TODAY’S TRENDING GLOBAL ‘LIFE & HEALTH’ NEWS – November 1, 2025

 

TODAY’S TRENDING GLOBAL ‘LIFE & HEALTH’ NEWS – November 1, 2025

 

Welcome to Today’s key “LIFE & HEALTH” - LIFE & HEALTH is a vibrant, thought-centre, exploring the meanings, challenges, & beauties of human existence. It offers deep reflections on life, faith, leadership, purpose, & service —guided by wisdom. LIFE & HEALTH is moderated by Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje

 

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

Click on the above link and join now, follow and like the Page, share the above link with your networks.

 

KEY TITLES/TOPICS:

1.       World Health Organization Western Pacific: Transforming health systems in a changing climate

2.       Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) cluster in Saudi Arabia signals ongoing risk

3.       Middle East: Medical-healthcare costs to rise ~12% in 2025

4.       Transforming health-care access in the Pacific Islands with World Bank support

5.       Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) publishes update on Oropouche fever in the Americas

6.       Lives and economies at risk from weak primary health care in Latin America and the Caribbean, research shows

7.       Measles outbreaks across ten countries in the Americas – PAHO calls for urgent immunisation action

8.       World Health Organization Africa advances health professions education with prototype curricula

9.       New report card on Australia’s welfare shows how we’re faring in 2025

10.   What the Health of the Nation report tells us about GP care in Australia

11.   Aid cuts are devastating health services in Africa

12.   World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Union launch collaboration to advance digitised health systems in sub-Saharan Africa

13.   Increasing regional collaboration to strengthen health systems across Central Africa

14.   Global life expectancy sees post-COVID rebound – but deaths among youths in North America and Latin America rise

15.   Cholera outbreak in Africa — full story & stats

16.   Aid cuts are devastating health services in Africa — The Economist

17.   Europe had over 62,700 heat-related deaths in 2024 — Reuters

18.   Asia-Pacific expects high medical inflation in 2025 — WTW (Willis Towers Watson)

19.   How many “healthy life years” can EU citizens expect? — Eurostat / European Commission

20.   Insurers expect health costs to keep rising — InsuranceAsia (WTW data)

 

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

Click on the above link and join now, follow and like the Page, share the above link with your networks.

 

Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje

CEO and Permanent Representative to the United Nations,

Afrihealth Optonet Association (AHOA) - CSOs Global Network and Think-tank for Health, Climate Actions and Development (Winner of the SDG 3 – Good Health and Wellbeing Champion Award).

<https://afrihealthcsos.blogspot.com/2024/03/about-afrihealth-optonet-association_15.html>

National Coordinator,

Civil Society Partnership for Sustainable Development Goals in Nigeria (CSP-SDGs Nigeria)

 

 

1. World Health Organization Western Pacific: Transforming health systems in a changing climate

Link: https://www.who.int/westernpacific/newsroom/events/detail/2025/10/23/western-pacific-events/commitment-to-action--transforming-health-systems-in-a-changing-climate

Summary: A side-event held on 23 October 2025 during the 76th WHO Regional Committee for the Western Pacific highlighted how rising sea-levels, extreme weather, climate-sensitive diseases and food insecurity are demanding rapid adaptation of health systems in Pacific / Oceania nations. World Health Organization

Region: Pacific/Oceania.

 

2. Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) cluster in Saudi Arabia signals ongoing risk

Link: https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON569

Summary: Between 1 March and 21 April 2025, nine new MERS-CoV infections were reported in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), including a cluster of seven in Riyadh among health-care workers. Two deaths recorded. While the overall risk is assessed as “moderate”, the event underscores the virus continues to pose a threat in countries with camel-human transmission. World Health Organization

Region: Middle East.

 

3. Middle East: Medical-healthcare costs to rise ~12% in 2025

Link: https://www.consultancy-me.com/news/industry/healthcare

(Scroll to “Middle East medical healthcare costs to increase by 12% in 2025”)

Summary: Healthcare costs in Middle Eastern countries are forecast to increase by about 12% in 2025, driven by rapid growth in diagnostics, treatments, MedTech and service demand. consultancy-me.com

Region: Middle East.

 

4. Transforming health-care access in the Pacific Islands with World Bank support

Link: https://projects.worldbank.org/en/results/2025/05/19/transforming-health-care-access-in-the-pacific-islands-with-world-bank-support

Summary: A World Bank-supported project (May 2025) in Pacific Islands (e.g., Tuvalu) deployed technologies like Starlink connectivity and digital health records across remote clinics, advancing health-care access in remote outer islands. World Bank

Region: Pacific/Oceania.

 

5. Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) publishes update on Oropouche fever in the Americas

Link: https://www.paho.org/en/news/14-8-2025-paho-publishes-new-update-oropouche-fever-americas

Summary: From Jan–Jul 2025, there were 11,888 confirmed Oropouche fever cases in Brazil, plus cases in Panama, Peru, Cuba, Colombia, Venezuela & Guyana. Imported cases reported in Uruguay, Chile, Canada, USA. Pan American Health Organization

Region: Latin America & Caribbean.

 

6. Lives and economies at risk from weak primary health care in Latin America and the Caribbean, research shows

Link: https://ph.ucla.edu/news-events/news/lives-and-economies-risk-weak-primary-health-care-latin-america-and-caribbean

Summary: Research (10 Oct 2025) shows primary health-care weakness in Latin America & Caribbean is raising risks of health crises and economic losses; risk indices for the region have increased significantly between 2015 and 2024. ph.ucla.edu

Region: Latin America & Caribbean.

 

 

7. Measles outbreaks across ten countries in the Americas – PAHO calls for urgent immunisation action

Link: https://www.paho.org/en/news/15-8-2025-ten-countries-americas-report-measles-outbreaks-2025

Summary: As of 8 Aug 2025, ~10,139 confirmed measles cases and 18 deaths occurred in ten countries in the Americas—a 34-fold increase compared to the same period in 2024. Immunisation gaps, surveillance weaknesses flagged. Pan American Health Organization

Region: Americas (Latin + Caribbean).

 

8. “World Health Organization Africa advances health professions education with prototype curricula”

https://www.afro.who.int/news/who-africa-advances-health-professions-education-prototype-competency-based-curricula

Summary: The WHO Regional Office for Africa has developed prototype competency-based curricula for ten health professions (including emergency nursing, critical care, health information systems) to strengthen the health workforce in Africa ahead of the official launch in November 2025.

WHO | Regional Office for Africa

 

 

9. “New report card on Australia’s welfare shows how we’re faring in 2025”

https://www.aihw.gov.au/news-media/media-releases/2025/october/new-report-card-on-australia-s-welfare-shows-how-we-re-faring-in-2025

Summary: The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) released its 2025 report-card showing that while Australia compares favourably on many welfare and health outcomes (like life expectancy and tertiary education), significant sub-populations still experience worse outcomes—highlighting persistent inequalities.

AIHW

 

10. “What the Health of the Nation report tells us about GP care in Australia”

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-07/health-of-the-nation-gp-report-by-numbers/105861118

Summary: Analysis of a survey of 2,416 GPs plus other data sources in Australia reveals challenges like ageing workforce, variation in rural service coverage, and rising patient complexity—indicating stress points for primary care and implications for broader health-system resilience.

ABC

 

 

11. Aid cuts are devastating health services in Africa

https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2025/10/30/aid-cuts-are-devastating-health-services-in-africa

Summary: Major reductions in bilateral health aid risk undermining immunisation, maternal health and disease surveillance programmes in many African countries, posing serious threats to health-equity and progress. economist.com

 

 

12. World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Union launch collaboration to advance digitised health systems in sub-Saharan Africa

https://www.who.int/news/item/14-10-2025-who-and-the-european-union-launch-collaboration-to-advance-digitized-health-systems-in-sub-saharan-africa

Summary: WHO and the EU have initiated a partnership (14 Oct 2025) to build digital health-system capacity across multiple sub-Saharan African countries — a move aimed at strengthening health data, service delivery and resilience. World Health Organization

 

13. Increasing regional collaboration to strengthen health systems across Central Africa

https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2025/10/30/increasing-regional-collaboration-to-strengthen-health-systems-across-central-africa

Summary: A press release (30 Oct 2025) from the World Bank highlights new cross-country health-system investments in Central Africa, emphasising regional cooperation and infrastructure improvement. World Bank

 

14. Global life expectancy sees post-COVID rebound – but deaths among youths in North America and Latin America rise

https://healthpolicy-watch.news/global-life-expectancy-sees-post-covid-rebound-but-deaths-among-youths-in-north-america-and-latin-america-rise/

Summary: An article (13 Oct 2025) reports that while global life expectancy has recovered from the pandemic dip, worrying upticks in adolescent and young adult mortality are appearing, especially in the Americas (due to mental health, injuries etc.). Health Policy Watch

 

15. Cholera outbreak in Africa — full story & stats

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/cholera-death-toll-in-africa-surpasses-6-800-health-body/3731342

Summary: Africa CDC data show a large 2025 cholera wave across ~23 countries with ~297,000 cases and over 6,800 deaths this year, stressing WASH and response systems.

