One Year of America First Global Health Strategy: Controversy, Secrecy and Suffering 17/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan Country controversies, secret terms, opaque procurement, and massive unspent congressional funds have characterised the first year of the America First Global Health Strategy. “Services are weaker than they were a year ago, HIV testing is down, treatment of children living with HIV is down, and community-based prevention is gutted,” said Emily Bass, expert consultant for […] Continue reading -> The Networks that Shape the Early Digital Campaigns for WHO Director-General Election 17/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen The race to lead the World Health Organization (WHO) is intensifying. Early digital campaign data reveals an active contest to capture the pivotal African vote and outreach to established United States, European Union and corporate networks. While the full field of contenders is still taking shape ahead of the nomination deadline, digital engagement metrics already […] Continue reading -> What Will Trump Pick Mean for World Food Programme and Humanitarians? 17/09/2026 Irwin Loy The Trump administration dismantled aid and attacked the global system as wasteful. Now a Trump pick looks set to lead one of the world’s biggest humanitarian agencies. This story was originally published by The New Humanitarian. US agriculture official Luke Lindberg will be named the new head of the World Food Programme, two aid officials familiar […] Continue reading -> US Medicare Pricing Policies Could Drive Global Costs and Hinder Access Worldwide 17/09/2026 Sophia Samantaroy A new modelling study suggests that US Medicare “Most-Favored-Nation” policies on drug prices would cut Medicare spending on brand name drugs, but potentially incentivize companies to increase prices or delay new drug launches elsewhere. Efforts to control the cost of United States government spending on drugs culminated in a “most-favored-nation” policy, a Trump administration initiative […] Continue reading -> Ebola Outbreak Shows Signs of Containment in Northeastern DRC – Still Expanding Elsewhere 16/09/2026 Elaine Ruth Fletcher The Ebola Bundibugyo virus outbreak is showing early signs of containment in the Ituri province in the northeastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where it first surfaced in April. But in North Kivu province, to the south, cases are still rising fast, with weekly cases nearly doubling over the past two weeks, […] Continue reading -> EU Proposes ‘Kids Act’ Banning Social Media Under 13 Over Mental Health Risks 16/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Social media will be banned for children under 13 across the European Union according to the newly proposed “EU Kids Act”, announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen today (16 September) in Brussels. The sweeping digital health initiative mandates strict parental oversight for young teenagers aged 13 to under 15 across all 27 […] Continue reading -> Despite Funding Cuts, Global Fund Sustains Progress Against HIV, TB and Malaria 16/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan Countries supported by the Global Fund put over a million more people on antiretroviral (ARV) treatment, sustained tuberculosis treatment and distributed 34 million more insecticide-treated mosquito nets in 2025 than the previous year. In 2025, some 26.9 million people were on ARVs (compared to 25.6 million), 7.4 million people were treated for TB, and 196 […] Continue reading -> When Harm Hides in Hospital: Messaging and the Medicalisation of Female Genital Mutilation 15/09/2026 Famia Nkansa, Bintu Mansaray & Frances Wurie There have been documented decreases in female genital mutilation (FGM) rates in West Africa – declines not granted by governments, but fought for community by community by survivors, activists, and even former practitioners. In July 2025, that fight produced a landmark ruling: the ECOWAS Court of Justice found that Sierra Leone’s failure to protect girls […] Continue reading -> Developing Countries Unite Over Need for Binding Contracts with Pharma at Pandemic Talks 14/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan Contracts, contracts, contracts. Virtually all the regional blocs that addressed the start of the eighth round of the pandemic agreement talks on Monday stressed that any pathogen access and benefit-sharing (PABS) system needs to include standard contracts with pharmaceutical manufacturers. These would set out the terms of accessing dangerous pathogens, as well as how to […] Continue reading -> DRC’s Ebola Lessons: Learned and Unlearned (Part I) 14/09/2026 Mukesh Kapila The lethality of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is not just in its genome. Neither is it entirely explained by the country’s internal instability and defunded, broken health infrastructure. Have we allowed the virus to outsmart us by overlooking past lessons? The signs around the DRC’s 17th Ebola outbreak indicate […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
