BBC Witness History
The swine flu vaccine that appears to have triggered a narcolepsy sleep disorder. Maddy Savage reports for BBC Witness History: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct3bxp
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Patrick Kielty on Ireland's 1994. Patrick and producer Ruth Sanderson on how 1994 was an extraordinary faultline in Irish life, for Radio 4's Archive on 4. Listen on BBC Sounds.
Ten years on from the Ebola outbreak which tore through West Africa, journalist Tulip Mazumdar reconnects with survivors, healthcare workers and volunteers she met when reporting extensively from the frontline.
The 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak killed over 11,000. The epidemic exposed how unprepared the world was for fast-moving outbreaks - and how quickly they could spiral out of control.
Ordinary people took action and managed to contain the virus. In 2026, Ebola is back in the headlines as the Bundibugyo strain spreads in the DRC. What have we learnt about science communication, pandemic preparedness and grief in the last decade, that can help us today?
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One doctor dies by suicide every three weeks, according to figures from the British Medical Association.
In 2021, Dr Lalith Wijedoru left his role as consultant paediatrician in emergency medicine, to focus on supporting workforce health and wellbeing, including those working in healthcare.
Given rare access to a wellbeing and recovery retreat, we hear emotional testimonies from the four groups of doctors at greatest risk of suicide - General Practitioners, anaesthetists, surgeons and psychiatrists.
Their stories - of workplace bullying, isolation, fatigue and fear of patient complaints - suggest a system in which doctors are made to feel like machines, rather than human beings. The concept of 'moral injury' is also a factor - where a doctor is unable to provide the care they wish to give to their patient, due to lack of resources or system breakdown.
These stories take us to the heart of issues being faced by many or most NHS professionals - and by the ‘system’ more generally.
Presenter: Dr Lalith Wijedoru
Producer: Amanda Hargreaves
Sound design: Joel Cox
Location recordings: Jon Calver
Executive producer: Dave Howard
A Bespoken Media Scotland production for BBC Radio 4
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Campaigner Louise Lancaster has gone from law-abiding teacher to law-breaking eco-activist, and been jailed for her actions. Is she a concerned campaigner or a reckless fanatic?
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