Famine indicators are worsening in the most vulnerable areas of Sudan, where “a situation that is already awful continues to deteriorate”, World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanon Ghebreyesus told a media briefing on Wednesday. Last week, acute malnutrition surpassing famine thresholds was identified in two areas of North Darfur, by the Integrated Food […] Continue reading ->
The publication of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) first “Global Status Report on Rehabilitation” has been effectively paused after the Executive Board concluded that the proposed methodology for measuring progress failed to capture the complex realities of health systems, particularly those in conflict zones. In a politically charged debate on Thursday, member states argued that […] Continue reading ->
A contentious debate at the World Health Organization’s Executive Board exposed the continued deep divisions between Israel and most other member states over the health situation in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territory, with delegates trading starkly different assessments of humanitarian conditions, access to aid, and the reliability of WHO reporting. Saudi Arabia’s delegate, speaking […] Continue reading ->
Ukraine and its front-line allies unleashed a storm of criticism over Russia’s relentless attacks on Ukraine’s energy and health infrastructure in WHO’s Executive Board meeting Wednesday – condemning the Russian Federation for “weaponizing winter to make cities go dark, hospitals fail and civilians suffer.” “Russia is systematically attacking healthcare and the civilian lifelines it depends […] Continue reading ->
Global health organisations have reacted with anger to the new US foreign aid policy, which prohibits all aid recipients, bar military, from performing or promoting abortion, “gender ideology”, or “diversity, equity and inclusion” (DEI). “Catastrophic”, “bullying”, “draconian” and “ideologically driven” – are some of their reactions to the Promoting Human Flourishing in Foreign Assistance (PHFFA) […] Continue reading ->
One year ago today (20 January), the Trump administration exploded the global health sector by immediately “pausing” all aid for 90 days – and dispensing with 83% of US Agency for International Development (USAID) projects six weeks later. Trillionaire Elon Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) “chainsawed” at USAID projects and contracts, folding […] Continue reading ->
The $9.4 billion package agreed to by the US Senate and House Appropriations Committees, is more than double the $3.7 billion requested by the Trump Administration, and signals bipartisan support for maintaining significant global health aid – although the package still must be approved by both Senate and House, and could also be vetoed by […] Continue reading ->
Senior United Nations officials and humanitarian leaders have urged Israel to reverse plans to withhold registration from more three-dozen international NGOs providing humanitarian relief in war-torn Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank – warning that the move would severely undermine life-saving aid in a moment of acute humanitarian need. Israel said last Thursday that some […] Continue reading ->