Headlines on health

Every May, Lupus Awareness Month is recognised around the world, to highlight the chronic autoimmune disease which is still widely misunderstood. Lupus affects over five million people globally, and many of those affected are women. Jenny Lai is a mental health advocate whose Lupus diagnosis was a catalyst in her mental health journey. She has spoken to SBS' Alyssa Chandler.

The World Health Organisation has sent a team of experts and supplies to the Democratic Republic of Congo to help combat the spread of Ebola. On Sunday, it declared the outbreak a public health emergency of international concern because of the high risk the disease could spread further beyond DR Congo's borders after two cases were confirmed in Kampala, the capital of neighbouring Uganda. Among the agencies assisting in the efforts is Medicins San Frontiers, also known as Doctors Without Borders. Simon Eccleshall is the Head of Programs for MSF in Australia, and he spoke with SBS World News reporter Alexandra Jones about the group's response.

Australia's worst diphtheria outbreak in decades has spread across Northern Territory into Western Australia, Queensland and South Australia, with more than 230 [[as of May 21]] cases of the disease reported so far this year. Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisations and health workers are welcoming a $7 million federal government funding package aimed at supporting the response to the outbreak. But, experts say the re-emergence of the disease exposes serious gaps in the public health system.

Carlton have been fined $75,000 over their handling of an incident involving player Elijah Hollands in a game against Collingwood in April. The fine will be paid to the AFL's mental health partner, Headspace. The finding has highlighted the treatment of mental health within sporting circles.

A paediatrician says misinformation about childhood vaccines coming out of the United States has led to a huge spike in vaccine hesitancy in Australia in the past year. Professor Margie Danchin from the Murdoch Children's Research Institute says the latest figures show Australia has the lowest vaccine coverage for children under 5 in more than a decade, with the rates falling each year since 2020. She spoke with Greg Dyett.

The federal government has announced a major overhaul of the National Disability Insurance Scheme in efforts to cut down fraud and spending in the $50 billion program. Welcoming some aspects of the reform, disability advocates say there must be further clarity around cuts to support and eligibility, with fears that those in need will lose access to vital supports.

Coeliac disease affects one in seventy Australians, according to the Wesley Research Institute. But when food is integral to cultural identity, the impacts of this autoimmune disease — especially on multicultural and diasporic communities in Australia — can extend beyond the physical, affecting mental health. Jude Soussan is a young person of Lebanese heritage in Perth, Western Australia, and has used her diagnosis to help educate others about what it means to live with coeliac disease in the diaspora, using creativity. She hopes that, with time, communities can better understand how to accommodate chronic illness.

The latest report on Closing the Gap Targets, released last month, found just four of nineteen targets are on track. Among those targets Australia is failing to meet, the country is moving backward when it comes to reducing suicide rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, which are now more than three times higher than for non-Indigenous Australians.First Nations health advocates and practitioners are urgently calling for investment in new approaches to preventative mental health support that are led by First Nations wisdom and experience. SBS reporter Angelica Waite, has speaking with Clinton Schultz, a Gomeroi Gamilaroi man, and Director of First Nations Strategy and Partnerships with Black Dog Institute. For more than a decade, he's been a pioneering voice when it comes to finding new models for preventative care that reflect the depth, complexity and connectedness of First Nations ways of knowing, being and doing. She started by asking Mr Schultz how he came to study and work in the field of psychology.

The latest report on Closing the Gap Targets, released last month, found just four of the nineteen targets are on track. Among those targets Australia is failing to meet, the country is moving backward when it comes to reducing suicide rates for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people , which are now more than three times higher than for non-Indigenous Australians. First Nations health advocates and practitioners are urgently calling for investment in new approaches to preventative mental health led by First Nations wisdom and experience.

For international students studying in Australia, accessing healthcare is often seen as too expensive - or too confusing to navigate. But a new initiative - designed by international students FOR international students - aims to make services easier to find, while breaking down taboos around sexual and mental health.

The rise of antibiotic resistance is threatening millions of lives worldwide, but “unconventional” Australian research could make obsolete medications effective again. Data released by the World Health Organization (WHO) has found that some of the most common illnesses in the world are becoming more resistant to treatment every year. Dr Maud Eijkenboom says the current approach of developing new antibiotics is losing the battle against ever-evolving viruses and bacteria. After her son struggled with a resistant disease, Dr Eijkenboom set on her own path to discover a better way eradicate the rising wave of lethal pathogens. In 2021, she founded Lixa, a Perth-based biotech company receiving international support for its “game-changing” research. In this edition of Weekend One on One, she speaks with SBS's Cameron Carr about the impact of her research, and started by explaining what Lixa is all about.

Fodmap, high protein, gluten-free, lowfat, clean eating - so many diets, so much conflicting advice. Australian experts are warning that following multiple diets at the same time could have unexpected consequences.