A television health show supported by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation launched on BBC World News last week. The 26-part weekly magazine programme, called The Health Show, reports on global health issues from areas vulnerable to specific conditions.

Presented by Dr Ayan Panja and Dr Shini Somara, the series is broadcast on Saturdays and Sundays, and examines “the latest scientific and technological advances, as well as explore new medical insights into the biggest health challenges and dilemmas”.

“Health is an area that we know our global audience wants more of, so we’re really excited to have this new weekly show coming to the World News Channel. The team will be actively seeking the audience’s response to these health stories which have global relevance and offer a window into the future of medicine,” said commissioning editor, Emma De’Ath.

The launch show on Saturday featured a fascinating story on nurses in Lesotho who use motorbikes to visit patients in inaccessible areas. “The roads are really difficult and it’s touch riding when it’s so cold. But I can get where I need to without any problems. Before the motorbike it was not easy to come. The most important thing I do in the village are vaccinations,” said Nurse Thabiso Phoka, who, with Riders for Health, travels by motorbike to reach remote rural villages in Lesotho.

Dr Ayan Panja is a practicing family doctor in the UK who hails from a medical background. He attended the Imperial College School of Medicine, qualifying for a medical degree in 1999. He’s worked in obstetrics, emergency medicine, and paediatrics before becoming a GP. He has clinical interests in men’s health, illness prevention, psychology and medicine and nutrition. He has been a medical expert on radio, TV and in print for several years for both the BBC and other outlets.

“There are very few issues more important than global health, and I am genuinely excited about being involved in a show which looks at health issues from around the world, something that I have been keen to do for some time now,” he said.

Dr Somara is an engineer who has worked in front of and behind cameras for many years communicating science and technology to viewers in a way in which they can understand. She has a doctorate in mechanical engineering.

“Few things in life are more important than health, so I’m delighted to be able to report on its latest advancements from around the world,” she said.

Further programme information can be found at the website www.bbc.com/healthshow <http://www.bbc.com/healthshow> , and audiences can follow The Health Show on www.facebook.com/HealthShow <http://www.facebook.com/HealthShow> and twitter @healthshow.

The Health Show airs on BBC World News on Saturdays at 10:10 and 20:10, and Sundays at 07:10 and 23:10 (all times GMT).