WHO’s Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus welcomed the new ceasefire deal between Israel and Lebanon, which took effect Wednesday, but he noted that health needs in Gaza remain huge and “will only increase” with the onset of winter cold and rains. While there is an opportunity now to rebuild southern Lebanon’s shattered health infrastructure, […] Continue reading ->
Despite having the second biggest mpox outbreak in Africa, Burundi has no immediate plans to vaccinate those at risk. Donated vaccine doses are available to Burundi for free but “vaccine hesitancy” might be playing a part in the government’s reluctance to vaccinate people, according to Dr Ngashi Ngongo, mpox lead for the Africa Centres for […] Continue reading ->
Dr Anu Kumar, CEO of the global reproductive justice organisation Ipas, outlines the impact of a global clampdown on abortion “Unsafe abortion remains a leading cause of maternal mortality, and it is entirely preventable,” says Dr Anu Kumar, CEO of Ipas, an international reproductive justice organisation. “So there is something we can do about it. […] Continue reading ->
Dr Faustine Ndugulile, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) regional director-elect for Africa, has died while receiving medical treatment in India, Tanzania’s parliament speaker announced on Wednesday. Ndugulile, aged 55, was due to assume his position as the next leader of WHO Africa in February No reasons were given for his death, which has been met […] Continue reading ->
With half of the global population now under the age of 30, the question of how to involve younger adults in global health decision-making is becoming increasingly urgent. In the latest episode of the Global Health Matters podcast, Dr. Garry Aslanyan invites three young leaders to discuss the role of youth in shaping health-related policies […] Continue reading ->
The global rise of right-wing governments is threatening sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and LGBTQ rights – but human rights defenders and progressive donors are rallying to mitigate this. US President-elect Donald Trump is expected to reinstate the Global Gag Rule that prohibits foreign NGOs who get US aid from providing or advocating for […] Continue reading ->
Last week, stakeholders gathered in Bangkok for the first-ever Regional Congress on Self-Care in the Asia-Pacific to discuss the importance of interventions and policies within the region. Throughout the proceedings, it was gratifying to see how increasing awareness and support for self-care is resonating regionally – as well as at national and global levels. WHO […] Continue reading ->
The “Kick Big Soda Out!” campaign launched on July 8, 2024 ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics and ran through the end of the Paralympics. It’s all about holding sugary drinks companies – especially Coca-Cola – accountable for their impact on health and the environment. To discuss the campaign, Health Policy Watch spoke to Trish […] Continue reading ->
Baku’s Olympic stadium was always an unlikely arena for the world to strike a landmark climate agreement. As the world’s first oil town, the Azerbaijani capital’s history is steeped in the fossil fuels driving the climate crisis. Its port launched the maiden voyage of the world’s first oil tanker, and Azerbaijan’s name, derived from ‘Azar,’ […] Continue reading ->
A method that first developed around polio elimination and matured during the COVID pandemic, is now being tested and used to track a much wider array of emerging disease threats. A unique symposium of scientists and public health experts at the Paris Sorbonne University last week looked at its promise and potential. In April 2020, […] Continue reading ->