Keyword: Healthcare

ABSTRACT: Japan's healthcare system recognized for its achievements in universal healthcare coverage, for one of the highest life expectancies, and for low infant mortality rate. These impressive results achieved after decades of thoughtful policy making process and financial investments into the equitable access. In addition to that Japan has a long history of strong public health traditions and sophisticated insurance model. On the other hand, despite these achievements, the healthcare system recently faces growing pressure which may impact its sustainability and fairness.  One of the challenges is rapid aging of population.  In combination with persistently low fertility, these challenges are reshaping the demand for healthcare and long-term care services. Moreover, financial pressure in increasing with health-related and social security expenditures consume a growing share of the national budget. A shrinking number of workforces, unequal healthcare provider distribution, and fragmentation across nearly 3,000 health private insurers create additional inefficiencies and threaten equitable access of the population to healthcare services, especially in the rural areas. In addition, the healthcare system is under strain from rising number of multimorbidity and increasing mental health issues among young population. Advance in technological progress creates opportunities but at the same time requires substantial adaptation.

ABSTRACT: The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of telemedicine and artificial intelligence (AI), transforming healthcare delivery worldwide. These technologies hold promise for improving access, efficiency, and diagnostic accuracy, but their benefits remain unevenly distributed. In many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), persistent gaps in infrastructure, affordability, literacy, and governance risk turning digital innovation into a driver of health inequities. This paper examines the digital divide as a multidimensional health determinant encompassing infrastructure, affordability, human capacity, sociocultural inclusion, and governance. Using illustrative case studies from Africa, South Asia, Latin America, and high-income countries, this study highlights how telehealth and AI can enhance accessibility and enable task-shifting, while also demonstrating how exclusionary design and weak systems may perpetuate disparities. Building on these insights, the paper proposes a multi-sector framework for inclusive digital health, integrating investments in infrastructure, affordable and scalable models, digital literacy, culturally sensitive design, governance reform, sustainable financing, and public–private partnerships. To operationalize this framework, we recommend measurable indicators (e.g., affordability thresholds, literacy benchmarks, governance readiness indices) and propose implementation tools, including a logic model and barrier-to-action checklist. We argue that digital equity must be treated not as a peripheral issue but as a moral imperative for global health justice. Achieving this requires embedding equity into design, financing, and governance from the outset so that telehealth and AI reduce, rather than exacerbate, disparities in healthcare.

ABSTRACT: One of the major public health emergencies that has affected lives globally is infectious disease outbreaks. These issues are of great concern due to their potential to transcend borders. The control and management of such outbreaks even with the attention channelled towards it globally has been a difficult task in many developing and underdeveloped countries of the world of which the majority of sub-saharan african countries fall under. However, with this review, we aim to contribute to the body of knowledge dedicated towards control of infectious diseases by analyzing the preparedness of Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries in managing infectious disease outbreaks based on lessons from recent outbreaks (with focus on COVID-19, Lassa fever and Ebola outbreaks). In carrying out this narrative review, we make use of PubMed and African Journals Online (AJOL) as the primary literature sources. To ensure we capture publications from reputable organizations that are solely involved in control of infectious diseases in the region, we carried out a grey literature search.
However in this review, we synthesized challenges such as weak healthcare systems, inadequate healthcare infrastructure, inefficient surveillance systems, poor data management and reporting practices, limited laboratory capacity and reliance on external donors for supplies during emergencies.
The review proposes potential interventional measures aimed at addressing these challenges aimed at enhancing the preparedness
The findings from this review provide critical insights into the preparedness gaps and potential interventions, informing policy and practice to enhance the region's resilience future outbreaks.

ABSTRACT: This editorial explores the transformative role of data analytics in healthcare, bridging clinical insights, personalized patient care, and population health management. By leveraging real-world data, predictive modeling, and AI, we highlight how data-driven strategies optimize treatment outcomes, enhance decision-making, and improve public health interventions—creating a seamless continuum from individual care to systemic health advancements.