Many men say that they get the feeling that everyone is trying to weigh them down with ‘health messages’, and that they are always made to feel guilty about the things that they don’t do (or that they do wrong). This image of ‘Men Behaving Badly’ is hardly a positive place to begin an honest conversation about health improvement with anyone!
Of course, it is true that we all need to certain things: eat five to seven portions of fruit / vegetables a day; have at least 30 minutes moderate physical activity five days a week; stop smoking; limit our alcohol consumption; keep an eye to our bits and bobs; maintain our social connections; and seek help quickly when we need it — but, if we aren’t already doing this, then we need to find practical and realistic ways to get ourselves into this routine.
Community development work is underpinned by the mantra ‘we should always start where the person is at’. Yet, more often than not, we tend to start where we’re at, or where the programme is at, or where our funding is at. However, during Men’s Health Week (MHW) 2026, everyone is being asked to adopt a different approach — to simply take ONE STEP AT A TIME and to work towards making progress rather than seeking perfection. Why? Because small steps can ultimately lead to really big results.
During MHW this year, we are all being asked to set ourselves simple tasks to make positive changes to the health of men and boys — and local pharmacies can play a key role in supporting this drive.
International Men’s Health Week (MHW) always begins on the Monday before Father’s Day and ends on Father’s Day itself. During 2026, it will run from Monday 15 until Sunday 21 June.
It is celebrated in many European countries, as well as in the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and a number of other places worldwide. The overall aims are to:
It is coordinated locally by the Men’s Health Forum in Ireland (MHFI) and is planned by 100+ partner groups.
Not too long ago, we were unaware of the full extent of men’s poor health status and the specific health issues that they are contending with. However, this is no longer the case. In recent years, a broad range of research has highlighted the health challenges, which face men in Ireland and further afield (heck out some of the key statistics at mhfi.org > Resources > Key Facts About Men). This research shows that these men experience a disproportionate burden of ill-health and die too young:
Although the health of men in Ireland is poor, it is not a ‘lost cause’ and it can be improved in many significant ways. A wide range of innovative and positive work has already taken place to support the health needs of men and boys: Ireland was the first country in the world to have a National Men’s Health Policy which was succeeded by two dedicated Healthy Ireland Men (HI-M) Action Plans; men’s health training programmes have influenced how services and structures support males; pioneering approaches have been developed and tested which provide models for improving men’s health; and new men’s health and support groups are evolving across the island of Ireland. Much has been achieved, but there is still plenty of room for improvement.
Of course, men, themselves, need to play a central role in taking control of their health and wellbeing. But men’s health is not just an issue for individual men. While it is crucial for men to take responsibility for looking after themselves, their health can often be determined by other factors outside of their personal control. Thus, there is also a need for policymakers, service providers, and society as a whole to recognise the role that they need to play, and to do something practical about it. This will require everyone to focus attention upon the men and boys around us. Local pharmacies across Ireland have a critical gatekeeper role to play in supporting these changes for the better.
In Ireland, there is often a disconnection between medical services and local people. This is even more pronounced for men, and it is well documented that some men are not, necessarily, good at coming forward early enough to have their health issues dealt with in a timely way.
At the same time, there is a strong body of evidence which shows that pharmacies can play a critical role in being the first point of contact for promoting and improving the health of men and boys. Indeed, findings from research highlight that:
Pharmacies can, therefore, offer an on-street showcase for information which may increase awareness of the health issues facing men and boys. Indeed, pharmacy staff are also well positioned to open-up conversations with men about their health needs, explore possible options and, if necessary, suggest that they may need to seek further expert assistance. As such, they play a crucial sign-poster role, which has often been under-valued.
But this is not one-way traffic — building relationships with men, and getting them to use local pharmacies more regularly, is also a sound business strategy!
Every pharmacy in Ireland can do something to mark MHW 2026 — the only limitation is imagination: put up some posters; create a men’s health window display; give out copies of the free Action Man — ten top tips for men’s health Man Manual; leave a batch of the Do You Know Your Numbers z-cards on your counter for customers to lift a copy; post about the week on social media; team-up with a community group and support a local men’s health event or activity; and/or offer some basic health checks to men in your area. Doing even one of these simple suggestions will contribute hugely to improving the health of local men and boys.
You can find out everything that you need to know about the week (including how to get free hard copies of the resources) at mhfi.org/mhw/mhw-2026.html.
This issue of the IPU Review includes a Men’s Health Week A3 poster and copies of the ‘Do You Know Your Numbers?’ z-cards.
Colin Fowler
Director of Operations, Men’s Health Forum in Ireland (MHFI)
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