Archive for category: Health

Information and stories on health topics.

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3 Organizations Fighting Heart Disease in the Philippines

Heart Disease in the PhilippinesOne of the Philippines’ most common crises includes heart diseases like heart failure, hypertensive heart disease and ischemic heart disease. Cardiovascular disease causes one-third of deaths in the Philippines. An example of its impact is during a 6-month period from January to July in 2023, where doctors recorded more than 65,000 ischemic heart disease cases, accounting for 19% of all deaths. This has weakened many Filipinos’ immune systems, making them highly vulnerable. While this remains a severe challenge in the Philippines, three organizations have stepped up to the cause and started fighting heart disease in the country.

The Connection Between Poverty and Heart Disease

The link between poverty and heart disease is striking. As of 2023, 15.5% of the Filipino population lives below the national poverty line. The causes of cardiovascular disease include the inability to afford proper living conditions, limited access to food and dirty water — all challenges that low-income Filipinos face daily. They also confront another difficult sacrifice: a normal heart failure hospitalization in a private hospital costs about ₱42,000, which exceeds 10% of the average Filipino’s annual salary. The nation covers only some of this cost, forcing Filipinos to choose between survival and a long treatment. Research from the University of the Philippines highlights a shortage of doctors relative to the population, and too many cardiovascular disease patients receive diagnoses far too late for quality treatment. Here is information about three organizations fighting heart disease in the Philippines.

1. Children’s Heart Foundation

The Children’s Heart Foundation stands among several organizations working to change the lives of people with heart disease. It works to address heart problems so that future generations experience fewer cardiovascular diseases, improving global health. Volunteers founded it in 2000 and launched it with a fundraiser for a single cardiovascular patient. Since then, it has evolved into a nonprofit organization that serves low-income Filipinos tirelessly. It provides quality medical care for free, stopping many heart diseases before they turn fatal. Partnering with the Philippines Heart Center, the foundation delivers financial aid to those who need it most. It also builds a network connecting young and old patients, creating valuable social opportunities.

2. Gift of Life International

Gift of Life International provides care to children suffering from heart disease in the Philippines. This international organization receives requests to aid certain countries, with the greatest need coming from Manila. It has built strong partnerships with local groups and have saved more than 7,000 Filipino children. Gift of Life International pursues four main goals: securing donations, helping people with cardiovascular disease across multiple nations, handling incoming requests and managing volunteer involvement in ongoing efforts. This organization sets a strong example for others on how to improve healthcare access in the Philippines.

3. The Philips Foundation

The Philips Foundation also tackles the challenge of diagnosing cardiovascular heart disease early so that patients avoid fatal consequences. It raises awareness about global health across communities in the Philippines. Its plan involves training 200 teachers to identify students with cardiovascular diseases, a strategy that could save many lives by allowing teachers to spot warning signs early and enable sooner treatment. Using techniques like handheld ultrasound screeners, the program reaches areas where no nearby medical facilities exist. In the future, this project could expand across the entire Philippines, inspiring further change in the fight against heart disease.

Looking Ahead

Certain organizations are driving real progress against heart disease in the Philippines. Through financial assistance, lifesaving surgery and innovative early detection tools, organizations like the Children’s Heart Foundation, Gift of Life International and the Philips Foundation are changing the numbers for heart disease patients in the Philippines. These efforts create safer and more equitable conditions for Filipinos and their future generations, proving that the fight against heart disease in the Philippines moves in the right direction.

– Brijesh Mohan

Brijesh is based in Kendall Park, NJ, USA and focuses on Global Health and Celebs for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Addressing SDG 3 in Zimbabwe

SDG 3 in ZimbabweIn 2015, the United Nations set an ambitious goal: by 2030, the nations of the world would meet 17  Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to achieve peace and prosperity around the globe. These goals delineated strategies to defeat all of humankind’s major injustices, including changing weather patterns, hunger, poverty, education, and of course, health—especially the health of children and infants. The goal with the most objectives under its umbrella is, by far, SDG 3, the quest for good health and well-being; however, four years out from 2030, the target for improvement still seems out of reach. To understand how the SDG has manifested since the UN set its deadline, one need look no further than the SDG 3 in Zimbabwe—and the nation’s incredible efforts to improve infant survival.

SDG 3 in Zimbabwe So Far

Developing countries are, as the name suggests, still developing in many ways—and the global north has let other priorities take the stage. Zimbabwe, a nation situated in Sub-Saharan Africa, provides a standout example of how SDG 3 has panned out. This crucial goal includes 14 areas for improvement—and in Zimbabwe, of those 14, only one has reached official SDG achievement. This standout objective is none other than infant mortality.

In a nation where maternal mortality, neonatal mortality (i.e. death within one month of delivery) and life expectancy at birth have all remained more or less stagnant since 2015, how has infant mortality, of all things, managed to make a comeback?

The Mystery of Survival

Since the functional end of the COVID-19 pandemic, infant mortality rates around the globe have been steadily dropping. In 2023, for example, UNICEF found that the total of infant deaths worldwide had halved compared with 2000. That’s quite a feat for places like Zimbabwe, where good health care is usually scarce and inaccessible. This begs the question: given the state of SDG 3 in Zimbabwe, how can infant mortality be the one thing to improve? 

