As the world enters the third year of the COVID-19 pandemic, an increasing number of important efforts are underway to strengthen global health security.  However, it is vital that, while strengthening our global health architecture, we do not lose sight of the fundamental role played by national level health systems in tackling global health threats. […] Continue reading ->
In a long and winding discussion Thursday at The World Health Organization’s Executive Board, low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) pledged to redouble their efforts against noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as diabetes and obesity, which are having increasing impacts on health and well-being – in addition to infectious diseases that have been at the forefront of […] Continue reading ->
Unless a future pandemic ‘instrument’ is properly financed and legally binding, it will not be able to prevent health emergencies, numerous member states told the World Health Organization’s (WHO) 150th executive board meeting on Monday. Speaking on behalf of Africa’s 47 member states, Kenya’s Dr Cleopa Mailu said there should be a “radical disruption” of […] Continue reading ->
IDABAN, Nigeria – The decision of the World Health Organization (WHO) to drop its opposition for COVID-19 vaccination booster shots has raised concerns in Africa about the potential depletion of COVID-19 vaccine doses available to African countries.  On Friday, Health Policy Watch reported WHO recommended the wider administration of a third shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech […] Continue reading ->
In a stark departure from months of booster opposition, WHO on Friday recommended the wider administration of a third shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine – as well as jabs for children age 5 and older.  The recommendation comes after over 120 countries already have booster campaigns in full-swing, some of them beginning as early […] Continue reading ->
CAPE TOWN – South African-born US biotech billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong launched a vaccine manufacturing plant in the country of his birth on Wednesday, aimed at producing “second generation” vaccines to address COVID-19 and other diseases. Soon-Shiong, who has made his fortune from developing successful cancer treatments, has committed an initial $195 million to NantSA – […] Continue reading ->
International financial institutions need to extend widespread debt relief to developing countries, and private sector companies need to mend “social contracts” with societies, and in order to “beat climate, beat COVID” fight hunger – and global financial instability, said UN Secretary General António Guterres. He was speaking on the opening day of the World Economic […] Continue reading ->
Rwanda became the recipient of the one-billionth COVID-19 vaccine delivered by COVAX, the global platform set up to ensure equitable access to the vaccines,announced last Friday. After numerous supply problems – most seriously when its key supplier, the Serum Insitute of India, was banned from exporting its vaccines by the Indian government – COVAX was […] Continue reading ->
COVID-19 vaccination in Africa may be shifting from a supply challenge – to one of effective vaccine distribution, declared  a senior World Health Organization official in the African Region on Thursday.  African countries will have adequate access to COVID-19 vaccine supplies in 2022, said Dr Abdou Salam Gueye, Director of Emergency Preparedness and Response, WHO […] Continue reading ->