Every year, World Toilet Day is observed to raise awareness about the global sanitation crisis and encourage action to solve it. The goal set by the United Nation is to achieve safe toilets for all by 2023, as a part of their Sustainable Development Goals.

The UN also states that 3.5 billion people live without proper sanitation and many children also lose their lives due to poor sanitation and unsafe water. This is why World Toilet Day is observed to raise awareness on this issue.

Theme

This year, the theme for World Toilet Day 2024 is "Toilets - A Place for Peace'. This focuses on the growing threat to sanitation that is caused by conflict, climate change, disaster and neglect. When there is a threat to using toilets, it can lead to many health risks.

Not using toilets for too long may lead to Urinary Tract Infection or UTI. For many who do not have access to clean toilets do not drink enough liquid or hold pee for too long. Doctors suggest that holding in pee for too long can cause bacteria to multiply and lead to UTI. By not drinking enough water, your bladder fails to tell the body to pee often, and can cause the bacteria to spread through the urinary tract, which can lead to infection.

Symptoms of UTI:

• Burning or stinging feeling while urinating
• Pain in pelvis or lower abdomen
• Constant urge to empty the bladder
• Strong or foul smelling urine
• Consistently dark urine
• Blood in urine

Holding in pee for too long can also cause your bladder to stretch, making it difficult or even impossible for the bladder to contract and release pee normally. It can also damage your pelvic floor muscles or could lead to kidney stones.

World Toilet Day History And Significance

To prevent such conditions, it is important that everyone has access to clean and safe toilets. In terms of history, the day was established in 2001, by the World Toilet Organization (WTO), which was founded by Jack Sim. However, it was officially recognised by the UN in 2013. The Government of Singapore worked with WTO to create the first UN resolution called Sanitation for All.

India too promotes safe and hygiene toilet through its Swachh Bharat Yojna.

Researchers from India, China, Netherlands, and Canada recently published an editorial, criticising the World Health Organization's (WHO) Global Traditional Medicine Strategy, saying it promotes treatments that haven't been proven to work or lacks adequate scientific evidence.

In the editorial, the authors argue that traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine (CAM) should be held to the same scientific standards as any other medical intervention.

They warn that lowering the evidentiary bar could undermine and reduce people's confidence in evidence-based healthcare. They also say that it could expose patients to ineffective or potentially harmful treatments and divert resources from therapies with proven clinical benefits.

Researchers Criticise WHO's Push For Traditional Medicine

The criticism focuses on WHO's Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025 to 2034, which aims to help countries strengthen regulation, grow research, improve safety, and integrate evidence-based traditional medicine into global health systems.

According to the authors, while these goals appear reasonable, the strategy risks lending credibility to therapies before sufficient evidence of their safety and effectiveness has been established.

The authors say, "In a WHO survey, 95% of responding member states cited lack of research data as the key barrier to integrating CAM. Robust evidence supporting complementary and alternative medicineis lacking despite increased research funding and thousands of studies. After millennia of using traditional Chinese medicine, for example, major evidence gaps on efficacy and safety remain, and patients experience unpredictable effects."

They argue that the same rigorous standards used to evaluate pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and other healthcare interventions should also apply to traditional medicine.

The researchers say, "The ethical response is not uncritical endorsement of CAM but to expand access only to interventions that withstand standard scientific scrutiny as effective and safe."

The editorial also raises concerns about the potential for patients to delay or replace proven medical treatments with unverified alternatives, as well as risks linked to herb-drug interactions, contamination, and inadequate regulation.

They added, " WHO contradicts its promise of universal scientific rigour by lowering evidentiary standards: the strategy endorses observational and “real world data” designs “appropriate to the unique characteristics” of CAM instead of the standard randomised controlled trials."

Also read: World Homeopathy Day 2025: Can Homeopathy Relieve Seasonal Allergies? Here’s What Experts Say

Rebuttal By Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences

The editorial has already received counter responses from researchers who say the criticism overlooks the strategy's emphasis on scientific evaluation.

In rapid responses published by The BMJ, experts acknowledged that unproven therapies should not be incorporated into routine care without solid evidence but argued that traditional medicine deserves rigorous investigation rather than straightforward dismissal.

Rabinarayan Acharya, Director General, Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences said, "We appreciate Philips and colleagues for raising concerns about patient safety, scientific rigour and evidence integrity, all of which matter for responsible integration of any healthcare intervention. However, the editorial predominantly examines one end of a complex scientific and public health continuum."

"A balanced view also recognize substantial advances in research methodology, regulation, pharmacovigilance, and evidence generation now shape the evaluation of TCIM, within the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034."

He said that the editorial incorrectly grouped all forms of alternative medicines.

He added, "The editorial groups Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, homoeopathy, Traditional Chinese Medicine and anthroposophic medicine as though they belong to one category. They do not. Each has its own philosophical basis, regulatory standing, biological plausibility, and depth of evidence and deserves judgment on its own record."

They note that many modern medicines originated from natural products and traditional knowledge before being validated through laboratory research and clinical trials.

Also read: Govt To Include Ayurveda Treatments in Ayushman Bharat Scheme: Read Everything About It

Delhi Declaration Outlines Global Roadmap For Traditional Medicine

The debate comes after the adoption of the Delhi Declaration on Traditional Medicine, issued at the conclusion of the Second WHO Global Summit held in New Delhi last year.

The declaration stresses the fact that policy decisions should be guided by scientific evidence while respecting countries' diverse medical traditions. The declaration calls on countries to:

1. Increase investment and support to strengthen the evidence base for traditional medicine, enriching WHO Global Traditional Medicine Digital Library.
2. Develop regulatory practices for safe and effective drugs.
3. Take necessary steps to responsibly integrate traditional medicine into standard health systems.
4. The declaration emphasizes that key policy decisions should be guided by scientific evidence while respecting countries' diverse medical traditions.

Also read: Why More Patients Are Turning To Alternative Medicine For Chronic Illness Management?

India's Dominance In Traditional Medicine

India has positioned established itself as a global leader in traditional medicine through the establishment of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC) in Jamnagar, Gujarat, a collaboration between WHO and the government of India.

During the summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said traditional medicine has the potential to contribute to universal health coverage and called for greater international collaboration, research, and innovation to discover its benefits while ensuring quality and safety.

India's Ministry of AYUSH also reaffirmed its commitment to building scientific evidence, promoting research, strengthening regulation, and expanding international partnerships in traditional medicine through initiatives led by the Jamnagar-based WHO centre.

Last year, India also launched My Ayush Integrated Services Portal, a national digital platform that connects medicine services, institutions and stakeholders in the sector.

AYUSH Mark was also launched. Ensuring public trust, AYUSH Mark is a global standard for the quality and safety of AYUSH products and services.

A new study in the US has found that millions of military veterans continue to experience suicidal thoughts, yet many of them are not receiving the mental health treatment they need.

Researchers say the findings highlight the urgent need to improve access to mental health services and strengthen suicide prevention efforts, particularly for younger and female veterans.

The study, published in JAMA Network Open, analyzed data from 2,636 US military veterans who participated in the 2025-2026 National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study (NHRVS), a survey conducted between December 2025 and January 2026.

Increase In Suicidal Thoughts

Also read: US Government Backs Psychedelic Therapies Research For Veterans With PTSD and Depression

Researchers found that 13.4% of veterans reported having suicidal thoughts within the previous two weeks, while 14% experienced suicidal thoughts during the past year.

Compared with data collected in 2019-2020, the prevalence of recent suicidal thoughts increased from 9% to 13.4%, representing a 49% rise over five years. However, the prevalence of lifetime suicide planning (8%) and suicide attempts (4.9%) remained largely unchanged.

Based on national population estimates, the researchers said:

• 2.3 to 2.4 million veterans experiencing recent suicidal thoughts
• 1.4 million veterans reporting lifetime suicide planning
• Around 830,000 veterans reporting a lifetime suicide attempt.

Many Veterans Are Not Receiving Treatment

Also read: The Silent Impact of Stress On Your Brain: How Chronic Stress Affects Memory, Focus, And Mental Health

One of the study's most concerning findings was that a substantial number of veterans reporting suicidal thoughts were not receiving mental health care.

Among veterans who experienced suicidal thoughts in the previous two weeks:

• Only 37.9% were receiving any current mental health treatment.
• Treatment rates differed sharply depending on where veterans received their healthcare.
• Among veterans who primarily used the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) healthcare system, 53.6% were receiving treatment.
• Among those relying mainly on non-VA healthcare, only 25.6% were receiving treatment.

Researchers also observed similar gaps in the use of psychotherapy and psychiatric medications.

