Nevada tribe is bridging the healthcare gap with a mobile clinic that serves 2,000 tribal patients

Nepal has built one of South Asia's most successful eye care systems through a community-driven model spearheaded by the Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh (NNJS). Rather than relying on government funding, Nepal leveraged NGO partnerships, community donations, and deliberate human resource development to expand access to affordable eye care. In 2024 alone, over 3.2 million people received treatment at NNJS-affiliated hospitals.

Local organizations are working with the Department of Health and UNICEF to eradicate polio in Taraba state. By collaborating with community leaders, they’ve been able to spread positive information about polio vaccines, encouraging more families to vaccinate their children.

The Jakaya Kikwete Cardiac Institute, launched in 2015, is a semi-autonomous public institution specializing in cardiac care, helping to make it more accessible and affordable for locals. When they first opened, the institution started with just 15 general hospital beds, but has since grown to 156, and performs about 800 surgeries each year.

Led by a local doctor and supported by Pfizer's Accord initiative and other partners, Rwanda launched a one-month training fellowship to train local doctors with specialized rheumatology skills. Since its implementation in February 2024, more than 1,800 patients have received rheumatological care, many for the first time in their lives.

Anambra State’s telemedicine program is closing the healthcare access gap in rural communities, making universal health coverage more possible. The program began in 2022 and has since hired and trained 42 doctors in providing remote healthcare. As more people use the telemedicine program, public trust in primary healthcare across the region is increasing.

Direct primary care clinics offer more affordable healthcare and direct access to doctors without added costs or long wait times. Though direct primary care isn’t a replacement for traditional insurance, it makes healthcare — including doctor visits, medications and even X-ray imaging — more accessible and affordable, particularly for those who can’t afford or qualify for traditional coverage.

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%.

Modeled after a similar program in Costa Rica, Neighborhood Nursing has teams of nurses and community health workers who host weekly visits throughout the community to provide free medical care — particularly preventative care — to those who need it. Neighborhood Nursing has helped build trust between residents and healthcare workers and aims to serve more than 4,000 people within the next year.

With its focus on research and the launch of the Safer Baby Bundle, Australia is ahead of the curve in preventing stillbirths. The Safer Baby Bundle includes evidence-based practices to prevent stillbirths including helping pregnant patients quit smoking, regularly monitoring fetal growth and movement and encouraging safe pregnancy practices like sleeping on one’s side. Since the launch of these strategies, the country sees about six stillbirths a day, whereas the U.S. experiences about 60 stillbirths each day.

The Boresha afya ya mama na mtoto (improve the health of mother and child) program works to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates by connecting mothers with community health volunteers. These volunteers provide important education on topics like antenatal care and also help to increase access to immunization services. When the group formed in 2018, 531 women died during childbirth or pregnancy, but as of 2023, that number has dropped to 344 thanks to the program’s initiatives.