The Networks that Shape the Early Digital Campaigns for WHO Director-General Election 17/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen The race to lead the World Health Organization (WHO) is intensifying. Early digital campaign data reveals an active contest to capture the pivotal African vote and outreach to established United States, European Union and corporate networks. While the full field of contenders is still taking shape ahead of the nomination deadline, digital engagement metrics already […] Continue reading -> What Will Trump Pick Mean for World Food Programme and Humanitarians? 17/09/2026 Irwin Loy The Trump administration dismantled aid and attacked the global system as wasteful. Now a Trump pick looks set to lead one of the world’s biggest humanitarian agencies. This story was originally published by The New Humanitarian. US agriculture official Luke Lindberg will be named the new head of the World Food Programme, two aid officials familiar […] Continue reading -> US Medicare Pricing Policies Could Drive Global Costs and Hinder Access Worldwide 17/09/2026 Sophia Samantaroy A new modelling study suggests that US Medicare “Most-Favored-Nation” policies on drug prices would cut Medicare spending on brand name drugs, but potentially incentivize companies to increase prices or delay new drug launches elsewhere. Efforts to control the cost of United States government spending on drugs culminated in a “most-favored-nation” policy, a Trump administration initiative […] Continue reading -> Ebola Outbreak Shows Signs of Containment in Northeastern DRC – Still Expanding Elsewhere 16/09/2026 Elaine Ruth Fletcher The Ebola Bundibugyo virus outbreak is showing early signs of containment in the Ituri province in the northeastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where it first surfaced in April. But in North Kivu province, to the south, cases are still rising fast, with weekly cases nearly doubling over the past two weeks, […] Continue reading -> EU Proposes ‘Kids Act’ Banning Social Media Under 13 Over Mental Health Risks 16/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Social media will be banned for children under 13 across the European Union according to the newly proposed “EU Kids Act”, announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen today (16 September) in Brussels. The sweeping digital health initiative mandates strict parental oversight for young teenagers aged 13 to under 15 across all 27 […] Continue reading -> Despite Funding Cuts, Global Fund Sustains Progress Against HIV, TB and Malaria 16/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan Countries supported by the Global Fund put over a million more people on antiretroviral (ARV) treatment, sustained tuberculosis treatment and distributed 34 million more insecticide-treated mosquito nets in 2025 than the previous year. In 2025, some 26.9 million people were on ARVs (compared to 25.6 million), 7.4 million people were treated for TB, and 196 […] Continue reading -> When Harm Hides in Hospital: Messaging and the Medicalisation of Female Genital Mutilation 15/09/2026 Famia Nkansa, Bintu Mansaray & Frances Wurie There have been documented decreases in female genital mutilation (FGM) rates in West Africa – declines not granted by governments, but fought for community by community by survivors, activists, and even former practitioners. In July 2025, that fight produced a landmark ruling: the ECOWAS Court of Justice found that Sierra Leone’s failure to protect girls […] Continue reading -> Developing Countries Unite Over Need for Binding Contracts with Pharma at Pandemic Talks 14/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan Contracts, contracts, contracts. Virtually all the regional blocs that addressed the start of the eighth round of the pandemic agreement talks on Monday stressed that any pathogen access and benefit-sharing (PABS) system needs to include standard contracts with pharmaceutical manufacturers. These would set out the terms of accessing dangerous pathogens, as well as how to […] Continue reading -> DRC’s Ebola Lessons: Learned and Unlearned (Part I) 14/09/2026 Mukesh Kapila The lethality of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is not just in its genome. Neither is it entirely explained by the country’s internal instability and defunded, broken health infrastructure. Have we allowed the virus to outsmart us by overlooking past lessons? The signs around the DRC’s 17th Ebola outbreak indicate […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
What Will Trump Pick Mean for World Food Programme and Humanitarians? 17/09/2026 Irwin Loy The Trump administration dismantled aid and attacked the global system as wasteful. Now a Trump pick looks set to lead one of the world’s biggest humanitarian agencies. This story was originally published by The New Humanitarian. US agriculture official Luke Lindberg will be named the new head of the World Food Programme, two aid officials familiar […] Continue reading -> US Medicare Pricing Policies Could Drive Global Costs and Hinder Access Worldwide 17/09/2026 Sophia Samantaroy A new modelling study suggests that US Medicare “Most-Favored-Nation” policies on drug prices would cut Medicare spending on brand name drugs, but potentially incentivize companies to increase prices or delay new drug launches elsewhere. Efforts to control the cost of United States government spending on drugs culminated in a “most-favored-nation” policy, a Trump administration initiative […] Continue reading -> Ebola Outbreak Shows Signs of Containment in Northeastern DRC – Still Expanding Elsewhere 16/09/2026 Elaine Ruth Fletcher The Ebola Bundibugyo virus outbreak is showing early signs of containment in the Ituri province in the northeastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where it first surfaced in April. But in North Kivu province, to the south, cases are still rising fast, with weekly cases nearly doubling over the past two weeks, […] Continue reading -> EU Proposes ‘Kids Act’ Banning Social Media Under 13 Over Mental Health Risks 16/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Social media will be banned for children under 13 across the European Union according to the newly proposed “EU Kids Act”, announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen today (16 September) in Brussels. The sweeping digital health initiative mandates strict parental oversight for young teenagers aged 13 to under 15 across all 27 […] Continue reading -> Despite Funding Cuts, Global Fund Sustains Progress Against HIV, TB and Malaria 16/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan Countries supported by the Global Fund put over a million more people on antiretroviral (ARV) treatment, sustained tuberculosis treatment and distributed 34 million more insecticide-treated mosquito nets in 2025 than the previous year. In 2025, some 26.9 million people were on ARVs (compared to 25.6 million), 7.4 million people were treated for TB, and 196 […] Continue reading -> When Harm Hides in Hospital: Messaging and the Medicalisation of Female Genital Mutilation 15/09/2026 Famia Nkansa, Bintu Mansaray & Frances Wurie There have been documented decreases in female genital mutilation (FGM) rates in West Africa – declines not granted by governments, but fought for community by community by survivors, activists, and even former practitioners. In July 2025, that fight produced a landmark ruling: the ECOWAS Court of Justice found that Sierra Leone’s failure to protect girls […] Continue reading -> Developing Countries Unite Over Need for Binding Contracts with Pharma at Pandemic Talks 14/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan Contracts, contracts, contracts. Virtually all the regional blocs that addressed the start of the eighth round of the pandemic agreement talks on Monday stressed that any pathogen access and benefit-sharing (PABS) system needs to include standard contracts with pharmaceutical manufacturers. These would set out the terms of accessing dangerous pathogens, as well as how to […] Continue reading -> DRC’s Ebola Lessons: Learned and Unlearned (Part I) 14/09/2026 Mukesh Kapila The lethality of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is not just in its genome. Neither is it entirely explained by the country’s internal instability and defunded, broken health infrastructure. Have we allowed the virus to outsmart us by overlooking past lessons? The signs around the DRC’s 17th Ebola outbreak indicate […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
US Medicare Pricing Policies Could Drive Global Costs and Hinder Access Worldwide 17/09/2026 Sophia Samantaroy A new modelling study suggests that US Medicare “Most-Favored-Nation” policies on drug prices would cut Medicare spending on brand name drugs, but potentially incentivize companies to increase prices or delay new drug launches elsewhere. Efforts to control the cost of United States government spending on drugs culminated in a “most-favored-nation” policy, a Trump administration initiative […] Continue reading -> Ebola Outbreak Shows Signs of Containment in Northeastern DRC – Still Expanding Elsewhere 16/09/2026 Elaine Ruth Fletcher The Ebola Bundibugyo virus outbreak is showing early signs of containment in the Ituri province in the northeastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where it first surfaced in April. But in North Kivu province, to the south, cases are still rising fast, with weekly cases nearly doubling over the past two weeks, […] Continue reading -> EU Proposes ‘Kids Act’ Banning Social Media Under 13 Over Mental Health Risks 16/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Social media will be banned for children under 13 across the European Union according to the newly proposed “EU Kids Act”, announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen today (16 September) in Brussels. The sweeping digital health initiative mandates strict parental oversight for young teenagers aged 13 to under 15 across all 27 […] Continue reading -> Despite Funding Cuts, Global Fund Sustains Progress Against HIV, TB and Malaria 16/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan Countries supported by the Global Fund put over a million more people on antiretroviral (ARV) treatment, sustained tuberculosis treatment and distributed 34 million more insecticide-treated mosquito nets in 2025 than the previous year. In 2025, some 26.9 million people were on ARVs (compared to 25.6 million), 7.4 million people were treated for TB, and 196 […] Continue reading -> When Harm Hides in Hospital: Messaging and the Medicalisation of Female Genital Mutilation 15/09/2026 Famia Nkansa, Bintu Mansaray & Frances Wurie There have been documented decreases in female genital mutilation (FGM) rates in West Africa – declines not granted by governments, but fought for community by community by survivors, activists, and even former practitioners. In July 2025, that fight produced a landmark ruling: the ECOWAS Court of Justice found that Sierra Leone’s failure to protect girls […] Continue reading -> Developing Countries Unite Over Need for Binding Contracts with Pharma at Pandemic Talks 14/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan Contracts, contracts, contracts. Virtually all the regional blocs that addressed the start of the eighth round of the pandemic agreement talks on Monday stressed that any pathogen access and benefit-sharing (PABS) system needs to include standard contracts with pharmaceutical manufacturers. These would set out the terms of accessing dangerous pathogens, as well as how to […] Continue reading -> DRC’s Ebola Lessons: Learned and Unlearned (Part I) 14/09/2026 Mukesh Kapila The lethality of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is not just in its genome. Neither is it entirely explained by the country’s internal instability and defunded, broken health infrastructure. Have we allowed the virus to outsmart us by overlooking past lessons? The signs around the DRC’s 17th Ebola outbreak indicate […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Ebola Outbreak Shows Signs of Containment in Northeastern DRC – Still Expanding Elsewhere 16/09/2026 Elaine Ruth Fletcher The Ebola Bundibugyo virus outbreak is showing early signs of containment in the Ituri province in the northeastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where it first surfaced in April. But in North Kivu province, to the south, cases are still rising fast, with weekly cases nearly doubling over the past two weeks, […] Continue reading -> EU Proposes ‘Kids Act’ Banning Social Media Under 13 Over Mental Health Risks 16/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Social media will be banned for children under 13 across the European Union according to the newly proposed “EU Kids Act”, announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen today (16 September) in Brussels. The sweeping digital health initiative mandates strict parental oversight for young teenagers aged 13 to under 15 across all 27 […] Continue reading -> Despite Funding Cuts, Global Fund Sustains Progress Against HIV, TB and Malaria 16/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan Countries supported by the Global Fund put over a million more people on antiretroviral (ARV) treatment, sustained tuberculosis treatment and distributed 34 million more insecticide-treated mosquito nets in 2025 than the previous year. In 2025, some 26.9 million people were on ARVs (compared to 25.6 million), 7.4 million people were treated for TB, and 196 […] Continue reading -> When Harm Hides in Hospital: Messaging and the Medicalisation of Female Genital Mutilation 15/09/2026 Famia Nkansa, Bintu Mansaray & Frances Wurie There have been documented decreases in female genital mutilation (FGM) rates in West Africa – declines not granted by governments, but fought for community by community by survivors, activists, and even former practitioners. In July 2025, that fight produced a landmark ruling: the ECOWAS Court of Justice found that Sierra Leone’s failure to protect girls […] Continue reading -> Developing Countries Unite Over Need for Binding Contracts with Pharma at Pandemic Talks 14/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan Contracts, contracts, contracts. Virtually all the regional blocs that addressed the start of the eighth round of the pandemic agreement talks on Monday stressed that any pathogen access and benefit-sharing (PABS) system needs to include standard contracts with pharmaceutical manufacturers. These would set out the terms of accessing dangerous pathogens, as well as how to […] Continue reading -> DRC’s Ebola Lessons: Learned and Unlearned (Part I) 14/09/2026 Mukesh Kapila The lethality of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is not just in its genome. Neither is it entirely explained by the country’s internal instability and defunded, broken health infrastructure. Have we allowed the virus to outsmart us by overlooking past lessons? The signs around the DRC’s 17th Ebola outbreak indicate […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
EU Proposes ‘Kids Act’ Banning Social Media Under 13 Over Mental Health Risks 16/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Social media will be banned for children under 13 across the European Union according to the newly proposed “EU Kids Act”, announced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen today (16 September) in Brussels. The sweeping digital health initiative mandates strict parental oversight for young teenagers aged 13 to under 15 across all 27 […] Continue reading -> Despite Funding Cuts, Global Fund Sustains Progress Against HIV, TB and Malaria 16/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan Countries supported by the Global Fund put over a million more people on antiretroviral (ARV) treatment, sustained tuberculosis treatment and distributed 34 million more insecticide-treated mosquito nets in 2025 than the previous year. In 2025, some 26.9 million people were on ARVs (compared to 25.6 million), 7.4 million people were treated for TB, and 196 […] Continue reading -> When Harm Hides in Hospital: Messaging and the Medicalisation of Female Genital Mutilation 15/09/2026 Famia Nkansa, Bintu Mansaray & Frances Wurie There have been documented decreases in female genital mutilation (FGM) rates in West Africa – declines not granted by governments, but fought for community by community by survivors, activists, and even former practitioners. In July 2025, that fight produced a landmark ruling: the ECOWAS Court of Justice found that Sierra Leone’s failure to protect girls […] Continue reading -> Developing Countries Unite Over Need for Binding Contracts with Pharma at Pandemic Talks 14/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan Contracts, contracts, contracts. Virtually all the regional blocs that addressed the start of the eighth round of the pandemic agreement talks on Monday stressed that any pathogen access and benefit-sharing (PABS) system needs to include standard contracts with pharmaceutical manufacturers. These would set out the terms of accessing dangerous pathogens, as well as how to […] Continue reading -> DRC’s Ebola Lessons: Learned and Unlearned (Part I) 14/09/2026 Mukesh Kapila The lethality of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is not just in its genome. Neither is it entirely explained by the country’s internal instability and defunded, broken health infrastructure. Have we allowed the virus to outsmart us by overlooking past lessons? The signs around the DRC’s 17th Ebola outbreak indicate […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Despite Funding Cuts, Global Fund Sustains Progress Against HIV, TB and Malaria 16/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan Countries supported by the Global Fund put over a million more people on antiretroviral (ARV) treatment, sustained tuberculosis treatment and distributed 34 million more insecticide-treated mosquito nets in 2025 than the previous year. In 2025, some 26.9 million people were on ARVs (compared to 25.6 million), 7.4 million people were treated for TB, and 196 […] Continue reading -> When Harm Hides in Hospital: Messaging and the Medicalisation of Female Genital Mutilation 15/09/2026 Famia Nkansa, Bintu Mansaray & Frances Wurie There have been documented decreases in female genital mutilation (FGM) rates in West Africa – declines not granted by governments, but fought for community by community by survivors, activists, and even former practitioners. In July 2025, that fight produced a landmark ruling: the ECOWAS Court of Justice found that Sierra Leone’s failure to protect girls […] Continue reading -> Developing Countries Unite Over Need for Binding Contracts with Pharma at Pandemic Talks 14/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan Contracts, contracts, contracts. Virtually all the regional blocs that addressed the start of the eighth round of the pandemic agreement talks on Monday stressed that any pathogen access and benefit-sharing (PABS) system needs to include standard contracts with pharmaceutical manufacturers. These would set out the terms of accessing dangerous pathogens, as well as how to […] Continue reading -> DRC’s Ebola Lessons: Learned and Unlearned (Part I) 14/09/2026 Mukesh Kapila The lethality of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is not just in its genome. Neither is it entirely explained by the country’s internal instability and defunded, broken health infrastructure. Have we allowed the virus to outsmart us by overlooking past lessons? The signs around the DRC’s 17th Ebola outbreak indicate […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
When Harm Hides in Hospital: Messaging and the Medicalisation of Female Genital Mutilation 15/09/2026 Famia Nkansa, Bintu Mansaray & Frances Wurie There have been documented decreases in female genital mutilation (FGM) rates in West Africa – declines not granted by governments, but fought for community by community by survivors, activists, and even former practitioners. In July 2025, that fight produced a landmark ruling: the ECOWAS Court of Justice found that Sierra Leone’s failure to protect girls […] Continue reading -> Developing Countries Unite Over Need for Binding Contracts with Pharma at Pandemic Talks 14/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan Contracts, contracts, contracts. Virtually all the regional blocs that addressed the start of the eighth round of the pandemic agreement talks on Monday stressed that any pathogen access and benefit-sharing (PABS) system needs to include standard contracts with pharmaceutical manufacturers. These would set out the terms of accessing dangerous pathogens, as well as how to […] Continue reading -> DRC’s Ebola Lessons: Learned and Unlearned (Part I) 14/09/2026 Mukesh Kapila The lethality of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is not just in its genome. Neither is it entirely explained by the country’s internal instability and defunded, broken health infrastructure. Have we allowed the virus to outsmart us by overlooking past lessons? The signs around the DRC’s 17th Ebola outbreak indicate […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Developing Countries Unite Over Need for Binding Contracts with Pharma at Pandemic Talks 14/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan Contracts, contracts, contracts. Virtually all the regional blocs that addressed the start of the eighth round of the pandemic agreement talks on Monday stressed that any pathogen access and benefit-sharing (PABS) system needs to include standard contracts with pharmaceutical manufacturers. These would set out the terms of accessing dangerous pathogens, as well as how to […] Continue reading -> DRC’s Ebola Lessons: Learned and Unlearned (Part I) 14/09/2026 Mukesh Kapila The lethality of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is not just in its genome. Neither is it entirely explained by the country’s internal instability and defunded, broken health infrastructure. Have we allowed the virus to outsmart us by overlooking past lessons? The signs around the DRC’s 17th Ebola outbreak indicate […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
DRC’s Ebola Lessons: Learned and Unlearned (Part I) 14/09/2026 Mukesh Kapila The lethality of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is not just in its genome. Neither is it entirely explained by the country’s internal instability and defunded, broken health infrastructure. Have we allowed the virus to outsmart us by overlooking past lessons? The signs around the DRC’s 17th Ebola outbreak indicate […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts