The draft pandemic accord needs more emphasis on preventing pandemics at their source – where animal pathogens “spill over” to people – according to a number of organisations participating in a consultation on the document’s “zero draft” on Wednesday. Negotiations between World Health Organization (WHO) member states on the draft are due to begin at the […] Continue reading ->
The world’s biggest multinational companies are failing to meet the bold climate change pledges they have made – and are obfuscating their failures through “ambiguous commitments, offsetting plans that lack credibility and emission scope exclusions”. This is according to the Corporate Climate Responsibility Monitor 2023, which was released on Monday by Carbon Market Watch and […] Continue reading ->
As Malawi struggles with its biggest-ever cholera outbreak, its response is being hampered by the global shortage of vaccines, warned Dr Patrick Otim Ramadan, World Health Organization (WHO) Africa’s Incident Manager for Regional Cholera Response at a media briefing on Thursday. By Wednesday, Malawi had recorded 40,284 cases and 1,316 deaths, with a case fatality […] Continue reading ->
Infant formula companies have “pathologised” normal baby behaviour to promote their products, and there should be “an international, legal treaty” to prevent their marketing,  according to health experts. In addition, political lobbying by milk formula companies to influence public policy should be sharply curtailed.  These are some of the suggestions contained in a three-part series […] Continue reading ->
As a second earthquake hit Turkey and Syria on Monday morning, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) member states offered their solidarity during an Executive Board (EB) session that presciently focused on refugees and migrants. The two earthquakes struck within 12 hours, and by Monday evening over 2,600 deaths had been reported, while thousands of people […] Continue reading ->
Higher taxes and warning labels on unhealthy food, cigarettes and alcohol, and better screening for cancers, are on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) updated list of “best buys” to address non-communicable diseases (NCD) discussed by member states at the body’s Executive Board meeting on Thursday. The list was updated in response to the lack of […] Continue reading ->
The World Health Organization (WHO)’s  ‘zero-draft’ of a pandemic treaty proposes that 20% of pandemic-related products – vaccines, diagnostics, personal protective equipment and therapeutics – should be allocated to the global body, which will then ensure their equitable distribution. The draft, which has been seen by Health Policy Watch, was sent to the WHO’s 194 […] Continue reading ->