The world is in the last stretch of polio eradication, but closing this gap will require political commitment, the World Health Organization (WHO) told member states at the ongoing 79th session of the World Health Assembly (WHA). Polio virus has shown resurgence in conflict-hit or hard-to-reach areas like northern Yemen, Gaza, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. Conflict […] Continue reading ->
Neither Russia’s delegate banging her desk to interrupt Ukraine’s representative speaking at the World Health Assembly (WHA), nor her request to dismiss debate, stopped member states from condemning Russia’s attacks on Ukraine’s health system. A report by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Director-General before delegates estimated that Russia’s aggression on Ukraine has caused 55,600 civilian […] Continue reading ->
Extreme heat threatens livelihoods, health and labour productivity for over a billion people around the world, warns the latest report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). Agricultural workers and the food production systems that they manage are on the frontlines. The increased intensity and duration of climate change-related heat waves, driven largely by the indiscriminate […] Continue reading ->
Air pollution increases the risk of diabetes, particularly when exposure is long-term, according to emerging evidence. A 2025 study from China involving 18,606 middle-aged and elderly adults found that long-term exposure to air pollution – both indoor and outdoor – significantly increased their risk of metabolic disorders like diabetes. “This national cohort study shows that […] Continue reading ->
Breathing in air with high levels of pollution worsens a range of serious mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety disorders, according to emerging research. A 2026 study, published in the journal Environmental Research, reviewed 25 existing studies on air pollution’s impact on anxiety disorders and found that while long-term exposure is the […] Continue reading ->