Junior doctors strike in South Korea
South Korea junior doctor strike; Phage therapy to treat blood infection; Prehistoric cases of Down Syndrome; Living with dialysis; Solutions for blood deserts.
More than 1,600 junior doctors have been on strike in South Korea in a dispute about working conditions and Government plans to add more medical school placements. BBC health reporter Smitha Mundasad joins Claudia Hammond to explain the latest.
Smitha also brings Claudia new research about the first ever prehistoric case of a child with genetic condition Edwards’ syndrome. And some innovative solutions to get blood to so called ‘blood deserts’; large rural areas where there is no access to blood transfusion.
Claudia and Smitha also hear how one American woman Lynn Cole’s fight with serious blood infection helped scientists understand more about phage therapy. Lynn died in 2022, but Claudia speaks to her daughter Mya.
Health Check also continues to follow British journalist Mike Powell as he prepares for a kidney transplant operation. This week he is in conversation with Justin Pham in Los Angeles, who also has kidney failure and has been on dialysis since last year.
Presenter: Claudia Hammond
Producer: Clare Salisbury
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- Wed 28 Feb 202420:32GMTBBC World Service Americas and the Caribbean & Europe and the Middle East only & BBC Afghan Radio
- Wed 28 Feb 202421:32GMTBBC World Service Australasia, South Asia, News Internet & East Asia only
- Thu 29 Feb 202405:32GMTBBC World Service Australasia, Americas and the Caribbean, South Asia & East Asia only
- Thu 29 Feb 202413:32GMTBBC World Service except East Asia & South Asia
- Sun 3 Mar 202402:32GMTBBC World Service
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