Bhutan
18 May 2023
World Hypertension Day 2023 was observed by the Ministry of Health, Royal Government of Bhutan to raise awareness on hypertension and strengthen coverage for early detection and management of hypertension. Bhutan also aims to place at least at least 50 000 Bhutanese on hypertension and diabetes protocol-based management by 2025.
18 May 2023
Rwanda
14 May 2023
Rwanda - a regional leader in Universal Health Coverage - is helping women to detect and treat breast and cervical cancer earlier as part of government and civil society partnership to lower rates of undetected cancer. Key Messages Women in Rwanda face limited access to quality health services, which results in a range of health, economic, and social consequences, especially in lo...
14 May 2023
Nepal
17 Apr 2023
“Earlier, we had to travel to Kathmandu every month for my son’s cancer follow-up care. This was costly and time-consuming, and my son was also forced to miss school for several days. There were also risks associated with long-distance travel. But all of that has changed now” says Bir Bahadur Chand with a smile on his face. Bir Bahadur and several other families in Western Nepal are...
17 Apr 2023
Georgia
17 Apr 2023
“I’m like a social worker and I try to use my experience to help other cancer patients to believe that they will survive. They need to know that a cancer diagnosis is not the end.” A passionate advocate for greater awareness, Ana Mazanishvili runs the Pink Space Centre in Tbilisi, Georgia – a charity offering free advice and support for breast cancer patients. She recently con...
17 Apr 2023
Georgia
14 Apr 2023
Around 17% of adults in Georgia do not get the WHO-recommended amounts of physical activity during the day, and physical activity rates are even lower among children and adolescents. The newly launched WHO “Physical Activity Factsheet 2022: Georgia” gives an overview of the country’s current policies that may become a nationwide action plan for the promotion of physical activity. The fa...
14 Apr 2023
United States of America
13 Apr 2023
Paul was diagnosed with kidney disease at the age of 16, after a random urine test during a high-school sports physical examination. This was a blow for Paul who had wanted to join the military, which was a family tradition. Instead, his father encouraged him to serve his country another way through a career in politics and government. Paul lived for 13 years with chronic kidney disease before...
13 Apr 2023
Nepal
13 Apr 2023
Anu was diagnosed with rheumatic heart disease in 2001 at the age of 11 after suffering rheumatic fever caused by repeated episodes of strep throat infection. Following surgery, she lived without major physical complications for 15 years. But in 2016, she suffered congestive heart failure resulting from damage to multiple heart valves. She underwent a second open heart surgery. Although the surger...
13 Apr 2023
India
13 Apr 2023
Prachi has been living with asthma and chronic bronchitis for over 20 years, which has led to other respiratory problems. When she was young, there was limited understanding among clinicians and the community which led to delayed diagnosis and challenges in managing her condition. Prachi lives in northern India, where air pollution levels regularly reach a very hazardous 500 on the Air Quality Ind...
13 Apr 2023
Botswana
13 Apr 2023
Odireleng is in long term recovery after suffering a period of substance and alcohol misuse. Having found it difficult to find the right support in Botswana, it was at a rehabilitation centre in South Africa where she had the breakthrough that set her on the road to recovery. Inspired by the care and support she had received, which transformed her life, she decided to train as an addiction coun...
13 Apr 2023
Kuwait
13 Apr 2023
Allison’s journey into advocacy began with her type 2 diabetes diagnosis in 2012. She received support from what she describes as a wonderful endocrinologist in Kuwait who introduced her to the power and potential of advocacy. Allison’s doctor walked her through the practical process of monitoring herself, and simultaneously introduced her to the steps of inquiry and what to consider in the cr...
13 Apr 2023
Kenya
13 Apr 2023
Patrick was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2011 and describes himself as having lived in denial for 4 years. The diagnosis was a huge personal shock to him. Despite his background in pharmacy, his knowledge of mental health was limited. His health-care provider took very little time and attention to build Patrick’s understanding of his condition. After being hospitalized against his wishes i...
13 Apr 2023
Georgia
13 Apr 2023
Olga was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia in 2005 at the age of 21 years. On three separate occasions she was involuntarily hospitalized in a psychiatric facility. During her first period of psychosis, Olga lost touch with reality. She stopped communicating with her family and engaging with the world around her. Confused and afraid, Olga’s family sought medical help at a psychiatric institu...
13 Apr 2023