Zimbabwe’s health, and in fact the health of any nation, is dependent on a number of factors. In 2021, a team of researchers, having observed the declining rates of infant mortality in Zimbabwe, paired with the University of Zimbabwe and the African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) to develop a special algorithm, all with the goal of discovering the most important factors in the health of infants and children.

The findings were rather interesting: after studying more than 16,000 mothers, these researchers determined that the make-or-break factors in an infant’s survival are, in order of importance: 

  • Breastfeeding within an hour of delivery (which, according to the data, only 17.6% of mothers in the study performed)
  • The weight of the baby at birth
  • Birth order (the more children a mother already had, the more likely newborns were to survive)
  • Whether the mother had given birth to multiple children at a time (the baby was more likely to survive if she had not)

A keen reader might notice that all of these factors tie back to the mother—and the researchers noticed it, too. Concerning the second most important factor, a quote from the study on the National Library of Medicine reads, “Birth weight is a function of overall pre-conception maternal nutrition and health status, and care given during pregnancy.” This same care is the reason why many of the mothers were unable to breastfeed at birth; a mother who is malnourished, especially after hours of labor, often struggles to produce enough milk for her child. If the current state of SDG 3 is anything to go by, one can assume many mothers in Zimbabwe struggle with proper nutrition. The Global Nutrition Report states that 30% of women between ages 15-49 are affected by anemia, and only 50% are able to exclusively breastfeed.

Improvements for Women

So if health care remains scarce in Zimbabwe, and mothers remain malnourished, why have rates of infant mortality been improving? There are two important changes that contribute, and the first answer may lie in another facet of SDG 5, which aims to promote gender equality.

As it happens, conditions for women are actually improving in Zimbabwe right now. According to the official Sustainable Development Report, rates of women in the workforce have not only increased, but actually surpassed the bar for success. Changes like these impact other factors that the researchers identified as important—and sometimes, even the top four. For example, teenage or elderly mothers are more likely to lose their children than mothers in their 20s or early 30s.

If a couple has done sufficient family planning before their first pregnancy, then the target age for the mother is more likely to be met. Family planning also ensures proper recuperation between children, meaning a factor like birth order—which entails how a woman’s body might be strained by back-to-back pregnancies, but also how future pregnancies might benefit from past ones—is already accounted for. More women in the workforce also means the rise of two-income households, increasing the wealth index of families with children. A mother who can afford to eat will deliver a baby with more weight, and can even breastfeed it after delivery.

Vaccinations

There is one final change crushing infant mortality in Zimbabwe. The mother’s health is one of the most important things to look after when a newborn is in the womb; after birth, however, the number one way to improve a baby’s chance at survival is vaccination against disease. One may notice that the rates began to truly improve right after the end of COVID-19—a time when vaccinations were at an all-time high. Infant mortality between 2020 and 2022 increased by a rate of more than 1,000 deaths per year, and perhaps this rise moved Zimbabwe to action.

The SDGs have a defined goal for the number of vaccinations a newborn should have—two, at the least—and Zimbabwe has been gradually increasing vaccination rates, especially for measles, tuberculosis, bacterial infections and cholera. In October of 2025, for example, the government of Zimbabwe held a nationwide vaccination campaign that resulted in “1,730,354 children vaccinated out of a target of 1,769,881,” per the World Health Organization (WHO).

Just a year earlier, in 2024, the government ran a similar vaccination campaign to address cholera. Vaccination rates overall have improved by 60% or more since the 1980s, depending on the specific vaccine. Best of all, these vaccinations aren’t just for kids: their parents have been getting doses, too. The health of a family doesn’t just rely on the children—everyone in the household needs to be cared for.

Looking Ahead

If the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 3, are the standard for prosperity, Zimbabwe still has a long way to go. Yet, the infant mortality rate offers a golden example of how these goals intersect. If nations prioritize education, equality and prosperity for their people, then it won’t be long until their populations are a lot healthier and a whole lot happier. 

– Madison Hoar

Madison is based in Birmingham, AL, USA and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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How Nepal’s Female Health Volunteers Save Lives

Female health volunteer in Nepal educates pregnant women on antenatal care.In one of Asia’s most rural and mountainous countries, Nepal’s female health volunteers form the foundation of the public health infrastructure. Established in 1998 by Nepal’s Ministry of Health and Population, the Female Community Health Volunteer (FCHV) program trains more than 50,000 women to perform essential health care services across all 77 districts of the country, reaching villages that most clinics are unable to serve.

A Program Founded on Community Trust

The community each FCHV serves chooses her directly. Volunteers receive training in newborn care, family planning, nutrition, disease prevention and maternal health. The volunteers reside in the communities they serve and build trust with residents. They counsel pregnant women regarding safe deliveries, refer high-risk cases before they become life-threatening and regularly conduct household visits. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the FCHV program is one of the largest and most influential community health worker programs in South Asia. Through the distribution of vitamin A supplements, iron and folic acid tablets at the village level, and oral rehydration salts, the program is closing the gap left by hospital systems in remote terrain.

