Africa must tackle both the climate and coronavirus crises at the same time, according to a new paper published by the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), joining other regional agencies such as the European Commission and the World Health Organization in calling for a “green recovery” from COVID-19. The paper, Climate Change and Development […] Continue reading ->
China stalled for ‘at least’ two weeks in providing the World Health Organization with detailed data on COVID-19 cases, frustrating WHO’s top echelons –  even as they tried to put on a positive public face, according to an investigative report by the Associated Press of exchanges that occured in January. China also withheld the genome […] Continue reading ->
The raging pandemic has highlighted an urgent need to incorporate mental health into COVID-19 recovery plans and to ‘substantially’ improve mental health funding – Or the world will face a ‘massive’ mental health crisis in upcoming months, reported a United Nations policy brief on Thursday.  “The impact of the pandemic on people’s mental health is […] Continue reading ->
Health Policy Watch is the media partner for the Geneva Graduate Institute – Global Health Centre series of World Health Assembly events, running Thursday 14 May to Wednesday 27 May. The series of events is built around themes relevant to the 73rd session of the WHA, 18-19 May, the first ever Assembly to bring together the World […] Continue reading ->
The UN General Assembly approved a resolution Monday night calling for accelerated scientific cooperation and global coordination to hasten the “rapid development, manufacturing and distribution of diagnostics, anti-viral medicines, personal protective equipment and vaccines” needed to fight the COVID-19 pandemic. The resolution, approved in a virtual poll, also called on countries “to immediately take steps […] Continue reading ->
Dutch Deputy Prime Minister Hugo de Jonge on Wednesday offered to support the World Health Organization to develop a pool of intellectual property rights for COVID-19 technologies, just days after WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced WHO’s public support for the initiative. “In principle, I am sympathetic to this initiative,” Minister de Jonge wrote […] Continue reading ->
A World Health Organization – Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) joint campaign was launched on Monday to “kick out coronavirus” as global confirmed cases of COVID-19 soared past 350,000 Monday afternoon.  “Football can reach millions of people, especially younger people, that public health officials cannot,” he added. It took 67 days to reach the […] Continue reading ->