An impossibly long list of member states lined up to address universal health coverage (UHC) and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) at the World Health Assembly on Thursday afternoon, indicating the centrality of these issues for countries. There was near-universal support for primary health services to be the backbone of UHC, with disease prevention as the other […] Continue reading ->
 GENEVA – Global health conversations are much deeper at present because everyone has been affected by COVID-19 – and this opens up the possibility of building an “all-of-society” approach before the next pandemic, said Sylvie Brand, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Director of Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention. “We have seen during this pandemic […] Continue reading ->
Countries expressed concern at an uptick in polio cases last year and discussed ways to double down on routine immunizations – interrupted by the pandemic and conflicts – at Thursday’s World Health Assembly. Polio is currently the only official global public health emergency.  Afghanistan and Pakistan are the last two remaining countries where the virus […] Continue reading ->
In what has become an annual ritual, the World Health Assembly adopted a decision on Wednesday decrying the health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories, and calling on WHO to monitor progress in recommendations for reform by both Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The decision was approved by 76 votes to 13, with 35 abstentions […] Continue reading ->
In a strong statement against the ongoing Russian aggression in Ukraine, the World Health Assembly adopted a resolution condemning the violence and calling for an immediate halt to Russian attacks on health facilities. Russia and Syria floated a resolution that made no mention of the Russian aggression, and which failed to find any support among […] Continue reading ->
Changes in mindsets, decision-making, and accountability are the keys to improving synergies between the different agendas of Universal Health Coverage (UHC), health security, and health promotion, a new report shows. Marking the 76th World Health Assembly and Geneva Health Week 2023, Professor Irene Agyepong, co-chair of the “Lancet Commission on Synergies between universal health coverage, […] Continue reading ->
With a political declaration on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) on the agenda of the World Health Assembly, we unpack the WHO’s  “Best Buys” that provide countries with tools to address the diseases that are responsible for three-quarters of global deaths Health Policy Watch: The WHO’s “Best Buys” to prevent and control NCDs comprise 90 interventions, which […] Continue reading ->