The publication of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) first “Global Status Report on Rehabilitation” has been effectively paused after the Executive Board concluded that the proposed methodology for measuring progress failed to capture the complex realities of health systems, particularly those in conflict zones. In a politically charged debate on Thursday, member states argued that […] Continue reading ->
A contentious debate at the World Health Organization’s Executive Board exposed the continued deep divisions between Israel and most other member states over the health situation in Gaza and the occupied Palestinian territory, with delegates trading starkly different assessments of humanitarian conditions, access to aid, and the reliability of WHO reporting. Saudi Arabia’s delegate, speaking […] Continue reading ->
A stark debate over who owns the data in the future of AI and digital health emerged at the World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board on Wednesday. Low and middle-income countries warned that the rapid deployment of new technologies risks accelerating data extraction and increasing inequality, cautioning that – without strict AI governance, sustainable financing […] Continue reading ->
Ukraine and its front-line allies unleashed a storm of criticism over Russia’s relentless attacks on Ukraine’s energy and health infrastructure in WHO’s Executive Board meeting Wednesday – condemning the Russian Federation for “weaponizing winter to make cities go dark, hospitals fail and civilians suffer.” “Russia is systematically attacking healthcare and the civilian lifelines it depends […] Continue reading ->
A dispute over technology transfer rights pushed the World Health Organization (WHO) to delay its Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) for further informal talks. Instead, the Executive Board approved a compromise drafted by Nepal and Ethiopia on Wednesday to reopen negotiations on intellectual property, specifically regarding “voluntary and mutually agreed technology transfers.” This […] Continue reading ->
The World Health Organization (WHO) is set for a massive shift in global health priorities with a new emergency care strategy, moving away from isolated hospital “silos” toward a seamless continuum of care. On Tuesday, the Executive Board unanimously adopted a 10-year strategy (2026 to 2035) for Integrated Emergency, Critical, and Operative Care (ECO), positioning […] Continue reading ->
Proposals to include steatotic liver disease and haemophilia, and other inherited bleeding disorders, into the definition of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) will be tabled at the World Health Assembly in May, the World Health Organization (WHO) Executive Board (EB) resolved on Tuesday. Egypt, which sponsored the resolution on steatotic liver disease (formerly known as fatty liver […] Continue reading ->