Archive for category: Health

Information and stories on health topics.

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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

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Advancing Women’s Health Care in Lebanon

Women’s Health Care in LebanonWomen’s health care in Lebanon and its associated biases are linked to the country’s collapsing economy. The crisis began in August 2019 and was made worse by COVID-19. In 2024, it was estimated that 44% of Lebanon’s population lived below the poverty line, a number that more than tripled over the last decade. 

Positively, the World Bank reported that the country witnessed a “fragile rebound” in its economy at the end of 2025. The Group foresees steady GDP growth in 2026. However, it warns that multiple threats could put this trajectory at risk of another collapse.

With government systems failing, families have had to rely on nonprofits for essential aid. Anera, a nonprofit organization that previously focused on aiding refugees, estimates that about 50% of the people it is helping now are Lebanese. Moreover, due to hostilities from Israel–Hezbollah conflicts, the European Commission estimated a total of 2.2 million Lebanese people in need of humanitarian aid in 2025.

Health Care, Women and Gender Biases

While the economy is faltering, the number of women entering the health care sector in Lebanon is spiking. Now, in 2026, they represent nearly half of the medical students. This progress stands in contrast to the country’s broader gender disparities, as Lebanon ranks 136th out of 146 countries in the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Global Gender Gap Index.

Despite the trend of increased feminization of the workforce, women remain underrepresented in management and academic positions. They nevertheless have limited access to esteemed fellowships and specialty positions and are not paid the same wage as their male counterparts. Looking past the statistical disparities of women in the workforce, women in Lebanon face numerous barriers in health care accessibility and quality. 

The economic crisis mentioned earlier exacerbated the cost of seeking health care, affecting women and girls, especially those in underprivileged areas. Prices for menstrual products, for example, rose by up to 234% for local brands and 409% for imported ones. As a result, 66% of girls could no longer afford them and instead turned to unsanitary and often dangerous alternatives.

UNFPA

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is a human rights agency working in more than 150 countries globally to ensure that the sexual and reproductive rights of women and girls are met fairly. In partnership with organizations such as UNICEF, it has raised funds, written training manuals for health care professionals and provided health care services to advance social equality and tackle gender-based violence. Its ultimate goal is to break the cycle of poverty by investing in the education of girls on the subjects of sexual and reproductive health. 

Women Now for Development 

Based in Syria and founded in Paris in 2012, Women Now for Development is a grassroots organization operating in Syria, Lebanon and Turkey. Its goal is to support, protect and empower women in their day-to-day lives. At its centers, it offers psychological and family counseling, educational support, recreational activities, vocational training and child care services. 

It targets the most vulnerable female populations: refugees and disabled women and children. Over the years, it has helped many families regain dignity and autonomy.

Looking Forward

Nonprofit organizations such as UNFPA and Women Now for Development are significant steps forward in creating a sustainable, accessible future for women’s health care in Lebanon. Evident in the country’s ever-growing poverty statistics, however, is that there is still much to be done. Part of this effort includes securing Lebanon’s economic momentum; positive reforms and efforts to uphold political stability are essential to ensuring a Lebanese health care system that is accessible, fair and inclusive.

– Brittany Buscio

Brittany is based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and focuses on Good News, Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Midwife Training and Maternal Mortality in Somalia

Maternal Mortality in SomaliaThe Federal Republic of Somalia, is the easternmost country in continental Africa. In 2025, there were 1.5 midwives per 10,000 people in Somalia, with a stillbirth rate of 35. The country has one of the worst health indicators in the world following decades of conflict, natural disasters and disease outbreaks. Midwife training in Somalia is necessary since midwives face stigmatisation as well as a lack of support in their work, but their mission to protect and nurture more lives remains in focus.

Why is There a Crisis in Somalia?

Somalia has endured prolonged conflict between the state and non-state armed groups, with significant funding cuts in 2025. More than 1.7 million vulnerable people lost access to protection services and an estimated 6 million people are in extreme need of life-saving assistance.

Ms Fatima Mohamed Abdalla, an official of the Somali Midwifery Association, spoke about how mothers suffer from the effects of poverty, walking long distances to reach a health facility, and no ambulances for effective referral of cases to the hospital. This shows the need for a stronger maternal health workforce where midwife training in Somalia consists of an approved institution and license to practice.

Solution to Maternal Mortality Rates in Somalia?

Midwives provide holistic care that meet every woman’s individual needs, education on sexual and reproductive health and they optimize the normal processes of pregnancy, childbirth, the postnatal and newborn period.

Farhiya Ali Abdi – in a press release in 2019 – stated that she was driven by the fact that she was helping the most vulnerable people, including children as well as their mothers. In Somalia, there is a preference for Traditional Birth Attendants, rather than young midwives, due to experience and training, but this leads to a stigma arising for new healthcare professionals.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has been helping the crisis in Somalia, with their Reproductive Health and Nursing and Midwifery Programme Officer based in Somaliland, Asia Osman Ahmed, advocates for the need to train and oversee the work of midwives. She described a moment of a woman waiting desperately at a health facility for help, as a traditional midwife who tried to open up her FGM stitches so that her husband could enjoy being intimate with her had cut up part of her rectum and given her second degree tears.

This is the reality of so many women in Somalia and midwife training in Somalia is more than taking care of birth processes; it is about protecting every woman and child from injustice and needless suffering. WHO has also demonstrated a need to discuss with the Government to link community midwives to qualified midwives, who have been trained by partners such as the United Nations Populations Fund.

Investment

Somalia ranks among the countries with the highest maternal mortality rate, with an estimated shortage of 20,000 midwives compared to the WHO recommended standard. Graduate midwives have identified gaps in dealing with abortion and neonatal resuscitation, indicating the need for longer clinical training periods.

In 2016, according to the Somali Health and Demographic Survey (SHDS), only 32% of Somali women delivered with the assistance of skilled birth attendants.

With more investment and training, midwives can meet about 90% of the need for essential sexual, reproductive, maternal, newborn and adolescent health interventions. By 2035, they could save 4.3 million people per year, which highlights the need for more training.

A midwife is more than a trained professional, a midwife is a life saver, a source of reassurance, and a listener. Midwife training in Somalia is essential with a need for more midwives willing to fight against stigma, so that women and children have a greater chance of survival in the country.

– Anisa Begum

Anisa is based in Author’s City and State: Birmingham, UK and focuses on Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr

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Trail Bridges in Nepal: Improving Access to Schools and Clinics

Trail Bridges in NepalIn Nepal’s hill and mountain districts, seasonal rivers often separate communities from essential services. During monsoon season, rising water levels can wash away temporary crossings, forcing children, patients and families to take long detours or attempt unsafe river crossings. Trail bridges in rural Nepal are helping restore safe, year-round access to schools, health posts and emergency care. By replacing damaged or temporary crossings with durable pedestrian suspension bridges, Nepal’s trail bridge program helps reduce travel time and improve safety for rural communities.

Infrastructure and Recovery Needs

The need for resilient rural infrastructure intensified after the 2015 earthquake, which affected 31 districts and damaged transport links and public facilities. In many hill and mountain areas, the absence of a bridge can significantly extend travel time to schools, markets and health facilities, particularly during monsoon periods.

Nepal’s Department of Local Infrastructure (DoLI) coordinates the Trail Bridge Sector Wide Approach (TB SWAp), which provides national standards, financing mechanisms and institutional coordination across federal, provincial and local governments. According to DoLI, Nepal had 8,444 trail bridges in place under the sector framework, with an estimated 4,000 to 5,000 additional bridges still needed to ensure safer crossings and reduce long detours.

The framework sets an access objective aimed at limiting detours to safer crossings to within one hour, with particular focus on rural and disadvantaged communities.

Implementation relies on standardized technical designs, trained bridge builders, user committees and quality monitoring systems operating under national guidelines.

Construction Momentum and National Scale

A 2023 regional presentation on Nepal’s trail bridge sector reported that Nepal reached 10,000 trail bridges by 2023 and constructed 740 trail bridges in fiscal year 2022/2023. The same presentation reported that approximately 1 million people use a trail bridge each day.

Switzerland’s development agency, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, has supported Nepal’s trail bridge program since the 1960s.

Swiss government reports that Swiss technical support and funding support helped build more than 8,000 trail bridges, improving access to services for millions of people.

Measurable Gains in Education and Health Access

Switzerland’s government reported that the trail bridge program improved access for more than 18 million people, with about 1.4 million people using trail bridges daily.

In areas near newly built trail bridges, average school attendance increased by 16%, and visits to health centers increased by 26%.

Helvetas, which provides technical verification and engineering support to the Nepali government, reports similar outcomes: school attendance increases by an average of 16% and consultations at health centers rise by 26% following construction of a new trail bridge.

Helvetas also reports that each bridge shortens and secures travel routes for an average of approximately 1,800 people.

Why the Model Works

Nepal’s trail bridge sector combines national technical standards with decentralized delivery. The TB SWAp framework outlines institutionalized norms, standardized manuals and training systems that support construction and monitoring at multiple levels of government.

The UNCRD presentation notes that average annual construction increased under the sector-wide approach, reflecting strengthened coordination and sector planning.

Helvetas reports that more than 10,000 trail bridges have now been built in Nepal, many verified through long-term partnerships with the government.

Swiss development reporting highlights that Nepal has developed the institutional capacity to plan, construct and maintain trail bridges through national and subnational systems.

Continuing Need

Despite progress, thousands of additional crossings remain necessary to reduce unsafe river crossings and long detours in rural areas.

Documented increases in school attendance and health facility visits indicate that trail bridges in rural Nepal remain a practical and evidence-based approach to improving access to essential services for remote and marginalized communities.

– Kira Rai

Kira is based in London, UK and focuses on Good News for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr