Archive for category: Health

Information and stories on health topics.

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Addressing HIV/AIDS in Bahrain

HIV/AIDS in BahrainAs a country with a mix of Islamic and Western influences, Bahrain finds itself in a unique position. This blend is a result of a large migration of foreign nationals into the country. More than half of the country’s population is made up of foreign nationals. 

HIV/AIDS in Bahrain

According to a report, 237 cases of HIV were recorded in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Transmission through sexual contact was more common in foreign nationals, accounting for 45.7% of cases, while drug abuse was the predominant cause for Bahraini citizens, making up 38.8% of cases of HIV/AIDS in Bahrain.

There is also a large, underreported sex trafficking industry in Bahrain. While sex workers exist in almost every country, their legality in some nations makes it easier to do HIV testing. However, in a country like Bahrain, where sex work is illegal, and authorities arrest women for participating in sex work, it becomes rather difficult. 

Currently, sex workers receive testing for HIV/AIDS in Bahrain only after authorities arrest them, which means that there is probably a huge number of untested HIV-positive individuals. Additionally, there might be many sex workers who do not receive testing out of fear of arrest, and many people who have contracted the disease without knowing it.

Public Attitudes About HIV

According to a study that Janahi et al conducted, which includes the knowledge, risk perceptions and attitudes of 1,038 Bahraini adults, misconceptions towards HIV do exist in the region. 

About 60% support patient isolation and 52.4% see HIV as a divine punishment. Meanwhile, 84.4% of people believe that religion plays a role in limiting the spread of disease. These misconceptions require attention to create a society that makes people less hesitant to get HIV testing, as people fear their family and friends shunning them just for being HIV positive.

A report by the Journal of Bahrain Medical Society states that “The HIV-related stigma and discrimination in the health care sector has not been studied in Bahrain, most probably due to the low prevalence of HIV and AIDS in our country.”

Efforts That Bahrain is Making

The National AIDs Programme, which has been a GCC-sponsored health initiative since 1987, provides free antiretroviral therapy, which is commonly known as ART, for patients who are recorded as positive with HIV. Before the National AIDs Programme, the government did not have a central plan to combat AIDs as there was no approved drug back then. Treatment back then mostly relied on palliative and supportive care. The free therapy has seen success with 68% receiving free healthcare in the year 2021, a notable increase from 33% in the year 2015. However, Bahrain must make efforts to create a population that is ready to undergo HIV testing, to make steady improvements in the crisis.  

The Free ART treatments has been a success with many patients receiving free healthcare, and this is the reason why HIV/AIDs in Bahrain doesn’t lead to poverty. The Kingdom of Bahrain also claims that the global definition of global poverty does not apply to the country, as there are no people living below the poverty line, but a United Nations report ranks Bahrain third in poverty among GCC countries, making one doubt everything the country claims.

Concluding Thoughts

Public attitudes and laws make it difficult to record and diagnose cases. However, the National AIDs programme has been successful in treating patients, although more progress is needed to address widespread ignorance.

– Adil Sayyad

Adil is based in Mumbai, India and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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AI Tools Outperform Clinicians in Rwanda Study

AI Tools Outperform Clinicians in RwandaThe potential of artificial intelligence (AI) tools to offer affordable health advice to low-income countries has been outlined in a new study. Researchers described the work as the first evaluation of its kind and found that five large language models (LLMs) significantly outperformed local doctors and nurses in Rwanda when responding to hundreds of clinical questions.

The tools, including Google’s Gemini-2 and ChatGPT-4o, delivered responses at a cost 500 times lower per answer and still outperformed clinicians when responding in the local language, Kinyarwanda. The research team included academics from Rwanda and the U.K. and noted a lack of previous research around how LLMs perform in low-income countries. The questions tested were randomly selected from thousands supplied by community health workers across four Rwandan districts and evaluated using a rubric of expert-rated metrics.

Study Suggests AI Tools Outperform Clinicians in Rwanda

Community health workers across four Rwandan districts supplied thousands of clinical questions, and researchers randomly selected around 520 for the test. Experts then evaluated the responses using a rubric of rated metrics. The other tools measured — o3-mini, Deepseek R1 and Meditron-70B — each scored significantly higher than local clinicians.

According to the research team, the study aimed to evaluate the ability of LLMs to generate safe, high-quality and cost-effective responses to real questions posed by frontline health care workers in a low-resource setting. The team concluded that LLMs can provide high-quality, on-demand clinical advice to community health workers that outperforms local experts, even in low-resource, non-English language settings.

The researchers designed the study to simulate a situation in which a community health worker seeks telephone advice from a general practitioner or senior nurse and accepts the first response offered. Despite the headline finding, the authors acknowledged the study does not fully reflect the complexity of day-to-day clinical practice, as real-life situations often involve back-and-forth conversations. They suggested future studies examine how AI tools perform in extended clinical conversations.

