Headlines on health

Cameroon has launched the world's first routine vaccine programme against Malaria for children under five, in what experts are calling a forward stride in the global fight against the mosquito-borne disease. But health organisations say raising awareness will be crucial to the vaccine’s success.

A common childhood asthma drug has been linked to three suicides in Australia and hundreds of other medical episodes. Concerned parents are calling on the Australian pharmaceutical regulator to follow Europe and the United States, and add a ‘box warning’ to the medication.

Ancient DNA helps explain why northern Europeans have a higher risk of multiple sclerosis than other ancestries according to a major study. Researchers say it’s a genetic legacy of horseback-riding cattle herders who swept into the region about 5,000 years ago.

From gadgets for the elderly to selfie mirrors that can predict the risk of heart attack, health tech is a big trend at this year’s CES tech show. The innovations make monitoring health simpler and more portable than ever – with AI powering many of the devices.

Public health researcher and physiotherapist Professor Cathie Sherrington shares insights on what the research reveals about how to make physical activity a habit.

A study has just been published by the journal Neurology on the tragedy of sudden unexplained deaths in childhood (SUCD). Researchers believe at least some of those deaths might be linked to seizures.

Wireless devices which transmit blood glucose levels to your phone are becoming more widely used by people with type 1 diabetes,and they're beginning to be marketed to everyone as a general health tool. Manufacturers of the so called “flash” monitoring systems say they help create good eating habits, but doctors say there's more to a healthy life than that.

New South Wales Health is urging people who visited the Sydney CBD in the last 10 days to be on the lookout for symptoms of Legionnaires disease. There are concerns the scores of people who flocked to the area for New Years Eve and Boxing Day sales may have been exposed.

The world has faced a number of challenges when it comes to health this year. SBS looks bck at how the international community has responded over the last 12 months.

The health of Australians has repeatedly come into the spotlight during 2023. SBS looks back on how the nation has responded to health challenges over the last 12 months.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has just released a comprehensive report revealing how much money Australia spent on the health system response to COVID-19 from 2019-20 to 2021-22. This comes as Australia faces a COVID Christmas driven by the Omicron subvariant BA.2.75, also known as Centaurus.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has delivered a formal apology to thalidomide victims in parliament. The drug thalidomide was only on the market for a few years, but killed and caused birth defects in thousands of babies around the world in the 1950s and 60s. Mr Albanese has called the tragedy one of the darkest chapters in Australia's medical history.

A new national framework tracking the health and wellbeing of young people across Australia has been launched in hopes of encouraging significant improvements before 2030. The Victorian Health Promotion Foundation, the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, and the Australian Research Alliance for Children and Youth have joined forces, warning that the health and wellbeing of Australia's youth is...

An experimental method aims at helping people recovering from brain and spine injury by doing underwater workouts. Although first trials show satisfaction for patients and practitioners, it is uncertain yet if the method is genuinely efficient and entirely safe.

The Australian Dental Association is calling on the government to overhaul the dental care system and take immediate action to address unequal access. The ADA says a targeted approach to improve dental care for Australia's most vulnerable populations is urgently needed.

A first of its kind national multicultural health and wellbeing conference has kicked off in Sydney. The conference is aiming to open dialogue and discuss ways of improving Australia's health system for multicultural communities.

New research from the University of Melbourne reveals refugee and migrant communities faced additional barriers accessing legal and justice services during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings show increased police presence, combined with language barriers and differential treatment of largely migrant and refugee communities were all worsened by Victoria's lengthy lockdowns.

There are concerns about an increase in the amount of antibiotics being consumed in Australia. Doctors are warning the effectiveness - and supply - of antibiotics is not unlimited, and there are dire consequences potentially if new health problems emerge.

In 2020-21, hundreds of thousands of Australians were admitted to the emergency department for head injuries. But some experts say the true number of these injuries is likely being under-reported. Now a new report offers insights to inform policy, education and prevention.

New parents are revealing that they need more support to deal with the challenges of having children - according to a survey by perinatal support service, the Gidget Foundation. The gap in care has led to 56 perinatal, parenting and mental health organisations coming together to help make getting help easier for new parents.

A parliamentary inquiry has been hearing evidence about what is reasonable and necessary to include as supports for participants in the National Disability Insurance Scheme. Advocates have told the inquiry that sexuality and sexual expression are frequently overlooked for people with a disability. They say there are damaging assumptions about what that community needs or wants.

Victoria has become the latest Australian state to decriminalise public drunkenness. The state government has launched a new health-led approach on Melbourne Cup Day - but the new system has already attracted criticism for not being ready.

A new report reveals a troublesome shift in outbreaks of bird flu. The report shows that outbreaks, previously confined largely to Asia, are now occurring in different regions of the world and affecting larger numbers of poultry. And that poses several threats to humans.

An initiative to help carers in the workplace has been officially unveiled, a year after it was flagged at Australia's jobs and skills summit. The government says it's the first step in a national strategy to better support the estimated 2.6 million people who provide unpaid care to loved ones.

The main organisation representing health-related services to LGBTIQ+ Australians is calling for more funding for its members to deal with what it says is a mental health crisis. LGBTIQ+ Health Australia says some community-controlled health organisations just don't have enough resources to help people who are in distress.