WHO will have terminated, retired or separated by agreement an estimated 2371 staff worldwide by mid-2026 – shedding about 25% of a workforce that numbered 9,457 in December 2024 – a 15-year peak. That’s according to a new report that is to be presented and discussed with WHO member states on Wednesday. Despite the huge […] Continue reading ->
BERLIN – The head of the world’s largest malaria funder has issued a stark warning that the disease now poses a greater threat than HIV or tuberculosis, as a new analysis released Tuesday reveals funding cuts could trigger 990,000 additional deaths by 2030, including 750,000 children under five. “If I think about the situation we […] Continue reading ->
BERLIN — A top UNAIDS official told delegates at the World Health Summit this week that it would be “very difficult” to envision shutting down the agency by the end of 2026, pushing back against a controversial proposal from UN Secretary-General António Guterres that has triggered an outcry from civil society groups and member states. […] Continue reading ->
BERLIN — Leaders of the world’s major global health institutions called for a fundamental restructuring of an aid system they described as too fragmented, duplicative and confusing, with several stating that the number of agencies must be reduced as cuts from the US and other donors force a reckoning with the labyrinthine architecture of global […] Continue reading ->
Development funding for fossil fuel-based energy projects jumped 80 per cent in 2023 to $9.5bn, up from $5.3bn in 2022, even as toxic air causes more than 8m premature deaths annually, according to a new report. Governments continue to channel billions more in international aid into projects that prolong fossil fuel use than into tackling […] Continue reading ->
The President of the Republic of Botswana and Chair of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA), writes about the urgency of mobilising funding to defend the gains and further progress in the fight against malaria. Despite decades of progress, we are not on track to defeat malaria in Africa. Without more resolve, innovation, financing, and […] Continue reading ->
GENEVA — The world’s attempt to forge a plastics treaty billed as the most important environmental deal since the Paris climate accord is falling apart after three years of talks. With negotiations due to end Thursday evening, 184 nations gathered in Geneva remain deadlocked over basic definitions, the scope of the treaty and whether to […] Continue reading ->
GENEVA — Fossil fuel and petrochemical lobbyists have descended on UN plastics treaty negotiations in record numbers, as delegates from over 180 countries attempt to forge a global agreement to stem the tsunami of plastic pollution drowning the planet. According to a new analysis by the Centre for International Environmental Law (CIEL), at least 234 […] Continue reading ->
Syria is looking to rebuild its healthcare system after a 14-year long civil war that left at least 300,000 dead and 70% of its population dependent on humanitarian aid. But the new government faces a major challenge in ensuring the safety of minority groups, along with access to healthcare and humanitarian aid. The primarily Druze […] Continue reading ->
In 2024, sand and dust storms affected 330 million people across 150 countries taking a toll on health and economies, according to a new report by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). While the annual mean dust surface concentrations was slightly lower in 2024 when compared to 2023, there were big regional variations. In the most […] Continue reading ->