator Ryan continued: "Budget 2026 must work for them. Sinn Féin's plan would cut healthcare costs, open badly needed hospital and community beds, and make sure public healthcare is there when people need it."

Key proposals under Sinn Féin's Alternative Budget include: €188.9 million to cut the cost of healthcare, including 110,000 new medical cards, reducing the monthly maximum for medicines to €50, and starting the abolition of prescription charges.

Other highlights include: €358.8 million to improve access - funding 1,275 new health and community beds, expanding ambulance capacity, children's orthopaedic and urology care, dentistry teams, and primary care access.

€51.9 million for mental health - including the first year of a new child and youth mental health plan, free counselling on referral, and supports for eating disorders, dual diagnosis, ADHD, and crisis care.

€85.5 million for older people - including the long-promised Statutory Home Care Scheme, new day services, dementia care, and Healthy Age Friendly Homes projects.

€21.7 million for addiction and recovery services, restoring Drug and Alcohol Task Force funding to peak levels and expanding inpatient recovery capacity.

€124 million in targeted measures - including major investment in women's health (endometriosis plan, public IVF), cancer, cardiovascular, diabetes, and rare diseases strategies.

Senator Ryan also welcomed Sinn Féin's clear commitment to family carers who 'deserve' dignity not red tape. "Family carers are the backbone of our health system. Sinn Féin will abolish the means test for Carer's Allowance and ensure every full-time family carer receives fair financial recognition. In Cork North-West, thousands of carers look after loved ones every day - often without proper support or rest. They deserve dignity, not red tape."

She added that Sinn Féin's budget plan also provides €42 million for workforce planning, including bursaries for health and social care students and expanded training for nurses, GPs, and allied health professionals, alongside €2 billion in capital investment to modernise facilities and improve digital infrastructure across the health service.

"People in rural Cork deserve the same access to care as those in Dublin," said Senator Ryan. "Sinn Féin's alternative budget shows that with fair priorities and smart investment, we can build a public health system that works for everyone."

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Budget 2026 'must work' for Cork families struggling to access basic healthcare

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"People in rural Cork deserve the same access to care as those in Dublin," said Sinn Féin Senator Nicole Ryan ahead of Budget 2026 which will be announced on Tuesday, October 7.

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One of the crucial issues in the ongoing U.S. government shutdown is whether or not funding for accessible healthcare will continue. The main demand from Democrats is to extend Obamacare subsidies, which currently help over 22 million Americans with the costs of healthcare. Republicans and Democrats cannot come to an agreement on how to move forward regarding healthcare (and many other issues), and the government will remain shutdown until a compromise is found. The Majority Leader of the Senate, Republican John Thune, has implied the conversation around healthcare can continue once the government re-opens, saying Democrats need to "Release the hostage", meaning the federal government. This of course, is insane, because if the Democrats move forward on just the promise of a conversation, the conversation can continuously be pushed and there will be no genuine action towards progress.

This article does a good job explaining the context of the U.S. shutdown in regards to healthcare for both Republicans and Democrats. It also explains how the current recess in the House (which is impacting the shutdown because no votes are happening) is likely to prevent a vote on the Epstein files from being released. It's shameful how American healthcare is being weaponized to further the Republican's agenda.

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U.S. shutdown drags on as Trump flummoxes senators with health care claim

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The stalemate continued Monday with another round of failed votes as President Trump claimed negotiations were taking place, which senators in both parties denied.

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Another case of bird flu has popped up in the Netherlands in a broiler breeder farm in Gasselternijveenschemond. Before 2021 this happened every few years during the winter, but since then the frequency has increased and are year-round. The Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA) has prohibited any transport of animals, eggs, manure or litter from 25 farms that surround the farm in case.

Bird flu can be fatal for birds, but human infection only occurs through very close contact. Currently it is a rare and mostly unharmful disease for humans. However, some experts state that the bird flu could develop into the next global pandemic: https://www.irishtimes.com/health/2025/02/23/bird-flu-if-left-unchecked-this-could-very-well-become-the-next-pandemic/.

The Netherlands is currently (successfully) experimenting to vaccinate birds and prevent mass cullings and chickens being caged for months at a time. While the executed trials have promising results, the meat and eggs of the vaccinated chicken are only sold on the Dutch market due to trade barriers.

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Bird flu found at Drenthe farm; First report since March

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Bird flu has returned to the Netherlands after an absence of approximately six months. The disease was confirmed at a broiler breeder farm in Gasselternijveenschemond, near Stadskanaal in Drenthe, the Ministry of Agriculture reported. The last time a Dutch farm had a bird flu infection was in Putten in March.

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This news was about Japanese medical improvement in hip replacement system on 5 October, 2025. Japan has approved world's first iodine treated total hip replacement system, developed by Zimmer Biomet. PMDA (Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Agency) gave official approval for iodine implant can be used for patients in Japan. This medical improvement can help to prevent bacteria and infections after surgery.

How they can combat infections and bacterias? It can defeat them because the implants layers are made by iodine so, it can reduce bacterial risk. Also, hip surgery is considered one of the most serious and life threatening surgery but thanks to this iodine-treated inflammation, it is considered that mortality rate would decrease.

This improvement aims to reduce infection related complications during and after procedures. In addition, it is one of the biggest steps in hip surgery, because it can make implants safer (which can less infections) and also helping patients to recover quicker.

The reason why I interested in this news was because it is world's first hip replacement treatment using iodine to prevent infections. From my perspective, this implant can help many patients and also can save many lives.

Also, this big development can set a high standard for implants around the world.

Personally, I heard many procedures failed because of the infection. But when I read this news, I was grateful because we can actually be relieved of infections thanks to iodine-treated implants.

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Japan approves world’s first iodine-treated total hip replacement system

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Japan approves world’s first iodine-treated total hip replacement system

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Currently, Ireland spends about €3.7 billion on drugs for patients receiving them through the state / HSE. This is an increase of 9-10% a year.

However, appearing before the Health Committee in the Oireachtas last week, Ireland's health minister warned that this spending trajectory is not sustainable and attributes the rise in spending to higher demand for new drugs like Ozempic and chemotherapy medicines.

He urges the HSE to reevaluate what drugs the Department will support to get spending under control: "So there is an enormous challenge in terms of how to figure out what to support, how to support.”

He also shared that he and his team are in active negotiations with pharmaceutical companies to bring drug prices down.

But he stressed this is an issue health systems across the globe are having to contend with: “There’s a very... difficult budget challenge which all countries now face. If you looked at the ongoing growth of drugs that have been approved for reimbursement, combined with new drugs that are coming on stream, it creates “an incredible challenge for us”.

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The State's drugs budget is increasing between 9 and 10 per cent a year in a trajectory that is "unsustainable", the secretary general of the Department of Health has said.

Officials from the department and the Health Service Executive appeared before the Oireachtas health committee on Wednesday morning to provide an update on the sector.

Robert Watt, secretary general, said the current drugs budget was €3.7 billion.

"The trajectory is unsustainable ... We are engaging in negotiations, hopefully the next few weeks, with the representative bodies of the pharmaceutical companies. And we'll see where we end up," he said.

"There's a very significant constraint, very difficult budget challenge which all countries now face."

Mr Watt said if you looked at the ongoing growth of drugs that have been approved for reimbursement, combined with new drugs that are coming on stream, it creates "an incredible challenge for us".

"People can talk about Mounjaro or Ozempic or pick any class of drug or various drugs in the oncology space and the demands now and the demands that are in prospect are absolutely incredible. So there is an enormous challenge in terms of how to figure out what to support, how to support."

[ Children's Health Ireland to be folded into HSE ]

Separately, Bernard Gloster, chief executive of the HSE, provided an update on maternity services at Portiuncula hospital in Galway, where he said the HSE was beginning a review of two additional cases.

In his statement to the committee, Mr Gloster said there was a case of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), where the baby suffered insufficient oxygen or blood to the brain, reported in July.

In May, an "inpatient full-term intrauterine death" - meaning still birth - occurred and this would also be investigated, he said.

A summary report based on five reviews of babies with HIE at the hospital was published during the summer, highlighting weaknesses including space limitations and an inadequate buzzer system that could delay alerts.

[ Consultant working in a public hospital received €963,000 in a year ]

In light of the concerns highlighted in the report, from October 1st, Portiuncula will no longer accept higher-risk women for booking, and a communication plan is in place to engage with patients about this change.

Once implemented, it is expected an additional 250-300 women a year will have their care diverted to Galway University Hospital. It is acknowledged that this change will be a big challenge for all involved, in particular the staff at Portiuncula.

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Ireland's drugs budget rising every year in 'unsustainable' trajectory

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Two more cases being examined in Portiuncula hospital reveiew, Oireachtas committee hears

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This week, I chose an article about a breakthrough in research to cure HIV. The 40 million people in the world suffering with HIV currently take a medication to manage symptoms and ensure they do not transmit HIV. This medical discovery, however, could lead to an actual cure for HIV. This is based on mRNA vaccines developed to protect against COVID-19. It was once thought that this would not be a possibility for an HIV cure, as these types of medications would still not bring HIV out of white blood cells to view the virus. Researchers in Melbourne, Australia developed a new lipid nanoparticle that would carry HIV out of white blood cells. It is unclear if making HIV visible in the body will allow our immune systems to fight the virus, or how long it would take to make access to this medication happen, what with the many trials required. However, the lab team was very happy and shocked with what they found in this research.

I chose this article first for the exciting news of this breakthrough. It is also a reminder, however, of the lengthy road ahead before we can get to the point of providing a large-scale cure for HIV. I wonder what sort of push it would take to ensure we could appropriately distribute this medication around the world. HIV disproportionately affects those in the Global South, so in order to eradicate HIV as smallpox was once eradicated, large global efforts will be required to push this project. In the case of smallpox, this was led by the World Health Organization. I also wonder if a cure like this for HIV would receive as widespread attention as something like the COVID-19 vaccine. I would hope so, however HIV is associated with the Global South and the gay community, while all people were impacted by COVID-19. While these are very early stages in the discovery of an HIV cure, there are many questions I believe we should be asking to ensure the world is prepared to distribute this cure.

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A cure for HIV could be a step closer after researchers found a new way to force the virus out of hiding inside human cells.

The virus's ability to conceal itself inside certain white blood cells has been one of the main challenges for scientists looking for a cure. It means there is a reservoir of the HIV in the body, capable of reactivation, that neither the immune system nor drugs can tackle.

Now researchers from the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity in Melbourne, have demonstrated a way to make the virus visible, paving the way to fully clear it from the body.

It is based on mRNA technology, which came to prominence during the Covid-19 pandemic when it was used in vaccines made by Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech.

In a paper published in Nature Communications, the researchers have shown for the first time that mRNA can be delivered into the cells where HIV is hiding, by encasing it in a tiny, specially formulated fat bubble. The mRNA then instructs the cells to reveal the virus.

Globally, there are almost 40 million people living with HIV, who must take medication for the rest of their lives in order to suppress the virus and ensure they do not develop symptoms or transmit it. For many it remains deadly, with UNAids figures suggesting one person died of HIV every minute in 2023.

It was "previously thought impossible" to deliver mRNA to the type of white blood cell that is home to HIV, said Dr Paula Cevaal, research fellow at the Doherty Institute and co-first author of the study, because those cells did not take up the fat bubbles, or lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), used to carry it.

The team have developed a new type of LNP that those cells will accept, known as LNP X. She said: "Our hope is that this new nanoparticle design could be a new pathway to an HIV cure."

When a colleague first presented test results at the lab's weekly meeting, Cevaal said, they seemed too good to be true.

"We sent her back into the lab to repeat it, and she came back the next week with results that were equally good. So we had to believe it. And of course, since then, we've repeated it many, many, many more times.

"We were overwhelmed by how [much of a] night and day difference it was - from not working before, and then all of a sudden it was working. And all of us were just sitting gasping like, 'wow'."

Further research will be needed to determine whether revealing the virus is enough to allow the body's immune system to deal with it, or whether the technology will need to be combined with other therapies to eliminate HIV from the body.

The study is laboratory based and was carried out in cells donated by HIV patients. The path to using the technology as part of a cure for patients is long, and would require successful tests in animals followed by safety trials in humans, likely to take years, before efficacy trials could even begin.

"In the field of biomedicine, many things eventually don't make it into the clinic - that is the unfortunate truth; I don't want to paint a prettier picture than what is the reality," stressed Cevaal. "But in terms of specifically the field of HIV cure, we have never seen anything close to as good as what we are seeing, in terms of how well we are able to reveal this virus.

"So from that point of view, we're very hopeful that we are also able to see this type of response in an animal, and that we could eventually do this in humans."

Dr Michael Roche of the University of Melbourne and co-senior author of the research, said the discovery could have broader implications beyond HIV, with the relevant white blood cells also involved in other diseases including cancers.

Dr Jonathan Stoye, a retrovirologist and emeritus scientist at the Francis Crick Institute, who was not involved in the study, said the approach taken by the Melbourne team appeared be a major advance on existing strategies to force the virus out of hiding, but further studies would be needed to determine how best to kill it after that.

He added: "Ultimately, one big unknown remains. Do you need to eliminate the entire reservoir for success or just the major part? If just 10% of the latent reservoir survives will that be sufficient to seed new infection? Only time will tell.

"However, that does not detract from the significance of the current study, which represents a major potential advance in delivery of mRNA for therapeutic purposes to blood cells."

Prof Tomáš Hanke of the Jenner Institute, University of Oxford, disputed the idea that getting RNA into white blood cells had been a significant challenge. He said the hope that all cells in the body where HIV was hiding could be reached in this way was "merely a dream".

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Breakthrough in search for HIV cure leaves researchers 'overwhelmed'

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Exclusive: Melbourne team demonstrates way to make the virus visible within white blood cells, paving the way to fully clear it from the body

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This article is about how BreastCheck, which is Ireland’s free nationwide breast checking programme, is encouraging women to come in for their first appointment. Most women in Ireland are automatically registered with the BreastCheck service and are invited to it by age 52-53. Early detection through breast screening can make a real difference in the success of treatment for breast cancer, as Dr Alissa Connors, BreastCheck Lead Clinical Director, highlights. Women are encouraged to let the service know if they cannot attend an appointment, and alternative arrangements can be made to suit different accessibility or scheduling needs.

The article emphasises that BreastCheck offers mammograms every two years for women aged 50–69. While most women receive normal results, a small number are called back for further assessment, and some of these may require treatment for breast cancer. By operating both permanent centres and mobile units, BreastCheck aims to make screening accessible to communities across the country. Additional support is available for those who need extra time, interpreters, or accessible information. Appointment details can also be viewed through the HSE Health App, which provides practical information about preparation and travel.

