Exclusive: Health secretary to extend role of watchdog, which backers say helps hold service in England to account
Yvette Cooper has abandoned plans to abolish the NHS’s independent patient champion after an outcry from MPs across the political spectrum.
The health secretary has decided to keep and extend the role of Healthwatch England, which was due to be axed as part of the government’s reorganisation of the health service in England.
axe the Health Services Safety Investigations Body.
end councils’ automatic representation on the boards of ICBs.
remove the requirement for a nurse on every NHS foundation trust board.
Case filed in 2022 by patient unable to afford medicine leads to cap on drug prices for millions who face ruin if diagnosed
The Indian government has moved to reduce the price of cancer drugs after a retired bank clerk took her case to the supreme court.
From next month, 137 cancer drugs in India will be cheaper as the government tries to tackle the tragedy of poorer patients either forgoing treatment, selling land or falling into debt to meet the high cost of some medicines, which are making large profits for hospitals and pharmacists.
Emergency measures and partial supplies received so far are insufficient to maintain operational capacities.
On Thursday, the Gaza Ministry of Health warned of the complete depletion of oil and lubricant reserves needed to operate the electric generators that keep the enclave’s hospitals running.
Health authorities warned that this situation poses an immediate threat to the continuity of medical services, as hospitals rely on alternative power systems to treat hundreds of patients daily.
According to the ministry, the lack of lubricants will cause rapid mechanical deterioration of the generators that are still operational, increasing the risk of breakdowns and sudden equipment shutdowns.
The potential collapse of these systems would directly affect critical areas such as intensive care units, emergency operating rooms, and neonatal units requiring incubators.
🚨 Due to funding shortages, WFP is forced to reduce food assistance in Gaza by around one-third, meaning half a million people will lose access to critical aid.
The cuts come as winter approaches and the recent modest improvements in food security remain fragile.
Authorities specified that Gaza hospitals need more than 2,500 liters of these supplies per month to ensure the uninterrupted operation of their energy infrastructure and meet the high demand for healthcare.
The Ministry added that the emergency measures and partial supplies received so far are insufficient to maintain the operational capacity of the teams, which are subjected to continuous work shifts and extreme conditions.
Given the seriousness of the situation, health authorities made an urgent appeal to international organizations and humanitarian entities to facilitate the immediate entry of lubricants, spare parts, and technical materials to prevent the collapse of the enclave’s hospital network.
Israel has arrested more than 2,000 Palestinian children since the start of the Gaza Strip genocide, and at least 350 remain detained under severe conditions, according to a report this week from the Palestinian Prisoners Society.
Israeli restrictions have resulted in the deaths of over 2,000 patients, with 21,000 more await urgent treatment, including 5,600 children and 2,800 patients requiring cancer treatment
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