Imagine you run a country and someone comes to you and says, “I have an idea for how you can make people healthier, reduce cancer by 20%, protect women and children, and even put money in your coffers for COVID-19 response, vaccines and recovery efforts.” It sounds implausible, even absurd. And yet, there is one […] Continue reading ->
Health services in low and middle-income countries have yet to adapt to their growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and still prioritise infectious diseases, according to a new report launched on Thursday by the NCD Alliance. Treatment “silos” for HIV and tuberculosis need to be transformed into integrated universal healthcare services to better serve people […] Continue reading ->
As Africa prepares to get even fewer COVID-19 vaccines than expected in the coming months thanks to the supply shortage at COVAX, the continent is also battling with vaccine hesitancy – exacerbated by the lack of vaccinated role models. Africa could receive 155 million fewer vaccines than expected this year from the global vaccine platform, […] Continue reading ->
The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for its global moratorium on COVID-19 boosters to be extended until the end of the year to enable vaccines to be directed to countries that have not yet been able to reach their vulnerable citizens. “A month ago, I called for a global moratorium on booster doses at […] Continue reading ->
COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers are expected to produce 12 billion doses by the end of the year – almost half made by China – and there could be a vaccine surplus by mid-next year. In addition, by the end of this month, around 500 million doses should be ready for “redistribution” from wealthy to low-and middle-income […] Continue reading ->
Over a third of the world’s countries – 37% – have either not created or are not enforcing legally mandated ambient air quality standards (AAQS), according to a new report released by the United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP). The report, “First Global Assessment of Air Pollution Legislation” assesses national air quality legislation in 194 states […] Continue reading ->
“The greatest threat to global public health is the continued failure of world leaders to keep the global temperature rise below 1·5°C, and to restore nature. Urgent, society-wide changes must be made and will lead to a fairer and healthier world,” according to an editorial published simultaneously in 200 journals world-wide. The aim of […] Continue reading ->
While a “pandemic treaty” could take years to establish, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) International Health Regulations (IHR) could be revised more rapidly to significantly improve global disease outbreak response, top US officials are saying. The statements coincided with a 3-day working group meeting of WHO member states to discuss ways to strengthen the global […] Continue reading ->
European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen has agreed to return to Africa millions of Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccines that were imported from a South African manufacturer following a meeting with South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa last week. This was revealed by African Union envoy Strive Masiyiwa said at an Africa Centres for […] Continue reading ->
As some 32 countries worldwide, including seven African nations, face “code red” oxygen shortages, WHO and its partners are in the midst of a major effort to recruit sufficient supplies to meet countries’ urgent needs for life-saving oxygen. But while over US$500 million is now available in funds and finance for oxygen through the Access […] Continue reading ->