The programme is designed for women without symptoms. Anyone noticing changes such as lumps, unusual discharge, or changes to the nipple or breast skin should contact their GP without delay. Women can help ensure the service runs smoothly by confirming they are registered, keeping their contact details up to date, letting BreastCheck know if they cannot attend, and requesting extra support if needed. Since it began, BreastCheck has delivered over 2.5 million mammograms. With the population growing, around 100,000 more women are eligible now than six years ago. To meet demand, the programme is expanding capacity. While they do so, BreastCheck are prioritising those waiting longest for appointments, adding extra sessions, and recruiting more staff. Most women are screened within the target two-year period, and uptake currently sits at 72%, which was above their 70% target.

This article resonated with me as breast cancer is something myself and every woman/afab individual have worried about at some point in their lives.

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BreastCheck calls on women in Dublin to come for their first screening mammogram

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BreastCheck, Ireland’s free national breast screening programme, is encouraging women in Dublin to come for their first appointment.

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This article talks about how current studies from the WHO show that more than 100 million people, including 15 million children, vape around the world. The reason it is important to emphasize the growing number of minors vaping is because scientists say that e-cigarettes "aggressively target" young people. After a worldwide push to stop nicotine addiction, the tobacco industry is now finding their footing again with a younger audience with fun, flavorful, and colorful products. Though vaping is technically less harmful than cigarettes, the fact that children as young as 13 are addicted will of course, lead to harmful outcomes in the future after prolonged use.

I found this article extremely interesting because during my middle school/high school experience, there was a large number of my peers who vaped. A lot of people think that because there are flavors like cotton candy, mango, etc., vapes aren't harmful at all. Though this is obviously not true and there are many people my age who have had lungs collapse and other medical complications from being addicted for the past 10+ years. We were supposed to be the generation that stopped nicotine addiction, but here we are.

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More than 100 million people, including at least 15 million children, use e-cigarettes, fuelling a new wave of nicotine addiction, the World Health Organization (WHO) is warning.

Children are, on average, nine times more likely than adults to vape, it says, based on available global figures.

The WHO's Dr Etienne Krug said e-cigarettes were fuelling a "new wave" of nicotine addiction. "They are marketed as harm reduction but, in reality, are hooking kids on nicotine earlier and risk undermining decades of progress."

WHO Director General, Dr Tedros, accused the tobacco industry of "agressively targeting" young people.

Teens being 'targeted'

"Millions of people are stopping, or not taking up, tobacco use thanks to tobacco control efforts by countries around the world," he said.

"In response to this strong progress, the tobacco industry is fighting back with new nicotine products, aggressively targeting young people. Governments must act faster and stronger in implementing proven tobacco-control policies," he added.

The vaping figures are an estimate since some countries - 109 in all, and many in African and South-East Asia - do not gather data.

According to the report, as of February this year, at least 86 million e-cigarette users were adults, mostly in high-income countries.

And at least 15 million teenagers aged between 13 and 15 already vape, based on surveys from 123 countries.

While many nations have made efforts to introduce e-cigarettes regulations to tackle child vaping in recent years, by the end of 2024, 62 countries still had no policy in place, and 74 countries had no minimum age at which e-cigarettes may be purchased, says the WHO.

Meanwhile, tobacco use has been decreasing - from an estimated 1.38 billion users in 2000 to 1.2 billion in 2024.

Prevalence of tobacco use among women dropped the most - from 11% in 2010 to 6.6% in 2024.

Among men, the decrease was from 41.4% in 2010 to 32.5% in 2024.

But one in five adults globally still uses tobacco.

Smoking is linked to many diseases, including cancer.

Experts say vaping is far less harmful than cigarettes, and can help you quit smoking. It is not recommended for non-smokers.

E-cigarettes do not burn tobacco and do not produce tar or carbon monoxide, two of the most damaging elements in tobacco smoke. They contain nicotine, which can be addictive.

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Alarming number of people now vape, says WHO

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More than 100 million people, including at least 15 million children, use e-cigarettes, fuelling a new wave of nicotine addiction, say experts.

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This article talks about an ongoing investigation about deaths of 14 children under the age of five from contaminated cough syrup, in the states of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Now, criminal action has been launched against Sresan Pharma, a pharmaceutical manufacturer in the state of Tamil Nadu. Samples of their cough syrup, 'Coldrif' were tested that have found to contain 46.2% diethylene glycol, far exceeding permitted level of 0.1%. DEG is a toxic substance used in industrial solvents that can be fatal if ingested even in small amounts.The company faces accusations of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, adulteration of drugs, and manufacturing, selling, or distributing cosmetics in violation of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act.

India, known as the 'pharmacy of the world', has faced scrutiny for its quality of pharmaceutical exports with its cough syrups being linked to child deaths in Cameroon, Gambia and Uzbekistan previously in the last few years. India supplies 40% of generic medicines used in US, 25% in Britain and more than 90% in African countries. The contaminated batch of cough syrup was distributed only within India, so falling outside the scope of a 2023 rule for tests on exports to make sure the impugned chemical is within prescribed limits.

This article is concerning for many reasons. If so many times the quality of cough syrups and other pharmaceuticals in India have been under scrutiny and no regulatory reforms have been made to increase testing, then can we say that there is breach of responsibility on part of the State as well the fact that the manufacturing companies are repeating their lapses. Is it enough to just to take criminal action against the company?

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India begins criminal action against cough-syrup maker linked to deaths of 14 children

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Police in India have launched criminal action against a maker of cough syrup whose product was found to contain dangerous levels of a toxic chemical, after the deaths of 14 children suspected to have consumed contaminated medicine.

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Innovent Biologics' weight loss drug Xinermei was launched in July in China, becoming the third weekly injectable GLP-1 weight management therapy in the market after Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Eli Lilly's Mounjaro.

The company aims to increase awareness about weight management and highlight Xinermei's ability to reduce liver fat.

Beyond weight management, Xinermei has secured approval from China’s National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) for treating type 2 diabetes, with plans to expand into additional indications . Its user-centric design includes a painless injection pen with a hidden needle and single-use disposal, addressing patient anxiety about injections and reducing contamination risks . The drug is priced competitively: a 4-pack of 6mg injection pens has a recommended retail price of 2,920 yuan (approximately $411), positioning it between Wegovy ($400/month) and Mounjaro ($900/month) in China’s premium prescription weight loss market .

What interests me about this news is that as this type of weight-loss drug continues to flood into the market, the health risks fueled by aesthetic anxiety, regulatory loopholes, and commercial interests are also spreading. I have previously come across news reports of related incidents: some healthy individuals, in their blind pursuit of a slimmer figure, are driven by this "quick-fix" of drug use to purchase such weight-loss drugs privately. Even though most weight-loss drugs fall into the category of prescription-only drugs, regulatory oversights exist both in online and offline channels.

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Innovent’s weight-loss drug highlights China challenge for Novo, Lilly

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Innovent Biologics’ newly launched weight-loss drug is making inroads in its home market of China, ramping up competition with its Western rivals as it pursues a marketing strategy that is gaining traction.

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A medical doctor, who was under investigation in Norway following formal complaints from his colleagues, was able to obtain and retain a licence to practice medicine in Ireland. Gavriel Simha Furedi was suspen ded by Norwegian authorities in June 2021 and permanently struck off in November 2021. However he remained able to practice in Ireland and in fact remains on the register, although he has been under an interim suspension order since May 2023, pending a full hearing.

He continues to practice as an Opthalmologist in his native Romania, despite having “limited understanding” of sterility procedures and that attempts to train him in administering injections had failed.

An investigation by the Irish Times and others found that doctors found guilty of serious medical misconduct, including sexual abuse of patients and severe malpractise leading to death of patients in some cases, are easily sble to obtain a medical licence in another country.

An taoiseach Micheal Martin says thta responsibilty lies with The Medical Council.

The chair of The Irish Patients Association said that under EU regulations "patients have an explicit right to information about healthacre providers sanctions."

I am interested in this article as it raises the question as to who is responsible for the regulation of healthcare professionals. It exposes systemic failures in how doctors are regulated across international borders and the fact that there is very poor or non existent communication between county's regulatory bodies. This has implications for patients safety and quality of treatment received. The lack of communication undermines trust in medical professionals and the systems in place which are supposed to oversee regulation and accountability.

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Doctor suspended abroad was still licensed in Ireland, investigation finds

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Gavriel Simha Furedi was found to lack basic medical knowledge, including how to perform injections

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This article discusses how there is arise in triglycerides among young children between the age of 5-9 years. Triglycerides is the blood fat that is the source of our energy, but too much in the blood can lead to heart disease. In the fourth edition of Children in India 2025 by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation reveals that a third of India's children are affected by this. Triglycerides is mostly known to affect the elderly but the fact that it has reached/ growing among young children is alarming.

In India several of the states have concerning number of cases, among them West Bengal take a lead by 67% of children followed by 64% in Sikkim, 55% in Nagaland, 57% in Assam, and 50% in Jammu & Kashmir have Triglycerides. For children under 10 years it is normal to have under 75 mg/dL triglycerides.

This article is interesting to me as it shows the glimpse of the future children not just in India but all over the world. With the increasing use of AI and gadgets among young children the physical activities are decreasing. Children prefer playing video games and staying home this in turn will cause growing concerns for the future. It is interesting to see how the government in India will do to reduce this issue.

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One-third of Indian children may have high triglycerides, says government data

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The Children in India 2025 report shows that a third of India’s children aged 5–9 could have high triglycerides, signalling a hidden health risk that requires early prevention.

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This article discusses how a new NHS “online hospital” plan is being introduced to cut waiting lists in England. The program is due to launch in 2027 and will allow patients who have been referred to a hospital by a GP, to make online appointments with a specialist rather than having a face-to-face appointment. It will originally only be rolled out for a small number of health conditions and will be used to help clinical teams assess how urgent someone’s illness is. However, critics have commented that the service may exclude people who are not on any digital platform and also raised concerns about how this new endeavour would be staffed.

This article is interesting to me as it shows that while there are clear benefits to improving technology within a Health Service such as the NHS, there are also caveats which come alongside it such as the potential negative effects of advancements in technology. For example, the roll out of this scheme will provide additional costs for the NHS (staffing and the technology), for which the funding base will need to be found somewhere (increased taxation or reduced services elsewhere). There is also the inevitable outcome of introducing any new technology, that older members of society could be potentially excluded from the service, due to their lack of digital awareness and activity. This point is something which will need to be focused on even more in the future as medical technological advancements occur at a quicker rate than ever before.

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A new "online hospital" will deliver millions of appointments and help cut waiting lists, Keir Starmer is to announce in his leader's speech at Labour's conference.

The prime minister will set out plans for NHS Online, which will connect patients to specialist clinicians. The scheme, which will begin operating in 2027, will deliver up to 8.5m extra NHS appointments in its first three years, the government claimed.

In his speech in Liverpool on Tuesday afternoon, Starmer will say "a new world is coming" and that "in decades to come, I want people to look back on this moment as the moment we renewed the NHS for a new world".

The online hospital will be accessible through the NHS app and will allow patients to choose between the digital service and their local hospital.

Those who use the service will be able to access and track prescriptions, be referred for scans and tests and receive clinical advice on managing their condition.

Patients who require a physical test or a procedure will be able to book them on the app at a nearby hospital, surgical hub or community diagnostic centre.

Wes Streeting, the health secretary, said some NHS organisations trialling online hospital programmes were triaging patients within two days.

Describing how the programme may work, he told LBC: "When you're trying to book online to see a GP, booking your GP appointment via the app, it will identify you might be eligible for the NHS online hospital and you'll be directed there. Where this is working, people are getting triaged within 48 hours, and that is much quicker."

Streeting said the programme would not be rolled out until 2027 because "we've got to make sure it's tested. We've got to make sure it's safe".

He said: "Some of us, like myself, much prefer to see someone over the screen or over the phone rather than take time off work if I can possibly avoid it."

The scheme builds on ideas already being used in some NHS trusts to reduce waiting times and allow patients to get treatment or advice quicker.

In his speech, Starmer will describe it as "a new chapter in the story of our NHS, harnessing the future, patients in control". He will say: "Waiting times cut for every single person in this country. That's national renewal, that's a Britain built for all."

Streeting ruled out adding VAT to private healthcare after reports that the government was considering doing this in the budget.

Asked on Times Radio whether it was a good idea, he replied: "No, and the government won't be doing it."
He added: "I don't know what the genesis of the story was but that's not something the government is looking to do."

Starmer will stress the need for continued NHS modernisation, insisting it is Labour's responsibility to make the health service fit for the years to come.

He will say: "I know how hard people work in the NHS - I see it my family - and I celebrate it at every opportunity. But the responsibility of this party is not just to celebrate the NHS, it's to make it better."

Daniel Elkeles, the chief executive of NHS Providers, said: "This is a bold, exciting initiative, but the benefits should not come at the cost of destabilising vital services patients will continue to rely on."

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Keir Starmer to announce NHS 'online hospital' to help cut waiting lists

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Labour says service will deliver up to 8.5m extra NHS appointments in its first three years

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This article discusses the development of resistance against antibiotics. Concerning a Dutch professor in Clinical Microbiology, Heiman Wertheim, this would mean that more people will die form untreatable infections within 25 than from cancer.

The antimicrobial resistance (bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites) become increasingly resistant to usual treatment. Consequently, the necessary hospital admissions, amputations and deaths would increase due to the inefficacy of these treatments. This is currently already seen with urinary tract infections in the elderly.

While the Netherlands is increasingly hesitant ad cautious in prescribing antibiotics, other countries may be less careful. Resistant bacteria's know no borders and may therefore come to the Netherlands.

This article is interesting to me as it shows the unavoidable cross-over of public health and healthcare systems. While Dutch policy might be aimed at decreasing the risk of antibiotic resistance, in aims of keeping a sustainable and affordable system, developments worldwide influence it's efficacy.

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Antibiotic resistance could cause more deaths than cancer in 25 years: Dutch professor

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The number of bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics is increasing alarmingly worldwide. If nothing changes, more people will die from untreatable infections than from cancer within 25 years, Heiman Wertheim, a professor of Clinical Microbiology at Radboud University Medical Center and advisor to the World Health Organization, told De Gelderlander.

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This article discusses the risk of Donald Trump's policies which are anti immigration to healthcare. The reason it's said to be a risk is because the workforce in the US healthcare sector are immigrants.

