The antiretroviral medicine lenacapavir, delivered via injection every six months, is almost completely effective in preventing HIV. But it is expensive at present, and millions will need to be initiated on it every year to make a dent on HIV transmission in South Africa. CAPE TOWN – South Africa has the biggest population of people […] Continue reading ->
BENGALURU – India’s flagship air pollution action plan, the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP), has mostly failed to deliver, according to research presented at the eighth India Clean Air Summit. Officials, scientists, and other experts highlighted the 2019 program’s severe shortcomings and red-flagged critical gaps. An “NCAP 2.0′ has been widely expected, but the central […] Continue reading ->
Following a landmark agreement in the United States on Wednesday, social media giant Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion to US states. This historic settlement obliges the company to make Instagram and Facebook safer for children. Scientific research – including a landmark report by an expert panel commissioned by the European Commission – […] Continue reading ->
After months of speculation, prospective candidates in the race to become the next Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) are now emerging. At the same time, member states have launched a process to review the global health architecture, with the aim of clarifying roles, strengthening coordination, and aligning financing more closely with national, regional, […] Continue reading ->
Four of the 58 health zones in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) affected by the Ebola Bundibugyo outbreak have had no new cases in the past 42 days, while five others have been case-free for at least three weeks. “The message is that it is definitely possible in that environment to break the transmission,” […] Continue reading ->
African scientists, institutions and communities are helping advance the development of new TB vaccines. Governments must now work together to prepare national systems, secure fair pricing and ensure scientific progress leads to timely and equitable access. When I visited the University of Cape Town Lung Institute and the South African Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative (SATVI) in […] Continue reading ->
Under Germany’s tightly constrained draft budget proposal for 2027, the government is set to reduce global health funding substantially. While mandatory assessed contributions to the World Health Organization (WHO) will rise slightly, flexible budgets for pandemic preparedness are planned to be cut by 15.3%. As part of a broader budget overhaul, the German government is […] Continue reading ->
Nearly a year after Israel and Hamas agreed to a US-brokered cease-fire, some 94% of Gaza’s 2.1 million Palestinian residents lack adequate shelters with 84% facing severe constraints in heating, cooling, cooking, lighting and hygiene and nearly 60% facing “critical” or “catastrophic” shelter needs. This according to a new analysis by the Global Shelter Cluster, […] Continue reading ->
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)’s Ebola outbreak passed the 100-day mark on Monday with over 5,515 confirmed cases and 2,642 deaths – and health experts warn that the response needs to be accelerated to bring the world’s fastest Ebola outbreak under control. While the case fatality rate is almost 48%, the DRC’s Ministry of […] Continue reading ->
Five years after the Taliban returned to power, Afghanistan’s health system is being squeezed from two directions: shrinking healthcare services and restrictions that are making it increasingly difficult for women to reach them. The consequences are particularly acute for Afghan women. Taliban-imposed restrictions on their movement, employment and education have narrowed access to healthcare, while […] Continue reading ->