Health

The tragedy in Birsa, a remote area of Madhya Pradesh, has once again highlighted the vulnerability of villages left without reliable healthcare facilities. Adivasi organisations are on strike because of government indifference. The Church stands by isolated populations.

Koh Rong Island, the most popular tourist destination after Angkor Wat, is set to become a smoke-free zone by the end of the year. There are already nine towns in Cambodia where smoking is banned. Over the last 25 years, the Kingdom has halved the number of smokers, but the low tax rate continues to encourage consumption.

A study by Physicians for Human Rights Israel raises the alarm. Behind the crisis is the Jewish state's decision to withhold clearance revenues, which represent two thirds of the Palestinian budget. Hundreds of essential medicines are unavailable, while PA Health Ministry’s debt tops US$ 1.18 billion.

In Bandarban, students and residents are calling for urgent healthcare reforms, as a countrywide measles outbreak persists. Protests reflect the pain of losing loved ones. Caritas is committed to addressing healthcare gaps.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, digital psychological and psychotherapeutic support services have grown significantly in the country in response to the lack of adequate countrywide resources, as well as to the stigma surrounding this topic. However, those who exploit this need are also increasingly fuelling collective anxiety.

In 2026 alone, there have been over 76,000 cases, with numbers rising following the south-west monsoon. Fifty-six deaths linked to the disease – first recorded in 1962 – have been reported. The country is using military drones to identify mosquito breeding sites. Experts tell AsiaNews: “Peaks show a clear seasonal pattern”.

The new UN SOFI report shows that the number of undernourished people in Asia continues to drop, although significant regional imbalances remain. However, a prolonged energy crisis in the Middle East could increase the number of hungry people on the continent by 10 million by 2030.

Cambodia reported 25,000 infections a year in 1995; today, it is a leader in containing them and providing antiretroviral drugs to the sick, thanks to awareness-raising efforts by village leaders and communities to eliminate the social stigma attached to the disease. The country’s small Catholic Church is also playing a key role in these efforts.

The reuse of contaminated syringes at Valika Hospital has infected scores, with at least 120 testing positive since the scandal broke out in October 2025. Some 78 are children (six of whom have already died). The families' pain is compounded by stigma surrounding the disease.

For Sri Lankan households, air conditioning uses average daily household electricity consumption. In a country hard hit by climate change, even fans are rarely used because of the high costs.

“Behind the statistics are real persons,” reads a pastoral letter by the Bishops’ Conference. Millions of people in the Philippines carry “unseen burdens”, such as anxiety, depression, loneliness, especially young people. The Church’s response begins with "listening" and "compassionate accompaniment”.

After a six-year hiatus, the hunt for the animal resumes due to a “sharp increase” in incidents. “Non-lethal” control measures have proved ineffective. The authorities are talking about an environmental and public health emergency. The aim is to maintain the title of cleanest city in the world in the face of one of its “most cunning invaders”.