Democrats are campaigning heavily against Donald Trump's immigration policies as well as his "Big Beautiful Bill".

This article is a highlight of a strong liberal arguing point - coming from the Guardian, a liberal newspaper and quoting the Democrats - immigrants are needed to fuel the economy- in this case they're needed to provide healthcare workers. I do believe more evidence needs to be given as to why foreign nationals make better healthcare workers - and the Conservative argument against the Liberal talking point.

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Trump gutting protected status for immigrants will strain US healthcare, Democrats warn

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Exclusive: more than 100 members of Congress warn TPS cancellations will result in significant staff losses that US healthcare facilities will struggle to replace

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This article states that the forthcoming UK autumn Budget will not impose VAT on private healthcare, according to confirmation from Health Secretary Wes Streeting. In the UK, the majority of private healthcare services are currently VAT-free. The requirement to adhere to borrowing regulations for public services puts pressure on Chancellor Rachel Reeves over possible increases in taxes in her November budget. She underlined the challenge of the government's economic decisions impacted by global events in her speech to the Labour convention. Reeves admitted that "the world has changed" during the past year, making the budget outlook more difficult, even though Labour's election manifesto promises not to raise some taxes, like as VAT. The Good Growth Foundation, which projects a sizable revenue generation through such an approach, supports former Labour leader Neil Kinnock's proposal to impose a value-added tax (VAT) on private healthcare in order to fund public services. Despite concerns regarding the necessity of tax rises, Reeves dismissed extreme projections about a £50bn public financial imbalance.

I chose this article as it is a clear example of how government budgets may effect healthcare. In this instance, the decision was made not to impose vat on private healthcare but it also emphasises the pressure government officials may face when times are tough and how they might choose to decrease healthcare budget, or impose higher taxes on it to better the budget overall

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Streeting rules out VAT on private healthcare - BBC News

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The health secretary says “it’s not happening”, as ministers face questions about the prospect of tax rises.

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This article shares the now-deleted post from Trump featuring an AI Fox News report of 'medbeds' coming to the US. I had never heard of these before seeing this video, so it was very interesting to learn it's a long-running, substantial QAnon conspiracy theory. Medbeds are almost magical beds that utilize alien technology to rapidly heal people with incredibly advanced cures. The video of AI Trump quotes "This is a beginning of a new era in American healthcare.... Every American will soon receive their own medbed card ... With it you'll have guaranteed access to our new hospitals led by the top doctors in the nation." This video is insane to me on so many levels. The hypocrisy of slashing research funding that works towards finding cures for disease, firing leading experts from the CDC, wanting to cut Medicade/Medicare, and constantly promoting anti-science beliefs, yet wanting to believe that magical beds are cure-alls and every American should have access to them is mind-boggling. This acknowledgment that Americans want universal healthcare and better solutions in healthcare is significant, but the proposed solution is in the wrong direction of actual change and bettering of Americans. (And is also not real.....)

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Trump shares apparent AI video promoting ‘medbed’ conspiracy theory | CNN Politics

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The video, which was intended to resemble a Fox News segment on the show hosted by the president’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump, featured an AI version of Trump promising access to new medical technology.

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This article discusses new research about the risks of secondary cancers for breast cancer survivors. The researcher looked at second primary cancers in 475,000 women between 1993 and 2016. They found that 20 years post breast cancer diagnosis 14 in 100 will develop non breast secondary cancer. This compares to 12 in 100 women in the general population. Cancer of the second breast posed the most risk - with 6 in 100 likely to develop second breast cancer in the other breast compared to 3 in 100 women in the general population. The paper found that treatment accounted for approximately 2% of all observed cancers. Prior to this study little reliable data was available to breast cancer patients - this added to the difficulty of their diagnosis and treatment. The research also includes patients which is integral to ensuring patient centred care.

I enjoyed this article as it has addressed a gap in the care of breast cancer survivors and has also contributed to a patient ‘friendly’ package to ensure that breast cancer patients are more informed about the true risks associated with their care options.

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Good news for breast cancer survivors who live in fear of recurrence

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A recent paper has found risk of a second primary cancer is much lower than many patients believe

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I chose an incredibly depressing article last week, so I saw this article and knew I wanted to cover something positive for this week! The author talks about how Huntington's disease, a condition that resembles a combination of dementia, Parkinson's and motor neuron disease, was successfully treated for the first time. The disease typically shows up in 30-40 year olds, and is fatal after 20 years - however the decline in quality of life is very severe in this time. Researchers described how data shows the disease was slowed by 75% in patients after a new type of gene therapy given during intensive surgery. This means "the decline you would normally expect in one year would take four years after treatment," says one of the researchers in the article. Though an expensive treatment, this breakthrough is the first sign of hope for many families all over the world.

I found this article extremely uplifting and brought a tear to my eye after they shared personal stories with people who have been affected by this disease. I truly hope that within my lifetime we are able to see even more breakthroughs like this with other degenerative diseases.

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Huntington's disease successfully treated for first time

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One of the most devastating diseases finally has a treatment that could transform lives, tearful doctors tell BBC

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This article discusses threats made by US President Donald Trump against the European Union to impose a 100% tariff on pharmaceuticals exported from EU nations if a manufacturing plant is built in America. It was announced on Monday that Trump would honour a former deal made with the EU to cap these exports at a 15% tariff. This story, however, caused a stir in Ireland, as branded pharmaceutical manufacturing makes up a massive portion of Ireland's exports around the world. Experts say that these tariffs are being used as leverage by Trump; at the time the article was written, Trump said, "we just don't have the detail at this point" in regards to if larger tariffs would be imposed, tossing the EU and Ireland into worry.

As one of Ireland's major industries, a decision like this against their pharmaceutical industry would create mass unemployment and drastically change global trading relationships. More importantly, the tariffs could result in massive increases in costs for live-saving medications, and may result in cutbacks on research and innovation into new medications.

I originally heard this story on RTE over the weekend, and was first shocked by the insanely high tariff proposed. Reading more on the story, however, I was struck thinking about the impact decisions like these can have on everyday people. This is especially true of the United States, where many people have to pay out of pocket for certain medications; tariffs like these would make medications incredibly expensive, even more so than they already are. Ireland could have potentially responded by matching the United States' tariff as well, and it got me thinking: are countries prepared to respond to the tariff wars waged by Trump within their healthcare system? If tariffs are placed on medications shipped around the world, are public systems prepared to take on higher costs, or will there be cuts to healthcare budgets? It's also very sad to me that ideology can have such a swift impact on the rest of the world's health and healthcare systems, and that it is also at stake with these kinds of political fights.

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Ireland ‘uniquely vulnerable’ to Trump pharma tariff threat

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US president announced plans to hit pharma with a 100% import tax unless a company is building a manufacturing plant in America

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Japan is facing a major problem, a shortage of cancer surgeons. As we know, Japan has an aging population, so this trend is particularly concerning. According to the Japanese Society of Gastroenterological Surgery, the number of gastrointestinal surgeons could drop by 40 percent by 2040.

There is also a very low number of younger doctors choosing to specialize in cancer surgery.

Several factors explain why younger generations avoid this specialty:

Huge workload and high stress

Long and complex surgical procedures

Fewer young doctors due to the overall aging population

The shortage also varies by region. Urban areas such as Tokyo, Saitama, and Chiba have not yet faced this problem, but rural areas are experiencing a sharp decline in cancer surgeons.

The Japanese government is attempting to improve working conditions, particularly by limiting workloads, but these efforts have not yet been successful.

I am interested in this news because Japan, as an island nation, has traditionally been largely independent, but the aging population is creating serious workforce shortages.

For example, Japan plans to welcome 500,000 Indian immigrants to work over the next few years, a policy that has sparked public protests.

I am curious about how Japan will address these problems without relying heavily on immigrants given its aging society.

Is it finally time for Japan to accept foreign workers on a larger scale, or are there alternative solutions to this challenge?

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Health Ministry Panel on Cancer Care Predicts Surgeon Shortage in Japan

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While the need for cancer surgery is expected to fall over the next 15 years in Japan, the number of surgeons able to perform operations is likely to decline even more quickly.

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This article talks about delay in introduction of health labelling on alcohol bottles and cans. This was a measure stated in the Public Health (Alcohol) Act enforced from October 2018, aimed at reducing alcohol consumption levels and associated harms in Ireland, but this measure has not been introduced ever since. An average of four deaths every day in Ireland are alcohol related and about 1000 alcohol-related cancers are diagnosed each year.

Health labelling means health warning and information is added to labels on bottles and cans of alcohol like direct link between cancer and alcohol, calorie and alcohol content, weblink for health information on alcohol. WHO endorses health warning as key component of comprehensive alcohol policy. This measure was originally to become a legal requirement for producers from May 2026 but has now being delayed till 2028 with the government attributing delay to increased pressure on drinks industry due to US trade tariffs. The author strikes a contradiction between policy enactment and policy implementation and the gaps in between caused due to industry lobbying, conflicting interests of public health vs profit, cost of implementing labelling, lack of high-level leadership.

I find this article interesting as it sheds light upon the complexity of policy making where so many factors are playing a role. Even after enactment of labelling policy by the Irish Government, the differing opinions of the industry and the fight between public wellbeing and private profit making never really ends.

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What’s delaying alcohol health labelling on bottles & cans?

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Health labelling is one of a suite of measures aiming to reduce alcohol consumption levels and associated harms in Ireland

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Recent floods in Pakistan have affected more than 33,000 people, with 1,300 people (including 400 children) dead or displaced. Concerns now emerge in the region of waterborne illness and access to treatment.

While the monsoon season in summer is normal for the country, this year climate experts say its effects have been exacerbated by a severe heatwave that caused the glaciers to melt faster than normal.

According to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, South Asia is one of the world’s climate crisis “hotspots” where people are 15 times more likely to die from climate effects.

Standing water affects many aspects of life in Pakistan, from crop damage to closed roads, which both have knock on affects for food access.

Additionally, the charity WaterAid, “Half of all water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in some of the hardest-hit areas of Pakistan have suffered substantial damage, and there are already reports of thousands of people suffering from dysentery.”

Dysentery is a highly infectious disease that causes severe diarrhoea with blood, fevers, abdominal cramps and life-threatening dehydration. Children and elderly are most at risk for developing severe symptoms.

The World Health Organization (WHO) says rural people are feeling the effects of the flooding most acutely and estimate that 1,400 health facilities have been fully or partially damaged by the flooding. Access to care, the WHO says, is a major challenge following the storms as many people and children face malnutrition for the reasons listed here.

Pakistan prior to the flooding was seeing a rise in cholera cases, and experts warn that the standing water will also increase the mosquito population, leading to a potential rise in malaria and dengue fever.

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[Jawahir Al-Naimi/Al Jazeera]

Thirty-three million people have been affected by the recent floods in Pakistan. The disaster has left more than 1,300 people - including more than 400 children - dead, displaced millions and put one-third of the country under water.

The floods were brought on by a severe heatwave which caused glaciers in the mountains to melt and heavier-than-normal monsoon rains.

Keep reading

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the flooding as a "monsoon on steroids" and a "climate catastrophe". South Asia is one of the world's climate crisis "hotspots" where people are 15 times more likely to die from climate effects, he warned. Although Pakistan contributes less than 1 percent to global carbon emissions, its share of the catastrophic effects of climate change is colossal.

As initial floodwaters ravaged towns and villages, drowning posed an immediate danger, and many people lost their lives this way. But as water continues to destroy crops and the roads along which food is transported, malnutrition becomes a very real threat. As is the case with many natural disasters, the most vulnerable will be the worst affected.

As well as being a humanitarian disaster, the floods also threaten the very fragile health infrastructure that was in place in Pakistan, bringing with them a new set of worrying health challenges.

Even before the current floods, there was a significant disparity in access to health services between rural and urban areas. Accessing these rural areas has been difficult. The World Health Organization (WHO) said that more than 1,400 health facilities had been fully or partially damaged and that access to "health facilities, healthcare workers, and essential medicines and medical supplies" remained the main healthcare challenge.

Waterborne diseases

Another key concern is the likely rise in waterborne diseases. People who have fled the devastation are living in makeshift camps with little or no access to clean water. According to charity Wateraid, half of all water, sanitation and hygiene facilities in some of the hardest-hit areas of Pakistan have suffered substantial damage, and there are already reports of thousands of people suffering from dysentery.

This highly infectious disease is an intestinal infection that causes severe diarrhoea with blood, fevers, abdominal cramps and life-threatening dehydration. The bacteria and parasites that cause dysentery, shigella E coli and amebiasis thrive in poorly sanitised water. Children and the elderly will be at most at risk of the complications that accompany dehydration.

The spread of cholera is also a concern according to the WHO and the UN. Cholera is an infectious disease caused by the bacteria Vibrio cholerae. It is spread through contaminated water supplies. If not managed properly, it can cause hypovolemic shock due to loss of fluid, kidney failure, and death. People who contract cholera can shed the bacteria in their stools for up to 10 days, adding to the risk of it spreading.

Before the floods, Pakistan was experiencing a rise in cholera cases, particularly across the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Punjab, and Balochistan regions, and oral cholera vaccines and surveillance programmes were being set up, but many of these will have been pushed back as the floods hit.

As flood waters become stagnant, we are also going to see a rise in mosquito populations, which will use the waters as a breeding ground. Mosquitos bring with them vector-borne diseases, the most worrying being malaria and dengue fever.

With malaria, mosquitoes carry the Plasmodium parasite which is released into the bloodstream when an affected mosquito bites a human. The parasite travels to the liver where it grows; once fully formed it leaves the liver and enters red blood cells and begins to multiply. When the numbers inside of a red blood cell reach critical levels, they bust open, destroying the cell and the cycle begins again with the new parasites. Symptoms typically include fever, sweats, anaemia, and vomiting. There is a risk of coma and death if not treated with appropriate medication.

Dengue fever is transmitted via the bite of a mosquito harbouring the dengue virus. Symptoms include high fever, headaches, rashes, swollen glands as well as vomiting and bloody diarrhoea. A small percentage of people who have dengue fever can develop a more serious form of the disease known as dengue haemorrhagic fever. This can cause severe bleeding and death.

Skin diseases caused by people living in wet conditions are already being widely reported. Dermatological fungal infections grow best on wet or damp skin. As people make their way through floods, they expose large parts of their skin to the microbes that live within the water. Unable to wash clean afterwards, these bacteria and fungi thrive in skin folds under breasts, in the groin area and between toes causing intense itching, pain and skin breakdown, which in turn increases the risk of further infections.

