Sixty five days after one of the toughest lockdowns in the world, China has eased COVID-19 restrictions on its financial hub, Shanghai, on Wednesday – finally allowing the majority of its 25 million residents to move freely again. However, at least 890,000 residents are confined at home, in “quarantine” or “control zones”. The announcement to […] Continue reading ->
Health and peace, sex and war, money and management. Whether in chorus or cacophony – last week’s World Health Assembly of WHO member states played most of the notes in the symphony of global debate over strategies to tackle disease, epidemics and pandemics and bolster health systems. But the root causes of emerging disease threats […] Continue reading ->
In another one of a series of recent pandemic reform moves, the WHO Executive Board Monday approved the creation of a new Standing Committee on Health Emergencies, which could convene within 24 hours after the declaration of a global public health emergency – and liaise between the WHO Director-General and member states about modes of […] Continue reading ->
The World Health Assembly on Thursday approved a resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine by 88 votes to 12 – but the 53 abstentions reflected the discomfort of many member states with a debate that polarised the global health body. Russia’s counter-resolution only garnered 15 votes including those of Belarus, Burundi and Eritrea, with 66 […] Continue reading ->
GENEVA –Russia’s war in Ukraine grabbed centre stage at the World Health Assembly Thursday as delegates prepared to take up competing draft resolutions on Ukraine’s health emergency: one denouncing Russia and supported by Turkey, Ukraine, the United States and all European Union members except for Hungary; the other co-sponsored only by Russia and Syria. Although […] Continue reading ->
GENEVA – Opening the World Health Assembly under a “health for peace” banner that is this year’s theme, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned WHA member states that achieving ambitious global health goals – from snuffing out COVID-19 to expanding universal health coverage – will be virtually impossible if regional conflicts like ones ongoing in Ukraine, […] Continue reading ->
Nearly 1.4 million people in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPR Korea) are suspected of having been infected with COVID-19 in just the past three weeks, WHO officials said today. The global health agency has offered diagnostics, vaccines, medicines and other support, but with no clear response to date from the isolated Asian nation […] Continue reading ->
One-half of the countries facing serious climate threats also are located in conflict zones – and that single fact alone illustrates the symbiotic relationship of climate and conflict, and their inter-related impacts on health. This was a key message of the Geneva Health Forum panel on ‘Effective Responses to Health and Environmental Emergencies through Peacebuilding’, […] Continue reading ->
Russia’s war on Ukraine and its impact on healthcare in the region is the focus of a special session of the World Health Organization (WHO) Europe on Tuesday, as the latest figures show over 200 verified attacks on health facilities. Ukraine, backed by 38 other member countries including Germany and the UK, requested the session […] Continue reading ->
Getting medical supplies and equipment to those Ukrainians who need it as fighting intensifies is one of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) biggest concerns, according to WHO Europe spokesperson, Bhanu Bhatnagar on Tuesday. “An increase in fighting could further threaten our supply chains in and out of affected areas.,” said Bhatnagar, who is currently in […] Continue reading ->