In Pakistan, the term “monsoon child brides” represents a socio-cultural crisis where traditions and growing economic desperation force young girls into early marriage, dramatically perpetuated by climate change. Since the last monsoon, reports indicate that nearly 45 underage girls have been married, from Dadu, Sindh Province of Pakistan in exchange for money (approximately 250,000 […]
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Strengthening supportive supervision of primary healthcare: An experience of integrating ASHA workers
India’s National Health Policy 2017 advocated for comprehensive primary healthcare (CPHC). Subsequently, Ayushman Bharat Program 2018 led to the upgradation of existing Sub-Health Centres and Primary-Health Centres into Health & Wellness centres (HWCs) to operationalize CPHC. However, to improve the performance of these HWCs, close supportive supervision is required. Supportive supervision in its traditional […]
Countering Big Tobacco’s Influence in Kenya to Protect Young Africans
Since introducing oral nicotine pouches to the Kenyan market in 2019, British American Tobacco (BAT) has lobbied and exploited governmental loopholes to further the spread of its harmful products in the country. BAT obtained initial approval to sell nicotine pouches through Kenya’s Pharmacy and Poisons Board. Although the license restricted the sale of nicotine […]
Socio-economic experiences of female community health volunteers matter: insights from Nepal
“I have not been able to put paddy seeds for plantation while others [in the village] have already done this. Women in the village don’t even have time to go for check-ups, but they want me to stay with them from the morning to the evening during their labour. What should I do? I […]
On not studying (and stating) the obvious
An 18-authored paper funded by the WHO was recently published; a Cochrane review concluded that undernutrition is a risk factor for Tuberculosis (TB). Excluding the fourth author, an Argentinian, the rest were Europe-based, including WHO staff. India and China have the largest burdens of TB. There is a wealth of evidence explicating the links […]
Scaling up community-led public health response: The perspective from and for Gaza
In the aftermath of October 7, 2023, continuous violence in Gaza has resulted in a significant loss of life in a short timeframe, multiple forced displacement, an alarming rate of reported infectious disease cases, concerning estimates of mental health issues, and an impending famine. The destruction of infrastructure, shortages of water, lack of shelter, […]
Unidentified Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon: An Untold Tale of Extreme Social Exclusion
Lebanon is located within a region that continues to face protracted conflict, from the 1948 Arab-Israeli conflict to the disaster currently unfolding in front of our eyes. The displacement of millions of citizens into neighbouring countries has become common place in the region and Lebanon has been – and continues to be – host […]
Protecting India’s sanitation workers: Addressing period taboos in menstrual waste management
The fifth National Family Health Survey notes that almost 90% of menstruating women, aged between 15-24, in urban India use hygienic menstrual products. This includes disposable sanitary pads and locally produced napkins. The increasing use of sanitary pads is essential for Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM). At the same time, the improper disposal of used […]
Navigating Geopolitics and Global Health: Insights from PMAC 2024
In a world marked by escalating geopolitical tensions and multifaceted crises, the intersection of politics and health emerges as a critical focal point for global discourse. The Prince Mahidol Award Conference (PMAC) in 2024, held in Bangkok, provided a platform for probing the complexities of this intersection and exploring pathways towards equitable global health. […]
Lessons from rural Bolivia: the United States must rethink community-based medicine
As I witnessed a team of Bolivian nurses venture on-foot into the rural outskirts of their communities to administer childhood vaccinations, antiparasitic medications, and wound care, I quickly recognized the imperative to extend this approach to community medicine in the United States. These nurses operate from a primary-health clinic created under the Sistema Único […]