Health

Current Picks

Tennessee Parents Refuse HPV Series While Cervical Lesions Rise in Unvaccinated Teens

By Raphael Andriamanjato / Jul 17, 2026

In Tennessee, HPV vaccination rates lag as cervical precancers rise among unvaccinated teens. Clinicians debunk myths, parents face tough choices, and public health seeks solutions.

In Nigeria, Schizophrenia Patients Go Months Without Injectable Antipsychotics

By Min Park / Jul 17, 2026

A Lagos mother describes her son's 10-week wait for a haloperidol injection. Survey data show 62% of patients miss doses. The evidence for depots and innovations that could close the gap.

Australian Private Hospitals Bill Medicare for Anesthesia Minutes Surgeons Never Administer

By Esther Okello / Jul 17, 2026

Australian private hospitals bill Medicare for anesthesia minutes that are never administered, with audits revealing systemic overbilling that costs taxpayers hundreds of millions annually.

Indian Public Health Centres Stock Zinc for Paediatric Diarrhoea While Prescribing Antibiotics Instead

By Raphael Andriamanjato / Jul 17, 2026

Indian public health centres stock zinc for paediatric diarrhoea as per WHO guidelines, yet antibiotics are prescribed in up to 70% of cases. A look at the gap between policy and practice.

Borderline Personality Disorder Patients in Rural Clinics Receive Diazepine Sedatives Instead of Psychotherapy

By Elena Vargas / Jul 17, 2026

In rural clinics, patients with borderline personality disorder often receive sedatives like clonazepam instead of evidence-based psychotherapy, reflecting systemic gaps in access and training.

Kolkata Dengue Clinics Stock Paracetamol While National Protocols Recommend Platelet Monitoring

By Esther Okello / Jul 17, 2026

Kolkata's government fever clinics stock paracetamol but lack platelet monitoring equipment. National guidelines recommend serial counts. The gap costs lives and money.

UK Emergency Departments Treat Sepsis by Checklist While Blood Culture Bottles Sit Unused

By Esther Okello / Jul 17, 2026

A look at the gap between UK sepsis guidelines and clinical practice: checklist compliance is high, but blood culture collection rates lag, contributing to antibiotic resistance and preventable deaths.

Australian Dust Storm Survivors Link Breathlessness to No-Fault Insurance Caps That Deny Pulmonary Rehab

By Raphael Andriamanjato / Jul 17, 2026

Survivors of Australia's 2009 dust storms face lingering breathlessness, but no-fault insurance caps limit pulmonary rehab sessions, worsening outcomes and increasing hospital readmissions.

Thyroid Nodules Found on Imaging Rarely Explain the Fatigue Patients Report

By Elena Vargas / Jul 17, 2026

Thyroid nodules are common on ultrasound, but they rarely cause fatigue. This article explores the metabolic mismatch between incidental findings and systemic symptoms, and why nodule surveillance may miss underlying autoimmunity.

Thailand Private Patients Get Insulin Pumps While Public Clinics Ration Metformin

By Esther Okello / Jul 17, 2026

Thailand's two-tier diabetes care: private hospitals offer insulin pumps while public clinics ration metformin. A look at the evidence, costs, and what middle ground might exist.

US Antidepressant Prescriptions Surge While Therapy Sessions Shrink to Fifteen Minutes

By Min Park / Jul 17, 2026

Antidepressant prescriptions are rising sharply across the US, but therapy sessions have shrunk to 15–20 minutes. This feature explores the patient experience, economic forces, and what can be done.

Indian Community Health Workers Diagnose Child Pneumonia by Counting Breaths While Pulse Oximeters Stay Unopened

By Elena Vargas / Jul 17, 2026

In rural Bihar, ASHAs count breaths to diagnose child pneumonia while pulse oximeters remain unused. The gap between guidelines and practice costs lives.

Papua New Guinea Midwives Manage Postpartum Hemorrhage Without Oxytocin Stock Counts

By Raphael Andriamanjato / Jul 17, 2026

In rural Papua New Guinea, midwives face chronic oxytocin stockouts. This article examines the gap between guidelines and reality, training gaps, burnout, and community-led alternatives.

Fetal Ultrasound Detects Structural Anomalies While Genetic Microarrays Identify Most Syndromes

By Elena Vargas / Jul 17, 2026

Ultrasound maps fetal anatomy; microarray reads DNA for copy-number variants. Each catches what the other misses. Explaining the biology and clinical decisions behind prenatal testing.

Thai State Hospitals Count Malaria Slides While Private Clinics Use Rapid Tests

By Min Park / Jul 17, 2026

In Thailand, state hospitals rely on microscopy for malaria diagnosis while private clinics use rapid tests. This gap affects accuracy, treatment delays, and elimination goals.

Kenyan Counties Distribute Free Malaria Nets While Pregnant Women Purchase Treated Bednets Privately

By Elena Vargas / Jul 17, 2026

Kenya's mass net campaigns distribute free bednets, yet many pregnant women buy treated nets privately. This feature explores gaps in program design, equity, and policy fixes.

Thyroid Patients Wait Months for Levothyroxine Dose Adjustment as Lab Ref Ranges Stay Static

By Raphael Andriamanjato / Jul 17, 2026

Patients with hypothyroidism wait months for levothyroxine dose adjustments because static lab reference ranges fail to flag borderline TSH levels, delaying treatment and worsening symptoms.

Bipolar Patients Access Lithium through Private Pharmacies While Public Clinics Prescribe Valproate

By Raphael Andriamanjato / Jul 17, 2026

In many low-resource settings, public clinics default to valproate for bipolar disorder because lithium requires costly monitoring. Wealthier patients bypass the system via private pharmacies, creating a two-tier reality.

Indian Tribal Health Centres Diagnose Asthma by Symptoms While Spirometers Collect Dust

By Raphael Andriamanjato / Jul 17, 2026

In tribal health centres across Chhattisgarh, spirometers go unused while clinicians diagnose asthma by symptoms alone. Policy gaps, training deficits, and equipment neglect leave millions at risk.

Rural Malawian Nurses Diagnose Child Malaria by Touch After Rapid Test Stocks Run Dry

By Esther Okello / Jul 17, 2026

In Malawi, chronic stockouts of rapid diagnostic tests force rural nurses to diagnose child malaria by touch—palpating spleens and relying on clinical judgment. This article explores the practice, its risks, and the systemic failures behind it.