A lack of continuity of care for people living with HIV during natural disasters and other crises can have highly damaging consequences. This column reports on the experiences of Mozambique in seeking to maintain the effectiveness of HIV treatment in the face of adverse shocks over the past ten years. Lessons from the country’s response
Past progress in human development in South Asia looks insufficient to produce success during the era of the Sustainable Development Goals. This column argues that if government spending on education and health were to be raised to levels comparable to those in other developing regions, alongside improvements in state effectiveness in delivering public goods, much more could
India has long struggled to make its rural kitchens smokeless – but with limited success. This column sheds light on the importance of linking women’s empowerment and clean fuel choices at the policy level to make an effective transition to smokeless kitchens. Education and awareness, financial independence, and women’s autonomy around household spending are some
The epidemiological transition from communicable diseases to non-communicable diseases is a reality in several countries. Health policies must take urgent measures to reduce the high incidence and mortality rates associated with the latter. This column looks at the experience of Mexico and proposes some intersectoral strategies that can help to promote prevention and control. In
Employment gives mothers the resources to strengthen their households’ food security, which in turn improves the likelihood of breastfeeding. Yet work demands after maternity leave tend to limit the attention that mothers can give to their infants. This column explores whether there is a ‘win/win’ scenario, potentially supported by legislation, which can promote a mother’s
Addressing the Covid-19 crisis with lockdowns and restricted mobility policies is effective for reducing the spread of the virus, but it might also have a direct negative impact on mental health, especially among vulnerable populations. This column summarizes findings from an investigation on the impact of strict and long-lasting lockdowns among older generations in Turkey.
The pandemic has brought renewed attention to the fact that domains often considered separate are deeply interconnected – public health, politics, the economy, the law, and of course, the environment. This column argues that the resilience of our societies depends on acknowledgement of multiple centres of decision-making. The authors provide evidence from a number of
Diet-related non-communicable diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and stroke account for a third of all deaths and half of all hospital admissions in Kenya. Unhealthy eating, and the growing number of people who are overweight and obese, is also a big problem in many other African countries, particularly in urban areas. This column reports on
Open defecation, which remains common in India, has many costly and terrible consequences for human health. These include anaemia, which was previously thought to arise more from poor nutrition than from the types of infections spread by poor sanitation. This column outlines the challenges for health and sanitation policy, the research evidence, and the pressing
Perhaps as much as 4% of the world’s population depends directly on artisanal mines, which produce around 20% of the minerals we use. This column reports evidence that despite the widespread perception that these mines are largely a threat to the health and environment of local people, they may have a positive impact on local