Anadolu Ajansı

 

16. Aid cuts are devastating health services in Africa — The Economist

https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2025/10/30/aid-cuts-are-devastating-health-services-in-africa

Summary: Analysis of how recent aid reductions have disrupted disease programs, staffing and essential services across many African health systems.

economist.com

 

17. Europe had over 62,700 heat-related deaths in 2024 — Reuters

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/climate-energy/europe-had-over-62700-heat-related-deaths-2024-report-finds-2025-09-22/

Summary: ISGlobal study estimates >62,700 heat-related deaths in Europe in 2024, underlining climate-driven mortality and the need for heat-health adaptation.

Reuters

 

18. Asia-Pacific expects high medical inflation in 2025 — WTW (Willis Towers Watson)

https://www.wtwco.com/en-in/insights/2024/12/asia-pacific-expects-high-medical-inflation-in-2025

Summary: Insurers in Asia-Pacific forecast substantial medical cost inflation in 2025 (driven by technology, drugs, utilization), pressuring payers and employers.

WTW

 

19. How many “healthy life years” can EU citizens expect? — Eurostat / European Commission

https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/w/ddn-20250808-1

Summary: Eurostat report (2023 data) shows average healthy life years at birth in the EU ~63.1 years, with notable country and gender gaps—signpost for policy on health inequalities.

European Commission

 

20. Insurers expect health costs to keep rising — InsuranceAsia (WTW data)

https://insuranceasia.com/insurance/news/wtw-data-shows-insurers-expect-health-costs-keep-rising

Summary: Insurer survey finds global medical trend continuing upward (double-digit increases in many regions), implying higher premiums and employer costs in 2026.

Insurance Asia

 

 

6. CARICOM Ministers endorse Human Resources for Resilient Health Systems Caribbean Roadmap (2025–2030)

Link: https://www.paho.org/en/news/15-10-2025-caricom-ministers-endorse-human-resources-resilient-health-systems-caribbean

Summary: On 15 Oct 2025, health ministers of CARICOM approved a roadmap to strengthen the health workforce—education, regulation, retention, investment—to build more resilient health systems in the Caribbean. Pan American Health Organization

Region: Caribbean.

 

 

8. Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) leads health response after Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica

Link: https://www.greaterbelize.com/carpha-leads-health-response-after-hurricane-melissa/

Summary: After the hurricane’s devastation in Jamaica, CARPHA mobilised supplies (PPE, test kits), WASH interventions and disease-prevention (dengue, leptospirosis) support. Health risks from flooding, outbreaks and sanitation disruption highlighted. greaterbelize.com

Region: Caribbean.

 

 

11. “After 30 years, Pacific health leaders reimagine the Healthy Islands vision”

https://www.who.int/westernpacific/about/how-we-work/pacific-support/news/detail/25-10-2025-after-30-years--pacific-health-leaders-reimagine-the-healthy-islands-vision

Summary: Pacific‐region health leaders report that under the “Healthy Islands” vision child mortality rates have nearly halved in the Pacific (excluding Australia & NZ) from 70 to 37 per 1000 live births between 1990 and 2023. They highlight climate resilience, emergency medical teams and midwifery workforce development as priorities.

World Health Organization

 

 

18. Global health is in crisis — who will step in to fix it?

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-03384-y

Summary: A commentary (Nature, 2025) examining the global health funding shortfall — with major donors cutting back, many low- and middle-income countries face voids in health services and prevention. Nature

 

 

21. Global life expectancy rebounds but youth deaths rise — Health Policy Watch

https://healthpolicy-watch.news/global-life-expectancy-sees-post-covid-rebound-but-deaths-among-youths-in-north-america-and-latin-america-rise/

Summary: Global life expectancy returned to pre-COVID levels, yet adolescent/young-adult mortality is increasing in parts of the Americas and elsewhere (mental-health, injuries, substance use).

Health Policy Watch