Two different court challenges of Uganda’s draconian Anti-Homosexuality Bill have been launched over the past week. The first involves 10 Ugandans and a human rights organisation, which have petitioned the country’s Constitutional Court to prevent the Anti-Homosexuality Act signed into law on Monday from being implemented. According to the petition, the law is unconstitutional as […] Continue reading ->
In a milestone decision at the 76th World Health Assembly (WHA76), a resolution aimed at addressing health challenges faced by indigenous peoples worldwide has been approved. With it, the Director-General of the WHO has been directed to develop a comprehensive global action plan dedicated to improving their health outcomes by 2026. Indigenous peoples, encompassing a […] Continue reading ->
The World Health Assembly has re-elected India to serve as WHO’s external auditor for the next four years – but there was a steep price tag attached to this year’s appointment. WHO will pay nearly $1 million for India’s services over the coming three-year term of 2024-2027  – amounting to US$ 2.268 million, according to […] Continue reading ->
Achieving universal health coverage by 2030, as resolved by the World Health Assembly this week, should ideally bring along with it a bouquet of possibilities through digital technologies.  Digital health technologies have improved the delivery of healthcare services by improving access to COVID-19 vaccination in Canada, and by improving access to breast and cervical cancer […] Continue reading ->
New global guidelines to tackle non-communicable diseases (NCDs) were finally passed by the World Health Assembly on Friday afternoon after a mammoth day-and-a-half of member states’ inputs. The guidelines update the World Health Organization’s (WHO) “Best Buys” published in 2017 and focus on the four key risk factors for NCDs – tobacco, alcohol, unhealthy diet […] Continue reading ->
Countries expressed concern at an uptick in polio cases last year and discussed ways to double down on routine immunizations – interrupted by the pandemic and conflicts – at Thursday’s World Health Assembly. Polio is currently the only official global public health emergency.  Afghanistan and Pakistan are the last two remaining countries where the virus […] Continue reading ->
As a wave of cholera outbreaks spreads around the world, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance said it expects the global shortage of oral cholera vaccines to continue until the end of 2025. Supply of oral cholera vaccines for preventative use could catch up to demand by 2026, but “urgent action is needed,” according to a vaccine […] Continue reading ->
World Health Organization member-states greenlighted a budget of $6.83 billion for 2024-25 for the global health agency – an 11% increase over the 2022-23 budget.  Implicit in the budget is member-state implementation of a stepwise increase in assessed contributions.  The groundbreaking reform, which aims to have one-half of WHO’s spending financed more sustainably by fixed […] Continue reading ->