Global Health Challenges: Malnutrition and Vaccine Developments

UN-backed experts – the IPC - say the "worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out" in Gaza and that there is mounting evidence that widespread malnutrition is driving a rapid rise in hunger-related deaths among the 2.1 million Palestinians there. Aid worker Olga Cherevko shares what she’s witnessed on the ground and Claudia is also joined by specialist Dr Marko Kerac to understand the health impacts of malnutrition and what interventions are urgently needed. In a world-first the UK have begun to rollout a vaccine for gonorrhoea, an infection that if left untreated can lead to infertility. We ask what impact this vaccine might have on a global level.

The WHO has issued an urgent call for action to tackle mosquito-borne Chikungunya virus that has seen increasing cases since the beginning of the year. Professor Trudie Lang explains how the hardest hit countries are responding.

Using virtual reality, scientists have discovered that our immune system kicks into action at just the sight of a sick person. Matt and Claudia look at the unusual methods used to understand how our brains prepare for contact with a pathogen.

Presenter: Claudia Hammond Producer: Hannah Robins Assistant Producers: Alice McKee & Katie Tomsett