WHO Head Praises China Response To Coronavirus Emergency; Criticizes “Unnecessary” Trade and Travel Restrictions

03/02/2020 Elaine Ruth Fletcher

World Health Organization Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for “solidarity, solidarity and solidarity” amongst WHO member states to meet the new challenge of a novel coronavirus epidemic – at Monday’s opening of a week-long meeting of WHO’s Executive Board in Geneva. “The rule of the game is solidarity, solidarity, solidarity. But we see […] Continue reading ->

Experts Question If New Coronavirus Can Be Contained In Wake Of WHO Emergency Announcement

31/01/2020 Elaine Ruth Fletcher

In the wake of a World Health Organization declaration Thursday of an international public health emergency, there is growing uncertainty among disease control experts over whether even the drastic measures now being taken will be too little too late to contain the outbreak. The concerns came as the reported case count of 9811 exceeded that […] Continue reading ->

WHO Declares Public Health Emergency Over Novel Coronavirus; Researchers Ramp Up Efforts To Develop Vaccine

30/01/2020 Elaine Ruth Fletcher

In the face of an escalating crisis over the spread of a novel coronavirus in China, WHO declared an international public health emergency Thursday evening, signalling a new stage in global efforts to contain and control the escalating outbreak. The announcement came after a week of waiting and debating, which saw the case load of […] Continue reading ->

WHO Reconsiders Public Health Emergency Declaration Over Wuhan Coronavirus – As Cases Skyrocket

29/01/2020 Elaine Ruth Fletcher

The World Health Organization is set to reconsider a declaration of an international public health emergency over the novel coronavirus discovered in Wuhan – as the number of confirmed cases soared to 6086, the death toll to 132, and infections were reported in 15 other countries. WHO announced that it would reconvene its Emergency Committee […] Continue reading ->

Global Health & Emergencies Advocate Peter Salama Dies At Age 51

24/01/2020 Elaine Ruth Fletcher

WHO’s head of Universal Health Coverage, Dr. Peter Salama, has died suddenly at the age of 51. The Australian-born medical epidemiologist was known as an eloquent global health advocate, who dedicated his career to combatting the world’s most difficult and dangerous diseases and strengthening fragile health systems in states weakened by war and civil unrest. […] Continue reading ->

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair Appears At Tobacco-Supported Davos Panel

23/01/2020 Elaine Ruth Fletcher

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair appeared Wednesday at a World Economic Forum (WEF) side event hosted by The Economist Events, and supported by tobacco giant Philip Morris International (PMI), Health Policy Watch has learned. The Davos stage was not the first prestige event in Switzerland to which PMI has recently attached its name. In […] Continue reading ->

Davos Sees Climate Change Initiatives Launched – Defying Doomsayers

22/01/2020 Elaine Ruth Fletcher

Britain’s Prince Charles picked up the climate gauntlet from Swedish youth activist Greta Thunberg on Wednesday, calling on global political and business leaders to confront the “approaching catastrophe”, on day two of the World Economic Forum in Davos. “What good is all of the extra wealth in the world gained from business as usual if […] Continue reading ->

The World On Fire: Five Global Health Stories To Watch In 2020 – Part II

21/01/2020 Elaine Ruth Fletcher

“Creaking health systems” are among the leading risks faced by the global community, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Risks 2020 Report. People live longer, but health gains have also plateaued in recent decades. Threats from longstanding infections as well as those from emerging diseases pose a double set of challenges. Along with that, […] Continue reading ->

The World On Fire: Five Global Health Stories To Watch In 2020

17/01/2020 Elaine Ruth Fletcher

The failed 2019 UN Climate Conference in Madrid ended in mid-December just about when the massive wildfire destruction of Australia’s bushlands was beginning. The wildfires that broke shortly afterward took the form of a Gaia-like revenge. Australia, along with the United States, Japan and Brazil, had been among the countries that had blocked real progress […] Continue reading ->

Low Antibiotic Prices Dampen Industry Investment In Vital New Tools To Combat Superbugs – Says AMR Industry Alliance

16/01/2020 Elaine Ruth Fletcher

The low worldwide prices for antibiotics, combined with the need to carefully ration sale of any powerful new drugs that come to market to preserve their efficacy, continue to dampen industry investment in desperately-needed treatments for new drug-resistant superbugs, according to a sweeping new report by the AMR Industry Alliance, released today. While civil society […] Continue reading ->