A  bitter debate over proposed WHO recognition of a non-profit center for reproductive health rights, erupted in full force at the WHO Executive Board on Monday – after a tumultuous week of the World Health Assembly where member states largely skirted the increasingly contentious issue of sexual and reproductive health rights. The proposal by the […] Continue reading ->
An alliance of conservative World Health Organization (WHO) member states and right-wing US organisations has halted the process of granting a reproductive health organisation “official relations” with the global body. Meanwhile, a similar member state grouping objected to the use of “WHO LGBTQI+ community” in a routine human resources report that the Director-General tabled at […] Continue reading ->
The African region is accelerating the implementation of the global roadmap for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), and 10 countries have eliminated at least one NTD since 2021, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, World Health Organization (WHO) regional director for Africa told the body’s executive board last week. Togo eliminated four NTD, while Egypt eliminated lymphatic filariasis and […] Continue reading ->
World Health Organization’s (WHO) Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus lauded the success of tobacco control measures at the Wednesday evening session of the Executive Board meeting, but expressed concerns about the growing use of harmful products like e-cigarettes among youth. He urged member states, “to take swift action to counter this emerging threat” of children […] Continue reading ->
Donald Trump has named Robert F Kennedy Jr as his choice for US health secretary, putting the controversial anti-vaccine activist and environmental lawyer in line to control some of the world’s most influential health agencies. Kennedy shot to political prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic when his organisation, Children’s Health Defense, became a leading global voice […] Continue reading ->
Post 2020, ex-Trump officials have worked through NGOs to undermine abortion and LGBTQ rights in Africa, preparing the ground for his re-election Despite Donald Trump’s electoral defeat as US president in 2020, his ex-officials and allies have never stopped campaigning for African countries to prevent abortion and LGBTQ rights  – in league with some of […] Continue reading ->
Senior WHO officials sounded a cautiously optimistic note Tuesday about the prospects for WHO member states to somehow wrap up down-to-the-wire negotiations on a landmark Pandemic Accord in time to submit a final agreement to the World Health Assembly, which begins next Monday, 27 May. Meanwhile, they heralded the milestone agreement “in principle” to amend […] Continue reading ->