Gates Foundation Funds AI Roll-Out

The Gates Foundation funded the Rwanda study and has led efforts to deploy and research large language models in Sub-Saharan Africa. In January 2026, the foundation announced a $50 million joint investment with OpenAI to deploy AI tools supporting primary care workers across 1,000 clinics, starting in Rwanda.

In February 2026, the foundation also launched the Evidence for AI in Health initiative with the Wellcome Trust and the Novo Nordisk Foundation, committing $60 million to projects in low- and middle-income countries.

The three-year project will support researchers evaluating LLMs in clinical settings, AI tools that read diagnostic scans and models that predict disease risk or prioritize patients for follow-up based on their medical history. Priority will go to technologies designed for resource-limited settings.

Looking Ahead

The growing interest in these projects reflects the economic challenge of delivering universal health coverage in low-income countries. A recent World Bank analysis suggested that achieving universal health coverage requires about $60 per capita in low-income countries, compared with around $17 per capita in current government and donor funding.

Global aid cuts have increased pressure on health budgets, making the search for affordable approaches to care more urgent. The study highlighted that AI tools can outperform clinicians in Rwanda. Indeed, the investments that followed suggest that AI tools may offer one pathway toward bridging that gap in resource-limited settings.

– Lawrence Dunhill

Lawrence is based in London, UK and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Volunteer Nurses in Honduras

Volunteer Nurses in HondurasAs of 2024, almost 63% of people in Honduras lived in poverty. The main reasons for such a high poverty rate are extreme food insecurity, lack of access to basic services, climate disasters and violence.

Particularly in the city of La Ceiba, poverty is at a severe high of almost 93%. Located on the northern coast of Honduras, La Ceiba has a population of about 285,000 people. If 93% of these people are living in poverty, then about 265,000 people are in poverty in just one city in Honduras. The city experiences common hurricanes and flooding, which exacerbates the poverty rate.

A Broader View

The nonprofit A Broader View sends volunteer nurses to La Ceiba to assist in public hospitals. The organization was founded in 2007 and runs volunteer programs in 32 countries around the world. Since its founding, A Broader View has raised and donated more than $4.5 million to partners in need and has had almost 70,000 volunteers.

The Premedical and Student Nurse program in La Ceiba sends volunteers over the age of 17 to work in public hospitals and clinics. These volunteer nurses in Honduras work alongside local doctors to help the largely understaffed facilities. Volunteers assist with basics such as charting patients, cleaning and bandaging wounds and taking vitals. No experience is required to participate in the program. Spanish immersion lessons are offered to those interested. Volunteers are asked to bring several pairs of scrubs, a stethoscope, a blood pressure cuff, masks, gloves and pens. La Ceiba has limited availability of supplies and cannot provide these basics to each volunteer. Volunteers are housed on-site and work eight-hour shifts Monday through Friday. Program lengths range from one week to 12 weeks.

Volunteer Nurses in Honduras

The Borgen Project interviewed Nancy Crane, a volunteer nurse who went to Honduras in 2017. In January of that year, La Ceiba experienced major flooding that affected thousands of people. September and October 2017 saw heavy rain and frequent flooding. Nancy went to La Ceiba in September 2017 as a volunteer nurse for 12 weeks with A Broader View. Her motivation for going was a desire to move into the nursing field. She had no prior experience, and A Broader View provided hands-on experience. Nancy was placed in Hospicentro Okens in the emergency room four days a week and at a small local clinic one day a week. She was placed in a homestay with a man who taught her Spanish in her free time.

Nancy told The Borgen Project that her expectations for her time in La Ceiba were to do more observing, handle basic first aid and take vitals. She quickly learned that it would require a lot more patient care than she had prepared for, as well as tasks that do not take place in U.S. hospitals. Nancy was the only volunteer at Hospicentro Okens and was welcomed by everyone, even though her Spanish was not perfect.

“When they heard that I was from the U.S., they actually called me ‘Doctor,'” she said. She was surprised by this since she had no experience or training. Hospicentro Okens was very limited in resources. Nancy recalled some of the more basic tasks she had to complete to help with hospital functioning. “At the emergency room where I worked, they do not have computer systems to log people in, and so we actually would have to sit down in our free time and create lined paper so that we could have people sign in,” she said. She also had to cut and sterilize gauze to be used as needed.

Poverty in La Ceiba

When asked about poverty in La Ceiba, she described walking 10 minutes through flooded streets to reach the emergency room each day. The clinic she worked in was in the most impoverished part of La Ceiba. “When I would go there, there would be hundreds of people lined up to come in to the un-air-conditioned ER, and there are dogs running in and out,” she said. She described it as “organized chaos.” The only running water at the clinic came in through the kitchen window during rain and flowed into a barrel, serving as the only fresh water available.

