'Forever Chemicals,' COVID And Results From A New At-Home PFAS Test

The Kwara Initiative provides free rapid test kits and treatment for malaria to over 500 public health centers in the state. The initiative also issued the State Malaria Elimination Program, which works to help control cases of malaria in the state. So far, over 5,000 households have benefitted from the free malaria treatment.

A medical outreach group called Quinta Health offers breast and cervical cancer screenings to women free of charge. Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women globally. Quinta Health uses a strategic outreach plan to reach low-income community women in need of screening and trains medical professionals to provide the tests in surrounding cities.

Shoreline Medical is a non-profit primary care network on the Saanich Peninsula that has expanded residents’ access to primary care doctors. The group has successfully attracted family care doctors despite a severe shortage through combining community and hospital-based care. Doctors spend five weeks working in family medicine and one week assisting with low-severity cases in the emergency room. The physician staffing growth has allowed Shoreline to increase their patient case load to over 17,000 residents, 11,000 of whom previously lacked a primary care doctor.

DEAN Initiative's Youth Health Access Initiative addresses healthcare misconceptions among young people through targeted community outreach, educational workshops in local languages, and training programs for healthcare workers. The initiative specifically addresses myths that Primary Healthcare Centers are only for pregnant women and children, and that health insurance is only for the sick, helping to increase healthcare accessibility.

RestoringVision addresses the global shortage of reading glasses by tackling supply and demand challenges. On the demand side, they partner with local NGOs and governments to provide vision screenings and free initial glasses, particularly for those in regions who either don’t know reading glasses are an option or don’t realize they’re losing their vision. On the supply side, they work to build retail networks and educate employers about productivity benefits, as workers receiving glasses show productivity increases up to 32%.

The leprosarium, run by the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), provides free treatment, shelter, and support to those ostracized due to their leprosy diagnosis. Since forming, ECWA has helped 1,000 patients overcome the disease.

To address gaps in healthcare access, the local government partnered with organizations like Plan International, German Cooperation and the World Bank’s Saving One Million Lives Project to build, refurbish and equip primary healthcare centers across the state to provide better care. As of May 2023, 138 centers have been built or upgraded, offering maternity care services, child healthcare, vaccinations and family planning among other services.

Health In Harmony uses a one health approach to improve both human health and the health of the environment in Madagascar at the same time. Their programs provide locals with jobs to keep them from turning to illegal logging for income, improve their access to health care, and help farmers increase their yields.

HelpMum works to reduce maternal and infant mortality by training community birth attendants on modern and safe delivery methods, as most traditional birth attendants lack proper training. Along with training sessions, the group also provides birth kits, or resources to help with the delivery process. So far, HelpMum is present in six states and has trained over 2,000 community health workers.

A pre-existing resource directory formed by a consortium of local groups addressing community health allowed St. Landry Parish to react quickly to the COVID-19 pandemic and deploy resources more effectively. The network was quickly mobilized and representatives from government agencies, the police, hospitals, and business owners met daily to coordinate care, answer questions and dispel misinformation, and eventually, ensure access to vaccines.