The Georgian Medical Journal Podcast

In this episode of the GMJ Podcast — the official podcast of the Georgian Medical Journal , we explore one of the most important concepts in modern public health: health systems and their role in protecting population health. Health systems represent the structures, institutions and resources that deliver healthcare services to populations. They include hospitals, primary healthcare facilities, he...

In this episode of the GMJ Podcast — the official podcast of the Georgian Medical Journal , we explore how medical research evolves from an initial scientific idea into a published article that contributes to global medical knowledge. Scientific journals play a central role in modern medicine. They provide a platform where researchers can present new findings, where experts critically evaluate evi...

In this episode of the GMJ Podcast — the official podcast of the Georgian Medical Journal , we introduce a new thematic series highlighting practical, evidence-based public health information published on SheniEkimi.ge , a Georgian digital health platform developed to translate scientific knowledge into accessible guidance for families and communities. SheniEkimi.ge operates as part of a collabora...

In this episode of the GMJ Podcast — the official podcast of the Georgian Medical Journal , we examine a new World Health Organization guideline calling for a global shift toward environmentally friendly, less invasive and more affordable oral health care . Dental diseases, particularly dental caries (tooth decay) , remain among the most common health conditions worldwide. WHO estimates that billi...

In this episode of the GMJ Podcast — the official podcast of the Georgian Medical Journal , we examine a major global public health milestone reported by the World Health Organization : Denmark has become the first country in the European Union to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis . The WHO certification recognizes Denmark’s sustained commitment to ensuring that every chil...

In this episode of the GMJ Podcast — the official podcast of the Georgian Medical Journal , we examine a World Health Organization call to strengthen global efforts to prevent and address childhood hearing loss . Hearing loss in children remains a significant global public health issue. According to WHO estimates, more than 34 million children worldwide live with disabling hearing loss , and many...

In this episode of the GMJ Podcast — the official podcast of the Georgian Medical Journal , we examine the latest update from the World Health Organization on the Health Inequality Data Repository and the Health Equity Assessment Toolkit (HEAT) . Health inequalities remain one of the most persistent challenges in global public health. Differences in income, education, gender, geography and social...

In this episode of the GMJ Podcast — the official podcast of the Georgian Medical Journal , we examine the Sixth WHO Global School on Refugee and Migrant Health , a flagship capacity-building initiative aimed at strengthening leadership and policy responses to migrant and refugee health worldwide. Human mobility is reshaping global health systems. Today, more than one billion people worldwide are...

In this episode of the GMJ Podcast — the official podcast of the Georgian Medical Journal , we examine new findings from the World Health Organization highlighting the potential global health impact of next-generation influenza vaccines. Influenza remains a major global public health challenge, causing seasonal epidemics that lead to millions of severe illnesses and hundreds of thousands of deaths...

In this episode of the GMJ Podcast — the official podcast of the Georgian Medical Journal , we examine new guidance from the World Health Organization on the development of novel treatments for snakebite envenoming , a neglected tropical disease that continues to cause major health impacts worldwide. Snakebites affect an estimated 5.4 million people each year , leading to 83,000 to 138,000 deaths...

In this episode of the GMJ Podcast — the official podcast of the Georgian Medical Journal , we examine a World Health Organization analysis highlighting how conflict, fragility and instability significantly increase the risks associated with pregnancy and childbirth . The new WHO technical brief links maternal mortality to the stability of national health systems , showing that women living in fra...

In this episode of the GMJ Podcast — the official podcast of the Georgian Medical Journal , we examine the 2026 update of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) released by the World Health Organization. ICD-11 is the global standard used by health systems to classify diseases, injuries and causes of death , enabling countries to collect comparable health statistics and support clin...

In this episode of the GMJ Podcast — the official podcast of the Georgian Medical Journal , we examine the updated recommendations released by the World Health Organization on HIV clinical management . The new guidance reflects major advances in HIV treatment science and aims to improve outcomes for people living with HIV while accelerating global progress toward ending AIDS as a public health thr...