When patients came in for care that required supplies the hospital or clinic did not have, they were sent to the medical store to buy the supplies themselves before returning for treatment. Nancy described all of the people seeking care as very patient and accepting of the quality care they were receiving. She recounted a man who arrived having a severe heart attack in an open-back jeep with no gurney — he had to walk himself to the entrance.

Nancy also recounted what happens when no surgeons are available. The osteopathic surgeon only comes in once a week, so if someone had a broken limb, doctors would clean it, remove all the bone pieces, clean them, put the clean bones back and stitch it up. The patient would then wait in that condition for one to six days until the surgeon returned.

Nancy also spoke about the severity of diabetes in Honduras. Most people do not have access to whole foods or blood pressure devices, which causes a large number of people to require amputations.

Nancy greatly valued her time as a volunteer nurse in Honduras and later went to school in the U.S. to become a nurse. She volunteered at a clinic in Guatemala in the fall of 2018 and hopes to return to Honduras in the future.

Healthcare in Honduras

Since 2017, several organizations have worked to improve health care in Honduras. The United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) worked with the Honduran Ministry of Health to improve the quality of one of the main public hospitals in Tegucigalpa. In September 2024, UNOPS announced a plan to upgrade and construct six operating rooms not currently in use. As of December 2025, Hospital Escuela now has four stretcher elevators to better transport staff and patients. A Temporary Equipment and Sterilization Center was also handed over to the hospital to provide more space during construction and to ensure proper sterilization of medical supplies.

On March 13, 2026, the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa announced a $46.5 million five-year bilateral health Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The Department of State will provide $29.5 million over the next five years to help the Honduran health care system address HIV/AIDS and other noncommunicable diseases. The Honduran government commits to increasing its health spending in HIV and global health security by $16.8 million. The MOU gives Honduras greater national autonomy over its health care system and integrates U.S.-funded frontline health care and laboratory workers into the national health workforce.

Looking Ahead

Volunteer nurses in Honduras still play a critical role in supporting the health care system. Several organizations beyond A Broader View send volunteers to the country. With limited local staff available, volunteer nurses provide immediate, short-term care and relieve pressure on local nurses. Volunteer programs also bring critical supplies that Honduras lacks. In the years since Nancy Crane volunteered in La Ceiba, funding has increased and more volunteer nurses have helped support the health care system for those living in poverty.

– Kaitlyn Crane

Kaitlyn is based in Rohnert Park, CA, USA and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Fighting Back: Cholera Vaccine Shortages in Bangladesh

Fighting Back Against Cholera Vaccine Shortages in Bangladesh Bangladesh’s battle against cholera has been long-standing and complicated by various factors, including limited access to clean water and Bangladesh’s high population density. With the rise in funding cuts to global aid, there has been a significant increase in vaccine shortages in Bangladesh. However, with the implementation of certain countermeasures, the fight against cholera vaccine shortages shows promise.

The Cholera Cycle

The prevalence of cholera in Bangladesh has been estimated to be around 100,000 cases per year.

This is due to a number of different factors, including Bangladesh’s rainfall season, where there is an increase in floods and droughts.

As cholera is transmitted by consuming contaminated food and water, the increase in rainfall in Bangladesh every year creates a cycle of increasing and decreasing cholera infections. Typically, this is addressed with vaccination protocols such as the mass oral cholera vaccination (OCV) campaign that was put in place for Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh.

However, with continuous cuts to funding across the globe, the availability of vaccinations has been on a steady decrease, making vaccination campaigns like the mass OCV campaign for the Rohingya people a challenge to replicate.

In response to most cholera outbreaks, there is a two-dose protocol in vaccination schemes. Due to funding cuts, the number of doses usually provided in these schemes has been reduced by international organizations that provide vaccinations. This reduction to only one dose has been an attempt to mitigate the impact of the limited global supply.

The Global Response to Low Vaccination Stocks

The vaccine shortages in Bangladesh, as with other countries, have been slowly receiving pushback from global actors such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. As of February 2026, the global supply of cholera vaccinations has increased to sufficient levels for vaccination programs to resume. Bangladesh is set to receive 10.3 million doses.

Furthermore, the cholera vaccination shortages in Bangladesh have only provided incentives to promote secondary countermeasures against cholera outbreaks. Campaigns such as Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), which aim to provide safe water and sanitation, have already been in existence for more than a decade.

Cholera is spread by contaminated food and water. With a shift in focus to efforts that promote sanitation and clean water, alongside proper vaccination protocols, the battle against cholera in Bangladesh can continue.

Looking Ahead

The cholera endemic in Bangladesh has always been one of Bangladesh’s biggest health challenges, with around 3,000 deaths occurring annually. This is a problem that continues to persist, especially with the instability caused by vaccine shortages. Despite this, with vaccination campaigns in Bangladesh resuming, the fight against cholera outbreaks resumes with renewed momentum.