With the expansion of the FCHV program, Nepal recorded numerous health improvements over the past three decades. According to UNICEF, Nepal’s under-5 mortality rate fell from 162 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1990 to 28 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2022, a decline of more than 80%. According to the World Bank, the maternal mortality rate dropped from 901 deaths per 100,000 live births in 1990 to 174 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2020. A central driver of this progress has been extensive community outreach, including the impactful work of the FCHV program.

Expanding Beyond Maternal Health

The role originally established by Nepal’s female community health volunteers has grown significantly beyond its initial focus on child and maternal health. A 2020 study published in BMC Health Services Research found that FCHVs played a significant role in spreading COVID-19 awareness and conducting contact tracing in rural Nepal, with the network adapting quickly to rising public health needs. UNICEF has also supported initiatives that train FCHVs in newer health management protocols for pneumonia and diarrhea, two leading causes of child death in low- and middle-income countries. Integrating FCHVs into national campaigns for adolescent health education and tuberculosis detection has transformed Nepal’s public health programs.

A Blueprint for Developing Nations

Nepal’s health volunteers have attracted the attention of global health organizations and governments seeking to create similar models. Countries including Ethiopia and Bangladesh have studied Nepal’s cost-effective approach to replicate community health systems that are sustainable and local without requiring extensive infrastructure. Nepal’s Ministry of Health and Population continues to invest in the program, providing cycles of training and incentive packages that sustain volunteer motivation over the long term. Plans to expand training modules to include mental health first aid and non-communicable disease screening signal that the program is continuing to grow in impact and scope.

The success of Nepal’s FCHV program demonstrates that investing in trained women within their own communities produces lasting and measurable results without the infrastructure costs of an established hospital system. The program offers a replicable model for reducing health inequality at scale, standing as one of the most documented community health initiatives in the developing world.

– Saakshi Bhat

Saakshi is based in San Marcos, CA, USA and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Universal Health Care in Mexico: A Fresh Start for Mexican Citizens

Universal Healthcare in MexicoMexico’s President, Claudia Sheinbaum, has recently announced a positive health reform aimed at granting universal health care coverage starting in January 2027. Describing this as a “historic step” towards free and equitable health services to all citizens of Mexico. Here is more information about the move toward universal health care in Mexico.

The Current Situation

Mexico, the 13th largest country in the world, with a population of more than 100 million people, is a culturally, socially and economically diverse nation. Although it earns a medium-high income, it still has suffered from inequality, poverty, economic insecurity and mental health disorders.

The current health system in Mexico is divided into three types of services: 

  • Social Security: Only the formal, salaried members of the economy, about 47% of the population, receives this.
  • Those Not Covered by Social Security: The poorest members of Mexican society, about 45% of its population, do not receive social security.
  • Private Providers: Private providers attend to non-insured families who can afford them. This accounts for 4% of the population.

The current health care situation in Mexico is dire. Director of the Mexican Ministry of Health, Mariana Barraza-Lloréns explains that half of Mexico’s population is uninsured and incapable of accessing health care due to financial disparity. Barraza-Lloréns also focuses on the Indigenous communities that the current health care system impacts and marginalizes. These communities have infant mortality rates that are 58% higher and a life expectancy that is five years lower than national averages. Barraza-Lloréns argues that universal health care is a need.

What To Expect

This new health care system will be carried out in several phases, beginning with initial registration for this health care system starting with Mexicans aged 85 and older. Sign-ups will continue throughout the year, organized by age group and an official identification card will be given to each citizen to grant them access to services starting January 2027. By prioritizing emergency care, continuity of treatment across institutions and access to services regardless of insurance affiliation. In this first phase this universal health care in Mexico will mainly cover emergency services, high-risk pregnancies, heart attacks, strokes and cancer diagnosis. By the end of 2027 and starting 2028, Mexico plans to roll out its next phases and extend its promise for health care for all.

Why Is Universal Health Care in Mexico Important?

A WHO study in 2020 offered insights into Mexico’s overall health index. While life expectancy has increased from an initial 34 years in 1930 to 75 years in 2017, there has still been a significant delay with these improvements. With mortality rates in cases such as heart disease and diabetes ranging anywhere from 70-80 deaths per thousand, there is evidence to suggest lack of access to proper health services. Sheinbaum’s new health reform aims to provide care to all citizens regardless of insurance status. With 46% of its citizens under the poverty line, universal health care would provide life-changing services to many. 

Countries such as Sweden, which access universal health care, offer some of the highest life expectancy rates in the world, averaging about 81 years. Sweden has seen drastic improvements in overall public health in the last several decades with these universal health reforms. With decreases in mortality, work-related injuries, and mental health, Sweden’s public access to health care has served many.

Universal health care is an object of political, economic and social discussion in many countries across the world. As seen in countries such as Sweden and many others, free public access to health care has proven to be a guarantee for life expectancy and quality of living. Time will tell how Mexico’s health reforms will positively impact the citizens of the country.