In this episode of the GMJ Podcast — the official podcast of the Georgian Medical Journal , we examine a major milestone in global eye health reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) . For the first time since global monitoring began, the number of people requiring interventions against trachoma , the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness, has fallen below 100 million . According to...

In this episode of the GMJ Podcast — the official podcast of the Georgian Medical Journal , we examine a new development from the World Health Organization (WHO) aimed at strengthening the global fight against poliomyelitis. The WHO has announced the prequalification of an additional novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) , expanding global vaccine supply and supporting international efforts to c...

In this episode of the GMJ Podcast — the official podcast of the Georgian Medical Journal , we examine a new call from the World Health Organization (WHO) urging countries to expand access to cataract surgery to prevent avoidable blindness worldwide. Cataract remains the leading cause of blindness globally , affecting more than 94 million people . Despite the availability of effective treatment, n...

In this episode of the GMJ Podcast — the official podcast of the Georgian Medical Journal, we examine a major global analysis from the World Health Organization and the International Agency for Research on Cancer showing that nearly four in ten cancer cases worldwide could be prevented. The study estimates that about 37% of all new cancer cases in 2022 — roughly 7.1 million cases — were linked to...

In this episode of the GMJ Podcast — the official podcast of the Georgian Medical Journal , we examine a World Health Organization reflection published six years after the global alarm raised during the COVID-19 pandemic. In January 2020, the WHO declared COVID-19 a Public Health Emergency of International Concern , the highest level of global alert under international health regulations. Six year...

In this episode of the GMJ Podcast — the official podcast of the Georgian Medical Journal , we examine the World Health Organization update in which global regulatory authorities reaffirm antimicrobial labelling as a high-impact tool to combat antimicrobial resistance (AMR) . The announcement follows the Second Global Regulatory Authorities Summit on Antimicrobial Resistance , held in January 2026...

In this episode of the GMJ Podcast — the official podcast of the Georgian Medical Journal , we examine the World Health Organization’s call for schools worldwide to promote healthier food environments for children . Child nutrition is increasingly recognized as a critical global health challenge. According to WHO data, 188 million children worldwide are living with obesity , while millions more st...

In this episode of the GMJ Podcast — the official podcast of the Georgian Medical Journal , we examine the World Health Organization’s new global guide promoting safe, inclusive and child-friendly public spaces . The guide, developed by WHO, UNICEF and UN-Habitat , calls on governments, city planners and policymakers to redesign urban environments so that children’s health, development and well-be...

In this episode of the GMJ Podcast — the official podcast of the Georgian Medical Journal , we examine the World Health Organization message for World Leprosy Day 2026 , highlighting progress in the global fight against leprosy and the continuing challenges of social stigma and discrimination. Over the past four decades, global efforts have dramatically reduced the burden of leprosy. According to...

In this episode of the GMJ Podcast — the official podcast of the Georgian Medical Journal , we examine the World Health Organization’s updated manuals for strengthening foodborne disease surveillance and response systems worldwide . The episode reviews the WHO policy update “Updated WHO manuals released to help countries strengthen foodborne disease surveillance and response,” which introduces a t...

In this episode of the GMJ Podcast — the official podcast of the Georgian Medical Journal , we examine the World Health Organization’s global recommendations on health taxation targeting sugary drinks and alcohol and their role in preventing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) . The episode reviews the WHO analysis titled “Cheaper drinks will see a rise in noncommunicable diseases and injuries,” which...

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released updated recommendations for the 2026–2027 Northern Hemisphere seasonal influenza vaccine composition. In this GMJ Briefing, we summarize : • Inclusion of A(H3N2) J.2.4.1 “Subclade K” • Adjustment to the influenza B component • Updated zoonotic preparedness measures, including a new Candidate Vaccine Virus (CVV) for A(H9N2) • Implications for nationa...