Disrupted care

There is also a concern that the floods will cause disruption to much-needed immunisation programmes that were being rolled out across Pakistan.

Before the floods, Pakistan had reported more than 4,500 cases of measles and 15 cases of wild poliovirus in 2022, according to the WHO. Children will now be put at increased risk of vaccine-preventable diseases as much of the infrastructure needed to access and provide these life-saving vaccines was washed away.

Additionally, children face an education crisis as the floods have also fully or partially destroyed nearly 19,000 schools. This lack of education coupled with the trauma of living through a natural disaster of such magnitude is going to have far-reaching consequences for the children affected.

Among the millions of severely affected people are at least 650,000 pregnant women and girls, 73,000 of whom are expected to deliver in the next month. The United Nations Population Fund ( UNFPA) says many of these women lack access to the healthcare facilities and support they need to deliver their children safely. With healthcare facilities and homes destroyed, many simply do not know where or how they will give birth.

Even before the floods, Pakistan had high maternal mortality rates - a result of lack of access to healthcare facilities and education, malnutrition, poverty and a high prevalence of violence against women. This was most pronounced in rural areas - the very areas that have been worst affected by the flooding. And it is not only pregnant women and girls who will be affected, but also those seeking access to contraception and other reproductive health services.

In addition to this, menstruating women are unlikely to have access to sanitary products and risk serious infection by using pieces of cloth to soak up menstrual blood and then washing it in contaminated water supplies, only to reuse it again.

Any relief effort must recognise that women and girls are disproportionally impacted by any natural disaster and must plan for female-specific support.

There has been criticism over the sluggish response to aid provision, particularly as the disaster has come at a time when many in the West are grappling with rising food and energy bills of their own. But turning our backs on those living through climate catastrophes largely caused by other countries is a mistake.

The global plan must recognise the immediate crisis facing the people of Pakistan but also the steps needed to tackle the wider issue of climate change because if nothing is done, it will inevitably affect us all.

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Pakistan floods: A health crisis of epic proportions

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With 33 million people affected by flooding, increased risks of waterborne diseases and disrupted access to healthcare.

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This article discusses the rise in cases of Tuberculosis (TB) in Ireland, expected to reach 300 this year—the highest since 2018—an ibcrease of 30% over the past two years. Prof Anne Marie McLaughlin of St James's National TB Centre says this rise is largely due to the growing levels of homelessnes in Ireland. The majprity of cases, around 60% are foreign-born and either living in IPAS centres or without stable housing, while 30% are Irish-born individuals, many of whom are immuno-suppressed due to conditions like cancer. Prisons remain another area of concern. In the modern era, TB is entirely curable and there are calls for government funding to support the development and implementation of a new app that will help monitor patients' medication adherence—at a fraction of the cost of current traditional public health visits—and to set up a drop-in clinic for homeless patients who struggle to attend scheduled appointments. Maureen O’Donnell of the Irish Lung Fibrosis Association called for equal access to care, noting that 75% of patients with that condition are currently not offered critical pulmonary rehabilitation.

I find this article interesting because it exposes the connection between infectious diseases and social issues like homelessness, immigration, and incarceration. It also highlights how health inequalities affect vulnerable groups who struggle to access basic care, and how preventable illnesses can escalate without targeted investment, planning, and equity in healthcare access.

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TB cases in Ireland expected to hit 300 this year

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The number of tuberculosis (TB) cases in Ireland is expected to hit 300 this year, the highest number since 2018.

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China's Overweight and Obesity Rate Among Children Under 6 Drops to 9.7%, with Multiple Nutritional Indicators Continuously Improving (Sept 12, 2025)

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On September 12, 2025, Lei Haichao, Director of China's National Health Commission (NHC), revealed at a press conference that the overweight and obesity rate among Chinese children under 6 years old has decreased from 10.4% five years ago to the current 9.7%, falling below the 10% threshold. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), the incidence rate of macrosomia (large-for-gestational-age infants) has dropped for five consecutive years, and children's overall nutritional status has improved: the stunting rate among children under 6 nationwide has fallen to 4.5%, and the underweight rate to 1.4%. This change is attributed to national-level comprehensive prevention and control strategies, such as the three-year "Weight Management Year" initiative launched in 2024 and school-based health interventions.

What interests me about this news is that this multi-level policy implementation—from the national level down to schools—embodies the value of preventive public health in enhancing the overall health literacy of the public. It also reflects the shift from "treating diseases" to "fostering health" in the health policies of many countries today, breaking the limitations of single medical intervention.

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China’s child overweight, obesity rates drop to below 10 pct

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The rates of overweight and obesity among Chinese children under the age of 6 decreased from 10.4 percent five years ago to the current 9.7 percent, head of the National Health Commission Lei Haichao said on Thursday.

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This article discusses how planned new hospitals in Ireland, which were projected to be completed by 2027 are now no longer on a trajectory to be completed by the original proposed date. Rather now, there is no clear deadline, with a lack of commitment that they would be completed even in the next five years. These hospitals were intended to be for day procedures and other surgeries, with no Emergency Department. The article also discusses long delays in treatment for breast cancer, with some women waiting up to six months for a scan. Also, there is reference to the new public contract for consultants, which allows for only public patients to be seen in the public hospital they are based in.

This article is interesting to me as the Government does not seem to have learned lessons from the building of the National Children's Hospital in Ireland, which has been significantly delayed. The Government has also made broad statements in relation to its intention to progress capital projects within the country as part of the National Development Plan - surely it would be prudent to prioritise projects which are already behind schedule or projects which need to be re-scoped. Interesting to hear rhetoric from Oireachtas Committees as I have attended these myself in the past and I am aware of how answers are not necessarily designed to provide information.

Lastly, in relation to the public contracts for consultants, which I looked into further. It designates consultants to "work 8am-10pm Monday to Friday and 8am-6pm Saturday as part of their core 37-hour week" and any work outside of this would be at the behest of the consultant in their private practice. On the face of it, aligned with the goals of slaintecare, this move seems like a step forward for Irish healthcare if we want to achieve universal healthcare within the country.

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The hospitals earmarked for Dublin, Cork and Galway would carry out day surgeries and other procedures for public patients without the pressures of having an emergency department.

But health officials who were quizzed by TDs at the Oireachtas health committee today remained vague about progress, even though the planned hospitals continue to be part of public policy.

Labour party TD Marie Sherlock questioned whether the capital budget was enough and Derek Tierney of the Department of Health said the intention was to progress them over the next five years.

"Our real work is the get them up to shovel-ready stages," he added.

Asked by Ms Sherlock whether the "sod will not be turned by this phase of the National Development Plan " in 2030, he said that was "possible".

He said the priority was to get nine surgical hubs up and running instead. In the meantime, they would be progressing the "design and statutory planning" of elective hospitals, he added.

So far just one new surgical hub in Mount Carmel, south Dublin, is open and it is just 70pc operational. A long-standing hub has been in place at Tallaght University Hospital.

Fianna Fáil Senator Teresa Costello said she had been told that younger women with potential symptoms of breast cancer were not being scanned on the day of examination and being told they could wait six months.

"Thirteen years ago when I was diagnosed, I presented to a symptomatic breast clinic and I got a triple assessment that day and I was diagnosed and having chemotherapy within two weeks."

HSE chief Bernard Gloster said he himself was concerned about the response rate at breast cancer clinics.

HSE chief clinical officer Colm Henry also said the target was to see urgent referrals at rapid access breast clinics within 10 days and "we have some concerns on compliance". He added that any tests needed should not be postponed.

Mr Gloster, who told the committee that two more reviews were under way at Portiuncula hospital maternity unit in Galway into the case of a stillbirth and an infant who suffered lack of oxygen and blood to the brain, confirmed that higher-risk pregnancies would be moved to Galway University Hospital from the start of next month.

Questioned by Fianna Fáil TD Martin Daly, Mr Gloster he said the decision was "not being made in any blame context" but only to make it as safe as possible.

Earlier, the HSE chief said that said that since the introduction of a public-only contract for hospital consultants, the number of specialists had increased to 4,670.

Of that number, 3,090 have taken up the new contract worth up to €300,000, including 2,147 doctors who switched over from an older contract and and 943 new recruits. Average earnings are around €360,000 after a recent report showed a consultant paid over €963,000 in 2023.

The doctors treat only public patients in public hospitals and this has led to a loss of around €100m in private income for hospitals.

Department of Health Secretary General Robert Watt said that new software enabling better tracking of consultants' work went live on June 24.

"This development enables accurate reporting of five over seven working [days] for consultants, service planning and informs medical workforce planning."

"Emergency departments remain under significant pressure, with attendances increasing year-on-year.

"In the 12 months from April 2024 to March 2025, our hospitals treated approximately 1.85 million patients in emergency care, a 10pc increase on the previous year.

"To address this, we are expanding the use of acute medical and surgical assessment units. These are spaces where lower acuity patients can be diagnosed, treated, and discharged exceptionally quickly, increasing the availability of inpatient ward beds for higher acuity cases and elective surgeries.

"We are also developing integrated care pathways that allow for direct referrals from GPs and community services - reducing unnecessary emergency department attendances."

Referring to criticism of hospital operating theatres lying idle in the evenings and weekends, he said: "Efficient use of theatre capacity is essential to reducing waiting times for elective procedures.

"We are supporting hospitals to improve scheduling, reduce cancellations, and extend operating hours. A theatre utilisation tool has been implemented in 50pc of hospitals across 22 sites over fuve health regions with significant potential for improvement in productivity identified within existing resources.

"Importantly, the flexibility provided through the new public only consultant contract must be implemented in full to support the transition to a full seven-day service."

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New hospitals to tackle waiting lists delayed, with health officials unable to give construction timeline

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Long-promised new hospitals to reduce waiting lists for public patients face a setback after health officials were unable today to guarantee a timeline for construction - although they were originally due to be operational by 2027.

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This article highlights the closure of health clinics following President Donald Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill'.

Augusta Medical Group blamed the bill for its closure as did Rural health.

The bill is Framed as favouring the rich and towns and cities neglecting rural areas, and putting jobs at risk.

It gives Democrats the chance to campaign on fighting against the bill and working in favour of companies like Augusta Medical Group and Rurual Health.

It shows the divsivness of healthcare which Trump described in his first term as more complicated than expected.

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This article outlines that in the wake of Trump’s administration’s alterations to the federal vaccination policy, seven US states have now banded together to form a new coalition for public health.

The is Northeast Public Health Collaborative is comprised of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York State, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and also includes New York City. This initiative resembles the West Coast Health Alliance which is comprised of four West Coast states. The West Coast Health Alliance went beyond the current federal recommendations and encouraged all adults and children to receive the Covid-19 vaccine.

These coalitions reflects a need to combat the recent vaccine limitations imposed by Robert F Kennedy in his role of

Health and Human Services Secretary, as RFK jr is skeptical of vaccines. As seen last week’s padlet task, RFK discouraged pregnant women from receiving the Covid vaccine and those not at high risk but stated that those who want it can get it (this greatly reduces the opportunity for people to receive it because not all pharmacies would go against federal recommendations and there’s an increased likelihood that insurers won’t cover the vaccine costs).

i chose this article as it expanded upon the growing issue of skepticism of vaccinations within the current administration of the US, but highlighted how some of the democratic majority states have banded together in various coalitions to ensure that citizens receive more accurate healthcare vaccination recommendations that go beyond the current federal policy

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A study by insurance comparison website Independer shows that two thirds of Dutch people are against a reduction of the healthcare deductible by half.

In the Netherlands, all citizens are required by law to be (privately) insured. For this insurance everyone has to pay a monthly premium which starts around €160,-. Additionally, there is a €385,- healthcare deductible per year which people have to pay for if they make use of their insurance. People are insured and fully covered for costs that exceeds this deductible.

Recently our government, led by right-wing party the PVV, proposed to cut the deductible fee by half, making the economic barriers for poor people to seek out and receive healthcare lower. However, two thirds of Dutch citizens are against this plan, as (private) health insurers claimed they need to increase the monthly premium to pay for this reduction.

The article is relevant to this course because the distribution of the systems' (and therefore individuals') costs to provide healthcare is seen within the balance of the premiums and deductibles. Healthy and rich people would probably be in favour of low premiums as they don't use the deductibles as much as poorer and less healthy people. The governments' plan would be beneficial for the equity of the system, making healthier people pay more in comparison to less healthier people.

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Two-thirds of Netherlands residents are against the plan to halve the healthcare deductible to €165 per year due to the high increase in premiums that would cause, the Telegraaf reports based on a study by the comparison site Independer.

The healthcare deductible is currently €385 per year. This is the amount you have to pay out of your own pocket if you require hospital treatment, on top of your monthly health insurance premium. Political parties in the Netherlands have been debating the deductible for years. Opponents argue that it can lead to people avoiding healthcare because they can't afford it. Proponents argue that it prevents unnecessary care and, thereby, keeps some pressure off already overburdened healthcare workers.

Led by the PVV, the current Cabinet decided to halve the deductible to €165 per year, effective January 2027. The Council of State warned that this would increase pressure on the healthcare system and increase premiums by €200 per year.

According to the Independer, two-thirds of Netherlands residents are against this plan. They feel the increased premiums outweigh the lower deductible. Among young people, 71 percent oppose the plan to reduce the deductible. The proposal is slightly more popular among people over 60, but 59 percent are still against it.

"The whole idea behind lowering the deductible was originally to help vulnerable groups like people with low incomes," Bas Knopperts of the Independer told the Telegraaf. "But people with low incomes already receive healthcare benefits for this. A vulnerable group that could actually face problems is people with occupational disabilities. They currently receive an annual allowance of 220 euros, which will be eliminated if the deductible is lowered to €165."

According to the Independer, health insurance premiums increased from an average of €00 per month for basic health insurance in 2015 to €158 this year. "If the plans go ahead, the premium could rise to around €200 per month starting in 2027. That's double the amount in 2015. I think that's difficult to sell to the average Dutch person."

Now that the Schoof I Cabinet has fallen and elections are happening next month, it is unclear whether the plan to halve the healthcare deductible will go through. This will depend on the election results and which parties enter the new government.

The election programs for the PVV, GroenLinks-PvdA, and SP state that they want to abolish the deductible entirely. The CDA, VVD, and JA21 want to scrap the reduction. D66 wants to at least halve the deductible for chronically ill people and people with disabilities.

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Most Dutch against halving the healthcare deductible to €165

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Two-thirds of Netherlands residents are against the plan to halve the healthcare deductible to €165 per year due to the high increase in premiums that would cause, the Telegraaf reports based on a study by the comparison site Independer.

