On the 21st of September (World Alzheimer’s Day) we acknowledge the patients with Alzheimer’s disease as well as the caregivers who assist these patients. A generative brain disease and  the most common cause of dementia,  Alzheimer’s affects memory, thinking and behavior.  Symptoms eventually grow severe enough to interfere with daily ...

The phrase “right care at the right time” highlights the significance of timely and appropriate healthcare within complex health systems. Research shows that patients with dedicated care coordinators encounter fewer issues, such as disorganized care and conflicting information. However, gaps in care coordination lead to medical errors, increased...

In global health, we don’t just observe what happens: we work to improve the health of people and populations. Based on scientific evidence and history, we know that viruses don’t stop at borders. If we don’t work to prevent disease, we know that infections and chronic conditions run rampant. If we don’t have strong health and social sys...

Spinal Cord Injury Day, observed annually on September 5th, was established by the International Spinal Cord Society (ISCOS) in 2016. The primary goal of this day is to raise awareness about the prevention of spinal cord injuries and to improve rehabilitation and opportunities for those living with such injuries.  Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a ...

In Zambia, many adolescents experience poor sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) outcomes, including unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV. Evidence indicates that 32% of adolescents aged 15–17 years and 60% of those aged 18–19 years are sexually active and only around 12% of female adolescents are ...

Earlier this month,  World Breastfeeding Week was celebrated from 1st to 7th August 2023 with the theme “closing the Gap, Support for all.” Breastfeeding is essential for both infant health and survival. Breastmilk provides ideal nutrition, is clean and safe, and contains antibodies that protect against many common childhood diseases. Additi...

Two public health professionals share their experience of going through, and successfully ‘lifting off’ from the 2023 India cohort of the WomenLift Health India Leadership Journey. The State of Working India 2023 report shows that the health and social sector’s women’s workforce has steadily increased in the past two decades. As per the repo...

Approximately 30% of maternal deaths in Pakistan are attributable to the second delay in the ‘Three Delays Model’ ( i.e. delay in the decision to seek care; delay in arriving at a health facility; delay in receiving adequate care at the facility). Many women who cannot reach primary care facilities have to deliver at home. In complicated cas...

In last week’s IHP newsletter intro, Kristof wondered  what “the real story” is. Because in the past few weeks, I too felt really delusional, I decided to go for a reality check – what, indeed, is the real story? Phenomenological accounts of delusions suggest that delusions are not nonsense, but more adequately understood as a different ...