– Sadie Lopez

Sadie is based in Seattle, WA, USA and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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The Impact of USAID Cuts on an HIV-Prevention Program in Kenya

HIV-Prevention Program in KenyaDREAMS CONNECT is a project that aims to educate and empower young women and girls in Kenya through a range of programs and group-based activities that promote sexual health and safety awareness, as well as creating awareness of sexual harassment and violence among women. The name ‘DREAMS’ is an acronym for ‘Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AS-free, Mentored and Safe lives.’ Here is information about DREAMS including how USAID cuts are affecting this HIV-prevention program in Kenya.

Vision

Initiated in October 2021, the project was one of many Hope Worldwide Kenya (HWWK) programs in Mukuru informal settlement in Nairobi funded by the U.S. dating back to 2003, with the aim of preventing HIV among thousands of vulnerable youth, particularly adolescent girls and young women, through a variety of care and support programs. In a documentary commissioned by PBS NewsHour in the U.S., journalists spoke to many young women who came through the program. They tell of being educated on simple but potentially life-saving interventions, such as how to use a condom, in addition to compassionate reminders that each of them has inherent value and worth.

USAID Closure

DREAMS, however, despite its proven successes, is facing an existential crisis due to the shuttering of USAID by the Trump administration in early 2025, which left staff suddenly unemployed and vital funding withdrawn, endangering not just DREAMS but thousands of humanitarian programs worldwide.

Both statistical evidence and personal accounts demonstrate the success of DREAMS’s endeavors. Almost all of the 66,000 women and girls who came through DREAMS remained HIV-free during the three-year program. Stacy Njeri, an 18-year-old woman from Mwiki, Kasarani Sub-county in Nairobi, describes how the program introduced her to a Youth Savings and Loans Association which allowed her to start her own nail salon, a decision she says “changed her life.”

With many women’s enrolment cut short due to foreign aid cuts, however, the concern now is that HIV cases among young women may begin to rise again, and that the cuts will discontinue the salutary work that the organization carries out, not only in preventing the deadly disease, but also in caring for young women and girls and equipping them with vitally important life skills and encouragement. PBS NewsHour’s documentary already reported that some women began to turn to prostitution as a means of supporting themselves following the end of DREAMS.

Future

Yet, the three-year stint of this HIV-prevention program in Kenya has shown that the methods used are highly successful and potentially far-reaching; it is only a matter of repairing the broken aid infrastructure. With the decline of USAID, it remains to be seen whether other countries will step in to fill the humanitarian void. Other wealthy nations like the U.K., France and Germany all responded to the U.S. change in policy by cutting back their own foreign aid expenditure, with the U.K. reducing its ODA (Official Development Assistance Budget) from 0.7% to 0.3% of Gross National Income in order to bolster defense spending. 

It may take some time for a viable solution for DREAMS to materialize, but what the scaling back of U.S. foreign aid has shown is just what kind of valuable and quietly empowering programs in Kenya and around the world are being threatened by an increasingly volatile global humanitarian landscape.

– Tomás Quinn

Tomás is based in Glasgow, Scotland and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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How 3D Printing Can Be a Resource for Developing Countries

3D Printing Can Be a Resource
For educational purposes, healthcare treatments and local production, learn why 3D printing technology is a resource for developing countries.

Across many developing countries, progress can stall when essential systems lack funding, materials, or reliable access to specialized tools. Advanced technology cannot erase those barriers on its own, but it can give communities new ways to act. 3D printing can be a resource when organizations know how to leverage this technology.

Local Production Reduces Delays

Shipping costs, customs delays, limited storage and uneven supplier access can slow a simple repair. Those delays place extra pressure on communities that already stretch equipment and materials across many users.

Instead of waiting for every small object to arrive from far away, trained teams can produce selected parts using a 3D printer and digital designs. A repair component for a water system or a teaching model for a classroom becomes easier to replace once production moves closer to daily life.

Health Systems Gain Practical Tools

Health systems in developing countries often work with limited equipment and long replacement timelines. A rural clinic may not have the tools to print complex medical devices. It may still benefit from basic models, simple supplies or selected lab items that support routine care. 

The National Library of Medicine describes 3D printing as a potential way to produce basic medical supplies, laboratory equipment, anatomical models and prosthetic limbs in developing countries. These uses place 3D printing in a supportive role within existing health systems. The technology expands what trained professionals have available for care, planning and problem-solving. While it cannot replace clinical judgment or formal medical infrastructure, health workers gain a practical resource when supply gaps limit what they can provide.

Rapid Prosthetic Production in Uganda

Children who needed prosthetic support in Uganda faced long production timelines because clinics relied on manual methods and limited specialist capacity. That delay kept patients in the hospital for extended periods and made timely mobility support difficult to provide. 

Through 3D PrintAbility at CoRSU Hospital, clinicians tested a process that used 3D scanning, digital design and 3D printing to produce prosthetic sockets and braces for children. The technology did not replace trained orthopedic professionals. Instead, it gave them a fast workflow that fit the needs of a resource-limited clinical setting.

CoRSU reported that prosthetic socket production time dropped by as much as 70%, from five days with conventional manual methods to 1.5 days with 3D PrintAbility. That improvement shows how 3D printing can strengthen care when local teams receive practical tools that support existing medical work.

Medical Training Improves

Medical education depends on strong instruction, repeated practice and access to clear learning materials. In many settings, students learn anatomy through textbooks or flat digital images because advanced simulation tools cost too much. Those resources still teach important concepts, but they can make depth and proportion difficult to judge.

Printed anatomical models address that gap. A student can study the shape of a bone or organ from multiple angles while connecting structure to function. Then, a clinician can use the same type of model during a patient conversation, so an unfamiliar diagnosis becomes easier to understand.

Education Turns Problems Into Projects

Students and researchers can use 3D printing to connect technical learning with public service. A classroom project becomes more meaningful when it responds to a local challenge. A university lab can test a low-cost teaching tool, then improve the design after a school or clinic explains how it works in practice.

That exchange strengthens both sides. Students learn that design begins with listening. Researchers gain insight from community partners who understand daily conditions better than outside observers. The finished object matters, but the shared process builds people’s problem-solving skills.

Innovations With Global Value

A printer alone cannot overcome weak infrastructure or limited public funding. Strong programs begin with people who understand the setting. Local technicians, educators, clinicians and community organizations should guide decisions about what to print and how to maintain the equipment.

Long-term success also depends on training that fits local capacity. Programs should account for the difficulty level of learning 3D printing before they introduce new equipment. With steady instruction, repair knowledge and realistic goals, 3D printing can be a resource that supports community-led problem-solving instead of creating another unused technology project.

– Kelly Schoessling

Photo: Flickr

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Outbreak of Ebola in the DRC Poses Major Health Risk

Ebola in the DRCA recent Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), concentrated in two of the region’s major provinces, poses a major health risk for citizens and aid workers who are striving to contain the virus and combat the spread of the disease. The outbreak threatens to become one of the worst the country has seen, as limited resources, a lack of funding, community resistance and food crises hamper treatment efforts.

What Have Ebola Outbreaks Looked Like for the DRC in the Past?

Ebola was first recognized in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1976 after an outbreak in the Équateur province– 318 cases were reported, with the majority occurring within 70 km of Yambuku village. The DRC has experienced numerous, periodic outbreaks of the different strains of the Ebola virus. Some strains have a fatality rate of 90%. The current outbreak is the 16th that has plagued the country since it initially arose. The absence of approved medical countermeasures, international aid and lack of robust social services and health care exacerbate the outbreaks.

The outbreak comes as the country faces a humanitarian crisis as 26.5 million people nationwide experience food insecurity, which internal conflict and displacement mainly drive. Indeed, data that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) collected shows that the country holds the most individuals facing food insecurity– malnutrition and food gaps run rampant, and the issue is worsened with economic insecurity, conflict and internal displacement. Flooding and the impacts of lean season (September to November) and reduced international aid push vulnerable populations to higher stages of risk. Populations in the country are far more susceptible to contracting the disease in malnourished states.

How Did the Outbreak Start?

The Congolese Health Ministry declared an outbreak of the disease on May 15, and within just under a month, the number of those infected rivals that of some of the largest Ebola outbreaks in the country’s history. The Health Ministry has confirmed more than 1,200 cases. The current death toll stands at 360.

Experts believe that the outbreak started in Mongbwalu, which is a small mining town in the Ituri province. This is due to the high presence of fruit bats, a natural carrier of the disease. Health officials on the ground warn that without urgent intervention, the virus may become the worst outbreak the country has seen.

What Does Treatment on the Ground Look Like?

Individuals in the DRC who suspect they have the virus must wait days for test results to come back from the regional capital, Bunia, as kits are difficult to come by. Many symptoms match those of other more common diseases such as malaria and typhoid, which has been further exacerbating the issue. Hospitals are underprepared to deal with the outbreak at the rate it’s been spreading. Despite warnings and knowledge of the severity of the virus and its contagiousness, caring relatives, neighbors and friends, who are striving to support and save their loved ones, frequent hospitals.

Temporary shelters and structures have emerged in North Kivu and Ituri, the two northeastern provinces where the outbreak has been most concentrated. Despite the fact that the DRC has seen an abundance of Ebola outbreaks in its history, the nature of this particular strain has made the virus extremely difficult to identify and combat. Many locals are infuriated with the way the DRC has handled treatment and have been pushing officials and hospital personnel to act faster and do more to stave off the effects of the illness.

What Has Been the International Response?

Multiple countries and world organizations, such as the United States, South Africa and the European Union Commission, have pledged millions of dollars to work to support the DRC and stop the outbreak, sending equipment, supplies, doctors and health experts. After the initial outbreak, the World Health Organization (WHO) delivered more than 11 tons of medical supplies and equipment to the country. Meanwhile, the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO) established an air bridge to send supplies from the capital Bunia to the Ituri province.

This Bundibugyo strain of Ebola does not have a cure or vaccine. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers the risk of the virus spreading to the United States as low at this time. However, multiple countries have established a travel ban to the region. The United States has heavily urged individuals to stop travel to the DRC and neighboring Uganda and South Sudan, with Canada enforcing a 90 day ban.

– Ella Goulet

Ella is based in Seattle, WA, USA and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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3 Diseases Impacting Costa Rica: Ways To Prevent & Treat Them

Diseases Impacting Costa RicaCosta Rica is a country in Central America, located between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, neighboring Panama and Nicaragua. It has a population of around 5,174,564 people, out of all the other Central American countries, many regard Costa Rica’s government as the most stable and democratic and has a beautiful landscape and scenery. It has also been home to quite deadly and common diseases with terrifying effects and symptoms.

These diseases seriously disrupt people’s everyday lives and are dangerous if left untreated. Each one of these viruses is preventable and has treatments that ensure lives are saved, but because the country struggles with poverty, many of its people are unable to safely access medical care and treatment. Here is information about three diseases impacting Costa Rica and the efforts that are addressing them.

1. Hantavirus

Hantavirus is a group of zoonotic viruses that rodents carry and transmit to humans through direct contact with infected rodents or their bodily fluids. Areas at high risk of disease are barns, storage rooms, rustic cabins and poorly ventilated rural buildings due to high rodent activity.

The illness can be quite severe and deadly to people, but it varies depending on the specific type of hantavirus, which includes hantavirus cardiopulmonary syndrome (HCPS) and haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). It also depends on the geographical location and climate. Now, Costa Rica has not seen a large hantavirus outbreak, unlike their South American neighbors, but the threat is still there and people must be careful. Hantavirus transmits through contact with infected rodents or their droppings.

In humans, the symptoms may vary depending on the type of hantavirus; for example, HCPS causes rapid coughing, shortness of breath, accumulation of fluid in the lungs and shock. Meanwhile, for HFRS, the symptoms are low blood pressure, bleeding disorders and kidney failure.

Diagnosing the illness can be tricky due to it sharing common symptoms with other illnesses like influenza and COVID-19, meaning that extra attention is necessary when symptoms do arise and people must seek medical care as soon as possible. As of now, there are no current specific vaccines available for the disease, but medical care at its early stages can improve the outcomes. To prevent the disease, reducing contact with rodents is a good start. Some effective measures include keeping homes and workplaces clean, sealing any openings that allow rodents to enter buildings, storing food securely and dampening contaminated areas before cleaning,

2. Dengue

Dengue is a viral infection that transmits through mosquito bites, which transfers the virus to a person’s bloodstream. It is common in tropical and subtropical areas where the buzzing critters inhabit. Costa Rica has a history of dengue cases, with it reporting more than 27,000 cases by October 2024 and a decline in cases in 2025 with only 1,802 reported. This reduction in cases is likely due to the increase in vector-control throughout the country. In 2026, dengue remains a common disease, even if it’s on a lower scale than the previous surge, people must still be cautious and aware of this illness.

Symptoms may include high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pains, nausea and vomiting, swollen glands and rashes. However, in the case a person gets infected with dengue a second time, the illness becomes more severe with symptoms of severe abdominal pain, persistent vomiting, rapid breathing, bleeding gums or nose, fatigue and restlessness, blood in vomit or stool, extreme thirst, pale and cold skin and feelings of weakness. People experiencing these symptoms should seek medical attention immediately.

There is a single vaccine available, QDenga, which is only recommended for people aged 6–16 years. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), several more vaccines are in the development stage, with a few under evaluation for this disease. It is also highly important to avoid bites from mosquitoes in general with the use of mosquito nets at night, along with mosquito repellent and wearing protective clothing. If a person gets dengue, they must rest, drink plenty of liquids, take paracetamol for the pain, but avoid anti-inflammatory medication like ibuprofen and aspirin and be aware if they have any severe symptoms and see a doctor if that’s the case.

3. Chikungunya

Chikungunya is yet another mosquito-related viral disease, particularly the Aedes mosquito. The disease results from the chikungunya virus and passes through mosquito bites into the blood vessels. The name comes from the Kimakonde language of southern Tanzania, meaning “that which bends up,” which describes the severe joint pain those infected with the disease experience.

Its symptoms are sudden fever, muscle pain, severe joint pain, joint swelling, rashes, headache and fatigue. These symptoms can often be mistaken for other illnesses due to overlapping; for example, Zika and dengue have similar symptoms, and as a result, misdiagnosis becomes a large possibility, especially if the joint pain aspect is missing, as it could leave the infection undetected, thus leading to worse conditions.

Not all is hopeless, as blood samples collected in the first week of the illness can easily help detect chikungunya. Treatment includes the use of antipyretics and optimal analgesics for the fever and joint pains, as well as rest and drinking plenty of liquids. As of now, there are two chikungunya vaccines available in several countries, but not yet worldwide. WHO and external expert advisors are currently reviewing the research and progress of more chikungunya vaccines.

The Effects of Poverty on Healthcare Access & NGO Aid

There still remains the issue of poverty as it effects how much access the people of Costa Rica have to all these healthcare options. According to recent statistics, around 24–25% households are below the poverty line, with a large portion of the population struggling to get access to basic necessities, such as healthcare. As a result, many in rural areas are not able to easily receive these treatments against the diseases impacting Costa Rica, leaving them incredibly vulnerable to potential dangers.

A number of organizations and NGOs are trying to help these households. A specific NGO, called Costa Rican Humanitarian Foundation (CRHF), aims to help Costa Rican citizens in these issues. From its founding in 1997, the organization focuses on developing creative and economical solutions for the country’s major challenges. With volunteers from all over the world and donors, it set out to achieve a positive impact in Costa Rica. A few of its achievements include providing urgent medical care and general well-being checks for more than 500 patients in 2025 and supporting more than 800 children and adolescents in the CRHF’s learning centers the same year.

Looking Ahead

These three diseases impacting Costa Rica correlate with the constraints of poverty and a difficult economic situation, which can prevent people from accessing vital medical treatments. Fortunately, NGOS like CRHF are making a difference, helping even those with lower incomes access medical care.

– Michalitsa Kontogianni

Michalitsa is based in Washington, DC, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Diseases Impacting Bolivia and the Work To Mitigate Cases

Diseases Impacting BoliviaBolivia, a country centrally located in South America, has a population of roughly 12.7 million people. The nation borders other countries such as Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile and Peru. Its central location in the continent makes it extremely important to contain any diseases that start-up within the country. There have been multiple diseases impacting Bolivia, however, recently, Bolivia has dealt with one outbreak in particular that has caught the eye of international health organizations. There are two other diseases that health officials currently are monitoring with a standard level of caution after a reduction in cases due to health officials and organizations recent efforts.

The Main Outbreak of Focus

Currently, International Health Organizations are focusing on one main Chikungunya outbreak. In recent months, the virus has popped up in the cities of Santa Cruz, the eastern side of Bolivia, and Cochabamba, a central region. Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne and transmissible illness that causes fever and severe joint pain. Symptoms typically begin 3-7 days after an infected mosquito bites. The virus currently has no specific treatment, however, death due to the virus is rare.

The CDC currently has Bolivia’s Chikungunya outbreak listed in the Level 2 Category titled “Practice Enhanced Cautions.” Its main advice for prevention of obtaining the virus is actions necessary to avoid mosquito bites. These actions include using insect repellent, wearing long sleeved clothing and residing in places that have screens on windows and doors. Homeless individuals across the country become more vulnerable to contracting the virus as their access to housing with screens on windows and doors is more limited. Additionally, the CDC recommends the virus-like particle vaccine Vimkunya for travelers visiting chikungunya outbreak areas. Chikungunya certainly stands out as the primary focus for health officials out of the couple of diseases impacting Bolivia currently.

Global Dengue

The CDC lists two other diseases, global dengue and global measles, in the Level 1 Category titled “Practice Usual Precautions.”

Global dengue, like Chikungunya, spreads through infected mosquitoes and is a year round risk to many parts of the world. The virus usually takes up to 2 weeks to develop and causes fever, headache, nausea and vomiting. The CDC placed Bolivia in Level 1 for global dengue due to a couple reasons that include higher reported numbers of dengue than usual in the country, a higher than expected number of dengue cases among U.S. travelers returning from Bolivia and an outbreak that health officials recently mitigated. In order to prevent contracting this virus, health officials recommend avoiding mosquito bites by wearing long sleeved clothing and applying insect repellent. Global dengue popped up significantly in Bolivia in 2024 with close to 60,000 cases appearing in 2024 alone.

PAHO’s Efforts

The Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) worked with Bolivian authorities to improve the quality of clinical care within the country so that doctors increased their ability to detect the virus early. This assistance from the organization became part of a multi-country program to mitigate the number of cases of dengue that popped up in countries such as Bolivia, Paraguay, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama. The program started wrapping up its work in mid-2025 and the five countries involved jointly saw a 70% average reduction in new cases compared to the previous 5 years.

Global Measles

Global measles is a respiratory illness that is highly contagious. It spreads through coughing and sneezing and typical warning signs and symptoms of the illness include a red bumpy rash, a high fever and red watery eyes. The CDC recommends receiving the Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) Vaccine as the primary way to avoid contracting the virus. Additionally, the CDC advises the vaccination in particular to those who are traveling internationally.

The CDC placed Bolivia in Level 1 for global measles due to both the recent rise in cases in many countries across South America and a recent outbreak that happened in Bolivia itself. The measles outbreak in Bolivia started in April of 2025 eventually leading to a national emergency declaration with health officials reporting around 600 cases across the country.

Bolivia’s Vaccination Efforts

In response, Bolivia ramped up their vaccination efforts and were able to administer 1 million doses to children mostly aged 1 to 20 years old. Coverage for the vaccine expanded in response to this outbreak as 5 to 20-year-olds received the vaccine when previously coverage focused on 1 to 4-year-olds. Unfortunately, coverage for both first and second doses of the vaccine still is below the 95% threshold that helps ensure prevention of outbreaks. Doctors and helpers assisting with vaccination efforts focused on rural indigenous areas in particular as both distance and poverty posed a challenge. Local brigades went door to door while coordinating with local community leaders in order to ensure that the vaccines reach those in the communities who needed it.

The National Vaccination Registry helped assist in efforts as well by helping identify children that had incomplete vaccination schedules. Additionally, the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO) and the Government of Canada worked to help Bolivia with outbreak control and quick response in order to mitigate the spread of this and other diseases.

Looking Ahead

Ultimately, diseases impacting Bolivia such as Chikungunya, Measles and Dengue have all had surges in numbers in recent years. The outbreaks brought concern to health officials and the key is the continuous work to limit the resumption of breakouts of these diseases. The work up to this point by organizations such as the Pan-American Health Organization contributed massively to a large reduction in cases and it is a positive sign of what is to come in the future.

– Drew Allen

Drew is based in Wilmington, DE, USA and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

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Policy Changes: Estonia’s Mental Health Challenges  

Estonia’s Mental Health ChallengesSince 1990, significant policy changes have been put in place to address Estonia’s mental health challenges. They aimed to create affordable access to mental health services and decrease the length of time people had to spend in psychiatric hospitals. 

Despite this, the need for mental health services is continuously increasing. In 2024, Estonian psychiatrists recorded a 4% increase in mental health and behavioral disorder diagnosis during outpatient visits than the previous year. The biggest increase was among children under 15, according to the National Institute for Health Development (TAI). This is because Estonians still face some challenges when it comes to seeking mental health support.

Challenges People with Mental Health Issues Face in Estonia

Challenges for people with mental health issues in Estonia include:

  • Waiting Lists: People often have to wait several months to be seen by a mental health specialist. In 2007, 13% of people in Estonia felt the need of a psychologist or counsellor but they did not get the help they needed in time due to the long waiting lists.
  • High Costs: Private mental health services are financially out of reach for many people in Estonia, as the costs often range between 50-100 euro.
  • Availability: There is a lack of availability of mental health professionals, which is the most prominent prevention of the national mental health development. Therefore, institutes can only treat patients when their condition is already critical and not beforehand.
  • Shortage in Workforce: The Estonian Qualifications Authority said Estonia is projected to need around 7,700 new health care workers in the next 10 years. However, the current training rate is only expected to produce only around 6,400, which means they will be 1,300 specialists.

Estonia has gradually implemented policy changes which aim to reduce Estonia’s mental health challenges.

How Poverty Affects Mental Health in Estonia

The Estonian government has been placing a large number of orphaned children in state-run institutions that have impoverishing conditions. For example, the children don’t have access to adequate resources or specialized staff. This means the children are at a higher risk of developing mental and behavioral issues because of their economic status. The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child has stated that Estonia needs to implement more open and rehabilitative care strategies to reduce the number of orphaned children with mental health issues.

Reducing Estonia’s Mental Health Challenges

From the early 1990s to 2003, the government closed large psychiatric hospitals and established family medicine as a specialty. It also established the publicly financed benefits package, which expanded mental health care in the region. The purchasing agency (Estonian Health Insurance Fund) provided this.

Furthermore, from 2004 to 2013, the role of mental health in primary health care was established through the development of policy frameworks and clinical guidelines, which allowed more family doctors to prescribe medicine for mental health conditions.

Additionally, since 2014, the government has consolidated and made numerous changes to the mental health services to further tackle Estonia’s mental health challenges. Some changes focused on establishing multidisciplinary primary health care with indirect benefits for mental health care. Others explicitly prioritized mental health care by making changes in how the government finances it.

Addressing Workforce Shortages

The Ministry has worked significantly to improve mental health services in Estonia, said Anne Randväli, the Head of Mental Health Department at the Ministry of Social Affairs in Estonia. They have addressed “workforce shortages” through state funding “residency or induction years for clinical psychologists and psychologist-counsellors since 2021.” The Ministry created “a coherent and sustainable system for training new specialists.” Before, “training largely depended on the personal resources of the professionals.”

Stepped Care Model for Mental Health

In 2024, the Ministry introduced a “stepped care model for mental health.” This model focuses on treating “common conditions such as depression and anxiety” through educating citizens on psychology and mental health and through specialists providing “digital self-help tools” or “low intensity intervention” to those with minor mental issues. This system provides support “at the earliest possible stage and progresses to more intensive services as needed” stated Randväli.

The findings of “the Estonian Human Development Report 2023” were used to create this model. EHDR’s current findings show that the current system resembles an “hourglass shape: relatively strong in terms of self-management and specialist care, but weak at the intermediate levels of community and primary care support.” The stepped care model will use “cost-effective solutions” to improve these intermediate levels, Randväli added.

The Outcomes of These Efforts

The national suicide rate dropped from 15.1% per 100,000 people in 2020 oecd.org to 14% per 100,000 in 2023. This is significantly lower than the suicide rates of countries such as Lithuania, which is at around 17% in 2023, or Korea which is at 24%. However, Estonia’s rate is still higher than many other countries. For example, Chile which is at 11% and Denmark at 9.5%.

Conclusion

The Estonian government has significantly improved their mental health services over the years through their policy changes, which have had a significant effect in extreme cases such as reducing the suicide rate. However, the mental health system is still seen as weak in terms of providing primary care support. The Ministry is working to further improve the mental health services through the stepped care model.

– Bianca Burdulea

Bianca is based in Sunderland, UK and focuses on Good News and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr