Inter Press Service | News and Views from the Global South | Special Issue - World Health Day

Inter Press Service | News and Views from the Global South

Safeguarding The Health of People and Planet Through Food Tharanga Yakupitiyage Food sustainability, both in production and consumption, is at the heart of a healthy public and planet. On World Health Day, it is increasingly clear that a radical transformation of the global food system is sorely needed. “In recent years we have witnessed a gradual departure from ... MORE > >

As Marshall Islands Integrates Healthcare Services, Experts Offer a Word of Caution Stella Paul In Jack Niedenthal’s office in Majuro, there is an ominous reminder of the dark history of the Marshall Islands—once the site for dozens of nuclear tests conducted by the United States between 1946 and 1962. But it also provides a strong message about the future of island nation. “Given what the ... MORE > >

Greater Skills Equals Greater Ability to Combat Leprosy Stella Paul It’s a Friday morning and Dr. Ken Jetton, the only doctor who treats leprosy in Majuro, the capital of the Marshall Islands, is seeing a patient recently cured of the disease. David, 32, has received multidrug therapy (MDT) treatment for a year already. But he is back in the doctor’s office ... MORE > >

Freshwater Canada’s Dirty Water Secret Marcos Orellana While residents across Prince Rupert, British Columbia are once again able to get safe drinking water from their taps, the boil-water advisory lifted there in late January should not be forgotten. Canada is a freshwater-rich country, but the time for complacency on essential water issues has long ... MORE > >

Increasing Leprosy Cases in Micronesia Points to Better Detection and Awareness Stella Paul Elizabeth Keller is one of the most senior health officials in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM). She is the current acting chief of Public Health and also the head of the leprosy programme in the island nation’s capital of Pohnpei. While Pohnpei has the largest number of leprosy cases in ... MORE > >

Bridging the Gaps for the Disabled Tharanga Yakupitiyage People with disabilities are being left behind, and steps must be taken to ensure their inclusion in the world of education and work. Approximately 15 percent of the world’s population, or an estimated one billion people, live with disabilities. But neglect, discrimination, and abuse are still ... MORE > >

Developing Effective and Sustainable Programmes for Those Living with and Affected by Autism Spectrum Disorder Saima Wazed Hossain The Kingdom of Bhutan is a landlocked country surrounded by Bangladesh, India and the Tibetan region of China. It is a country that brought the term Gross National Happiness as a concept by which to measure a country’s progress. In April 2017 it celebrated WAAD by hosting the International ... MORE > >

Safe Menstrual Practices Important for Progress Tharanga Yakupitiyage As menstruation continues to be shamed in many communities, one organisation is rising up to the challenge to ensure “safe menstruation for all women of Bangladesh.” Half of the approximately four billion women around the world are of reproductive age. For these women and girls, menstruation is ... MORE > >

Depression Is More than a Stigma Manoj K. Pandey, Vani S. Kulkarni and Raghav Gaiha Depression is often distinguished from other non-communicable diseases or NCDs (e.g., cancer, diabetes, cardio-vascular diseases, hypertension) because of the stigma attached to it. Among other consequences, those suffering from depression are often denied access to medical care. Indeed, the latter ... MORE > >

VIDEO: World Autism Awareness Day 2019 - Assistive Technologies, Active Participation IPS World Desk Awareness of Austism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has continued to grow worldwide, in recent years. But the number of diagnoses have continued to increase unabated. Indeed, the number of people diagnosed with Autism has continued to rise by 6% to 15% percent globally, since 2010. With diagnoses ... MORE > >

Climate Change Also Affects Mental Health in Mexico Emilio Godoy Minerva Montes lost her home on Holbox Island in 2005 when Hurricane Wilma hit the Yucatan Peninsula in southeastern Mexico. Rebuilding her home was quicker and easier than overcoming the psychological aftermath of the catastrophe. "They activated the evacuation alarm, I didn't know what to do, ... MORE > >