– Bernice Attawia

Bernice is based in London, UK and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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3 Ways the US Fuel Blockade Challenges SDG 1 in Cuba

SDG 1 in CubaMotivated by a desire for the island’s government to change regimes, U.S. President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14380 on January 29th, 2026, authorizing the imposition of heavy tariffs upon oil provisions sent to Cuba and delivering a huge blow to the progress made toward SDG 1 in Cuba. 

The island is one of Latin America’s poorest countries and had already been struggling with an energy crisis before Trump’s tariffs were put into place. With 12% experiencing unemployment and an astonishing 89% living in extreme poverty, Cuba’s citizens are suffering under the weight of food shortages and medicine shortages, blackouts and poor wages. 

While the island has long endured social problems, as of 2026, the poverty rate has soared by 49% since 2025, with the island now suffering from blackouts, a lack of drinkable water and outbreaks of mosquito-borne and hygiene-related illnesses, creating a nation-wide poverty crisis that is driving 78% of people living on the island to make emigration plans. Here are three ways that the U.S. fuel blockage on Cuba is threatening the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 1: no poverty in Cuba: 

1. Debilitated Healthcare System 

Cuba’s hospitals are unable to function effectively due to frequent power outages, leading to thousands of patients awaiting surgeries that are unable to be performed without sufficient water and electricity. Despite relying on generators during the reoccurring blackouts, hospitals and other important institutions are grappling to optimize the few hours of electricity provided each day, with laboratories shortening their workdays from five to two hours every week in order to preserve fuel.

A spike in hygiene-related and mosquito-borne illnesses, which the heaps of rubbish now piling on the streets of Cuba have caused, is putting the healthcare system under further strain. The Cuban Government responded to the fuel shortage with rationed waste collection in an attempt to save fuel, resulting in garbage piles being burned as citizens desperately scramble to get rid of the piles of waste marinating in the streets.

Health officials report that the flux of stagnant water left inside discarded waste has led to an increase in reproduction of the Aedes aegypti species. With a large number of vectors swarming inside homes and public areas, the transmission of mosquito-borne illnesses has drastically increased, resulting in countless new cases of diseases like chikungunya, which causes significant pain and often debilitating symptoms in patients.

Rubbish piles further raise concern, as parents struggle to monitor their children in streets filled with waste that can cause serious health issues if consumed out of hunger or inhaled during a burning. With so few resources available, hospitals struggle to care for their rapidly increasing number of patients.

2. Grid Collapse

A preexisting energy crisis, which the fuel blockade has made worse, has left schools with no choice but to reduce the number of classes delivered to students each day, resulting in online classes and even cancellations, and businesses unable to operate, forcing them to shut down and leave workers unemployed. 

A cessation of fuel deliveries to the Antonio Guiteras Thermoelectric Power Plant has led to frequent breakdowns and left the island powerless in the resulting outages. Without power for lights and technological devices, schools and businesses  are unable to run as usual. However, it is speculated that, due to the crumbling public transport system, attendance would be low even if there was power. With a lack of fuel affecting the everyday commutes of students and workers alike, and a high prevalence of blackouts, the Cuban workforce is  paralyzed, leaving countless unemployed and jeopardizing SDG 1 in Cuba. 

The interruption to studies has even prompted students at the University of Havana to conduct a sit-down protest in March, angered by officials’ lack of action when the U.S. first began enforcing the blockade. A rare occurrence, the protest was responded with force, until Higher Education Vice Minister Modesto Ricardo Gomez called off university security, claiming their voices had a right to be heard and taken seriously.

3. Limited Access To Clean Water 

A water shortage caused by frequent blackouts over the island has left Cubans panicked. Due to fuel shortages, the island is experiencing voltage fluctuations. This causes delays in pumping schedules and damages to machinery, thus affecting the regular delivery of clean water to citizens. With no reliable access to clean drinking water, citizens have resorted to collecting water from tanker trucks and relying on aid vessels for supplies. 

The lack of clean water is leading to an increase in hospital patients, with people suffering from dehydration in the summer heat. Low water supply also means there is little to be spared for showers and cleanliness, leaving citizens vulnerable to illnesses due to poor hygiene and unsanitary food. There is very little water that can be boiled to wash dishes or cook food, therefore creating an environment where sickness can thrive.

Here is some information about aid being delivered to combat the poverty crisis in Cuba:

The Nuestra América Convoy

In 2015, the United Nations developed a 2030 vision, outlined by 17 SDGs, the first goal being no poverty. While the U.S. fuel blockade threatens to impede SDG 1 in Cuba, there are several organizations taking action to help citizens. The Nuestra América Convoy, for example, mobilized hundreds of volunteers from more than 30 countries to deliver aid to the island in the form of critical medical and food supplies. 

Aiming to aid, and stand in solidarity with, the citizens of Cuba, the delegation of Cuban Americans partnered with the International Association of Democratic Lawyers, National Lawyers Guild and U.S. Peace Council to visit Hospital Hermanos Ameijeiras and Parque Maceo, which is one of the more affected parts of Cuba. 

On March 21st, the group delivered around 20 tons of humanitarian aid to a drop point in Havana, providing significant humanitarian relief to the Cuban people. Now returned from their trip, having successfully helped hospital patients and residents of the area, volunteers plead for change and emphasize that the blockade will only make the situation in Cuba, as well as the island’s relationship with the U.S., worse.

The US’s Offer of Aid

While Cuba’s leader, Miguel Díaz-Canel, had previously rejected the offer, Cuba is now accepting the U.S. government’s $100 million in humanitarian aid. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has met with Pope Leo XIV to discuss the delivery of aid to Cuba, planning to distribute the provisions through the Catholic Church. The Cuban government claims it will accept assistance from the U.S., but explains that the island’s citizens may be confused by an offer of help by the same government that has made the poverty crisis significantly worse.

Achieving the United Nations’ SDG 1 in Cuba is critical to saving countless lives, as well as improving the living conditions of the island’s 10,899,951 residents. These three consequences of the U.S. fuel blockade, however, are not only delaying, but drastically reversing the progress made towards achieving this goal. The aid that volunteers are delivering to the island helps counteract these issues, but it is unclear whether it will be enough to combat the ever-growing poverty rate in Cuba.

– Ruby Fraser 

Ruby is based in Cannes, France and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Pixabay

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Telemedicine: Health Care access for Afghan Women

Health Care access for Afghan WomenAfghanistan, a country beset by constant, unequivocal political unrest, faces a time of profound inequality. When the Taliban reasserted control over the country in August 2021, a cascade of reactions found the country’s health care system on the verge of collapse. In the first half of that year alone, Taliban forces attacked health care facilities, leaving 12 health care workers dead and damaging more than 25 buildings.

The impact on Afghan women has cut the deepest. Now lacking almost all fundamental rights, health care has taken a backseat. Not a single woman received screening for any cancer form and less than 10% received screening for sexually transmitted infections. Even where diagnosis is possible, treatment for these demographics remains virtually inaccessible. 

Barriers to Health Care Access for Afghan Women

These obstacles to health care access for Afghan women are not accidental but structural. The Taliban’s governance has systematically dismantled the conditions in which women can safely seek and receive medical attention. At the center of this is the Mahram Policy, which requires female health workers to be accompanied by a male guardian at all times outside the home.

On December 21, 2022, women were banned from working with NGOs nationwide, except in health care. Yet the requirement for them to be chaperoned now hinders their ability to provide and receive adequate health care. Even when women reach a facility, barriers persist; whether they would like to or not, male doctors can scarcely provide the necessary care except in life-threatening conditions. 

Additionally, medicines are in short supply and the financial burden of travel pushes families to impossible decisions, leading women to disregard their health and rely on traditional cures. 

The Organizations Still Showing Up

Despite the deteriorating environment, the international humanitarian response has been remarkable. In 2024 alone, nearly one million patients, 65% of whom were women and children, received primary care across 47 implemented health facilities. Alongside these infrastructural changes, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has upgraded equipment, improved staff competency and educated hospitals on mass-casualty incidents. 

Through expanding services into urban areas, organizations like the ICRC are pivotal in improving access to health care and alleviating difficult living conditions in Afghanistan. Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has equally refused to retreat. Operating across eight provinces, MSF has seen the number of patients it treats double in the last three years. 

The organization prioritizes the most acute needs: emergency trauma care, maternal health and malnutrition. In 2024 alone, the organization admitted more than 400,000 emergency patients and assisted in more than 45,000 births. Despite attacks from the Taliban, the remaining feeding center and trauma facility in Kunduz have become vital for Afghanistan’s health care infrastructure.

What makes these organizations so significant is not just the scale of their operations but the conditions under which they persist. They hold together the health care system in a place of such turmoil, despite uncertain funding, restrictions on female staff and the collapse of broader public health systems. 

Telemedicine: A Bridge No Wall Can Close

Among the most promising developments for Afghanistan’s health care system is the expansion of telemedicine. When physical access is blocked by Taliban restrictions, a mobile phone may still get through. Telemedicine is being pursued by many organizations and charities, with evidence of its impact.

The Central Asia Health Systems Strengthening project connected seven tertiary care facilities with 14 secondary care facilities across the region. The project enabled more than 6,000 teleconsultations and delivered 52 e-learning sessions to more than 2,000 health staff. A tele-ICU service running from 2020 to 2023 provided the same number of teleconsultations to nearly 1,600 patients. 

This began as a response to COVID-19 before expanding into neonatal, pediatric and surgical critical care. Researchers found that increased consultation frequency was associated with reduced patient mortality, demonstrating clinical applicability. 

