Several tangible targets to reduce antimicrobial resistance (AMR) have not survived member-state negotiations, according to the latest version of the Political Declaration on AMR, sent to countries on 9 September ahead of the United Nations High-Level Meeting (HLM) on 26 September. There is no target for reducing antibiotic use in agri-food production – save a […] Continue reading ->
While COVID exposed the urgency of ensuring that Africa can manufacture vaccines, the current mpox and cholera outbreaks have painfully underscored the continent’s vulnerability. African countries affected by mpox are dependent on vaccine donations from wealthy countries, while a dire global shortage of cholera vaccines has forced the World Health Organization (WHO) to advise countries […] Continue reading ->
The mpox outbreak – characterised by the all-too-familiar lack of vaccines for Africa – provided added impetus to the global negotiations for a pandemic agreement, which resumed at the World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters in Geneva on Monday.  Ethiopia, speaking for Africa, said that mpox, recently declared a public health emergency of international concern, “calls […] Continue reading ->
UN agencies have vaccinated more than 187,000 children against polio in central Gaza over the past three days, which was more than expected, The World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a media briefing on Wednesday. The vaccination drive, aimed at children up to 10 years of age, continues in southern Gaza […] Continue reading ->
While the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the epicentre of mpox, has yet to get a single vaccine dose despite battling large outbreaks since 2022, a flurry of activity last week aims to finally change this. Last Friday, UNICEF announced it had issued an emergency tender for the procurement of mpox vaccines. Usually, the […] Continue reading ->
Tanzania’s Dr Faustine Ndugulile has been nominated as the next Regional Director for the World Health Organization (WHO) African Region, defeating more experienced WHO insiders in a closely contested race. Ndugulile secured 25 of the 46 votes at the WHO Africa regional conference in the Republic of Congo, defeating Dr Ibrahima Socé Fall (proposed by […] Continue reading ->