Archive for category: Health

Information and stories on health topics.

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Inside the $1.2 Billion US–DRC Health Partnership

U.S.–DRC Health PartnershipOn Feb. 26, 2026, the United States (U.S.) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) signed a $1.2 billion health cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This is the latest bilateral agreement between the U.S. and more than a dozen African countries following significant aid cuts and the dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The deal aims to support the DRC in its efforts to fight HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis and other infectious diseases. However, while the DRC has embraced the agreement, a number of other African countries have declined similar deals after raising questions about what may be required of them in return.

What the Deal Could Mean for the DRC

The partnership spans from 2026 to 2031, with $900 million in targeted U.S. government assistance and $300 million in gradually increased domestic health expenditure from the DRC government.

The DRC’s volatile history means that despite progress in recent years, the national health system continues to face significant challenges. Disparate access to health care, a shortage of medical personnel and damage to health infrastructure caused by ongoing conflict are not issues that can be resolved through short-term emergency funding.

Substantial long-term investment aimed at expanding and stabilizing the DRC’s health system could therefore present an opportunity. Beyond supporting the fight against infectious diseases, the deal also aims to strengthen maternal and child health services, improve national epidemiological surveillance and enhance preparedness and response to health emergencies. If implemented effectively, it could represent progress in addressing recurring public health emergencies.

Concerns Surrounding the Agreements

Before Donald Trump came into office, USAID previously provided health grants to many of the African countries that have now entered bilateral agreements. These funding routes were closed under the Trump administration due to concerns that aid channeled through nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) resulted in high overhead costs. However, while the new deals involve substantial U.S. investment, they represent an average 40% decrease in the health funding these countries received from the U.S. over the previous five years.

Moreover, despite promoting the goal of encouraging countries to match donor funds and reduce dependence on aid, certain elements of the MoUs have been labeled “exploitative” by several African countries.

Zimbabwe’s government declined a similar deal with the U.S. over concerns about national data protection. In exchange for U.S. funding, the proposed agreement involved extensive U.S. access to Zimbabwean health data without any guarantee of access to medical innovation such as vaccines or treatments. As explained by government spokesperson Nick Mangwana, Zimbabwe would “provide the raw materials for scientific discovery without any assurance that the end products would be accessible” to its population in the event of a health crisis.

For similar reasons, Kenyan courts suspended implementation of a $2.5 billion health aid deal with the U.S. last December after complaints about the potential sharing of Kenyans’ personal medical records under the agreement.

For the U.S., these deals also offer a way to support American pharmaceutical companies in developing and producing vaccines. In addition, distributing aid through bilateral agreements allows the administration to bypass multilateral aid frameworks that traditionally distribute decision-making power across donors and recipient countries.

Reasons for the DRC’s Acceptance

Despite concerns raised by other governments, the Democratic Republic of the Congo may view the agreement through a different strategic lens. The country faces one of the highest infectious disease burdens in Africa, including persistent outbreaks of Ebola, measles and cholera alongside high rates of malaria and tuberculosis.

Combined with ongoing conflict in eastern provinces and decades of underinvestment in public health infrastructure, these pressures have left the national health system heavily dependent on external support.

For Kinshasa, the scale and stability of the U.S. commitment may outweigh potential concerns surrounding oversight provisions. The agreement promises sustained investment over a five-year period and requires increased domestic spending, potentially helping stabilize long-term health financing rather than relying on short-term emergency interventions. In addition, strengthening diplomatic ties with Washington may carry broader strategic benefits for a government navigating regional insecurity and economic constraints. In this context, the deal may represent not only a health partnership but also an effort to secure critical resources for a fragile health system.

Looking Ahead

The U.S.–DRC health partnership illustrates the evolving nature of global health diplomacy. For the DRC, the agreement offers an opportunity to strengthen disease surveillance, expand health care services and build resilience against future outbreaks. At the same time, the hesitation shown by other countries highlights the balance between securing vital funding and protecting national sovereignty over sensitive health data and research resources.

– Andrew Geddes

Andrew is based in Edinburgh, Scotland and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Eliminating Trachoma in the Most Impoverished Communities

TrachomaTrachoma is an infectious eye disease caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis. It is a chronic form of conjunctivitis and causes 1.4% of global blindness, yet governments can completely prevent it. Thirty countries across Africa, Asia, Central and South America, the Middle East and Australia have faced trachoma as a public health problem. It affects the most impoverished parts of the world. 

Infection spreads easily due to poor hygiene, crowded housing and limited access to sanitation and water. Viral disease and poverty fuel this spread, making people vulnerable to preventable diseases such as trachoma.

Eliminating Trachoma in Libya

On February 18, 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) celebrated Libya’s elimination of trachoma. Libya struggled with trachoma for more than a century, but hard work and commitment led to this recent success. The country’s victory over trachoma shows how supporting the fight against neglected tropical diseases can help millions over time.

Political unrest and displacement in Libya limited access to quality health care, yet the country still managed to eliminate trachoma. Displacement and such unrest drive poverty by increasing the demand for water, sanitation and hygiene services. This connection between disease and poverty makes eliminating trachoma even more significant.

The SAFE Initiative

Countries affected by trachoma adopted the Surgery, Antibiotics, Facial cleanliness and Environmental improvement (SAFE) strategy. Through this effort, Pfizer and the International Trachoma Initiative (ITI) have delivered more than one billion doses of Zithromax to countries in need. Experts now estimate that trachoma could be eliminated as a public health threat worldwide by 2030.

ITI, a U.S.-based nonprofit, currently operates in more than 14 countries across Southeast Asia and Africa. These interventions address the link between disease and poverty and have improved the lives of millions. Twenty-seven additional countries, including Papua New Guinea and Pakistan have also eliminated trachoma, underscoring the importance of tracking its prevalence and taking decisive action against infectious diseases. 

Fewer than 100 million people now require treatment, a historic global low since the WHO began recording cases. This milestone reinforces the need to confront disease alongside poverty. It demonstrates how strong local leadership, backed by international coordination, can improve the well-being of the world’s poorest populations.

Final Remarks

The massive success of the trachoma eradication campaign demonstrates the positive impact international help can have on many other tropical diseases. Research into trachoma has taught researchers much about how to slow its spread. Making hygiene a game for young children helps them avoid touching their eyes and mouths, which, in turn, helps women, who often act as primary caregivers. 

Additionally, communities can use the structures built for trachoma to fight other diseases. If people around the world work together to combat disease and poverty, everyone’s well-being will improve.

– Caitlin Cooper

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

Photo: Flickr

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How Mobile Clinics Are Expanding Dental Care in Rural Bolivia

Dental Care in Rural BoliviaLimited access to dental care is an often overlooked public health challenge in rural Bolivia, particularly for low-income and geographically isolated communities. Untreated tooth decay and gum disease can lead to chronic pain and infection, making it harder for children to concentrate in school and for adults to work consistently. In a country where household budgets are often tight, delaying care can also lead to higher costs later, especially when treatable problems become emergencies. Mobile dental clinics are one approach to helping close these gaps by bringing preventive and basic restorative services directly to underserved communities.

Why Dental Care Is Difficult To Access in Rural Bolivia 

Bolivia’s geography and settlement patterns create real barriers to routine care. Rural communities may be located far from clinics, with travel costs and time away from work making a dental visit impractical. Where dental services exist, they may be limited to urgent pain relief or extractions rather than preventive treatment or restorations. 

At the national level, the WHO’s Oral Health Profile for Bolivia highlights the economic impact of oral disease. It estimates per-capita spending on dental care at approximately $4.20 and productivity losses from five untreated oral diseases at $152 million. This is an indicator of how oral health problems can translate into missed work and reduced earning capacity. 

What Mobile Dental Clinics Do Differently

Mobile dental clinics reduce access barriers by bringing equipment and staff directly to remote areas, often in coordination with local schools and community authorities. Depending on the program, services may include examinations, cleanings, fluoride applications, sealants, basic restorations (fillings) and extractions, along with hygiene education. This approach is important because it shifts care upstream, preventing decay and addressing early-stage problems before they develop into infections that require more complex interventions.

Evidence From Mobile-Clinic Programs Operating in Rural Bolivia

One example of measurable outcomes comes from the Suyana Foundation. It operates mobile dental clinics in the Department of La Paz and tracks multi-year data on service delivery and oral health indicators in the communities it serves. In a program summary covering Bolivia, Suyana reports that between 2021 and 2023, its mobile dental clinics provided approximately 38,000 dental consultations. 

Over the same period, the foundation recorded improvements in standard oral health indices. These included a 21% drop in the CPOD/DMFT index (from 6.7 in 2021 to 5.3 in 2023) and a 44% reduction in the simplified oral hygiene index (IHOS) (from 2.5 in 2021 to 1.4 in 2023). Suyana also reports child-focused results: the incidence of new caries among 10-year-old children fell by 38% from 2022 to 2023 in its Bolivian program. 

Additionally, the number of students rehabilitated to “zero cavities” status increased from 296 in 2021 to 1,229 in 2023. These figures reflect the impact of a single organization rather than the entire country; however, they provide concrete evidence that mobile, prevention-oriented dental services can improve outcomes in areas with limited baseline access.

How Public Nonprofit Partnerships Expand Reach

Mobile-clinic models often depend on partnerships because logistics and sustainability are as important as clinical work. Public authorities can support coordination with schools, referral pathways into local health establishments and alignment with national standards. Nonprofits can add specialized staff, equipment, outreach capacity and external funding.

In Bolivia’s health ecosystem, organizations like Fundación ProSalud have a national presence, providing lower-cost health services through a network of clinics. These clinics help complement public provision and support broader access goals. Volunteer-based outreach models also operate in rural areas. 

In Cochabamba and surrounding regions, the nonprofit Mano a Mano runs “jornadas”—weekend medical and dental trips where teams travel to remote communities to provide care. This shows how mobile or pop-up services can reach areas that permanent facilities do not consistently cover.

Why Dental Access Matters for Poverty Reduction

Dental care can look “secondary” compared to infectious disease or maternal health, but it has direct poverty links. Pain and infection can reduce school attendance and workplace productivity, while delayed treatment can force families into higher-cost emergency care. The WHO’s estimates of productivity losses from untreated oral diseases underline that oral health is not only a clinical issue but also an economic one, especially for households living close to the margin.

Mobile dental clinics address this problem by reducing the time and travel costs of seeking care and emphasizing prevention. When clinics provide sealants, fluoride and early restorations, they can reduce the likelihood that a child needs repeated extractions or that an adult loses workdays due to avoidable infection.

The Future of Dental Care in Rural Bolivia

Mobile clinics are not a substitute for long-term investment in permanent facilities and the oral-health workforce. But in rural Bolivia, they can function as a practical bridge, expanding coverage now while building community habits around preventive care. Evidence from programs such as Suyana’s mobile clinics suggests that sustained outreach can improve measurable oral-health outcomes, particularly for children. 

As government standards, local coordination and nonprofit delivery capacity align, mobile dental services can continue reducing preventable pain, missed school days and productivity losses in underserved regions. 

– Tom Basu

Tom is based in Buckinghamshire, UK and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Community Health Services Sustain Health Care Access in Cuba

Health Care Access in CubaWhen blackouts and fuel shortages threaten hospitals across Cuba, it is the doctors, nurses and medical students long embedded in neighborhoods who keep the system running. The de facto blockade of Cuba’s oil supply in recent months has had serious and widespread effects across all of Cuba, notably within the National Health Service (NHS). Representing the nation at the U.N. in September of 2025, Foreign Minister Bruno Parilla described daily challenges facing Cubans: “A grave scenario of prolonged and daily blackouts, difficulties in affording food, insufficient availability of medicines, reduced public transport, limited community services and pronounced inflation, which is eroding real incomes.”

Authorities and community clinics have reorganized services to protect health care access in Cuba. This ensures the continuous availability of life-saving treatments, including oncology care, dialysis and maternal health, across rural provinces. It also maintains regular access to primary family care physicians.

Cuba’s widespread, free-at-the-point-of-use medical system plays a critical role in maintaining access to health care, particularly during periods of economic or energy disruption. The health system’s ability to function under these conditions reflects Cuba’s family doctor and primary health care model. This model is built on principles that protect universal care and strengthen community resilience for all people in Cuba. These key principles form the foundation of Cuba’s strategy for maintaining health care access during humanitarian crises.

Accessibility and Regionalization

These first two principles establish that health care access in Cuba is universal and should remain available regardless of geography, income or social status. Before Cuba’s post-revolution health care reforms, rural Cubans had little to no access to hospital care. Today, “polyclinics,” general medical care centers are found in communities across the country, giving people outside major cities access to health care on a scale not seen since before the Spanish colonization of Cuba.

During the current fuel shortages and electricity disruptions, maintaining accessibility has required reorganizing how doctors and staff deliver care across Cuba. As a result, five million patients, including those undergoing dialysis or chemotherapy, who require constant electricity and regular specialist care, may see changes to their treatment plans.

Hospitals have prioritized electrical power for critical treatments to ensure staff can continue treating the most vulnerable patients. Thousands of cancer patients require ongoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy, procedures that rely on stable electricity. Local health authorities have responded by concentrating patients in facilities with reliable power generators and hospital beds so that treatments can continue uninterrupted.

The newspaper Girón spoke with Yamira López García, the provincial director of Public Health in Matanzas, about the situation. She reaffirmed the government’s commitment to maintaining the operational capacity of all facilities within the public health system and expanding outpatient services so that “no patient will be left without the possibility of treatment.”

The paper also reported that radiotherapy, chemotherapy and dialysis remain available to patients and that authorities have established infrastructure for new admissions. These efforts demonstrate how the system seeks to preserve health care access in Cuba even as logistical conditions deteriorate.

Prevention

Preventive medicine is the central pillar of Cuba’s health care model. Rather than focusing solely on hospital treatment, the system relies on neighborhood doctors and nurses to monitor family health and identify risks early. The NHS has called for doctors to be reassigned to facilities near their residences to strengthen neighborhood clinics and reduce transportation pressures.

Specialists from secondary care institutions have also been temporarily deployed to community polyclinics to ensure local services remain operational. Because this regionalized network already exists, the system can redistribute medical personnel across local facilities without dismantling care. Clinics remain embedded within the communities they serve, helping maintain health care access in Cuba even when transportation and electricity shortages disrupt larger hospitals. 

These visits allow health workers to identify patients who may require urgent care before conditions worsen, reducing pressure on hospitals and helping preserve health care access at the community level in Cuba.

Community Participation

Rather than imposing health care structures on communities, Castro’s system sought to integrate local populations and emphasize organized public participation. Health care delivery, for example, is not limited to professional staff but also involves collaboration among medical institutions, local communities and educational programs. To maintain universal health care access in Cuba, medical students have joined primary care teams in clinics and doctors’ offices. 

As part of their training, students assist with household visits, patient monitoring and public health education. Their work expands the capacity of the neighborhood health system while allowing services to continue despite staffing and transportation challenges. This collective approach strengthens the resilience of local clinics. It ensures that community-based care remains a cornerstone of health care access in Cuba.

International Collaboration

Cuba’s health care strategy also includes international collaboration, with thousands of medical professionals participating in missions across Africa, Asia and Latin America. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, tens of thousands of Cuban doctors were working in more than 50 countries. Rather than recalling them, the Cuban government asked them to cooperate with host nations in combating the pandemic.

In recent months, many of those host countries have donated thousands of tons of critical aid, reflecting how international cooperation and reciprocal support can lead to better outcomes. The Nuestra América Convoy to Cuba is one such coalition aimed at delivering humanitarian aid based on “cooperation, respect for international law and U.N. values.” Arriving in Havana on March 21, 2026, the convoy is made up of volunteers from around the world and carries food, medicines and energy supplies.

Final Remarks

The energy crisis has tested every link in Cuba’s health care system. The resilience of community clinics and primary care networks demonstrates how strong public health infrastructure can protect health care access in Cuba, even under severe resource pressures. The polyclinic model supports universal accessibility and regionalized services, while prevention and community participation make clinics more adaptable under pressure. This approach offers a potential model for other low-resource settings facing similar shocks.

– Zoey Cruz

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

Photo: Pixabay

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Progress Toward Universal Health Coverage

Universal Health CoverageThe World Health Organization’s (WHO) 2025 tracking report on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) indicates that several challenges persist in the complex process of health care reform. However, improvements have been made across the board toward UHC in most countries and further progress is possible.

Universal Health Coverage: Goals and Challenges

Universal Health Coverage has been recognized as an important component of the 2015 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a set of 17 goals adopted by United Nations (U.N.) member states for attainment by 2030. SDG 3 aims to ensure health and promote well-being for all people. According to the report, “UHC means that all people receive the health services they need without facing financial hardship.”

According to the WHO, as of 2021, 4.5 billion people (more than half of the global population) were not covered by essential health services. Even those who do receive essential coverage may experience financial hardship when using it, partly due to high out-of-pocket (OOP) costs. These costs are often catastrophic for households already struggling with or threatened by poverty.

According to the 2025 monitoring report, low-income countries have made the fastest progress towards UHC. However, these countries still have the furthest to go before reaching UHC goals. Low and middle-income countries are especially vulnerable to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), which, according to the WHO, pose a significant threat to health in countries without adequate health care.

Common NCDs include cardiovascular diseases, cancers and chronic respiratory diseases. According to the WHO estimates, nearly three-quarters of NCD deaths occur in low and middle-income countries.

Progress Persists

Several countries have made significant progress toward UHC. A 2023 article in Exemplars in Global Health (EGH) reports on the steps countries such as Thailand, Ethiopia and Ghana have taken toward achieving UHC. These case studies suggest that adopting UHC is only one step toward equitable, affordable and accessible health care for all.

They underscore the importance of an integrative, holistic approach when reforming an entire health care system.

Thailand’s Investments in Primary Health Care Pay Off

Thailand’s journey with health care reform has illustrated the importance of strengthening primary health care systems alongside the adoption of a UHC program. When the country launched its UHC program in 2002, it responded to rising demand by investing heavily in its public health workforce, sharply increasing the number of doctors, midwives and nurses.

WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has emphasized the central role of primary health systems (PHS) in achieving UHC. He says investments in PHS are “the most inclusive, equitable and efficient path to UHC.” PHS can improve the distribution of care across both rural and urban areas.

In contrast, heavy investment in hospital-based care can concentrate health workers in cities. A collaborative study by the World Bank and the Government of Japan supports this finding. The study surveyed 11 countries at different stages of progress toward UHC.

It found that progress is typically incremental and highly context-specific, with shared challenges and a need for sustained political commitment and tailored policies to expand coverage.

Ethiopia Commits to Equity in Health Care

Ethiopia’s gains toward UHC have come with a commitment to equity, as reflected in its recognition of women’s specific health care needs. This has been realized through the development and expansion of services and resources. These include family planning, prenatal care, birthing facilities and qualified women’s health professionals such as birth attendants and obstetric care providers.

These areas of care were a key focus of the country’s 2003 Health Extension Program. According to the World Bank, the program has played a central role in the country’s strong progress in improving health outcomes and expanding coverage.

Decreasing OOP Costs in Ghana

Ghana offers another example of progress toward UHC. The country’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), which is heavily subsidized by taxes and a national health insurance levy, makes care free at the point of service. According to the EGH, NHIS has reduced OOP costs for insured individuals.

However, the scheme covers less than 70% of the population. The poorest households remain the most vulnerable to OOP expenses that can be financially catastrophic. The article also notes that medical bills are not the only factor straining households.

Other costs, such as transportation, diagnostic tests and lost income from time away from work, can also undermine a family’s financial stability and overall well-being.

Final Remarks

These case studies show what health care reform can achieve when there is a commitment to equitable care, practical and integrated approaches and a willingness to adopt and adapt new strategies.

– Emma Kelsey

Emma is based in St. Paul, MN, USA and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Saving Lives: Malaria Prevention in Sub-Saharan Africa

Malaria Prevention in Sub-Saharan AfricaMalaria prevention in sub-Saharan Africa remains a critical global health priority. Despite significant progress over the past two decades, malaria continues to affect countries across the region disproportionately. Expanding prevention efforts is essential to saving lives, strengthening economies and reducing poverty.

The Scale of the Problem

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were approximately 282 million malaria cases globally in 2024, with sub-Saharan Africa accounting for about 95% of cases and deaths. The region recorded more than 600,000 malaria-related deaths, with children under 5 representing about 76% of those fatalities. Countries such as Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Mozambique carry some of the heaviest burdens.

Rural communities are especially vulnerable due to limited access to health care facilities and preventive tools.

Impact on Education and Economic Stability

Malaria prevention in sub-Saharan Africa is not only a health issue but also an economic one. Frequent illness leads to missed school days for children and lost wages for adults. In high-transmission areas, students may miss several weeks of school each year due to illness or caring for sick family members. Repeated absences can reduce academic performance and long-term educational outcomes.

For adults, malaria decreases workforce productivity. Farmers may be unable to tend crops during peak agricultural seasons and small business owners may lose income due to illness. Health care costs, transportation to clinics and lost workdays push many households deeper into poverty.

In some communities, families must borrow money or sell assets to pay for treatment, creating long-term financial strain. Fortunately, significant progress has been made through coordinated prevention strategies. Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), indoor residual spraying and rapid diagnostic testing have helped reduce transmission rates in many countries.

Recently, malaria vaccines have also been introduced in select African nations, offering additional protection for young children.

Organizations Combating Malaria in Sub-Saharan Africa

  • The Global Fund: It provides funding to countries to strengthen prevention, treatment and health systems. Since its founding, the Global Fund has supported the distribution of hundreds of millions of ITNs and funded malaria treatment programs across dozens of African countries. In 2024 alone, the organization distributed more than 160 million mosquito nets worldwide.
  • UNICEF: This nonprofit works closely with governments to protect children from malaria. The organization supports seasonal malaria prevention programs, distributes bed nets and improves access to testing and treatment in remote areas. UNICEF has helped deliver millions of doses of preventive medicine to children in high-risk countries such as Nigeria and Chad.
  • The President’s Malaria Initiative: This Initiative operates in more than 20 African countries. It supports indoor spraying campaigns, distributes millions of bed nets annually and strengthens local health systems. The Initiative has contributed to significant reductions in malaria mortality rates in several partner countries since its launch.

Final Remarks

Malaria prevention in sub-Saharan Africa is directly linked to poverty reduction, educational advancement and economic stability. By protecting vulnerable populations, especially young children, these efforts help communities build healthier and more productive futures. Continued global commitment and coordinated action are necessary to reduce malaria cases further and move closer to elimination.

– Nishanth Pothapragada

Nishanth is based in London, Ontario, Canada and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Clean Cooking Solutions in India Reduce Health Risks

Clean Cooking Solutions in IndiaClean cooking solutions in India are improving living conditions for millions of families who still rely on traditional fuels such as wood, charcoal and cow dung for daily cooking. These fuels are commonly used because they are familiar and low-cost, especially in rural and low-income communities. However, burning these materials releases harmful smoke and fine particulate matter that accumulates in small, poorly ventilated homes.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that household air pollution from solid fuels leads to approximately three million deaths globally each year. Many of these deaths occur in developing countries, including India. This level of preventable illness and death demonstrates the urgent need for cleaner cooking solutions.

India continues to experience high levels of indoor air pollution because a large portion of its population depends on biomass fuels. Exposure to smoke from cooking fires increases the risk of respiratory infections, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cardiovascular disease and lung cancer. The health effects extend beyond individual suffering.

Families often face rising medical costs, reduced productivity and lost income when adults become ill. Children exposed to smoke are more likely to miss school due to sickness, which can limit long-term educational outcomes and future opportunities. These combined impacts place additional strain on households already living with limited financial resources.

Government Programs Supporting Clean Cooking

One of the most important government efforts to address indoor air pollution in India is the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY). This program provides subsidized liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) connections to low-income households to encourage families to move away from traditional biomass fuels. LPG burns much more cleanly than wood or dung, producing far less smoke inside the home.

As a result, households that adopt LPG experience improved indoor air quality and reduced exposure to harmful pollutants. The International Energy Agency reports that households using LPG instead of traditional fuels experience lower rates of respiratory illness and spend less time collecting firewood.

For many women, this change is particularly significant. In households that rely on wood or dung, women often spend hours each day gathering fuel and cooking in smoky conditions. Switching to LPG saves time and reduces daily exposure to harmful smoke, improving both health and overall quality of life.

In addition to LPG, government-supported programs have encouraged improved kitchen ventilation and safer stove designs in areas where LPG access remains limited. While these measures do not eliminate smoke, they help reduce the concentration of harmful particles inside homes and provide a transition pathway toward cleaner fuels.

The Role of Nonprofits and Community-Based Solutions

Nonprofit organizations have played a key role in expanding access to safer cooking options. The Clean Cooking Alliance works with local partners in India to promote improved cookstove technologies that burn fuel more efficiently and release fewer pollutants than traditional open fires. These stoves often include enclosed combustion chambers and chimneys that direct smoke outside the home, helping reduce indoor air pollution levels.

In rural communities, biogas initiatives have also contributed to cleaner cooking options. Biogas systems convert organic waste, such as animal dung, into cooking fuel, reducing dependence on wood and improving household sanitation. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) highlights that biogas programs in India support cleaner energy access while reducing environmental damage linked to deforestation and unmanaged waste.

These projects often involve community-level participation, which helps ensure long-term use and maintenance of the systems.

Long-Term Benefits for Health and Communities

Clean cooking solutions in India offer benefits that extend beyond reducing indoor air pollution. Healthier families spend less money on medical care and experience fewer missed workdays, improving household economic stability. Children who live in smoke-free environments are more likely to attend school regularly and perform better academically.

In addition, reduced demand for firewood eases pressure on local forests, helping protect natural ecosystems. The World Bank notes that access to clean cooking supports economic development while improving health and environmental sustainability. Continued investment in LPG programs, improved distribution of cookstoves and community biogas initiatives will be essential to expanding access to clean cooking across India.

By improving how meals are prepared in everyday households, clean cooking solutions reduce health risks and create safer living environments for millions of families. These efforts demonstrate how practical, targeted interventions can lead to long-term improvements in health, education and economic stability.

– Dylan Chandran

Dylan is based in Danville, CA, USA and focuses on Business and Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Tackling NTDs in Fiji

NTDs in FijiFiji is an archipelago situated in the South Pacific, with a small population of just under 1 million. The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared all Pacific countries particularly vulnerable to the spread of infectious diseases and natural disasters due to the acute effects of climate change in the region. Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) are an umbrella group of more than 20 infectious conditions most commonly affecting poorer populations in tropical regions.

NTDs have a far-reaching impact on the communities where they circulate, often carrying a poor prognosis and leading to disfigurement or death. Beyond the severe physical implications, NTDs are associated with social exclusion and cycles of poverty stemming from the poor health of the infected individual. However, with effective management and coordination strategies, the impact of NTDs can be significantly reduced. Through sustained effort from both a social and medical perspective, Fiji has seen several landmark successes in its fight against NTDs. Below are three examples of progress in the fight against NTDs in Fiji.

Elimination of Trachoma

Trachoma is the leading infectious cause of blindness in the world and is spread by direct contact with infected individuals. The overall number of people at risk of contracting trachoma due to residence in an endemic region has more than halved between 2010 and 2024, due to improved data collection and the successful implementation of the WHO’s reduction strategy. In 2025, Fiji eliminated trachoma as a public health problem. This made it the first Neglected Tropical Disease in the country to achieve this status, as granted by the WHO.

The WHO attributed the elimination to extensive testing, public health initiatives and awareness efforts. The elimination of the disease marks a turning point in a country where trachoma had at several points been a public health concern, notably during a resurgence in the 2000s.

National Response to Scabies

Scabies is a highly infectious disease that is particularly prevalent in impoverished communities in tropical areas. It can lead to severe illness, including heart disease and kidney disease.

Scabies has historically been prevalent in Fiji. In 2016, the government found that skin and soft tissue infections, of which scabies is a part, were the fifth-highest cause of death in the country. Faced with this challenge, Fiji carried out a national scabies audit and subsequently embarked on a program of mass drug administration (MDA).

Fiji was one of the first two countries in the world to implement MDA for scabies. One study showed that the program significantly reduced community prevalence of scabies within a year, from 32% to 2%. The campaign was successful in reducing the prevalence of the NTD to a controllable level, marking a significant achievement for national disease prevention efforts.

Lymphatic Filariasis

Lymphatic filariasis is a Neglected Tropical Disease spread by infected mosquitoes that causes abnormal swelling. It is commonly found in low-income communities where access to health care and sanitation is limited. Although it has faced several challenges in the effective control of lymphatic filariasis, Fiji has made and continues to make progress in tackling the disease. Between 1997 and 2007, Fiji significantly reduced the presence of the NTD, partly due to successful mass drug administration. The mass drug administration program is still underway, with coverage having reached more than 94% of the population, and transmission of the disease among at-risk populations having dropped by 43%.

Looking Ahead

Neglected Tropical Diseases remain a significant global health priority, especially among impoverished communities in tropical areas. However, Fiji has demonstrated how public health measures, community engagement and awareness efforts can contribute to reducing, and in some cases eliminating, NTDs.

– Phoebe Lang-Clapp

Phoebe is based in Montréal, Canada and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Debt Relief in Zambia and Support for Public Health Systems

Debt Relief in ZambiaDebt relief in Zambia has been pursued through international restructuring mechanisms, including the G20 Common Framework, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and official bilateral creditors. Zambia faced elevated external debt levels before restructuring. It entered into a formal debt treatment process under the Common Framework for Debt Treatments beyond the Debt Service Suspension Initiative.

On June 22, 2023, Zambia’s Ministry of Finance and National Planning announced that Zambia had reached an agreement with its Official Creditors’ Committee on debt treatment under the Common Framework. The IMF issued a statement the same day welcoming the agreement and describing it as a significant step toward restoring debt sustainability. The Paris Club has also documented the establishment of a creditor committee for Zambia under the Common Framework, identifying the coordination structure for official creditors participating in Zambia’s treatment.

Structure of the IMF Program Supporting Debt Relief

In August 2022, the IMF Executive Board approved a 38-month Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement for Zambia. The IMF stated that the program aimed to restore macroeconomic stability and restore debt sustainability. It further noted that the arrangement was designed to create fiscal space for social spending.

In January 2026, the IMF reported the completion of the sixth and final review under the ECF arrangement, noting total disbursements under the program and describing ongoing reform efforts. The IMF has publicly linked the ECF-supported reform program to fiscal consolidation measures and debt restructuring milestones. The debt treatment agreement under the Common Framework, according to the IMF, was consistent with restoring debt sustainability.

International Institutions Supporting Zambia’s Health System

The World Bank Group issued a public statement on June 22, 2023, welcoming the Official Creditors’ Committee agreement on Zambia’s debt treatment. The Group described it as a milestone toward restoring debt sustainability. In addition to macroeconomic support, the World Bank documentation identifies active health-sector projects in Zambia.

The “Zambia COVID-19 Emergency Response and Health Systems Preparedness Project” states that its development objective is to prevent, detect and respond to COVID-19 threats in Zambia and strengthen national public health systems for preparedness. The World Bank also hosts documentation on Zambia’s National Health Compact, which outlines financing targets and policy commitments in the health sector. There is insufficient data, based solely on the publicly available compact document, to verify whether all financing targets have been fully implemented.

Debt Relief in Zambia as a Fiscal Policy Tool

Public statements from Zambia’s Ministry of Finance and the IMF describe debt relief in Zambia as part of a broader effort to restore debt sustainability and stabilize public finances. IMF communications explicitly state that creating fiscal space for social spending is an objective of the ECF-supported program. There is insufficient data, from the cited sources alone, to verify a quantified causal relationship between specific debt restructuring milestones and year-by-year changes in Zambia’s public health budget allocations.

Verification would require direct reference to Zambia’s enacted national budgets and attributable institutional analysis linking debt-service adjustments to sectoral expenditure changes.

– Aiden Moriarty

Aiden is based in Rowley, MA, USA and focuses on Business and Politics for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Unsplash

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Efforts To Address Maternal Health Care in Zimbabwe

Maternal Health Care in ZimbabweThe poverty rate in Zimbabwe sits at 49.22%, with almost half the population living on $3.00 or less a day. This high poverty rate translates to 358 women dying during live birth out of every 100,000 women that give birth, as of 2023. Even though the maternal mortality rate has been decreasing over the years, it remains important to address adequate maternal health care in Zimbabwe.

Challenges To Maternal Health Care in Zimbabwe

There is a high rate of adolescent pregnancies in Zimbabwe, with more than 10% of births coming from women aged 15–19 years. For adolescent mothers in particular, the biggest barrier to receiving maternal health care is the stigma that comes with being a young mother. Other barriers for expectant mothers include cost, distance, cultural preferences, religious beliefs, a lack of information and distrust in the formal health care system.

Many women in Zimbabwe are hesitant to seek care from the public health system because of the lack of privacy and genuine care from these health professionals. With almost half of the population living in poverty, it becomes very difficult to afford private health services or travel out of rural areas to receive them. That being said, according to Amnesty International, more than 20% of women give birth without any skilled assistance. 

Traditional Birth Attendants

In response to cultural preferences and religious beliefs, many women in rural Zimbabwe seek maternal health care from traditional birth attendants. These are often other women with extensive experience with live births, whether from their own births or those of family or friends. They assist expectant mothers who are unable to access the public health system. 

Traditional birth attendants mainly operate in rural areas without sufficient maternal health care support. These women do not have any professional training or the tools necessary to conduct safe births. They function solely on their independent knowledge and desire to help pregnant women who have no support from family. 

However, their presence is still incredibly helpful in ensuring safer births that would otherwise not occur. In particular, the group Women in Action, which is based in Epworth, a populated community near Harare, has become an essential resource for young women expecting children. Women in Action was founded in 2003 and has since assisted with more than 50,000 live births. 

Its work is not confined to the immediate birth. The organization also helps with prenatal and postnatal care, something many women in rural Zimbabwe do not receive. “Soon after delivery, [the women] accompany mothers and newborns to nearby facilities for postnatal attention and even help arrange housing for new mothers if needed, bridging a critical gap in Zimbabwe’s overstretched maternal health system.” 

Traditional birth attendants are essential to achieving adequate maternal health care in Zimbabwe. They should be provided with more support to help pregnant women best. 

AI Midwife

Another innovation helping maternal health care in Zimbabwe is the creation of the AI midwife, Nyamukuta. This AI chatbot was created by a group of Zimbabwean women who noticed the lack of maternal health care in their communities. They designed the app to generate no profit, but rather to help pregnant women access more accessible care. 

Given concerns that many people lack internet access, Nyamukuta was designed as a WhatsApp chatbot to make the midwife accessible in areas with slow internet access. Alongside the AI informational chatbot, the creators of Nyamukuta distributed blood pressure machines to pregnant women to help them monitor their health more effectively.

Conclusion

Combining Nyamukuta’s efforts with those of traditional birth attendants could have a significant impact. Traditional birth attendants lack the proper tools to serve their communities adequately. 

With portable blood pressure machines and access to the information Nyamukuta provides, they would have a significant advantage in the care they can offer. Meaningful strides are already being made to address maternal health care in Zimbabwe and the trend is upward.

– Kaitlyn Crane

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

Photo: Flickr