Despite a severe lack of COVID test and serological data in Africa, most people on the continent have probably already been exposed to SARS-CoV2, said the director of the influential Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation on Thursday.  And in light of that, and the fact that COVID vaccines do not prevent infection, but rather […] Continue reading ->
Despite earlier disruption from Ethiopia, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus received overwhelming support for his nomination for a second term as World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General from the body’s executive board on Tuesday. As the only nominee, Tedros is guaranteed to be re-elected at the next World Health Assembly in May. All WHO regions expressed their […] Continue reading ->
As the World Health Organization’s executive board meets this week, two major issues – reforming its finances and pandemic response – continue to defy easy consensus.   A handful of powerful countries, including but not limited to the United States, remain hesitant over a plan to bolster the World Health Organization’s (WHO) finances by increasing member […] 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 ->
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 ->
The leadership of the World Health Organization (WHO) has slammed Ethiopia’s “complete blockade” on health and humanitarian aid to Ethiopia’s Tigray region, saying it has been unable to deliver life-saving medications for nearly six months – in a situation that is “unprecedented” even in comparison to conflict-wracked Syria or Yemen.  “Humanitarian access even in conflict […] Continue reading ->