health

Two thirds of children across Western Europe were exposed to extreme heatwaves between 1 January and 14 July this year, according to new data from Save the Children as temperatures soar and record wildfires ravage parts of Europe

As climate risks continue to intensify, early action is key to protecting community health. Community-based approaches are opening up more sustainable solutions – especially for children and vulnerable groups.

Mensura*, a young mother from the Afar region of Ethiopia, walks more than 10 kilometers to reach the nearest health post. For her, accessing essential health services has always been difficult due to distance and harsh weather conditions.Through integrated outreach services supported by Save the Children under the Gates Foundation Targeted Vaccination and Integrated Outreach Service Project, Mensura* and her 12-month-old son Ahemed* are now receiving life-saving health and nutrition support closer to their home.During a recent outreach session, Ahemed* was screened for malnutrition using MUAC measurement and diagnosed with Severe Acute Malnutrition (SAM). He was immediately enrolled in the Outpatient Therapeutic Program (OTP), where he now receives Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) and regular follow-up care. At the same time, he continues to receive his routine vaccinations.Mensura* herself, who is three months pregnant, was also screened and found to be malnourished. She has been linked to the Targeted Supplementary Feeding Program (TSFP) for additional nutritional support. During the outreach visit, she received iron supplementation, tetanus-diphtheria (TD) vaccination, and antenatal care (ANC) follow-up.The integrated outreach approach ensures that mothers and children receive multiple essential services in one visit, improving access, early detection of malnutrition, and immunization coverage in hard-to-reach communities.

The first shipment of vaccines to South Kordofan state in nearly three years will restore lifesaving immunisation services to children and communities cut off from essential supplies due to conflict and siege.

Children in Gaza have entered 2026 facing ongoing storms and flooding that have ripped tents and left them exposed to water-borne diseases with an urgent need for supplies to rebuild shelters, Save the Children said.

At least five children with cholera in South Sudan have died on an arduous journey to seek medical treatment, after aid cuts forced their local health services to close in the middle of a major outbreak of the deadly disease, Save the Children said.

Children in Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Kenya will benefit from new paediatric medical equipment as a result of a child-lens investment by Save the Children Global Ventures (SCGV).

A rare tropical disease that is the leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide was halved in one of the world’s worst-affected communities due to foreign aid but is now at risk of resurgence following aid cuts, as is another tropical eye disease, Save the Children said.

Marenet*, 57, is a mother of six who has suffered from ureterovaginal prolapse (UVP) for over twelve years, a condition that began during the delivery of her last child. Marenet’s family are subsistence farmers living in a remote village in the Tigray region, an area significantly impacted by a conflict that lasted for more than three years. This conflict caused extensive devastation to the region’s health infrastructure and overall health services. The impact of the war is still visible, and recovery will require a long time.To address these problems, Save the Children launched the surge team strategy with financial assistance from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. By deploying highly skilled medical and surgical teams to remote and inaccessible facilities, local people were able to receive life-saving services. These services targeted individuals with low incomes who could not afford health care and other related expenses. Consequently, the community benefited from free health treatments.Marenet’s story highlights the transformative impact of the medical care she received, giving her hope and a renewed sense of vitality.

The situation was terrifying. My daughter was so small, and she was very weak. Watery stool after watery stool, and she couldn't keep anything down. She wouldn't even take breast milk. Her eyes looked sunken, and she just lay there so weak. I was so scared I was going to lose her.