The researchers also found that younger veterans and women veterans carried a disproportionately higher risk of suicidal thoughts, suicide planning and suicide attempts.

The authors concluded, "These findings suggest that suicidal ideation has increased among US veterans over the past 5 years, whereas suicidal planning and attempts have not, underscoring the need to strengthen early intervention, treatment engagement, and targeted prevention efforts."

They further added, "A substantial proportion of veterans reporting recent suicidal ideation are not currently engaged in mental health treatment."

Access To VA Care

The study showed that veterans who used the VA healthcare system as their primary source of care were more than twice as likely to receive mental health treatment compared with veterans receiving care outside the VA.

According to the researchers, this may reflect better access to mental health services within the VA system. However, the findings also indicate that significant treatment gaps remain even among VA users due to barriers like stigma, delayed help, limited availability of services, or other factors.

The study comes as suicide continues to be a major public health issue among US veterans. According to the US Department of Veterans Affairs, more than 6,000 veterans die by suicide each year, and veterans continue to have higher suicide rates than the general US population.

A humanitarian worker has been admitted to a specialist infectious disease unit in London after being potentially exposed to the Ebola virus while working in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

UK health officials have stressed that there are no confirmed Ebola cases in the United Kingdom and that the risk to the public remains very low.

The individual, a UK resident involved in treating Ebola patients in eastern DRC, was medically evacuated to London as a precaution and is being monitored in a high-level isolation unit. According to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), the worker is not showing symptoms of Ebola but is under observation because the virus has an incubation period of 2 to 21 days.

Why The Humanitarian Worker Is Being Monitored In The UK?

The evacuation follows established international protocols for healthcare and humanitarian workers who may have been exposed to highly infectious diseases. Health authorities emphasized that:

• The patient is in isolation purely as a precaution.
• There are no confirmed Ebola infections in the UK.
• The public is not at increased risk.
• Ebola spreads only through direct contact with the blood or bodily fluids of someone who is symptomatic, not through the air.

Officials are also conducting routine contact assessments where necessary, although no wider public health concerns have been identified.

Also read: Ebola Outbreak: Confirmed Cases Hit 2,344, Deaths Rise To 930

DRC Faces Its Worst Ebola Outbreak In Years

The admission comes as the Democratic Republic of the Congo is battling one of its most severe Ebola outbreaks in recent history.

The outbreak, declared on May 15, 2026, is caused by the Bundibugyo strain of the Ebola virus, a less common species for which there are currently no licensed vaccines or proven antiviral treatments.

This has made containment significantly more challenging than previous Ebola outbreaks caused by the Zaire strain. According to the latest reports from Congolese health authorities and international agencies:

• 2,473 reported Ebola cases
• More than 1,000 deaths
• 737 patients currently hospitalized or in isolation

WHO believes the true number of infections could be two to four times higher because many cases remain undetected in conflict-affected areas.

Also read: Ebola Outbreak In Congo: UN Warns Frontline Responders As Cases Surface In New Areas

WHO Declared An International Health Emergency

Recognizing the growing threat, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on May 16, 2026, just one day after the outbreak was officially announced.

WHO warned that the outbreak poses a significant regional and international public health risk due to rapid transmission, cross-border spread, limited access to affected communities, lack of approved vaccines for the Bundibugyo virus and ongoing armed conflict disrupting healthcare operations.

Should The UK Be Concerned?

Experts say the current situation should not cause public alarm. The UK's specialist infectious disease units are designed to safely manage suspected cases of high-consequence infectious diseases, and precautionary evacuations of healthcare workers have occurred during previous Ebola outbreaks.

Public health officials stress that:

• There is no evidence of community transmission in the UK.
• The hospitalized worker has not been diagnosed with Ebola.
• Isolation and monitoring are standard procedures designed to protect both the patient and the public. =

US Humanitarian Worker In DRC Tested Positive For Ebola

A U.S. humanitarian worker in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) had tested positive for Ebola a few days ago.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed, saying it is working closely with the individual's employer, U.S. government health agencies, and Congolese health authorities to prevent further transmission by tracing contacts to identify people who may have been exposed.

According to reports, the infected individual was working for a humanitarian organization in eastern Congo, where the outbreak has continued to spread despite ongoing response efforts.

The CDC has not released details about the patient's identity or condition but emphasized that contact tracing and public health measures are underway.