Worldwide, 200 million children under the age of five are deprived of basic health care. In the United States, more than 40 million people lack health insurance. As the U.S. wrestles with its own health care system, Worldfocus explores success stories -- and cautionary tales -- of different health systems around the world.
Singapore has one of the best health care systems in the world, according to the World Health Organization, and the price tag is a mere 4 percent of the country's GDP (compared to 17 percent in the U.S.). In Canada, the government guarantees all citizens basic medical services, and there is little paperwork, but long lines have sent some Canadians to private clinics. In Brazil, rich and poor alike benefit from free health care -- but offering so much has put a strain on the health system and conditions are substandard.
Our partners around the world also explore health care in Britain, China, Argentina and beyond.
"Health of Nations" is a collection of signature videos, interviews, reporter observations and analysis from the field and blogger perspectives.
Greeks struggle to reclaim traditional Mediterranean diet
While traditional Mediterranean fare is among the healthiest on the planet, Greece now struggles with an obesity epidemic. Worldfocus correspondent Lynn Sherr and producer Megan Thompson report on Greek efforts to reclaim their heritage of "slow food."
As part of their reporting on Greek efforts to stem the tide of obesity in their country, Worldfocus correspondent Lynn Sherr and producer Megan Thompson visit "slow food" advocates Nikos and Lola Frantzeskakis. The pair share recipes for healthy -- and delicious -- dishes in Vamos, Crete using locally-grown vegetables, meats, and of course, olive oil.
Evaluating the costs, benefits of new cancer-fighting drugs
In Wednesday's show, we look at a new cancer drug, Avastin, which can reportedly extend patients' lives. But there is a public debate about how much medical care should be made available at the end of life. Henry Aaron, a senior fellow and noted health care expert with the Brookings Institution in Washington DC, joins Martin Savidge to discuss the issue.
Targeting the global growth of AIDS among women
To take a closer look at the troubling issue of woman and AIDS, Martin Savidge talks with Nazneen Damji, Programme Manager of Gender Equality at the United Nations Development Fund for Women. Damji discusses the growth of AIDS among women and looks at the countries where women are most vulnerable to the virus.
Antibiotics for eye disease are saving Ethiopia’s children
Producer Gary Strieker reports from Ethiopia's Amhara region where 60 percent of children suffer from Trachoma, a bacterial eye infection that is the world's leading preventable cause of blindness. A new study finds that antibiotics administered for Trachoma is actually treating other ailments and reducing Ethiopia's high rates of child mortality.
HIV infection rates continue to climb in Russia
Daljit Dhaliwal discusses HIV policy in with Russia Rowena Johnston of amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research. Johnston says that, despite progress in preventing HIV transmission between mothers and babies, the government is using ideology and not science when crafting prevention strategies.
Flu could strike up to one-third of U.S. population
There are now nearly 400,000 confirmed cases of swine flu worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. As many as 100 million Americans may become infected with the flu this season, according to Dr. Martin Blaser, the chair of the department of medicine at the NYU School of Medicine.
H1N1 forcing governments to rethink health strategies
With concerns rising in the U.S. and abroad about the H1N1 virus, we want to hear your thoughts. Do you think the U.S. government is doing enough to protect American citizens from H1N1?
Dying during childbirth in India
Last week, Human Rights Watch released an extensive report detailing the maternal mortality problem in India - whose rate is 16 times Russia's and 10 times China's. Worldfocus spoke with Aruna Kashyap, the lead researcher of the in-depth study, "No Tally of the Anguish."
T.R. Reid on ‘The Healing Of America’
Author T.R. Reid -- in his quest to fix a broken shoulder -- goes around the world trying to find an affordable health care system. The veteran journalist went to five industrialized democracies looking for the ideal model for the U.S.
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