Here, we take a look at some of the international news stories in health and care that have caught our eye in the last month.
$50 billion investment in US rural health
$50 billion is to be awarded across all 50 US states to improve rural health, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced, in an initiative to “strengthen and modernise” healthcare for rural communities. According to the HHS, investments will be used to modernise facilities and equipment, expand remote monitoring and telehealth, and introduce digital tools to expand access to care. “States are also exploring the use of technology such as AI scribes and clinical workflow improvement tools to reduce burdens on clinicians,” it states.
Funds are set to be allocated to states over five years, with $10 billion available every year from 2026 to 2030. Whilst 50 percent is distributed equally, the remaining 50 percent will be distributed based on factors such as rurality, proposed policy actions, and initiatives that offer the greatest potential for impacting health in rural communities.
Cross-boundary health record functionality extended to all eHealth users in Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, all 6.3 millions users of the national eHealth mobile app will now be able to access and use their electronic health record outside of the country. Users can apply for a QR code to show at medical consultations, which will grant healthcare professionals treating them the permission to view their records “on a designated web browser”.
At present, the functionality is limited to 20 agreed medical institutions outside of Hong Kong, including the University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital. Previously, it had been available to a selection of people eligible for the Elderly Health Care Voucher Greater Bay Area Pilot Scheme. As of November this year, more than 7,800 elderly people have reportedly used the function, submitting over 9,400 applications.
Unity Health Toronto’s Health AI Academy delivers AI training to healthcare professionals across Canada
Unity Health Toronto’s Health AI Academy is delivering AI training to healthcare professionals across the country, with a two-part national training programme designed to strengthen health system leadership and understanding of AI.
Virtual sessions on topics including data governance and procurement make up the first part of the course, with the second dedicated to providing a week-long, in-person fellowship to a smaller cohort of health leaders. As part of the assessment, those enrolled on the course will develop an AI and Data Transformation Roadmap tailored to their institution.
UNDP supports maternal and child health in India with digital platforms for frontline workers and electronic vaccine network
The UNDP is supporting on work in India to strengthen digital platforms for routine immunisations and maternity care. The Electronic Vaccine Intelligence Network monitors vaccine availability and temperature, whilst the Universal Immunisation-WIN (U-WIN) system tracks around 32 million pregnant women and 97 million children.
As part of the programme, more than one million female health workers have been trained on the use of the U-WIN system to date. Frontline workers are also being supported through the delivery of improved digital platforms to enhance use of data and efficiency.
€8 million pledged to World Health Organization by Government of Belgium to improve global access to health technologies
The Government of Belgium has pledged €8 million across four years to improve global access to health products and technologies, ensuring low- and middle-income countries can develop products including vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics.
The funding will support the strengthening of existing production capabilities and enable sustainable regional production ecosystems, allowing the WHO to accelerate implementation of key programmes around mRNA technology transfer and enabling geo-diversified technology transfer.
