GENEVA — Fossil fuel and petrochemical lobbyists have descended on UN plastics treaty negotiations in record numbers, as delegates from over 180 countries attempt to forge a global agreement to stem the tsunami of plastic pollution drowning the planet. According to a new analysis by the Centre for International Environmental Law (CIEL), at least 234 […] Continue reading ->
Syria is looking to rebuild its healthcare system after a 14-year long civil war that left at least 300,000 dead and 70% of its population dependent on humanitarian aid. But the new government faces a major challenge in ensuring the safety of minority groups, along with access to healthcare and humanitarian aid. The primarily Druze […] Continue reading ->
Plastics are a “grave, growing and under-recognised danger” to people and the planet, causing “disease and death” from infancy to old age, a landmark review has found. The Lancet Plastics Countdown, published as diplomats from around the world arrived in Geneva on Monday for the overtime round of talks on a global plastics treaty, estimates […] Continue reading ->
Uganda has been hard-hit by the withdrawal of aid by the United States, but women’s groups are helping to support crucial gender-based violence initiatives in refugee settlements. This story was originally published by The New Humanitarian. The small clinic in northern Uganda’s Obongi District sits at the end of a dusty road, its tin roof […] Continue reading ->
Taxes on tobacco, alcohol and sugary drinks offer African countries the opportunity to regain their “sovereignty” in response to the collapse of donor funding, according to a new report on health financing compiled by Vital Strategies. Vital CEO Mary-Ann Etiebet described the rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) fueled by these unhealthy products as a “burning […] Continue reading ->
United States (US) Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr should promote public confidence in vaccines or be fired, according to Mike Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York, who has been the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Ambassador for Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) and Injuries since 2018. “Kennedy, who has no training […] Continue reading ->
Canada’s struggle with substance use is more than a health issue—it’s a matter of language, policy, and public trust, said Dr. Kwame McKenzie in the latest episode of the Global Health Matters podcast with Dr. Garry Aslanyan. McKenzie, CEO of the Wellesley Institute and Director of Health Equity at Canada’s Centre for Addiction and Mental […] Continue reading ->
The World Health Organization has reduced its global headcount by about 221 people since January, down to 9,231 as compared to 9452 at the start of January – largely through a termination of temporary contracts and a freeze in renewals. Most of the cutbacks have been at the Geneva Headquarters, WHO’s largest office, where […] Continue reading ->
Dr Joanne Liu, a veteran humanitarian and former international president of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), has seen the front lines of global health crises—from Ebola in West Africa to bombed-out hospitals in Afghanistan. But her message today is clear: “An imperfect solution is better than no solution.” Speaking on the Global Health Matters podcast, Liu […] Continue reading ->
The world faces a global health funding crisis, but John-Arne Røttingen believes the solution goes beyond money. It lies in stronger partnerships between governments, researchers, and citizens. “Science is not enough to change the world,” said Røttingen, the newly appointed CEO of Wellcome, one of the world’s largest global health foundations. “It must be allied […] Continue reading ->