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This article discusses an ongoing issue within US and global healthcare systems involving significant strain on healthcare workers. Over half of US healthcare workers are actively looking to leave their current jobs, highlighting burnout and high turnover rates within healthcare roles. This is wildly problematic because we are seeing an unprecedented need for healthcare workers as people live longer with worse health. Staffing shortages and lack of long-term experienced workers will result in worse client care and dangerous medical situations for staff and clients.

One potential solution is for employers to offer tuition assistance, which is not unsurprising because medical education is one of the most expensive types and notorious for having significant student loan debt. Additionally, employers can prevent burnout by creating personal relationships with their staff to check in on appropriate case loads, problematic patients, and future career goals. Offering additional education and career advancement opportunities through the company is also another way employers can reduce turnover rates and maintain a strong group of talented, experienced healthcare

workers.

It's important to note that burnout and staffing shortages are not new phenomena, but are reaching a 'crisis' level scale. As US and global populations continue to become elderly and increasingly dependent, healthcare workers will become even more vital. However, since it takes timely training to become a healthcare worker, it would be much more beneficial to focus on preventative measures and how to retain staff rather than looking at replacing current employees.

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This article announces that Trump officials in the US are expected to suggest a link between Tylenol use during pregnancy and autism, despite widespread disagreement from medical experts and the drug’s manufacturer. They are apparently about to issue advice to pregnant women to avoid using Tylenol following a statement calling autism “out of control.” There have been some studies carried out which have suggested a possible connection between prenatal Tylenol use and autism, but findings are inconsistent and inconclusive. Tylenol maker Kenvue and major medical bodies, including the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, continue to recommend the drug as safe for pregnant women. A 2024 study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association found no link, while a Harvard-led review advised caution but acknowledged the importance of treating maternal fever. Experts are in agreement that autism is caused by a complex mix of genetic and environmental factors, not a single drug. Autism diagnoses have risen sharply in recent decades, largely due to broader definitions and greater awareness.

Kenvue have reported a sharp drop in share prices over the weekend as a consequence.

I find it worrying and puzzling, that these claims and allegations are so easily made and widely disseminated and it is another example of policy decisions being made without clear, strong evidence. Tylenol (acetaminophen) is one of the most commonly used medications during pregnancy. Claims about its safety can significantly impact how millions of pregnant women manage pain or fever—both of which can also pose risks to fetal health if untreated. The unfounded theories of Trump and Kennedy raise concerns about the spread of medical misinformation and undermines the public's trust in the medical profession.

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Major medical groups say it is safe for pregnant women to take Tylenol, also known as Paracetamol

Trump officials are expected to link the use of pain reliever Tylenol in pregnant women to autism, according to US media reports.

At an Oval Office event on Monday, the US president will reportedly advise pregnant women in the US to only take Tylenol, known as paracetamol elsewhere, to relieve high fevers.

At the Charlie Kirk memorial service on Sunday, Trump said he had an "amazing" announcement coming on autism, saying it was "out of control" but they might now have a reason why.

Some studies have shown a link between pregnant women taking Tylenol and autism, but these findings are inconsistent and do not prove the drug causes autism.

Tylenol is a popular brand of pain relief medication sold in the United States, Canada and some other countries. Its active ingredient is acetaminophen, which is called paracetamol outside North America.

Tylenol maker Kenvue has defended the use of the drug in pregnant women.

In a statement to the BBC, it said: "We believe independent, sound science clearly shows that taking acetaminophen does not cause autism. We strongly disagree with any suggestion otherwise and are deeply concerned with the health risk this poses for expecting mothers."

Acetaminophen is the safest pain reliever option for pregnant women, it added, and without it, women face a dangerous choice between suffering through conditions like fever or use riskier alternatives.

The BBC has contacted the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for comment.

In April, the leader of HHS, Robert F Kennedy Jr, pledged "a massive testing and research effort" to determine the cause of autism in five months.

But experts have cautioned that finding the causes of autism - a complex syndrome that has been researched for decades - would not be simple.

The widely held view of researchers is that there is no single cause of autism, which is thought to be the result of a complex mix of genetic and environmental factors.

The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology said doctors across the country have consistently identified Tylenol as one of the only safe pain relievers for pregnant women.

"[S]tudies that have been conducted in the past, show no clear evidence that proves a direct relationship between the prudent use of acetaminophen during any trimester and fetal developmental issues," the group has said.

The drug is recommended by other major medical groups as well as other governments around the world.

In August, a review of research led by the dean of Harvard University's Chan School of Public Health found that children may be more likely to develop autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders when exposed to Tylenol during pregnancy.

The researchers argued some steps should be taken to limit use of the drug, but said the pain reliever was still important for treating maternal fever and pain, which can also have negative effects for children.

But another study, published in 2024, found no relationship between exposure to Tylenol and autism.

"There is no robust evidence or convincing studies to suggest there is any causal relationship," said Monique Botha, a professor in social and developmental psychology at Durham University.

Dr Botha added that pain relief for pregnant women was "woefully lacking", with Tylenol being one of the only safe options for the population.

Autism diagnoses have increased sharply since 2000, and by 2020 the rate among 8-year-olds reached 2.77%, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Scientists attribute at least part of the rise to increased awareness of autism and an expanding definition of the disorder. Researchers have also been investigating environmental factors.

In the past, Kennedy has offered debunked theories about the rising rates of autism, blaming vaccines despite a lack of evidence.

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Trump will reportedly link autism to Tylenol - but many experts are sceptical

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Some studies have suggested an association between the two, but experts say there is no causal relationship.

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This article details a policy proposal being drafted by some ministers that would give cities significant power in public service delivery, including healthcare. A report published by the Labour Together thinktank proposes that mayors be given control over hospitals and social care. The thinktank proposes that this would be a great way to save money, as locally underfunded social care services could be funded through diverted NHS funds at the control of potential local healthcare commissioners. These policies could be added to the UK deevolution bill, which is currently in the committee review stage in the House of Commons.

I was particularly interested in this article because it reports on a potential departure from current healthcare policy in the UK. The NHS proudly offers free healthcare services to citizens of the UK. What would the response of the public be if a change like this occurred? This may also result in different healthcare access across the country, which I think would inspire massive debates and upheavals in a country that is used to receiving relatively similar healthcare across the board. Coming from a country where healthcare delivery is centralized, it does result in different solutions and delivery depending on where you live. I would expect similar results in the UK, which the population is not used to.

I also believe that this solution could be effective in making better use of health funding, especially with continued inefficiencies with the NHS system. By devolving these powers to local authorities, they can direct funding to preventative care that they already have institutions in place for, allowing them to expand these efforts and save money in the long-run on curative care. I could also see it being easier for local authorities to handle issues of medical malpractice or mismanagement, as powers for delivery are being given to smaller units that have more time as a resource on their hands.

I'm also curious as to why this change is happening now, after almost 100 years of a fully centralized healthcare system? Is it due to the current status of the global economic system, or trends towards more localized service delivery?

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Ministers are drawing up plans to give mayors significant new powers over hospitals and schools as part of a new wave of devolution that could change how public services are run in England.

Steve Reed, the local government secretary, wants to give mayors control over many more local services, and is weighing up handing over some NHS services and even parts of the criminal justice system.

The plans have received the backing of the Labour Together thinktank, which Reed helped found, in a report to be published on Monday. Government insiders say any changes could be included as amendments to the devolution bill that is going through parliament.

Reed said: "Giving communities more power is why I am in politics. As a former council leader, I cut violent youth crime and improved social housing by empowering local people.

"This government's mission is to transform the country. That starts with putting people in control of their own communities and lives. That is how we restore trust in politics and restore pride to the areas people call home."

Reed has been in position at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) for only a few weeks after the resignation of Angela Rayner.

His new role gives him control of the government's devolution bill, which provides local leaders greater freedom over how they spend their money and encourages them to bid for new powers from Whitehall.

The local government secretary is looking at ways to expand the scope of those proposals so that it unilaterally hands over significant new powers to mayors, potentially by amending the bill in the Commons.

Supporters of the plans point out that if mayors could gain control over hospitals and social care, for example, they could divert NHS funding into community care schemes, saving money in the process.

Decisions over hospital funding are currently taken by NHS bodies known as integrated care boards. But the Labour Together report, which Reed has studied and partially endorsed, calls for mayors to be given the power to appoint health commissioners to take charge instead.

Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester and a potential rival to Keir Starmer, is one of the more powerful regional leaders in the country. But while the bodies he leads can set strategy for the area's health services, they do not have full control over their budgets.

Wes Streeting, the health secretary, has a 10-year plan to refocus the health service on care in people's communities and preventing illness rather than treating it. But he is hampered by the fact that while hospital services are provided by the national government, social care is under the control of local authorities, many of which are severely underfunded.

The Labour Together report calls for mayors to be allowed to appoint commissioners to oversee other public services as well, including regulating academy schools and running probation services.

The report says: "Empowering people and places means the first line of delivery and accountability should be exercised by the lowest tier of government where users mostly reside ... Criminal justice could involve people in meaningful community service linked to the local areas in which they offended.

"Over the coming years, this would mean strategic authorities and local authorities becoming responsible for health, education, criminal justice and other services to increase place-based leadership, accountability and integration."

The report also suggests other forms of devolution, which the government is not backing, such as introducing a set formula for mayoral funding and replacing the House of Lords with regionally elected representatives like the US senate or German Bundesrat.

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Putting services in the hands of mayors rather than national government would require the approval of ministers from across government, a task that has been entrusted to Josh Simons, a Cabinet Office minister and another former head of Labour Together.

Simons is convening a panel of ministers from MHCLG, the health department, the education department and Downing Street to work out how to roll out greater devolution across government.

Reed has told allies that devolution is one way to improve services while also saving money, pointing as evidence to his experience as council leader in Lambeth.

While he was in charge of the south London borough, Reed pioneered an approach he called the "co-operative council", where local residents were given greater power to commission their own services.

Reed said this was a way to make local government more efficient and responsive during a time of national funding cuts, though critics said it also allowed the council to deflect the blame for deteriorating services.

Greater devolution also creates risks for the Labour government, however, including giving power to potential rivals to the prime minister and to elected leaders from other parties.

In recent months, voters have elected two Reform UK mayors - Andrea Jenkyns in Lincolnshire and Luke Campbell in Hull.

Andy Haldane, the former chief economist at the Bank of England, warned on Friday about the risks of the government getting "cold feet" on devolution.

"Two Reform mayors play into that," he told Politics Home. "A Labour mayor on manoeuvres plays into that, too. That will be a great shame, because I don't see a way of them meeting their growth mission short of a full-throated and wholehearted embrace of devolution in a much more expansive way than is contained in the devolution bill."

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Ministers could give mayors control of schools and hospitals in devolution shake-up

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Exclusive: Steve Reed, backed by Labour Together, wants to devolve control over more local services

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This article details the real-life consequences of Trump cutting nearly all US aid funding to numerous countries as well as dismantling USAID after assuming office in January. This story in particular chronicles the journey Abdul and his wife Shahnaz had to endure while trying to deliver their baby in rural Afghanistan. They had a USAID backed clinic in their village that closed down due to Trump, and so they had to try and travel to a clinic that was much farther. In a tragic turn of events, Shahnaz had to deliver the baby on the side of the road and neither she nor their baby survived. Abdul directly blames the fact that the clinic nearby to them closed as their chances of survival would've been much higher.

The US has been aiding Afghanistan for decades, but Trump justified these actions by saying there were reports of most of this money going directly to the Taliban. He also denies anyone has been negatively affected by these clinics closing down.

This article genuinely broke my heart because it touches on many topics that are important to me. This incident, as well as the others the article talks about, directly ties in a country's (lack of) access to healthcare, women's reproductive health, and the racism that is allowing this to be seen as acceptable.

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When Shahnaz went into labour, her husband Abdul called a taxi to take them to the only medical facility accessible to them.

"She was in a lot pain," he says.

A 20-minute drive away, the clinic was in Shesh Pol village in Afghanistan's north-eastern Badakhshan province. It was where their two older children were born.

Abdul sat next to Shahnaz comforting her as they drove over gravel tracks to reach help.

"But when we reached the clinic, we saw that it was closed. I didn't know it had shut down," he said, his face crumpling with agony.
Warning: Readers may find some details in this article distressing.
The clinic in Shesh Pol is one of more than 400 medical facilities that closed down in Afghanistan, one of the world's poorest countries, after the Trump administration cut nearly all US aid to the country earlier this year, in a drastic and abrupt move following the dismantling of the US Agency for International Development (USAID).

A single-storey structure with four small rooms, white paint peeling off its walls, the Shesh Pol clinic has USAID posters tacked up everywhere with information and guidance for pregnant women and new mothers.

It doesn't look like much but in Badakhshan's mountainous, unforgiving terrain, where a lack of access has been a major reason for historically high maternal mortality rates, the clinic was a critical lifeline, part of a wider programme implemented during the tenure of the US-backed government in the country, to reduce maternal and newborn deaths.

It had a trained midwife who assisted around 25-30 deliveries every month. It had a stock of medicines and injections, and it also provided basic healthcare services.

Other medical facilities are simply too far from Abdul's village, and it was not without risk for Shahnaz to travel on bumpy roads. Abdul also didn't have money to pay for a longer journey - renting the taxi cost 1,000 Afghani ($14.65; £12.70), roughly a quarter of his monthly income as a labourer. So they decided to return home.

"But the baby was coming and we had to stop by the side of the road," Abdul said.

Shahnaz delivered their baby girl in the car. Shortly after, she died, bleeding profusely. A few hours later, before she could be named, their baby also died.

"I wept and screamed. My wife and child could've been saved if the clinic was open," said Abdul. "We had a hard life, but we were living it together. I was always happy when I was with her."

He doesn't even have a photo of Shahnaz to hold on to.

There's no certainty the mother and baby would've survived if they'd been treated at the clinic, but without it, they didn't stand a chance, underlining the undeniable impact of US aid cuts in Afghanistan.

For decades, America has been the largest donor to Afghanistan, and in 2024, US funds made up a staggering 43% of all aid coming into the country.

The Trump administration has justified withdrawing it, saying there were "credible and longstanding concerns that funding was benefiting terrorist groups, including... the Taliban", who govern the country. The US government further added that they had reports stating that at least $11m were "being siphoned or enriching the Taliban".

The report that the US State Department referenced was made by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). It said that $10.9m of US taxpayer money had been paid to the Taliban-controlled government by partners of USAID in "taxes, fees, duties, or utilities".

The Taliban government denies that aid money was going into their hands.

"This allegation is not true. The aid is given to the UN, and through them to NGOs in provinces. They identify who needs the aid, and they distribute it themselves. The government is not involved," said Suhail Shaheen, the head of the Taliban's political office in Doha.

The Taliban government's policies, especially its restrictions on women, the harshest in the world, have meant that after four years in power, it is still not recognised by most of the world. It's also a key reason donors have been increasingly walking away from the country.

The US insists no one has died because of aid cuts. Shahnaz and her baby's deaths are not recorded anywhere. Neither are countless others.

The BBC has documented at least half a dozen first-hand, devastating accounts in areas where USAID-supported clinics have shut down.

Right next to Shahnaz's grave, villagers who had gathered around us pointed to two other graves. They told us both were of women who died in childbirth in the past four months - Daulat Begi and Javhar. Their babies survived.

Not far from the graveyard, we met Khan Mohammad whose wife, 36-year-old Gul Jan, died in childbirth five months ago. Their baby boy Safiullah died three days later.

"When she became pregnant, she would go to the clinic for check-ups. But midway through her pregnancy it shut down. During the delivery she had a lot of pain and blood loss," Khan Mohammad said. "My children are sad all the time. No one can give them the love of a mother. I miss her every day. We had a sweet and loving life together."

A roughly five-hour drive from Shesh Pol, inCawgani, another village where a USAID-backed clinic closed down, Ahmad Khan, the grief-stricken father of Maidamo showed us the room in their mud and clay home where she died giving birth to baby Karima.

"If the clinic had been open, she might have survived. And even if she had died, we would not have had regrets knowing the medics tried their best. Now we're left with regret and pain. America did this to us," he said, tears rolling down his face.

In another home a few lanes away, Bahisa tells us how terrifying it was to give birth at home. Her three other children were born in the Cawgani clinic.

"I was so scared. In the clinic, we had a midwife, medicines and injections. At home I had nothing, no painkillers. It was unbearable pain. I felt like life was leaving my body. I became numb," she said.

Her baby girl, named Fakiha, died three days after she was born.

The closure of clinics in villages has resulted in a surge of patients at the maternity ward of the main regional hospital in the provincial capital Faizabad.

Getting to it, through Badakhshan's treacherous landscape is risky. We were shown a horrifying photo of a newborn baby, who was delivered on the way to Faizabad, and whose neck snapped before he got to the hospital.

We had visited the hospital back in 2022, and while it was stretched then, the scenes we saw this time were unprecedented.

In each bed, there were three women. Imagine having gone into labour, or just having gone through a miscarriage, and not even having a bed to yourself to lie in.

It's what Zuhra Shewan, who suffered a miscarriage, had to endure.

"I was bleeding severely and didn't even have a place to sit. It was really hard. By the time a bed is free, a woman could die bleeding," she said.

Dr Shafiq Hamdard, the director of the hospital, said: "We have 120 beds in the hospital. Now we've admitted 300 to 305."

While the patient load is swelling, the hospital, too, has faced sharp cuts in its funding.

"Three years ago our annual budget was $80,000. Now we have $25,000," Dr Hamdard said.

By August this year, there had been as many maternal deaths recorded as there were for the whole of last year. Which means that at this rate, maternal mortality could increase by as much as 50% over last year.

Newborn deaths have already increased by roughly a third in the past four months, compared with the start of the year.

Razia Hanifi, the hospital's head midwife, says she's exhausted. "I have been working for the past 20 years. This year is the toughest, because of the overcrowding, the shortage of resources and the shortage of trained staff," she said.

But no reinforcements are coming because of the Taliban government's restrictions on women. Three years ago, all higher education, including medical education was banned for women. Less than a year ago, in December 2024, training for midwives and female nurses was also banned.

At a discreet location, we met two female students who were midway through the training when it was closed. They didn't want to be identified for fear of reprisal.

Anya (name changed) said they both were in graduate courses at university when the Taliban took over. When those were closed in December 2022, they began midwife and nursing training, as it was the only path left to getting an education and a job.

"When that was also banned, I became depressed. I was crying day and night, and I wasn't able to eat. It's a painful situation," she said.

Karishma (named changed) said: "There is already a shortage of midwives and nurses in Afghanistan. Without more being trained, women will be forced to give birth at home which will put them at risk."

We asked the Taliban government's Suhail Shaheen how they can justify bans which effectively curb access to health for half the population.

"It is our internal issue. These are our issues, how to handle them, how to consider them, how to take decisions, this is something internal. That is up to the leadership. Based on the needs of the society, they will take a decision," he said.

With their access to medical services severely restricted, by wave after wave of crushing blows, for Afghanistan's women, their right to health, and life itself, is at grave risk.
Additional reporting, photography and video: Aakriti Thapar, Mahfouz Zubaide, Sanjay Ganguly Top image shows Abdul with his daughter and son in Shesh Pol.

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My wife died giving birth after Trump cut funding to our clinic

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The BBC hears devastating accounts of Afghan mothers and babies dying after US-backed clinics shut.

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Week 3- Chaminchuluun Nasandelger (Chamin)

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Week 3- Chaminchuluun Nasandelger (Chamin)

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This article was about China released the information about issuing first brain computer interface (BCI) medical devices on 17th of September, 2025. What is a brain computer interface?

It is an advanced technology that can help to brain send and receive information without using their body (Hands free interaction).

If it succeed it can actually help to people with paralysis controlling robotic limbs. Also, it can actually help for communication that many patients that can't speak and listen.

It is not officially worked successfully. However, Chinese administration said that they will continue work on BCI with full of support with financially.

In addition, they announced that the standardization (define common terms, safety standards) will begin on 1st of January, 2026 and the most advanced technical improvement will be ready by 2027. Furthermore, by 2030, they will be globally reached.

The reason why I interested in this article was, I thought this kind of technology is far from now. When I was watching 'Black Mirror' more specifically the episode called 'White Christmas', I had a fear that high speed technologies are helping us but in other way, they are killing us. Life is always a double edge sword. So, from my perspective, BCI is an advanced technology that can help some people's life easier. On the other hand, it also has surgery risk, economic issues etc (I don't think BCI would be cheap. So, only some people who has money would use it.)

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China targets brain computer interface race with new standard — groundwork could lead to breakthroughs as soon as 2027

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It will take effect from January 1, 2026

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In the Indian state of Kerala, there has been outbreak of a rare disease Naegleria fowleri also known as brain-eating amoeba. This infection is contracted through the nose in freshwater during swimming that rapidly destroys brain tissue. More than 70 people have been diagnosed and 19 have died due to this infection. It is a big challenge to tackle such a rare and life-threatening disease but the survival rate in Kerala is improving. Aggressive and faster detection have improved the survival rate. A customised treatment of antimicrobials and steroids targeting the bacteria can help save lives. Public health laboratories have detected the 5 major pathogenic types out of nearly 400 species of free-living amoebae. Kerala has huge reliance on groundwater and natural water bodies and the growing pollution in water bodies have made the issue worse. It has nearly 5.5 million wells and 55,000 ponds. A campaign by health authorities have tried to respond by chlorination go 2.7 million wells. Local governments have put up sign boards around ponds to prohibit swimming and Public Health Act was evoked for regular chlorination of swimming pools and water tanks. But, too much chlorination cannot be done as the fish would die and policing every water source is difficult to achieve. More awareness measures have been started to urge households to clean their tanks and pools, use only clean warm water for nasal ablutions and avoid unsafe ponds. Enforcement of these measures is still a challenge without creating fear among the people. Climate change is also enhancing the risk of infection due to waters getting warmer, rising temperatures for amoeba. There is lack of data to determine if the medications are helpful or needed.

This article is useful in my understanding, as it relates to growing public health related problems and how difficult is to come up with useful solutions. A state which is so dependent on its water bodies, for bathing, for drinking water even for nose rinses as it has been a ritual among the people, is battling with a rare disease they could have never imagined before. The public health authorities are trying different measures like early detection, putting up of sign boards, chlorination of waters, and spreading awareness to people but still the complexity is so unique that there is no one sure short solution until there is a treatment available for the disease. The article ends with lesson about climate change and how it is responsible for growing health challenges all over the world where even the rarest pathogens may not stay rare for long. This itself is a really powerful statement we should wonder about.

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Brain-eating amoeba cases in Kerala: How an Indian state is battling a rare disease

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In Kerala this year, more than 70 people have been diagnosed and 19 have died from the brain-eating amoeba.

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China Launches National Childcare Subsidy System to Boost Fertility

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On September 12, 2025, an official from China’s National Health Commission (NHC) stated at a press conference that China has launched a national childcare subsidy system since 2025, as part of efforts to improve the childbirth support system and advance high-quality population development. As of September 10, over 80% of eligible applicants had completed registration through online and offline channels.

According to the relevant plan, families are entitled to an annual childcare subsidy of 3,600 yuan (approximately 506.8 US dollars) per child, covering the first, second, and third children, until the child reaches the age of 3. Guo Yanhong, Deputy Director of the NHC, noted that during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), economic support in the childcare sector has been expanded in multiple dimensions: childcare for children under 3 years old and children’s education expenses have been included in special additional deductions for individual income tax, with the monthly deduction standard raised from 1,000 yuan to 2,000 yuan per child.

Guo Yanhong added that all provinces across China have incorporated assisted reproductive technology projects into medical insurance reimbursement, while supporting policies such as free preschool education and housing support have also been implemented. In addition, all provinces have extended maternity leave and parental childcare leave to allow parents more time to care for infants and young children.

What attracts me to this news is that in response to China’s declining birth rate, the country has adopted a series of service and guarantee measures, aiming to address the "cost burden" (e.g., childcare fees, medical expenses) and "time constraints" (e.g., caregiving pressure) that affect the birth rate. However, similar to the situations in Japan, South Korea, and many other countries, in addition to the impact of economic factors, shifts in intergenerational attitudes and other factors also play a significant role in the declining birth rate. Meanwhile, there is a widespread view in China that the amount of childcare subsidies is still too low relative to the cost of raising a child—merely a drop in the bucket.

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China introduces childcare subsidy system in push for population growth

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China has introduced a national childcare subsidy system starting this year, as part of efforts to improve the childbirth support system and promote high-quality population development, the country’s top health official said on Thursday.

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As all health systems are contending with aging populations that are growing larger - and living longer - this week Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI) shared its estimates that the country will need an additional 15,000 new nursing home care beds by 2040 to meet population demands.

These estimates were projected by the Economic & Social Research Institute (ESRI).

NHI is calling for ‘decisive action’ to address the needs of Ireland’s aging population.

This issue is especially pronounced in Ireland due to the number of nursing homes closures.

NHI's Chief Executive said to keep up with demand, 1,000 beds would need to be added each year, every year until 2040, with special focus paid to rural areas of the country to minimize rural health inequalities.

To put this in perspective, HSE this year said its opening 160 new beds.

NHI is the national representative body for the private and voluntary nursing homes sector, which delivers care to around 27,000 residents, representing more than 84% of all long-term care beds in the country.

HSE, Ireland’s public provider, manages about 6,377 beds in contrast.

However, the Government seems to be devising a response to this crisis, albeit in the beginning stages.

The Minister of State for Older People, Kieran O'Donnell, was in attendance at NHI’s conference this week and shared that the long term care capacity plan is being prepared and should be published by the end of the year.

O'Donnell also shared that an independent Commission on Older People is due to produce a report soon which will include an analysis of long term residential care.

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15,000 more beds needed by 2040 - Nursing Homes Ireland

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Ireland’s ageing population means there will be a sharp rise in demand for both home support hours and long-term residential care beds up to 2040.

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This article leans on a study which shows that women in India are more likely to get cancer than Men. This goes against global trends (for example, in 2022 an average of 197 for every 100,000 people globally would get cancer, with an average of 186 (below average) for women and an average of 197 (above average for men).

Why then the reverse against this trend in India? Results have shown that awareness campaigns and improved facilities mean cancers are often detected earlier among women. This is assisted by the fact that male cancers are generally more aggressive and tied to tobacco and alcohol consumption and are thus less responsive to treatment. Men are also less likely to seek medical assistance earlier.

Regional disparities also at play, for example in that in India's North-East state Mazoram's Aizawl district, healthcare outcomes are worse than in the rest of the country (experts say this is due to lifestyle differences and not hereditary cancers).

This article was interesting to me as it highlighted how societal differences can have a huge impact on the healthcare outcomes of a country, which is what we would intuitively expect. However, I would be interested to know what exactly sets India apart in this regard. The reasons given around women obtaining more cancer than men is based on reasoning which would not be unique and is presumably a global issue. I would be curious to see in future years if these trends start happening in other countries, or if they persist in India.

Finally, just in relation to a country like India which is so vast, we often think of health disparities across countries but of course they exist intra country too. Some states or regions will always naturally lag behind due to their lack of resources or constraints. It is an important point to think about how we address these disparities not only across countries but across regions within countries.

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Why more women get cancer in India - but more men die

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Women account for just over half of all new cases, but men make up the majority of deaths.

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According to this article, a recent survey of 160 health staff, including GPs, nurses, and occupational therapists, found that nearly one in four healthcare professionals employed by the NHS dementia services feel they are unable to give patients the best care possible. Meanwhile, less than one-third think that the diagnostic procedures in place are adequate.

over 500 people impacted by dementia were also surveyed (waiting for diagnosis, family members etc.), with 37% waiting over a year before seeking help. 71% received a diagnosis from their gp within two years and 22% received their diagnosis over two years after their initial gp visit. In June, Alzheimer’s Research UK introduced its Dementia Unseen campaign, which advocates for GP referrals to specialists to take place within a six-week window, with diagnosis and treatment plans within 18 weeks.

This article is noteworthy to me as it presents both sides of the issue: patients who experience lengthy wait times before and after diagnosis, and healthcare professionals who feel unable to provide appropriate care. It emphasises that systemic flaws impact actual people and families, not just data. The drive for quicker treatment plans and referrals also seems highly pertinent because it calls into question how health systems strike a balance between resources, speed, and care quality.

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Almost a quarter of NHS dementia staff ‘feel unable to give patients best care’

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Workers are ‘being let down by a system that isn’t keeping pace with the scale of the challenge’, according to Alzheimer’s Research UK.

