Health

ADVERTISEMENTWatchMental health advocate Sachin Latti gives his take on Ottawa’s announcement that MAID will not be offered to patients suffering solely from mental illness. October 07, 2026 at 2:13p.m. EDT

Community event aims to empower women through financial education Edmonton Meals on Wheels celebrity chef series featuring Erin Chalmer’s famous chili

ADVERTISEMENTVancouver WatchThe B. C. Green Party is promising a community health centre in every riding if they are elected. October 07, 2026 at 12:51p.m. EDT

ADVERTISEMENTVancouver WatchB. C. NDP Leader David Eby says his party will tackle hospital wait times if re-elected. October 07, 2026 at 12:49p.m. EDT

Skip to mainWed, October 7, 2026 at 4:43 p.m. UTCThe World Health Organization (WHO) says it is looking into reports of a potential secondary pneumonia case in Russia after a plague lab technician died earlier this month. The U. N. health agency says it does not currently have the full picture of what lead to the death, or the secondary case and it is looking for more information. Katherine Ward has this story and more in Health Matters for Oct. 7, 2026.

They were born into a Britain still recovering from the hardships of war. Though the air-raid sirens had fallen silent, many everyday foods remained rationed, including sugar. Adults were restricted to about 3 tablespoons (40g) a day to stretch between cups of tea, baking and desserts; children were limited to less than a tablespoon. Babies and very young children were expected to have little or no added sugar. Then, in 1953, the brakes came off. Separate restrictions on sweets and chocolate were lifted in February, followed by sugar in September. By the second half of 1954, average sugar consumption had almost doubled. A London shopkeeper puts up a sign announcing the new price of sugar, as announced in the budget in September 1939. The price has risen by a penny a pound. Photograph: Fox Photos/Getty ImagesThe lifting of postwar sugar rationing inadvertently created a natural experiment, whose consequences scientists are only beginning to unpick. A flurry of recent studies suggests that spending the first 1,000 days of life under sugar rationing may have left traces on people’s health more than seven decades later.

Health Matters: 8 Ebola cases confirmed in Kenya Health Matters: Ottawa pressed for health funding clarity

On October 6, staff and guests celebrated the grand opening of the Indigenous Healing Space at St. Peter’s Hospital. Pictured in the new space, left to right: Tracey MacArthur, HHS president and CEO; Brittany Johnson, HHS Indigenous health specialist; Pat Mandy, Indigenous community advocate and former HHS vice president; Kim Sault, Indigenous Knowledge Keeper; and Elissa Smith, HHS Indigenous Health Manager On Tuesday, October 6, Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) officially opened the new Indigenous Healing Space at St. Peter’s Hospital. A morning of ceremony, gratitude and connection marked the opening.

Skip to Main ContentAccessibility HelpMenuCBC GemCBC ListenSearchQuick LinksNewsSportsRadioMusicListen LiveTVWatchradioTop StoriesShowsPodcastsSchedulesFrequencyListen LiveVideoB. C. rural health initiatives | CBC.ca LoadedOn The Coast8:17B. C. rural health initiativesMay 18RadioDuration 8:17We often hear about emergency room closures impacting rural health care. Dr. Trina Larsen-Soles joins us to talk about how rural doctors are using networking and other models to try to overcome barriers to care for their patients. More from RadioVideoDuration 1:18‘She’s trying to change the culture of Cornell,’ says Jane Doe’s lawyerOctober 14VideoDuration 1:04Jane Doe’s home was swatted, says lawyer in Cornell gang-rape caseOctober 14VideoDuration 1:40How menopause shook Olympian Clara HughesOctober 12VideoDuration 1:53Will Carney's plan to 'Build Canada Strong' hurt the environment? October 9VideoDuration 1:57What the Alberta separation debate means for BanffOctober 7

Unpasteurized milk and milk products are the source of preventable, life-threatening infections in both healthy people and those with compromised immune systems, warns the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) in an updated policy statement published this week in Pediatrics. Unpasteurized dairy poses particular dangers to children, pregnant women, and those who are breastfeeding, continues the statement. The statement also highlights H5N1 avian flu as an emerging concern. Claims that unpasteurized (raw) dairy products offer superior health benefits lack scientific support, write the authors. “These purported benefits have no evidence base and do not outweigh the risks of unpasteurized milk consumption,” notes the statement. “Substantial data suggest that pasteurized milk confers equivalent health benefits compared with unpasteurized milk, without the additional risk of infection.”The sale of unpasteurized dairy products remains legal in at least 27 states. The AAP statement renews its call for a nationwide ban on unpasteurized dairy.

Canada is recruiting internationally educated health professionals to help address health-care workforce shortages, while governments are also trying to make it faster and easier for newcomers to have their qualifications recognized. The 2025 federal budget proposed $97 million over five years, beginning in 2026–27, for the Foreign Credential Recognition Action Fund focused on improving recognition in health and construction.

With bright, modern spaces, advanced technology and intuitive wayfinding, the South Niagara Hospital was designed with patients and families in mind, creating a more accessible and welcoming care experience. “There are many positive features in the new hospital that are going to completely change the patient experience,” says Dan Whipple, a member of the South Niagara Hospital Patient and Indigenous Partners Committee. Whipple took part in accessibility consultations and provided feedback from a patient partner and accessibility lens.

More diagnostic equipment and shorter wait times for surgeries were the focus of Tuesday morning’s announcement from the BC NDP. Leader David Eby also proposed, if re-elected, a coordinated regional surgical waitlist that lets patients choose the shortest wait time to access the fastest care.