Indian lockdowns, telehealth in California, a “sin tax” on alcohol and cigarettes in the Philippines – three public health advocates reflect on how these and other events have shaped the narrative around non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The three included Apoorva Gomber, a medical doctor; Gina Agiostratidou, a philanthropic donor; and civil society leader Katie Dain, found […] Continue reading ->
As the dust began to settle in June 2009 in the aftermath of the global recession, 81 million young people found themselves out of work, as the youth unemployment rate rose to 13%. But unemployment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic – with 1 in 6 young people worldwide having already lost their job […] Continue reading ->
Raising a conversation about patients rights and patient care over the din of the COVID-19 pandemic is not easy. But hundreds of patient groups and thousands of attendees drew together virtually last week at the 2nd Asia-Pacific Patients Congress to talk about how to reclaim a voice and space for patient rights in the wake […] Continue reading ->
As the world’s eyes are fixed on the pending roll-out of new Covid-19 vaccines, a team of 120 leading health and climate experts have called on global leaders to use the momentum of the pandemic response to accelerate climate action, just ahead of the five-year anniversary of the landmark Paris Agreement to limit global warming […] Continue reading ->
More than 235 million people worldwide will require humanitarian protection next year: an increase of 40% in 12 months. The United Nations (UN)has announced an appeal for US$35 billion, which it estimates will be required to support 160 million of those most in need of support, across 56 countries. The Global Humanitarian Overview (GHO) 2021, […] Continue reading ->
The COVID-19 pandemic did not so much create cracks in healthcare systems around the world, as it exposed weaknesses in them, participants at the Geneva Health Forum said Wednesday at a session on how health systems have fared during the COVID-19 pandemic. “We have found fragility everywhere,” said Edward Kelley, Director of Integrated Health Services […] Continue reading ->
Experts met at the Geneva Health Forum (GHF) this week to discuss the successes and challenges met in expanding social health protection to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC). Every year, around 100 million people are pushed into “extreme poverty” because they have to pay for health care, and over 800 million people – almost 12% […] Continue reading ->
In the early 2000’s, when Kenyan doctor Sally Agallo Kwenda was diagnosed with cervical cancer, it was a big shock given she was not experiencing any pain or symptoms. A bigger shock, however, was her husband’s decision to walk out on her. He claimed that he could not live with a woman who could not […] Continue reading ->
The COVID-19 pandemic, while devastating, has also created an opportunity for “patients to stand up, educate themselves well and build their expertise,” says Karen Alparce-Villanueva, a board member of the Philippine Alliance of Patient Organizations (PAPO). She was speaking at a session of the Geneva Health Forum that focused on “Patients as Co-creators and disseminators […] Continue reading ->
Second in a series – On Wednesday, 18 November, at 2pm CET, leading experts at the Geneva Health Forum (GHF) 2020 will provide their take on how to move forward on the recently approved WHO global strategy to accelerate the elimination of cervical cancer, which kills 300,000 women every year, mostly in low-resource settings like […] Continue reading ->