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'Thirteen medical treatments deemed unnecessary are no longer being carried out'

As a result from a governmental project called 'Less is More', eleven scientific medical associations will soon remove thirteen common forms of care from their guidelines. This will effect hundreds of thousands of patients and is expected to save up to 70 million euros. Examples cut from standard forms of provided care are treatments related to appendicitis or minor strokes. Professor Sjoerd Repping, in charge of the project, explains that doctors provide a lot of care of which efficacy has never been scientifically proven. He states that: "No longer: we will continue to do this until there is evidence that we can stop providing this care. But: there is no evidence that this form of care is useful, so that is why we are not doing it." (Van Der Geest, 2025).

Interestingly, some patient advocacy groups are in favour of this measure. They counter the popular believe that patients are never satisfied with the amount of care they receive, wanting more and more. "If it is possible to provide less care without compromising quality, this is beneficial for both the patient and healthcare as a whole."

It is interesting to me that governmental goals of reducing the money spend on healthcare, doctors interest of providing adequate and qualitative care and patients interests seem to line up. This news article, therefore, seems to counter much of the literature and common knowledge on conflicting interest within the provision of healthcare within healthcare systems.

Van Der Geest, M. (2025, September 4). Het mes gaat in de onnodige zorg: deze handelingen gaan artsen niet meer uitvoeren. De Volkskrant. https://www.volkskrant.nl/wetenschap/het-mes-gaat-in-de-onnodige-zorg-deze-handelingen-gaan-artsen-niet-meer-uitvoeren~bbe92388/

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How Old Data Could Shape the Future of Health Care?

A recent study argues that we don’t always need brand-new patient preference surveys to make decisions in medicine and regulation. Existing studies if well done can be repurposed for new contexts. The researchers of University of Twente reviewed 777 published studies that asked patients what they value in their treatments. They found many that share similar methods or clinical focus, making it easier to combine results for broader insights. Especially in more uniform disease areas (like type 2 diabetes), there’s high potential to “pool” past data or translate findings to new questions. In more variable areas (e.g. cancer, psoriasis, multiple sclerosis), it’s harder—but still possible with careful handling. Some challenges remain such as inconsistent reporting, variations in how clinical outcomes are defined, and gaps in data for certain decisions. These limit how easily old studies can be reused. In conclusion, this reuse could save time, money, and effort; help keep patient views central even when new studies are costly; and encourage better standardization in research.

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Old data can transform the future of health care

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Patient preference studies (research into what patients value in their treatment) are increasingly used to inform drug development and regulatory approval decisions. But these studies are expensive and time-consuming to conduct. Yet, their results are rarely used beyond their original purpose. Researchers from the University of Twente, in collaboration with international colleagues, identified opportunities to reuse findings from existing studies, thereby improving resource usage during patient-focused drug development.

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This article exposes the shortcomings of Ireland when it comes to disability rights, especially for children. Many parents are forced to go to private healthcare due to the long waiting lists in the state-funded system. As a matter of background, Ireland only adopted the Optional Protocol of the UNCRPD in October 2024 - a mechanism which allows individuals and groups to raise a legal complaint if their rights under the aforementioned Convention are violated. This can be compared to the government's reticence to adopt a constitutional right to housing - these legal mechanisms permit the courts to intervene in State decisions and bring about change, opening up a lot of appeals from citizens in what can be considered legal activism.

The Irish government has attempted beforehand to reform disability care, such as disability allowance to be on a means tested basis, a reform proposal later scrapped under pressure from disability rights advocates. Disabled people would be quantified according to their ability to work and be given allowance according to which tier they belonged to - a move of rationalization characteristic of the capitalist State form. This is the view of the State as an agent looking down on people from its privileged position and attempting to quantify them according to a process of economic calculation. This was an import of the UK system - showing how the European Union and associated member states, within that economy tend to adopt similar patters. One economic unit will tend towards integration as a spillover effect and a self reinforcing cycle of interconnectedness. Disability rights advocates considered this proposal to be set up in order to push people to work, even if their disability does not fully allow them to.

What is the relevance of this to the article? It is all part of a neoliberal, austerity-driven agenda. Healthcare, whether private or "public", is ran based on the profit motive. Irish healthcare has been under pressure to adapt to the market economy, and is underfunded, in order to cut costs. Other social institutions such as universities or housing also underwent this process of transformation. We can identify the lack of support for marginalized identities (as they are always the first to face cuts) as originating from neoliberal economic policy. The government, now under pressure, is working to fix the issue of children having to wait a long time for disability assessment. This has been long a topic of discussion within Irish media. The HSE employs external companies (outsourcing-insourcing) to help grapple with the underfunding - but this just pushes the problem onto companies that charge a lot of money which taxpayers pay. They are ending the use of external companies - but this does not solve the problem. What is needed is funding for the healthcare system itself, or waiting lists will increase.

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The HSE is to establish a panel of private companies to carry out assessments of need in an effort to reduce the number of children and adolescents waiting longer than the legal time frame.

Under the Disability Act, assessments identify whether a person has a disability, the nature and extent of the disability, any health and education needs arising from that disability and what services are required to meet their needs.

The HSE said these assessments are not required to access health services, but many schools require one to be completed before children are provided supports.

Under the Act, the State has to carry out an assessment of need within six months of an application. However, about 90 per cent of applicants are not seen within this time frame.

The HSE expects the number of children waiting longer than six months for assessment to reach almost 25,000 by the year's end.

In an tender document, the HSE said it was "seeking qualified and experienced service providers to submit a proposal for inclusion on panels for the provision of autism diagnostic assessments for children and adolescents in Ireland".

Providers must be confident they had "both the level of capacity and suitably qualified and experienced expertise within their organisation to deliver the number of assessments they are proposing in their submission", the HSE said.

The executive is seeking providers in each of the six HSE regions.

HSE chief executive Bernard Gloster said meeting the increasing demand for assessments of need was "challenging". He said there were 3,131 applications in the first quarter of the year, a 20 per cent year on year increase.

"To help address this we are putting in place a bespoke panel arrangement with suitable panel-approved providers. The panel will be in place for one year with the option to extend for a further year, subject to demand and budget approval," he said.

"Every effort is being made to have the panel established as soon as possible so that more assessments can be made for the children on the waiting list."

Mr Gloster has previously called for reform of the way in which assessments of need are conducted, saying the HSE "hasn't a hope" of complying with the legal time frame.

Separately, the HSE has also issued a tender seeking applications for a company to conduct building repair and maintenance services in the Dublin Mid-Leinster region.

Documents for the tender, valued at €3.5 million, said the successful applicant would conduct "reactive repairs and building fabric maintenance on demand" for around 280 HSE-managed buildings over four years.

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HSE to create panel to help cut waiting lists for children's assessments of need

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About 90% of applicants not seen within six months as required by Disability Act

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This article touches on a variety of issues currently happening at the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) following the appointment of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK) as the US Secretary of Health. The CDC has experienced mass lay-offs and resignations of qualified staff and leaders, which will negatively impact response timing, accuracy, and management of the next public health crises. CDC staff, health professionals, and public heath experts are attempting to sound the alarm to Americans, with some ex-CDC officials even testifying before Congress on the scale of recklessness and endangerment coming from the current administration in regards to public health. One focus of the article was RFK's emphasis on removing access to vaccines, including Covid vaccines and standard childhood vaccines such as the Hep. B and HPV vaccines. By removing access to these vaccines, some Americans will have to rely on their doctors to prescribe the vaccine, which may not be covered by insurance. Finally, the article touches on the newly appointed director of the CDC, Jim O'Neill, who does not have a background/training on medicine or public health.

The issues discussed in this article are incredibly important due to their time-sensitive nature. If Americans, especially those in positions of political power, do not act quickly to re-instate competent leaders at the CDC, diseases will spread rapidly and affect the most vulnerable populations (children, the elderly, and people with chronic illnesses/disabilities). Additionally, Americans will not be the only people to face the consequences of extreme erosion at the CDC. Due to budget cuts at the CDC and termination of foreign aid contracts, international programs that provide life-saving medicine have already experienced limitations on the quantity and quality of care they can provide. Thus, the US has an obligation to support not only American public health, but international public health.

This article also showcases the growing frustrations of CDC employees, who just last month experienced a shooting at the headquarters in Atlanta with little-to-no news coverage or national attention. The shooting was linked to distrust of vaccines, which has had increased discussion lately due to RFK publicly and repeatedly undermining vaccines, the CDC, and science in general. Accordingly, concerns of personal safety, job security, and power to do their jobs in a satisfactory way are all valid reasons why CDC staff are leaving en-mass. However, with the rapid loss of health experts, increasing public distrust of scientists/health professionals, and continued budget cuts to public health programs, I am deeply concerned about the future of the CDC and public health in the U.S.

Additional articles from commentary:

https://apnews.com/article/africa-us-aid-cdc-funding-appeal-4461c57c2d64da682f9dd4994b9c173d

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/08/12/us/cdc-atlanta-shooting-shots-windows

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‘Americans should be alarmed’: Experts say loss of expertise at CDC will harm US health

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Top officials exited agency under RFK Jr’s leadership, and his anti-vax beliefs have dismayed medical community

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Comments made by Eric Hoskins, the head of a pharmacare advisory council in Canada, are at the centre of this article. Hoskins, a doctor and former provincial health minister, is recommending that the Prime Minister and federal leaders in Ottawa go back to the negotiating table with provinces to ensure that diabetes medication and contraceptives are free and accessible to all Canadians. Currently, these medications are only free in four of the ten provinces and three territories. Agreements with Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, British Columbia, and Yukon were reached before the spring 2025 federal election, however Hoskins notes that the law cannot be applied in a "fundamentally unfair and inequitable" manner as it currently is, with only some citizens receiving the benefits of free medications. The article highlights that increasing anxieties with American tariffs applied to Canadian exports; new agreements to fund access to medications would mitigate some of the hardships Canadians may face.

This article is a great example of the ways in which levels of government can co-operate to achieve better healthcare outcomes for citizens. While Canada gives control over how healthcare is delivered to its provincial units, the federal government can still direct policy objectives through agreements providing funds for care and medications. In an article published a couple days after, it notes that Ottawa is now going to the table with other provinces to finalize agreements for these medications. Agreements between the federal government and provinces to provide important medications for conditions like diabetes are key to improving well-being and reducing the impact of other financial stressors. It is great to see multiple levels of government working together to achieve healthcare goals, and it is admirable to see the federal government working to achieve Canada's healthcare goals of universality and equal access.

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Pharmacare law cannot be implemented in inequitable way, former advisory council chair says

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Eric Hoskins had called upon provinces and territories to try and reach agreements before the election campaign

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This article draws an insight into an initiative by the UK Government to roll out first neighbourhood health services initially at 43 places in the country. It will directly impact people with long-term conditions such as diabetes, arthritis etc in areas with the longest wait times. This will be done by appointing a lead in every area who will work with the existing local services such as community nurses, hospital doctors, social care workers, voluntary sector etc to set up a new neighbourhood health service. The patients will be benefitted by providing end-to-end care beyond the condition at the wider causes of health issues, and stop them from being bounced around a broken system. The leaders will be delivering the services under the new voluntary neighbourhood health contracts where they can choose to be a part of single neighbourhood or multi-neighbourhood. The aim is to bring health and care services such as diagnostics, mental health, post-op, rehab, nursing and social care closer to home. It will help to make healthcare more accessible for persons who face barriers to access traditional services.

I find this article useful because it redefines the traditional hospital system to a more humane system of delivering healthcare and beyond that to patients who require treatments as well as counselling without the stress of facing the system loopholes which sometimes can cause them more stress than relief. With good implementation of this initiative, health and mental health both can be made more accessible to persons in need.

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Millions of people to benefit from healthcare on their doorstep

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Government to roll out first neighbourhood health services in 43 places backed by £10 million.

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Week 2- Chaminchuluun Nasandelge r (Chamin)

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Week 2- Chaminchuluun Nasandelge r (Chamin)

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This article was about the U.S. government may shut down on September 30 if Congress does not pass a new funding plan.

If the government shuts down, millions of Americans may have to pay more for health insurance or lose some health coverage.

Democrats say they will not approve any spending bills unless cuts to Medicaid are canceled and financial help for Affordable Care Act (ACA) insurance plans is extended. They warn that without these changes, insurance costs will go up.

Former President Donald Trump told Republicans not to make a deal with Democrats. But Senate leader John Thune hopes Congress can pass a short-term funding plan to keep the government running until Thanksgiving.

Republicans have only a small majority in Congress, so they still need both parties to work together to pass a bill. Democrats, pushed by activist groups, are focused on protecting healthcare programs, which could decide how much people pay for insurance.

If there is no agreement reached, the shutdown could affect many government services and force Americans to pay higher health insurance premiums or risk losing access to care. Both parties are under pressure to find a solution, but the dispute over healthcare funding is making a deal difficult to reach.

The reason why I chose this article was, there is a direct impact on millions American. If the government can't act wisely and quickly, Americans will face an expensive health insurance. In addition, it can also led to fewer access to get care.

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An inquiry has begun in Ireland into the historical use and licensing of the anti-epileptic drug sodium valproate (Epilim), particularly in women of childbearing age. Despite evidence emerging in the late 1980s showing that the drug can cause serious birth defects and developmental disorders—collectively known as Foetal Valproate Spectrum Disorder (FVSD)—many women were not adequately warned of the risks until recent years. A 2021 study estimated that over 3,000 babies may have been exposed to valproic acid in the womb between 1975 and 2015, with hundreds potentially affected by major malformations or developmental delays. Similar concerns have led to inquiries in the UK and France. Years of campaigning by affected Irish families have led to The inquiry, which officially began in July 2025. It will examine how the drug was regulated and prescribed, hear testimonies from those impacted, and assess the health system’s ability to manage medication risks for women. The inquiry is expected to take 12 to 15 months to complete. The government has said that while no redress scheme has been confirmed, it will consider one if systemic failures are identified.

I find this article interesting as it brings to mind the worldwide Thalidomide scandal of the 1950s and 1960s. It is difficult to comprehend that despite concerns being raised in the late 1980s, and a link discovered to birth defects and disablilties, the drug continued to be prescribed for women as recently as 2015.

In the UK, an inquiry into the historical licensing and prescribing of the medication was completed in 2024 and made a recommendation of redress for patients impacted.

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Why is there an inquiry into the use of epilepsy drug sodium valproate?

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Inquiry relates to historical licensing and use of drug for women of childbearing age

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This article is about how in the United States right now, there are extremely different approaches and attitudes towards vaccinations/vaccines depending on which state you are in.

California, Washington, and Oregon announced earlier last week that they would be forming their own public health coalition in order to deliver credible information about vaccine safety. This comes after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updated their COVID-19 vaccinations to be more restrictive due to distrust in the vaccine's safety and effectiveness despite these claims being widely dismissed by experts in the field.

While the West Coast is coming together to help others see the value in vaccines, Florida's surgeon general just recently eliminated vaccination mandates in all public schools.

I found this article extremely interesting because it genuinely baffles me to see people be against modern medicine and vaccines. Additionally, it is so painful to think about the children in states like Florida (as I'm sure others will follow suit) who will be the ones to suffer the most due to these conspiracy theories.

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The U.S. is headed toward two very different vaccination realities

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California, Oregon and Washington said they are forming a public health alliance to provide “credible information” about vaccine safety, as Florida is looking to eliminate mandates.

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The National Health Service (NHS) in England this week launched a new clinical trial aimed at detecting and diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease earlier for patients exhibiting symptoms.

Over 1,000 patients of memory clinics in the UK are being recruited for a study which aims to detect the disease earlier using a £100 blood test. The test is used to detect one of the main proteins in Alzheimer’s called p-tau217.

The study will take place over the next 2-3 years.

Doctors believe that when Alzheimer’s patients are diagnosed - and therefore treated - earlier, the effects of the disease can be slowed with the help of interventional medication.

However, at the present moment, getting a diagnosis for Alzheimer’s can take years. PET scans and lumbar punctures, the tests currently used to detect Alzheimer’s accurately are not only costly for the health service, it creates a burden on the service.

The NHS says results received from this blood test are as accurate as the current diagnosis model with the PET scans and lumbar punctures.

The goal of this trial is to provide more diagnosis earlier and to make getting a diagnosis more accessible.

50 per cent of patients in the trial will receive their results within three months, with the remaining half receiving their results after 12 months. This will allow for more timely decisions for care according to the researchers.

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This article discusses the fact there are now more obese children than undernourished children in the world, according to a recent UNICEF report. The report outlines how obesity is now the leading form of malnutrition amongst children globally. For children aged 5-19, almost 10% will be obese in 2025. UNICEF blames unethical advertising as the leading cause for the rise in obesity and have encouraged nations to apply taxes on sugary products and to promote healthy food produce.

This article is interesting to me for a number of reasons:

1. When we think of malnutrition we often think of starvation or undernourishment. The challenge of obesity is one which can perhaps go under the radar a bit more and may be more difficult to correct and challenge. For example, is this resolved by increased household income, education or increased regulation in the food industry?

2. The UNICEF study itself is interesting in the way it has presented its conclusions. UNICEF say that increased participation in sports cannot offset unhealthy diets. However, surely this contributes to a reduction in obesity? There are also other factors such as COVID and increased food prices which do not seem to have been considered by UNICEF, I would be interested to see how they conducted the study.

3. The sheer numbers!

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More children are now obese than undernourished - UNICEF

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Obesity has skyrocketed among children and adolescents bombarded by “unethical” marketing of junk food, outpacing undernourishment to become the leading form of malnutrition worldwide for the first time, UNICEF has warned.

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 Newly Revised "Law of the People's Republic of China on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases" Implemented on September 1

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 Newly Revised "Law of the People's Republic of China on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases" Implemented on September 1

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The newly revised "Law of the People's Republic of China on Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases" draws on the experience of epidemic prevention and control in recent years. It makes clear provisions on the collection and use of personal information during epidemic prevention and control. It also stipulates requirements regarding the quarantine period, the wage rights and interests of workers during quarantine, and special care for vulnerable groups—including minors, the elderly, people with disabilities, pregnant and lactating women, and the injured and sick in urgent need of treatment.

The new law is interesting to me because the formulation and implementation of this law reflect how lawmaking evolves in response to practical challenges, how it mediates between state power and individual rights as well as between collective security and personal freedom, and how it addresses health inequalities in society through mandatory legal provisions on special care and wage protection.

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This article discusses Sinn Féin's healthcare plan if they are elected into office. Their plan covers recruiting to the healthcare workforce, reducing waiting lists, reducing the privatization of long term care, and making prescription medications free.

This article is interesting to me because I've learned a lot about Ireland's unique 2-tiered healthcare system this semester. However, the article goes on to say that SF's plan takes a "dramatic set" towards transitioning to a one-tier universal system. The transition from private to social care in the US has been such a long and improbable fight, so I am curious to see if a transition from a two-tier to one-tier system in Ireland is feasible and how far SF's proposed plan could go in order to make that a reality. I also noticed that all of the tenants of this plan correlate with the core areas of health that we've been looking at and discussing in this module, so it appears to be a comprehensive reimagining of Ireland's current system.

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SF healthcare plan pledges free prescription medicines

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Sinn Féin has pledged to provide free prescription medicines for all households if the party is elected to government.

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This article announces that Ireland is launching 6 new healthcare courses around the country in pharmacy, medicine, and dentistry. Pharmacy programs will commence at Atlantic Technological University, South East Technological University, and the University of Galway. The Royal College of Surgeons will add a Bachelor of Dental Surgery Program. The University of Galway will launch a Rural and Remote Graduate Entry Medicine Stream to help with the shortage of primary care doctors in rural Ireland. The University of Limerick is also starting a direct-entry medicine programme. This is possible due to 130 minion euro from the National Training Fund to support the growth of "key healthcare disciplines."

This article is interesting to me because it shows a clear connection between education policy and labor policy affecting health policy. It is a powerful example of how governments can to channel educational programs to support the health workforce. From what I noticed observing legislative policy in my state in the US, funding educational programmes or changing certain certification requirements to reduce barriers seemed like popular ways to reduce shortages in key fields. This article confirmed to me that it is a universal tactic to support essential fields.

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Six new university courses have been announced in the areas of medicine, pharmacy and dentistry around the country.

The programmes, which are being launched following recommendations from the Higher Education Authority, are aimed at increasing the number of healthcare places at third level.

The courses include a new Bachelor of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons, (RCSI) with the college to provide 20 new dentistry places per year for Irish and European Economic Area students from 2025 onwards.

New pharmacy programmes will be made available by the Atlantic Technological University, the South East Technological University and the University of Galway.

The move is expected to double the number of pharmacy training programmes and, at full roll out, the colleges will provide more than 150 additional pharmacy graduates per year.

The University of Galway will also introduce a Rural and Remote Graduate Entry Medicine Stream, which is aimed at addressing the shortage of general practitioners in rural Ireland.

At full roll out, the university is set to provide 48 additional medicine places per year.

And as part of the announcement, the University of Limerick will launch a direct-entry medicine programme.

Around €130 million in funding from the National Training Fund has been allocated to support the growth of what has been described as "key healthcare disciplines".

It is hoped the move will help in "addressing critical workforce shortages and enhancing healthcare eduation across the country".

A spokesperson for the Department of Further and Higher Education said it was expected that the RCSI dentistry and the pharmacy courses will start in 2025 and the UL and Galway courses from 2026.

As yet, there is no timeline for the other courses.

Minister for Further and Higher Education Patrick O'Donovan said what has been announced will be 'transformative'

The Minister for Further and Higher Education said he believes the move represents "a landmark day" in the future of higher education and healthcare delivery in Ireland.

Patrick O'Donovan said what has been announced will be "transformative" in the delivery of medicine, pharmacy, and dentistry.

"Not only are we announcing an expansion of places, we are also announcing whole new colleges," he said.

Mr O'Donovan said there will be new colleges of pharmacy in Waterford and Sligo, a new college of regional and rural medicine and a new college of pharmacy in Galway, and a new college of medicine in Limerick, as well as a new college of denistry in Dublin.

He said he believes the homegrown indigenous Irish pharmaceutical sector, healthcare sector and foreign indirect investment sector will "see this as a massive vote of confidence" into regional and rural areas.

"Today, we have given a very clear indication and direction of travel as to where we want to take out higher education institutes," he said.

"Before, it was the preserve of a number of universities where you could study medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, and veterinary, and we have changed that today and we have changed it in a really positive way," he added.

Mr O'Donovan said: "Since I became Minister, we have put colleges of veterinary in regional and rural Ireland and now we are putting colleges of pharmacy and colleges of medicine into regional and rural Ireland and that has not be done to this scale since the foundation of the state."

He said the move goes to the ethos of the programme for government that "all roads don't necessarily have to lead to Dublin and you don't have to go to Dublin for everything".

The Chief Executive of the HEA said the announcement "demonstrates the ability of the higher education and research system to respond swiftly and effectively to evolving national priorities and skills needs".

Dr Alan Wall said the new programmes at ATU, SETU, RCSI, University of Galway and the University of Limerick are "highly innovative in their design and methods of delivery, drawing on international best practice to provide additional opportunities for students to study pharmacy, dentistry and medicine in courses that are highly attuned to institutions' regions and communities and responsive to national healthcare challenges".

"These programmes will complement existing high-quality provision in Dentistry, Medicine, and Pharmacy, strengthening the overall capacity of the system to meet Ireland's healthcare training needs into the future," he added.

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New healthcare university courses to be rolled out

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Six new university courses have been announced in the areas of medicine, pharmacy and dentistry around the country.

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This article discusses vice-presidential candidate JD Vance's proposal to place people with pre-existing conditions in a high-risk pool separating them out from healthier individuals.

The thinking behind a high-risk pool was to provide a safety net for people with pre-existing conditions and encourage insurers to offer coverage through state funding, mandates or federal grants. This means that the government would have to pay into the high-risk pool with enough subsidies to keep premiums affordable for people, otherwise insurance premiums would be raised for sick people. This model is in contrast to a single-risk pool model whereby younger, healthier people would help offset the cost of older individuals who typically have more chronic conditions.

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Vance’s high-risk pool health insurance plan: Would it help or harm sick patients?

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High-risk pools were common before the Affordable Care Act was enacted in 2010.

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https://www.who.int/news/item/01-10-2024-who-calls-for-urgent-transformation-of-care-and-support-systems-for-older-people

The article from the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes the urgent need for a transformation in how care and support systems are structured for older adults.

WHO noted that there is a global demographic shift towards on aging population. By 2030, it is projected that one in six people will be aged 60 and older.

Many health and social care systems are not adequately equipped to meet the needs of older individuals. Issues such as lack of accessibility, insufficient trained personnel, and fragmented services hinder effective care.

WHO advocates for a more integrated and person-centered approach to care, which includes not only health services but also social support systems. This approach should respect the dignity of older people and promote their independence.

The article calls for governments to implement policies that address the challenges faced by older adults. This includes increasing investment in age-friendly infrastructure, enhancing training for caregivers, and improving access to healthcare services.

Involving older adults in the planning and delivery of services is crucial. Their insights can lead to more effective and relevant care solutions.

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On the UN International Day of Older Persons 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) is urgently calling for action to not only strengthen but transform the way countries provide care and support for older people, especially as we approach the halfway point of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030).

"We all require support to care for ourselves at some point in our lives, but we are more likely to require care the longer we live," said Dr Anshu Banerjee, Director of the Department of Maternal, Newborn, Child and Adolescent Health and Ageing. "However, evidence shows that care and support systems across the world are not yet prepared to meet the needs of older people."

Dr Banerjee added, "The UN Decade of Healthy Ageing underscores that a radical shift is required in how we value and deliver care to foster healthy ageing - and WHO stands ready to support countries who are committed to make this shift."

The International Day of Older Persons is commemorated every year by the global community on 1 October to both celebrate older people's contributions to society and highlight the challenges older people face. The international day grows in relevance every year, as the world's populations continue to live longer and rapidly age. By 2030, it is projected that 1 in 6 people in the world will be aged 60 years or over. Furthermore, 80% of older people will be living in low- and middle-income countries by 2050, making healthy ageing a truly global priority.

This year's theme is "Ageing with Dignity: The Importance of Strengthening Care and Support Systems for Older Persons Worldwide". This theme underscores the critical role played by countries in providing health and long-term care services in maintaining the health and well-being that older people need to be and do what they value. According to WHO's latest analyses:

People aged 60 years and above continue to experience unmet health care needs, whether they live in low-, middle-, or high-income countries.

Around 2 in 3 people who reach older age are likely to require longer-term support and care from others to perform activities of daily living, such as eating, moving around, or bathing.

Ageist stereotypes that incorrectly assume poor health is natural and unavoidable in later life prevent many older people from receiving the care they need. These stereotypes are commonly held by both care professionals and older people themselves.
Despite these needs, there is still limited access to good quality, affordable and equitable care that supports us to make the most of our longer lives - no matter who we are, where we live, or how old we are. According to the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing progress report, 2021-2023:

Only around 1 in 4 reporting countries have enough financial and political resources to implement integrated care responsive to older people's needs, and only 1 in 3 have the same for long-term care.

Only 16% of low-income countries, which heavily rely on unpaid informal care, have a training programme for informal caregivers of older people.

Less than 60% of reporting countries include long-term care in their national competency framework for geriatric care workers.

The UN Decade of Healthy Ageing calls on countries to not only strengthen but transform the way we provide care and support by delivering person-centred, integrated care responsive to older people's needs, and ensuring access to long-term care for those who need it. To do so, WHO recommends countries provide an integrated continuum of care, which:

is person-centred, appropriate, affordable, and accessible, focusing above all on supporting every person to meet their needs and preferences and fulfil their goals;

integrates health services across disciplines and specialities to guarantee every person receives the full range of health care they need without getting lost between separate services and programmes;

integrates health and social care, ensuring every person has seamless access to both short- and long-term care across clinical settings, care facilities, their local communities, and their homes;

cares for the carers, valuing their contributions, providing adequate support, and ensuring equity - including for informal caregivers such as family carers, who are disproportionately women; and

holds national governments accountable for providing care, in close collaboration with local governments, civil society organizations or the private sector, as appropriate.

As the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing marks its halfway point in 2025, WHO is committed to supporting countries in responding to the UN Decade's call for delivering person-centred, integrated care and ensuring access to long-term care for those who need it. Transforming our care and support systems to ensure an integrated continuum of care also enables us to better meet the needs of people of all ages, making it a good investment for everyone, everywhere - and an essential component of universal health coverage.
The UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030) is a global collaboration called for by the Member States of WHO and the UN to improve the lives of older people, their families, and the communities in which they live. The UN Decade of Healthy Ageing has four action areas: combatting ageism, age-friendly environments, integrated care and long-term care. WHO acts as the Secretariat of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing.

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WHO calls for urgent transformation of care and support systems for older people

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On the UN International Day of Older Persons 2024, the World Health Organization (WHO) is urgently calling for action to not only strengthen but transform the way countries provide care and support for older people, especially as we approach the halfway point of the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing (2021-2030).