Arian Teleheal

Dr. Waheed Arian grew up in Afghanistan during the Soviet conflict, sheltering in cellars from rockets and bombs. Later, his family fled to Pakistan, where he contracted malaria and tuberculosis in a refugee camp. He arrived in the U.K. at 15 with $100 in his pocket, went on to study medicine at Cambridge and is now the founder of Arian Teleheal.

Founded in 2015, Arian Teleheal began by connecting Afghan hospitals to a global network of volunteer specialists via smartphones and tablets. As expensive medical systems are inaccessible to medics in these low-resource settings, this enables medical personnel and patients to receive appropriate care by being routed to a network of more than 150 international volunteers. The results have been unparalleled, with a three-year study finding that Arian Teleheal’s volunteers have helped care for thousands of patients. 

The organization has also since partnered with the World Health Organization (WHO) to provide emergency, mental health and psychosocial support to people in need across the globe.

Final Remarks

Initiatives such as these show great promise for those in need in Afghanistan, who face a health care system rocked by political repression, stripping the right to provide medical care freely. As humanitarian organizations struggle to fill the gap, telemedicine is emerging as a quiet revolution. Where Taliban restrictions try to block the door, a smartphone may still get through.

 – Juliette Dall’Aglio

Juliette is based in London, UK and focuses on Technology and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Health Action in South Sudan

Health Action in South SudanAmylia Deng’s sense of purpose and drive to make an impact emerged at a young age. As a naturally observant adolescent, she keyed in on the challenges around her, especially those affecting women and children, and she knew she wanted to be a part of that change. Growing up in South Sudan and Kenya gave her a unique perspective. Exposure to both environments shaped her worldview — one experience rooted in resilience and community, the other established with opportunities and possibilities.

Health Action in South Sudan

As CEO of Health Action in South Sudan since January 2019, Amylia Deng has dedicated herself to driving lasting impact. She helped enroll more than 200 children back into school, opening doors to children and families faced with financial, structural and social barriers. Deng said that many families cannot afford school fees or live in areas where schools are inaccessible. “There are also cultural factors where education is not always prioritized. Some children are forced into labor or early marriage instead of being in classrooms,” she said.

According to recent United Nations (U.N.) data, South Sudan has one of the lowest literacy rates in the world. Around 70% of adults cannot read or write, approximately 84% of girls over the age of 15 are illiterate, and an estimated 2.8 million children are not in school.

Even before she fully understood it, Deng identified as an activist, author and had a flair for fashion. Writing became her way of processing and telling stories, activism became her voice and fashion allowed for self-expression. All three combined, allowing her to communicate who she is and what she stands for.

Representing South Sudan on a Global Stage

As a diplomat working within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in South Sudan and author of two books — Even After the Darkest Moments and Rising from the Ashes — her journey has led her to represent South Sudan on the global stage. In 2022, she founded Amylia Cosmetics. In 2024, she was crowned Miss International South Sudan.

When asked what challenges she has witnessed as a South Sudanese woman that still drive her work today, Deng said she witnessed limited access to education, early marriages, lack of opportunities and societal expectations that often silence women’s potential. She personally experienced instability and moments where she had to navigate systems that were not built to support young women. These experiences continue to drive her work because she knows what it feels like to have potential but limited access.

Deng said access to education is still one of the most urgent needs. Beyond that, there is a strong need for economic empowerment, health care and protection from gender-based violence. She emphasized that women and children need systems that not only support survival but also create pathways for growth and independence.

According to a statement by U.N. Women Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Anna Mutavati, approximately 5 million women and girls in South Sudan need help, with half requiring gender-based violence services.

The 2025 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey for South Sudan showed that 19% of children are stunted, only 42% attended primary school and 43% of women were married before age 18.

Deng said she would want the world to understand that South Sudan is more than a challenge. It is a country full of resilient, talented and ambitious people who, despite difficult circumstances, continue to rise, create and hope for a better future.

The challenges and responsibilities Deng carried early on had an impact on her life’s trajectory. They forced her to grow quickly and shaped her mindset. The roots of her drive and resilience, however, came from the strength of the women around her and her family.

From a global perspective, Deng said the international community should play a supportive but respectful role when partnering with local leaders and organizations in improving access to education in developing countries, rather than imposing solutions. She mentioned investment in infrastructure, teacher training and sustainable economic education programs as critical. Most importantly, she said those efforts should focus on long-term impact rather than short-term visibility.

A Crown as a Catalyst for Health Action in South Sudan

In many ways, Amylia Deng has become a bridge between the two worlds of hardship and possibility that originally influenced her. For her, the crown is not just an achievement but a duty and an honor to make an impact.

