The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the risks of over-reliance on global supply chains for essential health products. Disruptions led to severe delays and shortages of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics, with low- and middle-income countries bearing the brunt. Vaccine inequality starkly highlighted Africa’s vulnerability. Yet this crisis unveiled a unique opportunity for the continent: a chance to […] Continue reading ->
New research suggests long-term exposure to wildfire smoke may significantly increase dementia risk, posing a greater threat to brain health than other forms of air pollution. The study, presented this week at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, examined a decade of electronic medical records for 1.2 million older adults in Southern California from 2009 to […] Continue reading ->
Global levels of hunger remain stagnant at the highest rates seen in over a decade, as one in 11 people worldwide (8.9%) faced hunger, or undernourishment, in 2023, according to the latest State of Food Security and Nutrition (SOFI) report, released on Wednesday. The report, a collaboration between the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International […] Continue reading ->
Nearly half of the world’s population suffers from some form of neurological condition ranging from simple migraines to Alzheimers. And yet in low-income countries, more than 75% of people needing neurological treatment cannot access care, according to a new World Health Organization report released on Tuesday, World Brain Day. The treatment gap – the difference […] Continue reading ->
By 2035, nearly three quarters of the 40 million people living with HIV worldwide will be living with one or more chronic disease, also referred to as noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). While there are encouraging examples of integrated HIV and NCD healthcare delivery, this is yet to become the norm in low- and middle-income countries. As stakeholders […] Continue reading ->
Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, cyberattacks, genetic engineering, and amateur-led biology experiments could all pose threats to a country, according to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) updated guidance on lab biosecurity. The guidance aims to help national regulatory bodies and other institutions “establish or strengthen frameworks for handling high-consequence pathogens”. It features a comprehensive set of […] Continue reading ->
To help countries and organisations navigate a complex pool of over 10,000 different medical devices, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched an online platform on Monday that will collect and standardise the information about medical equipment. Medical Devices Information System, or MeDevIS, is inspired by the WHO Priority Medical Devices List (MDL) and the Essential […] Continue reading ->
When Felicia Knaul met Tonya Rosa, a Mexican woman undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer, “she was there with a big smile on her face…even though her cancer had recurred.” But Rosa told Knaul that her first round of treatment had impoverished her family, “they had to sell their business, their home, their assets to be […] Continue reading ->
Malaria has long been at the heart of public health efforts in Africa. As a preventable but potentially fatal disease, it is caused by a parasite transmitted by mosquitoes. In 2022, the WHO African Region accounted for about 94% of cases globally. WHO says 78% of deaths in the region are among children under 5 […] Continue reading ->
The latest episode of the Global Health Matters podcast, hosted by Dr Garry Aslanyan, delves into the extraordinary careers of two global health leaders and the crucial role that capacity development has played in their journeys. This episode, produced to celebrate the 50th anniversary of TDR, the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical […] Continue reading ->