‘LIFE and HEALTH’ – November 6, 2025

 

‘LIFE and HEALTH’ – November 6, 2025

 

Welcome to this edition of 'LIFE and HEALTH' - a vibrant thought-centre, exploring the meanings, challenges, and beauties of human existence. It offers deep reflections on life, faith, leadership, purpose, and service. ‘LIFE and HEALTH’ is prepared, edited, produced, and moderated by Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje; and published by Afrihealth Information Projects/Afrihealth Optonet Association. Access/read the details by clicking on this link/here: <https://www.facebook.com/share/18na4VuTBG/>.

 

I. EDITORIAL – LIFE and HEALTH – 6 NOVEMBER 2025                                                                     page 2

II. KEY TITLES/TOPICS:

1.       Cholera and waterborne disease resurgence

2.       Malaria rebound and Resistance threats

3.       HIV service disruptions and prevention gaps

4.       Vaccine programme gaps and outbreak risk

5.       Record dengue epidemics and Aedes expansion

6.       Emerging tick-borne and zoonotic threats

7.       Rural health access and maternal mortality pockets

8.       Opioid and stimulant overdose crisis

9.       Air pollution and chronic disease burden

10.   Diabetes and NCDs amid urbanization

11.   COVID-19 residual gaps: vaccine equity and variants

12.   Tuberculosis (drug-resistant TB) control challenges

13.   Hurricane season, extreme weather and health system resilience in the Caribbean

14.   Indigenous health inequities and closing the gap in Australia

15.   Noncommunicable diseases and obesity epidemic in Pacific islands in Pacific

16.   Health systems, access and the burden of communicable and neglected diseases in Oceania

17.   Vaccine hesitancy and trust erosion

18.   Antimicrobial resistance surveillance and stewardship

19.   Health inequalities among migrants and refugees

20.   Substance use and synthetic drugs

III. CONFERENCES, EVENTS and PLACES

IV. PERSONALITIES and STAKEHOLDERS

V. REFLECTION ON LIFE, FAITH, LEADERSHIP, PURPOSE AND SERVICE

Access/read the Details here: <https://www.facebook.com/share/18na4VuTBG/>

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Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje

Global Health and Dev’t Projects Consultant | Conferences Organizer | Trainer| Facilitator | Researcher | M&E Expert | Civil Society Leader | Policy Advocate

Phone/WhatsApp/Telegram - +2348034725905   Email – druzoadirieje2015@gmail.com 

Writer, Columnist, Blogger, Reviewer, Editor, and Author

https://druzodinmadirieje.blogspot.com

 

 

 

 

EDITORIAL – LIFE and HEALTH – 6 NOVEMBER 2025

 

RESTORING HUMANITY THROUGH HEALTH, HOPE AND SERVICE

 

(by Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje — Editor-in-Chief, ‘Life and Health’)

 

Across the continents — from the drought-stricken Sahel to the hurricane-battered Caribbean, and from the smoky cities of Asia to the warming coasts of the Pacific — humanity stands at a critical ‘Life and Health’ crossroads. The following twenty ‘Life and Health’ issues confronting the world today reveal a sobering truth: disease and disaster seldom travel alone. They intertwine with poverty, conflict, climate change, weak systems, and leadership failure. Health crises are not merely biological events; they are moral tests of our shared humanity.

 

Africa’s struggles with cholera, malaria, and child malnutrition remind us that access to clean water, food, and basic healthcare remains the truest measure of justice. The Americas’ battles with drug overdose and dengue outbreaks call for compassion-led leadership — one that combines public policy with human empathy. In Asia, the invisible threat of air pollution and the rising tide of antimicrobial resistance demand regional cooperation and technological innovation rooted in equity and accountability. The Caribbean and Pacific, small in landmass but large in spirit, endure climate shocks and disease cycles that challenge resilience and global conscience. Europe’s heatwaves and mental-health strain reveal that even advanced systems can crack when compassion, preparedness, and solidarity wane.

 

Health is not merely the absence of disease — it is the presence of dignity. When leaders neglect it, nations decay silently; when communities nurture it, societies blossom. Faith teaches us that life is sacred, and leadership is stewardship. The moral mandate before governments, institutions, and citizens is to transform compassion into coordinated action — investing in primary healthcare, empowering women and youth, strengthening environmental stewardship, and embracing innovation that serves people, not profits.

 

Purpose in global health is not achieved through speeches, but through service — through the doctor in a rural clinic, the community volunteer spreading vaccine awareness, the policymaker who listens before legislating. The deepest wisdom reminds us that every healed wound, every nourished child, and every strengthened health system brings us closer to peace, justice, and sustainable development. Let us therefore re-centre global priorities on services for ‘Life and Health’. Let every decision, budget, and policy become an act of faith — faith in humanity’s capacity to heal, to rebuild, and to serve. In doing so, we reaffirm that the truest power of leadership is not domination, but compassion that restores ‘Life and Health’, and hope to all.

 

KEY TITLES/TOPICS

 

AFRICA

 

1. Cholera and waterborne disease resurgence

Rapid cholera outbreaks continue in parts of Africa after floods and fragile WASH systems fail, causing high morbidity and mortality among displaced and poor communities. Urgent WASH interventions, oral cholera vaccines, and strengthened surveillance are needed to prevent deaths and rebuild resilience.

https://www.who.int/health-topics/cholera

 

2. Malaria rebound and Resistance threats

Malaria cases and deaths have risen in recent years due to climate extremes, insecticide/drug resistance and funding gaps, putting children and pregnant women at greatest risk; renewed vector control, diagnostics, vaccine rollouts and financing are essential.

https://www.who.int/teams/global-malaria-programme/reports/world-malaria-report-2024

 

3. HIV service disruptions and prevention gaps

Funding shortfalls and health-service interruptions in multiple countries risk slowing progress on testing, ART access and prevention, increasing HIV-related morbidity and transmission without sustained investments in community programs.

https://www.who.int/health-topics/hiv-aids

 

4. Vaccine programme gaps and outbreak risk

Routine immunization coverage inequalities leave pockets vulnerable to measles, polio re-emergence and other VPDs; strengthening cold chains, community trust and outreach is key to prevent outbreaks.

https://www.who.int/health-topics/immunization

 

AMERICAS (North and South)

 

5. Record dengue epidemics and Aedes expansion

Large dengue epidemics across Latin America strain hospitals; climate variability and urban conditions expand mosquito habitat. Vector control, clinical preparedness and targeted vaccination remain central to reduce severe disease and deaths.

https://www.paho.org/en/topics/dengue

 

6. Emerging tick-borne and zoonotic threats

Changing land use and climate drive spread of tick and other vector-borne diseases; surveillance, One-Health approaches and public awareness are needed to detect and control spillovers.

https://www.cdc.gov/onehealth/index.html

 

7. Rural health access and maternal mortality pockets

Maternal and neonatal mortality persist in marginalized rural and Indigenous communities due to gaps in skilled birth attendance and emergency obstetric care; targeted investments and culturally safe services are priorities.

https://www.who.int/health-topics/maternal-health

 

8. Opioid and stimulant overdose crisis

Synthetic opioids (fentanyl) and polysubstance use drive overdose deaths in North America; harm reduction, naloxone access, medication-based treatment and safer-supply programs reduce fatalities and promote recovery.

https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/index.html

 

ASIA

 

9. Air pollution and chronic disease burden

Ambient and household air pollution continue to cause major respiratory and cardiovascular deaths across Asia; clean energy transitions, emissions controls and household fuel replacement are crucial public-health measures.

https://www.who.int/health-topics/air-pollution

 

10. Diabetes and NCDs amid urbanization

Rapid urban lifestyles and ageing populations increase diabetes and cardiovascular disease burdens; integrated primary care, prevention and affordable medicines are required to lower premature mortality.

https://www.who.int/health-topics/diabetes

 

11. COVID-19 residual gaps: vaccine equity and variants

While global emergency phases receded, vaccine access, booster policies and surveillance for variants remain vital to protect vulnerable groups and prevent health-system strain.

https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus

 

12. Tuberculosis (drug-resistant TB) control challenges

Drug-resistant TB persists in parts of Asia; scale-up of rapid diagnostics, new treatment regimens and adherence support are key to reduce transmission and deaths.

https://www.who.int/teams/global-tuberculosis-programme

 

CAPO (Caribbean, Australia, Pacific, Oceania)

 

13. Hurricane season, extreme weather and health system resilience in the Caribbean

Climate-driven extreme storms and hurricanes regularly devastate Caribbean islands: destroying health infrastructure, contaminating water supplies, and causing injury, infectious disease outbreaks, and long-term mental-health burdens.

https://www.paho.org/en/news/2-6-2025-paho-calls-countries-prepare-health-systems-amid-forecasts-very-active-2025-hurricane

 

14. Indigenous health inequities and closing the gap in Australia

Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples continue to experience systemic health inequities: higher rates of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, mental-health challenges and premature mortality than non-Indigenous Australians.

https://www.indigenoushpf.gov.au/getattachment/36db9308-d7ed-47b9-945c-5ceebb956528/hpf_summary-report-june-2025.pdf

 and https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-health/indigenous-health-and-wellbeing

 

15. Noncommunicable diseases and obesity epidemic in Pacific islands in Pacific

Pacific islands rank among the world’s highest on obesity and diet-related NCDs (diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease), driven by nutrition transitions, imported processed foods, and structural factors. NCDs now cause the largest share of premature mortality in many island states, increasing health costs and undermining livelihoods.

https://www.who.int/westernpacific/about/how-we-work/pacific-support/news/detail/04-03-2024-study-finds-pacific-accounts-for-9-of-the-10-most-obese-countries-in-the-world

 and https://www.who.int/westernpacific/activities/addressing-ncds-in-the-pacific

 

16. Health systems, access and the burden of communicable and neglected diseases in Oceania

Small island states and territories face dual pressures: sustaining gains against vaccine-preventable and elimination-target diseases (measles, polio surveillance), controlling vector-borne infections, and coping with infrastructure-limited health systems.

https://www.who.int/westernpacific/activities/combatting-communicable-diseases-in-the-pacific

 and https://climahealth.info/resource-library/pacific-islands-action-plan-on-climate-change-and-health/

 

EUROPE

 

17. Vaccine hesitancy and trust erosion

Hesitancy threatens uptake for routine immunizations and boosters; transparent communication, community engagement and countering misinformation are core responses.

https://www.who.int/initiatives/technical-advisory-groups/vaccine-confidence

 

18. Antimicrobial resistance surveillance and stewardship

AMR surveillance, prudent prescribing and hospital infection control are priorities to prevent resistant outbreaks and preserve effective therapies.

https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/antimicrobial-resistance

 

19. Health inequalities among migrants and refugees

Displaced people in Europe face barriers to care and higher disease risk; inclusive policies and targeted services improve health outcomes and integration.

https://www.who.int/europe/health-topics/migration-and-health

 

20. Substance use and synthetic drugs

New psychoactive substances and stimulant use present public-health and criminal-justice challenges that require harm-reduction, treatment access and surveillance.

https://www.emcdda.europa.eu/

 

 

REFLECTIONS ON LIFE, FAITH, LEADERSHIP, PURPOSE AND SERVICE

 

Health is a moral conversation turned practical: faith traditions call us to protect life and care for the vulnerable; global health translates that into vaccinations, clean water and care systems. Leadership in crisis requires courage to prioritize equity, humility to listen to communities, and foresight to invest upstream — in sanitation, primary care and climate resilience. Purpose and service show up as quiet, daily acts: training a local midwife, repairing a pump, standing for fair health financing. Wisdom asks us to balance urgent response with structural change — to heal today while building systems that prevent tomorrow’s crises. For professionals and citizens alike, service is a discipline: persistent, compassionate, and accountable. When leaders align technical skill with moral imagination, communities gain health, dignity and hope.

 

Human health crises are more than epidemiological curves and policy bulletins — they are stories of people: mothers, elders, children and communities whose dignity hinges on water, shelter, care and attention. Facing cholera in a flooded village, or a heatwave in a city, asks of us a moral question: what kind of society protects its most vulnerable first? Faith traditions often teach the sanctity of life and the duty to love neighbour; global health operationalizes that commandment with vaccines, safe water and emergency care. Leadership in this century requires technical skill and moral imagination: prioritizing equity when budgets are tight, listening to community wisdom when designing interventions, and holding power to account when systems fail the poor. Purpose and service are practical virtues here — small acts (training a nurse, fixing a water pump, organizing a community cleanup) ripple into resilience. Wisdom asks leaders to see beyond headlines: invest upstream, strengthen primary care and community engagement, and treat health as a public good. For professionals and citizens alike, service becomes a discipline: humility before complexity, courage to act for those without voice, and persistence when gains are fragile. In sum — caring for life and health is simultaneously technical, ethical and spiritual: it calls us to heal bodies, restore hope, and build systems that reflect our highest commitments to one another.

 

THE PUBLISHER

Afrihealth Information Projects (AIP)/Afrihealth Optonet Association (AHOA) is a Nigeria-based civil society organization and international think-tank working across Africa and the Global South. It focuses on the intersections of health, environment, energy, climate change, nutrition, and sustainable development. As the publisher of Life and Health, AHOA provides credible, evidence-based, and people-centred information that promotes holistic wellbeing and sustainable livelihoods. Through Life and Health, AHOA amplifies voices, innovations, and solutions from communities, experts, and policymakers—highlighting the links between global health, environmental sustainability, and social justice. The publication reflects AHOA’s mission to advance integrated development through knowledge sharing, advocacy, and partnerships for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As a multidisciplinary knowledge platform, Life and Health embodies AHOA’s values of equity, inclusion, and service to humanity. It educates readers on critical global trends—ranging from climate resilience and health systems strengthening to gender equity and renewable energy—while promoting African leadership and perspectives in global discourse. Guided by the principles of integrity, collaboration, and innovation, AHOA will continue to use Life and Health to inspire action, inform policy, and drive community empowerment for a healthier, more sustainable, and peaceful world.

 

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje is the Producer and Editor-in-Chief of Life and Health, the global development and wellness publication of the Afrihealth Information Projects/Afrihealth Optonet Association (AHOA). A renowned Nigerian health systems consultant, development expert, project/programme/policy evaluator, health economist, former Columnist in the Daily Sun newspaper, and civil society leader, Dr. Adirieje brings over three decades of professional experience in global health, policy analysis, sustainable development, and social transformation. As Producer and Editor-in-Chief, he guides Life and Health in advancing informed dialogue, research dissemination, and evidence-based advocacy across Africa and the Global South. His editorial vision integrates health, climate change, energy, environment, and socio-economic development—reflecting his conviction that human wellbeing and planetary health are inseparable. A pioneer Fellow and former National President of the Nigerian Association of Evaluators, Dr. Adirieje is the CEO and Permanent Representative of AHOA; President of African Network of Civil Society Organizations (ANCSO), President of the Society for Conservation and Sustainability of Energy and Environment in Nigeria (SOCSEEN); and Chairperson of the Global Civil Society Consortium on Climate Change (GCSCCC). A Certified Management Consultant and Management Trainer/Facilitator, he has contributed significantly to Nigeria’s national Monitoring and Evaluation policy and SDG implementation frameworks. Through Life and Health, Dr. Adirieje champions integrity, equity, and service—using the power of information to inspire action, shape policy, and empower communities toward healthier lives, resilient environments, and sustainable local/global development.