“Success is impact,” Deng said. “Changing lives. Creating opportunities where there were none. Building something that outlives me. It is not just about personal achievement. It is about how many people I can bring up with me.”

In closing, Deng expressed that young people, especially girls, growing up in difficult situations, do not have to let their environment determine their future. “You may start with less,” she said, “but you are not less. Stay focused, believe in your vision even when no one else does. Do not be afraid to take up space. Your story matters. You have the power to change not only your life, but the lives of others.

– Erin Sian Mongillo

Erin is based in North Haven, CT, USA and focuses on Celebs for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Establishment of Mexico’s Universal Health Care System

Mexico's Universal Health CareIn an April 7 press conference, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced the creation of Mexico’s universal health care system, which is scheduled to achieve full coverage by 2028. Sheinbaum described the initiative as a “historic step” toward achieving free, accessible and quality health care for all of Mexico’s more than 120 million citizens. The country plans to roll out the new system in phases, beginning with the issuance of health ID cards for citizens over 85 years old this year. By 2027, the exchange of services between institutions will begin, and the process will conclude in 2028 with coverage of treatment for chronic conditions and the ability to refill prescriptions at any health institution.

The Necessity of a New System

Since the creation of the Mexican health care system in 1943, fragmentation has created disparities in quality and access due to divisions based on economic, social and regional factors. As of 2023, the system was divided into the Mexican Social Security Institute (IMSS), which covered salaried private sector workers; the Institute for Social Security and Services for State Workers (ISSSTE), which covered salaried public sector workers; PEMEX, which covered workers in the oil industry; and IMSS-Bienestar, or INSABI, which covered those who did not qualify for the others, such as contract workers, the unemployed and the self-employed. INSABI replaced Seguro Popular in 2018, causing the number of citizens without access to health services to increase by 15.6 million in only two years. As of May 2023, the government had dismantled INSABI. However, the effects still remain, increasing the need for Mexico’s universal health care system.

In 2025, Mexico ranked below Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) averages in life expectancy (75.5 years), preventable mortality (243 per 100,000), eligible children vaccinated against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (DTP) (78%) and women screened for breast cancer (20%). Mexico spent $1,588 per capita on health, compared with the OECD average of $5,967. Much of this was due to fragmentation’s effects on the rural poor. Because access to health services was based on employment status and proximity to salaried jobs in the public or private sector, the poor could not always use the closest hospital or institution if a specific subsystem ran it. Additionally, changes in the labor market caused by the COVID-19 pandemic placed more than half of the population in the informal sector. This created disparities in quality of care between the formal and informal sectors, effectively splitting the country’s health care system in half.

How a Universal System Will Address These Issues

Beyond providing free coverage for its citizens, Mexico’s universal health care system will integrate these subsystems into a national network. In doing this, the government hopes that quality care and accessibility will transcend employment status or geographical location. Citizens will be able to use any health care institution, regardless of personal factors, with a health ID card. The card will be connected to an app displaying an individual’s medical records, upcoming appointments and available services.

The health ID card and connected app should streamline the health care process and improve efficiency. The consolidation of subsystems should also help efficiency, as specialized equipment can now be shared across hospitals that it previously could not. Patients will have the option to remain at a specific health center for the full duration of care, removing forced transfers that shortened treatments. The unification of these subsystems is necessary for both universal coverage and an efficient, centralized network.

Looking Ahead

According to Sheinbaum’s timeline, the exchange between institutions will begin by Jan. 1, 2027, with services covering emergency care, high-risk pregnancies, heart attacks, strokes, cancers, vaccinations and primary care consultations. The second half of 2027 marks the beginning of coverage for specialized medical services. By 2028, universal coverage will include prescriptions, referral-based hospitalization and specialized outpatient care. Mexico’s universal health care system represents a significant shift in access for millions of citizens, particularly those in the informal sector and rural communities who have historically been underserved.

– Joshua Megson

Joshua is based in Albemarle, NC, USA and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Improving WASH in South African Schools

WASH in South African Schools South Africa is a country where access to clean water and sanitation is not readily available to all, and this directly impacts education. Around 462 million students globally attend schools without access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH).

When sanitation is not safely managed, it can contaminate soil, food and water sources, spreading disease and causing death in extreme cases. South Africa’s government is taking steps to improve WASH for its next generation.

The Impact of Poor WASH on Education

Improving education has remained a major challenge for the South African government, and this is directly linked to the lack of WASH services in schools. The problem is especially prevalent in underprivileged, water-scarce areas, where students leave school without completing their education due to the inaccessibility of water and toilets within schools.

Even with South Africa investing in schools and policy reforms, WASH access differs depending on socioeconomic status and community. South Africa’s informal settlements, where citizens face limited access to housing, education and job opportunities, are often the most affected.

This disparity causes students in lower-income communities to have higher exposure to waterborne diseases, making them unable to focus properly due to dehydration, lack of privacy, illness and poor sanitation. This limits classroom time, stunting cognitive development and reducing attendance rates.

A New Sanitation Solution

South Africa has looked to other countries for help in improving WASH in its schools. A South African delegation attended the 2018 Reinvented Toilet Expo in Beijing, where a new sanitation system was showcased. The system purifies solid waste and urine, removes all pathogens and recycles the output as flushable water — a solution South Africa was ready to implement.

At the event, South Africa partnered with Enviro Loo to adapt the system for local schools. The system was installed in 2020, and Enviro Loo has since continued to install it in South African schools and informal settlements, reaching more than 41 locations with more being built.

Enviro Loo is also part of the South African Sanitation Enterprise Programme (SASTEP), a government initiative that organizes sanitation solutions and tracks new systems and technologies to increase WASH access in South African schools.

Measurable Results

The effects of the new system have been immediate. Schools now have bathrooms located in hallways next to classrooms, rather than in secluded areas.

  • Absenteeism has dropped by 80% since installation.
  • Students from informal settlements are attending class with confidence, knowing they have access to clean toilets and proper sanitation.
  • Students are arriving at school earlier and remaining in class for the full school day, improving educational outcomes.

Looking Ahead

South Africa is continuing to expand WASH access for its next generation. Indeed, with its continued partnership with Enviro Loo and the Gates Foundation, students are better able to focus on their education, and the program offers a model for addressing sanitation-linked barriers to learning in other developing countries.

– Kianna Phosouvanh-Sythong

Kianna is based in Upper Darby, PA, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Poverty and Health in Sierra Leone Following the Civil War

Poverty and Health in sierra leoneIn January 2002, the 11-year civil war of Sierra Leone came to an end, leaving behind one of the worst humanitarian catastrophes the country had seen since gaining its independence in 1961. Up to 4.5 million people faced displacement and 100,000 people had been mutilated by rebel forces.

The country’s economy was left in pieces, and its people carried the weight of psychological and physical trauma. Despite this, in the face of adversity following the civil war, the people of Sierra Leone have continued to show a desire to overcome the struggles they encountered. As January 2026 marks 24 years since the end of the civil war, this article reflects on poverty and health in Sierra Leone and how the country has progressed.

The Immediate Response

Following the end of the civil war, the international response was swift and targeted. Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) such as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), which had been active within conflict zones in Sierra Leone from 1995, provided the country with significant support, including malaria vaccination campaigns and medical care in a country that no longer had the infrastructure required to support its population’s health.

In 2004, MSF reduced its presence in Sierra Leone, stating that although many people still lived in poverty, the country was no longer undergoing a humanitarian crisis.

With that departure, the Ministry of Health in Sierra Leone took on responsibility for basic health care and hospital programs, and the country began rebuilding through different initiatives. Although Sierra Leone ranked as one of the poorest countries in the world, the health sector introduced schemes such as the cost recovery scheme in 2006 and the Free Health Care Initiative (FHCI) in 2010, and the sector began to see economic recovery.

The road to escaping poverty and rebuilding health care in Sierra Leone was not without turbulence. In 2014, the Ebola epidemic created further setbacks in the landscape of poverty and health in the country.

Solving the Poverty Paradox

The economic recovery of Sierra Leone following the civil war required both the help of NGOs and a population willing to put in the work, in part to avoid creating an overdependence on aid. While NGO activity started as wholly philanthropic, it eventually helped inspire the country’s population to cultivate its own agriculture and economy.

A prime example of a collaboration between NGOs and the Sierra Leonean population was the Kalangba-based Sierra Leone Children’s Fund. The fund allowed community farms to be created, providing jobs for people living in the area and increasing local trading.

Initiatives such as these allowed the country to develop its own economic landscape and provided a level of development that deploying aid alone could not achieve.

Public Resilience

For many of the population, health and poverty in Sierra Leone have always existed alongside struggle. That struggle, however, has also created a desire to foster independence.

In an interview with The Borgen Project, a Civil Affairs Officer who worked with the United Nations in Sierra Leone in the years following the civil war said that the people of Sierra Leone have “shaken off the desperation to be helped” when asked about whether international organizations’ involvement in the country’s rehabilitation has created dependency.

Looking Ahead

Poverty and health in Sierra Leone still have a long way to go in terms of promoting health care and reducing poverty following the civil war. The country is still rebuilding its economy. Despite this, in many ways, the country is adapting to its own economic conditions. In 2025, the World Bank Group reported that in the face of global insecurity, Sierra Leone’s economy had remained stable.

Health care in Sierra Leone also continues to grow, with the introduction of new facilities across the country.

These new implementations and improvements reflect the resilience of Sierra Leoneans following the civil war, who, in the face of adversity, have remained committed to rebuilding their country.

– Bernice Attawia

Bernice is based in London, UK and focuses on Global Health and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr