Latest news with #healthEquity
RNZ News
3 days ago
- General
- RNZ News
Two doctors, one diary and a health system in crisis
Diary of a Junior Doctor follows five young doctors at the country's busiest hospital. Photo: SUPPLIED/TVNZ The reality of working in our under-pressure healthcare system is laid bare in Diary of a Junior Doctor - the new five-part docuseries which follows a group of junior doctors at the country's biggest and busiest hospital - Auckland's Middlemore. Faced with 70 hour working weeks, they must learn to balance the often high stakes demands of their medical careers with those of their personal lives. Kathryn is joined by Dr Shadie Lupo, who features in the series and health equity advocate, Dr Emma Wehipeihana, who served as a medical consultant and cultural advisor.
The Guardian
22-05-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Number of vape shops in England rises by almost 1,200% in a decade
The number of vape shops on high streets across England has increased by almost 1,200% over the past decade, while deprived areas have up to 25 times as many bookmakers and pawnbrokers as affluent ones, according to research. In 2014, only 33.8% of 317 local authorities in England had a vape shop, rising to 97.2% in 2024. Similarly, in 2014 less than 1% of local authorities in England had 10 or more vape shops, rising to 28% in 2024. The study, conducted by researchers at Health Equity North, looked at Ordnance Survey data to track how amenities had changed between 2014 and 2024. The amenities were divided into those seen as 'health promoting', such as pharmacies, libraries and supermarkets, and 'health reducing' such as vape shops, bookmakers, takeaways and alcohol-only outlets. They found a stark decline in healthier amenities, with unhealthy alternatives taking their place. Takeaway shops were up by almost a quarter (24%) across England, while the number of banks and building societies decreased by 40%, and supermarkets by 10%. The report found there were stark regional divides across England regarding high-street amenities, with twice as many vape shops in the north of England. The number of takeaways in the north of England rose by a third (31%), compared with a rise of 18% in the south. There were three times as many vape shops in deprived areas compared with the least deprived ones. Deprived areas also had 25 times more pawnbrokers and more than three times as many bookmakers. Dr Eman Zied Abozied, research associate at Newcastle University Population Sciences Institute, said the study showed that high streets were becoming 'less healthy and welcoming places to visit'. 'The disappearance of amenities such as supermarkets, banks, pharmacies and public toilets particularly affects groups such as women, children and the elderly,' she said. 'But what we're seeing impacts all of us. The deterioration of our high streets makes our centres feel less safe, less inviting, and ultimately makes us feel more disconnected as communities.' She added: 'It is important that we act now to reverse this decline. If we involve local communities in making decisions about their high streets, we can make our high streets and towns more accessible and healthy for everyone.' Prof Clare Bambra, an academic co-director at Health Equity North and professor of public health at Newcastle University, said: 'Over the last decade, our high streets have been hit by a devastating succession of shocks – from the impact of austerity to the Covid-19 pandemic. They've also been hollowed out by changing spending habits, and the rising cost of living. 'This trend has disproportionately affected the most deprived places in our country. The northern high street now has fewer places to go to buy essentials, as well as fewer supermarkets, public toilets and other amenities and resources. The north has twice as many vape shops as the south, as well as more takeaway outlets and bookmakers. 'You should be able to walk down a high street, and feel the uniqueness, culture and identity of that community. Through innovative design, better public transport, and measures that promote people over cars, we can rethink these spaces so they become 'go-to's' rather than 'ghost towns'.' A government spokesperson said: 'For years high streets have been starved of investment despite their potential to thrive, but we are taking decisive action to turn the tide through our Plan for Change. 'Councils and local leaders have powers to tackle persistently vacant properties in city, town and village centres by putting the leases up for auction to help restrict the types of businesses that fill those lots. 'We are driving regeneration and growth with £1.5billion through the Plan for Neighbourhoods to boost high streets, and we're bringing empty shops back to life through our high street rental auctions.' City of London, London: 4.6 Blackburn with Darwen, north-west: 1.7 Preston, north-west: 1.6 Blackpool, north-west: 1.2 Bolton, north-west: 1.2 Lincoln, East Midlands: 1.2 Thanet, south-east: 1.2 Chesterfield, East Midlands: 1.1 Hyndburn, north-west: 1.1 Derbyshire Dales, East Midlands: 1
Reuters
19-05-2025
- Health
- Reuters
World Health Organization members vote in favour of global pandemic agreement
GENEVA, May 19 (Reuters) - Members of the World Health Organization voted emphatically in favour of a potentially groundbreaking global treaty on improving pandemic preparedness at the World Health Assembly on Monday. 124 countries voted in favour, after Slovakia called for a vote on Monday, as its COVID-19 vaccine sceptic prime minister demanded that his country challenge the adoption of the agreement. No countries voted against, while 11 countries, including Poland, Israel, Italy, Russia, Slovakia and Iran abstained. The draft accord, which addresses structural inequities about how drugs or vaccines and health tools are developed, will be formally adopted on Tuesday in a plenary session at the World Health Assembly in Geneva. However, it will not formally come into effect until an annex on pathogen sharing is negotiated, which could take up to two years, after which states will have to ratify the accord.
Gulf Business
09-05-2025
- Health
- Gulf Business
AstraZeneca's Iskra Reic on advancing health equity, tackling NCDs across MEA
Image: Supplied As health systems across the Middle East and Africa confront the dual pressures of rising non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and persistent access gaps, AstraZeneca is placing health equity at the heart of its mission. In this nterview, Iskra Reic, EVP – International at AstraZeneca, shares how the company is working to deliver healthcare that is inclusive, impactful and future-focused. From AI-powered diagnostics in rural Africa to large-scale screening programme in the UAE, Reic discusses why closing the health gap is not only a moral imperative but a cornerstone for sustainable health systems in the region and beyond. From your perspective what is health equity and what does it mean in practice? We believe everyone deserves the opportunity to live their healthiest life – regardless of where they live, their background, or their economic circumstances. This is what we mean by health equity, and it underpins everything we do. We also know the world is facing growing challenges – from ageing populations to climate change – that are straining health systems and widening inequities in high-, middle- and low-income countries. The Middle East and North Africa region is experiencing a demographic shift that will increase non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like cancer and cardiorenal diseases over the next few decades. The elderly population there is expected to rise by 290 per cent from 2018 to 2050, leading to a projected doubling of cancers and cancer deaths by 2040 in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean region. In Africa, 2.1 million new cancer cases and 1.4 million deaths are projected annually by 2040. These diseases affect lives, livelihoods, and economic productivity, exacerbating health inequities by disproportionately impacting lower-income and rural populations with limited healthcare access. To address this burden, governments need integrated policies focusing on prevention, early detection, and treatment of NCDs. Early action on the NCD crisis can improve equitable health outcomes, reduce health system costs, and mitigate healthcare's environmental impact. That's why we are embedding health equity across our business – starting with our science, to the delivery of healthcare across our therapy areas, and community engagement. In science, for example, we are ensuring our genomics research and clinical trials are representative of the patients impacted by disease including those from understudied global communities. In healthcare delivery, one area where we are focusing on is chronic kidney disease (CKD). Our collaboration with SEHA in Abu Dhabi advances early detection and integrated care for CKD. Since launching a new screening protocol, over 145,000 patients have been screened, with 30,000 diagnosed for earlier intervention. I'm also inspired by our work on new technologies, such as our partnership with MedSol AI in South Africa that introduces Wi-Fi-enabled ultrasounds to rural clinics, increasing breast cancer screenings by over 40 per cenr and improving healthcare access. How does AstraZeneca work with partners to improve health equity in the Middle East and Africa? Achieving health equity requires cross-sector collaboration. AstraZeneca partners with Ministries of Health, local organisations, community leaders, and others to ensure comprehensive healthcare throughout the patient journey — from screening and early detection to diagnosis and treatment. A prime example is Cancer Care Africa, where we collaborate with health authorities and local leaders on building capacity, screening and diagnostics, patient empowerment, and access to medicines. In 2024 alone, Cancer Care Africa screened 160,000 people and trained 13,000 healthcare workers. By 2030, the aim is to screen 10 million people, improve diagnostics for 500,000 patients, and double patient access to innovative cancer medicines. We also tackle root causes of health inequities by empowering young people to make informed health choices. The Young Health Programme (YHP) has reached nearly 20 million young people with health education and advocacy, empowering them to take charge of their well-being. In Jordan, the 'Be The Change – Be You' project educates school children aged 10 to 16 about the risks of smoking and tobacco use. This is one of many YHP initiatives engaging young people both regionally and globally. Ensuring equitable access to healthcare is not a small task, but I am so proud of the great progress we're making to close these gaps. Why are NCDs such a key focus of your conversations as the recent ADGHW? The rise of NCDs – otherwise known as chronic diseases – is a major global health crisis, affecting over three billion people and accounting for more than 70 per cent of deaths worldwide. A recent study estimates that major NCDs, including cancer, diabetes, lung, and heart diseases, claim at least 150,000 lives annually in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. During the recent Abu Dhabi Global Health Week, I joined a symposium with Gulf region experts, policymakers, and patients to explore transformative solutions for for illnesses such as cancer and rare diseases. We emphasised the vital role of public-private partnerships emphasising the crucial role of public-private partnerships, such as the Abu Dhabi Global Health Week is more than just a conference — it's a catalyst for action. It unites governments, industry, academia, and innovators to confront some of the most significant health challenges we face today. This platform enables health leaders and policymakers to focus on enhancing health equity, adopting digital technology, and ensuring sustainable health financing through early detection of NCDs. Tell me more about your specific efforts to tackle NCDs in the UAE, the Middle East and Africa region and beyond. In the UAE, we collaborate with the Department of Health and other institutions to enhance We are working with the Abu Dhabi Department of Health to develop a digital lung health screening platform that identifies high-risk patients for lung cancer and respiratory diseases at an early stage. Additionally, In the Middle East & Africa, AstraZeneca's Healthy Heart Africa programme collaborates with ministries of health to enhance early detection of heart and kidney diseases, focusing on those most in need and promoting equitable care. Since 2014, our partnership has identified 12 million people with hypertension, trained 12,000 health workers, and conducted 67 million blood pressure screenings. I am looking forward to the United Nations High-Level Meeting on NCDs this September, where global leaders will unite for concerted action. In this pivotal forum, it is critical for health sector leaders to play a central role in advocating for urgent action and long-term solutions.
