Tobacco Convention Chief Hails Advances But Offers Warnings And Flags Concerns Tobacco Industry Continues “Furious Efforts” To Undermine Treaty

02/10/2018 John Zarocostas

The chief of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Secretariat, Vera Luiza da Costa e Silva, told delegates from its 181 member states attending a Conference of the Parties meeting in Geneva (1-6 October) many governments have advanced tobacco control actions, but also noted some are lagging behind and warned that with astronomical budgets, the tobacco industry "continues their furious efforts" to undermine the implementation of the treaty. Continue reading ->

Draft Global Framework On Antimicrobial Resistance In Discussion This Week At WHO

01/10/2018 Catherine Saez

In an effort to curb antimicrobial resistance and the looming disaster of a defenceless world against bacterial infection, three United Nations organisations have joined forces. The World Health Organization, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN, and the World Organization for Animal Health have been tasked to establish a global framework which would encourage the development of new antibiotics and the good management of current ones. This week, WHO member states and stakeholders are meeting to discuss a draft of the framework. Continue reading ->

UN High-Level Meeting On Noncommunicable Diseases: A Call To Action

28/09/2018 David Branigan

NEW YORK -- The United Nations General Assembly yesterday adopted a high-level political declaration on noncommunicable diseases like cancer or cardiovascular disease. And while it gives an infusion of political energy to the issue, some are concerned it did not go far enough and are urging strong actions to follow. Continue reading ->

UN General Assembly Adopts High-Level Political Declaration On Noncommunicable Diseases

27/09/2018 David Branigan

NEW YORK -- The United Nations General Assembly is meeting today for the Third High-Level Meeting on Noncommunicable Diseases, and has adopted an ambitious political declaration, entitled “Time to Deliver: Accelerating our response to address NCDs for the health and well-being of present and future generations.” Continue reading ->

World Leaders Commit To End Tuberculosis At Historic United Nations Meeting

27/09/2018 David Branigan

NEW YORK -- World leaders and senior representatives came together today for the first-ever High-Level Meeting on the Fight to End Tuberculosis at United Nations headquarters in New York. At the meeting, heads of state adopted a political declaration with commitments to accelerate action and funding to end the tuberculosis epidemic by 2030. Continue reading ->

United Nations Meeting On Noncommunicable Diseases: “A Make Or Break Moment”

20/09/2018 David Branigan

After falling short of achieving commitments made at the first and second United Nations high-level meetings on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in recent years, the third high-level meeting on NCDs taking place next week presents an opportunity for world leaders to either step up their response, or risk falling further behind, according to stakeholders. Continue reading ->

New WHO Report: Progress Must Accelerate To Beat Tuberculosis

19/09/2018 David Branigan

NEW YORK -- Steady progress will simply not be enough in the fight against tuberculosis, according to a new report on TB released by the World Health Organization. Instead, the report calls for accelerated progress in order to meet the WHO End TB Strategy and UN Sustainable Development Goal targets on the disease by 2030. Continue reading ->

UN Negotiated Deal On Tuberculosis Declaration Stands

18/09/2018 David Branigan

The negotiated deal over the language of the United Nations political declaration on tuberculosis, a landmark in the fight against TB, has been maintained by member states and finalised on 14 September, marking the end of intense negotiations over language on access to medicines in the document. Continue reading ->

EXCLUSIVE: Senior UN Official On Syria Calls For An End To Attacks On Health Facilities As International Efforts Mount To Avert Another Humanitarian Catastrophe Over Looming Battle For Idleb

14/09/2018 John Zarocostas

Panos Moumtzis, Assistant UN Secretary-General and Regional Humanitarian Coordinator for the Syria Crisis (since September 2017) spoke to Health Policy Watch in an exclusive interview Thursday about the escalating crisis in the Syrian conflict, the continued attacks on health care facilities and the mounting international humanitarian and diplomatic efforts to try and avert another humanitarian catastrophe in the war-torn nation. But he also warned he fears the worst might still be ahead of us over the looming battle for Idleb. Continue reading ->

Asia-Pacific: Two Initiatives To Eliminate Malaria Once And For All

13/09/2018 Leila Ueberschlag

For the first time in history, the elimination of malaria is within reach in the Asia Pacific, according to experts. The world is, indeed, witnessing unprecedented progress in the global effort to eliminate the disease. However, some challenges – such as a looming funding gap that threatens critical malaria-elimination – put at risk the recent improvement. Continue reading ->