The ‘forgotten crisis’ of Afghanistan has exposed more and more young Afghans to mental health problems and drug abuse amid dwindling donor support and crumbling healthcare under the Taliban regime, said experts at a high-level side event at the recent meeting of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna Austria. Since the Taliban imposed a […] Continue reading ->
In the wake of surging mpox cases in the DRC and the emergence of novel orthopoxviruses, the US needs to rapidly bolster its smallpox readiness, preparedness, and response, according to a new report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The report brought together experts from across the country to critically evaluate the […] Continue reading ->
At a time when the world is negotiating the best way forward for sustained preparedness to address pandemics, it is still exhibiting collective failure to learn from past outbreaks and a glaring gap in global health security. Mpox is one case in point – and a test case for global intent on pandemic preparedness. In […] Continue reading ->
The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a new network, CoViNet, aimed at identifying, monitoring, and evaluating SARS-CoV-2, MERS-CoV, and emerging coronaviruses that pose significant public health risks. The program expands on the WHO COVID-19 reference laboratory network, established in January 2020, in the early days of the pandemic. Originally, the network’s primary goal was […] Continue reading ->
A woman walks to an open tent and stands before a “camera” on a tripod, with a green curtain serving as her backdrop. “One, two, three…hold still…deep breath,” instructs the man in a black vest, speaking in Filipino, then presses the shutter. Within five minutes, the photo is ready. But this is no ordinary snapshot […] Continue reading ->
WHO officials said that they are trying to expedite delivery of mpox vaccines to outbreak-stricken DR Congo through talks with the world’s only two mpox vaccine manufacturers, as well as appeals for vaccine donations and negotiations with DRC officials. But speaking at a press briefing on Thursday, WHO’s Dr Mike Ryan, Executive Director of Health […] Continue reading ->
What actions and strategies are required for countries and communities to have more agency in their health? This is the topic of the latest episode of the Global Health Matters “Dialogues” podcast series, in which host Dr. Garry Aslanyan tries to “blow up some of the echo chambers that exist in global health.” In this […] Continue reading ->
Pharmaceutical giants could support a formula whereby companies are guaranteed free and immediate access to pathogens with pandemic potential in exchange for binding equity agreements as part of a proposed World Health Organization (WHO) pandemic agreement, says a leading industry figure. The statement by Thomas Cueni, director-general of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers […] Continue reading ->
Tuberculosis has long been the neglected stepchild of global health – but new diagnostic tools and treatments, artificial intelligence (AI) and debt swaps to help countries meet their targets have come into play and are making a difference. “There is fresh momentum,” says Dr Jamie Tonsing, Senior TB advisor at the Global Fund, in a […] Continue reading ->
Over the last century, Europe – including Northern, Western, Southern and Central European countries – made remarkable progress in the near elimination of tuberculosis (TB) due to improved socio-economic conditions and advancements in research and development. However, a recent surge of TB in Europe, coupled with lack of structural preparedness within many European Union (EU) […] Continue reading ->