Multi-Dose RSV Vaccine Wins WHO Backing, Paving Path to Protect Millions of Infants 11/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen A new three-dose vial presentation of the maternal RSV vaccine received prequalification from the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday, unlocking large-scale distribution across lower-income countries. The decision enables global health alliances to introduce affordable immunisation during pregnancy, protecting newborns from severe respiratory disease. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) remains the second leading cause of infant […] Continue reading -> LGBTIQ Groups in Repressive Countries Are Worst Affected by US Funding Cuts 10/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan HIV services, mental health and harm reduction programmes have been severely affected by the huge funding cuts to organisations providing services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) people over the past 18 months. Perversely, organisations in countries with the most repressive conditions for LGBTIQ people have been worst affected by cuts, according […] Continue reading -> EXCLUSIVE: Saima Wazed, WHO’s South-East Asia Regional Director Resigns Day After Member States Recommend Her Termination 10/09/2026 Elaine Ruth Fletcher Saima Wazed, WHO’s Regional Director (RD) for South-East Asia (SEARO) and daughter of ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, resigned Wednesday, just a day after South-East Asian member states recommended her termination, WHO confirmed to Health Policy Watch. “The previous day, 8 September 2026, the Regional Committee had recommended that Wazed’s appointment as Regional Director […] Continue reading -> Jeremy Farrar Joins Global Health Non-Profit PATH Following Unexpected Departure From WHO 09/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Outgoing WHO Assistant Director-General Dr Jeremy Farrar will lead PATH’s regional division for Asia, the Middle East, and Europe starting in October, the organisation announced in a press release on Wednesday (9 September). Based in Geneva, he joins the executive leadership team to accelerate the delivery of health technologies across these regions. “Dr Farrar joins […] Continue reading -> EU is Failing to Stem Illegal Tobacco Trade and Rising Health Risks, Auditors Warn 08/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Fragmented enforcement and uncoordinated policies fail to stem the illegal tobacco trade in Europe, a new report by the EU Court of Auditors finds. The surge of unregulated novel nicotine products and a shift toward illegal manufacturing sites expose significant regulatory gaps. The auditors demand that Brussels take a more active role to establish a […] Continue reading -> Why Disease Elimination Demands More Than Control 05/09/2026 Health Policy Watch “When you aim to deliver zero, and that is the goal of eradication, what it means is every person, every community, every village is equally important.” That is how Dr. Jamal Ahmed, WHO Director for Polio Eradication, explains why eliminating a disease requires a fundamentally different level of ambition than simply controlling it. Speaking on […] Continue reading -> BREAKING: Germany Declines to Nominate Candidate for Upcoming WHO Director-General Election 04/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Germany has declined to put forward a candidate for the election of the next WHO Director-General. With Spain also reportedly ruling out a bid, the global field of candidates has only four official nominees just a few weeks before the deadline. Germany will not nominate a candidate for the post of WHO Director-General, Health Policy […] Continue reading -> Controversy Over Merger Between UN Women and UNFPA Continues 04/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan Women’s organisations are anxious that Secretary-General António Guterres will push the controversial proposed merger of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and UN Women at the UN General Assembly later this month. Guterres proposed the merger as part of his UN80 initiative, aimed at streamlining and cutting costs as the global body tries to recover from […] Continue reading -> US Proposal to Eliminate PAHO Funding Raises Alarm Over Health Security in Americas 03/09/2026 Sophia Samantaroy A group of senior national security and health officials contend that cutting funding to the regional health organization will cripple the Western hemisphere’s ability to defend itself against disease threats. The oldest multilateral health organization in the world, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), is fighting many of the same health threats it did at […] Continue reading -> El Niño Forecast to Be Strongest on Record, Threatening Extreme Weather Through 2027 03/09/2026 Disha Shetty Countries around the world face higher risks of extreme weather events like floods, droughts and extreme heat as the ongoing El Niño intensifies and extends, with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) now assessing it will become the strongest in history. In its latest update, WMO assessed with 100% certainty that El Niño — the result […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older postsNewer posts
LGBTIQ Groups in Repressive Countries Are Worst Affected by US Funding Cuts 10/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan HIV services, mental health and harm reduction programmes have been severely affected by the huge funding cuts to organisations providing services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) people over the past 18 months. Perversely, organisations in countries with the most repressive conditions for LGBTIQ people have been worst affected by cuts, according […] Continue reading -> EXCLUSIVE: Saima Wazed, WHO’s South-East Asia Regional Director Resigns Day After Member States Recommend Her Termination 10/09/2026 Elaine Ruth Fletcher Saima Wazed, WHO’s Regional Director (RD) for South-East Asia (SEARO) and daughter of ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, resigned Wednesday, just a day after South-East Asian member states recommended her termination, WHO confirmed to Health Policy Watch. “The previous day, 8 September 2026, the Regional Committee had recommended that Wazed’s appointment as Regional Director […] Continue reading -> Jeremy Farrar Joins Global Health Non-Profit PATH Following Unexpected Departure From WHO 09/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Outgoing WHO Assistant Director-General Dr Jeremy Farrar will lead PATH’s regional division for Asia, the Middle East, and Europe starting in October, the organisation announced in a press release on Wednesday (9 September). Based in Geneva, he joins the executive leadership team to accelerate the delivery of health technologies across these regions. “Dr Farrar joins […] Continue reading -> EU is Failing to Stem Illegal Tobacco Trade and Rising Health Risks, Auditors Warn 08/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Fragmented enforcement and uncoordinated policies fail to stem the illegal tobacco trade in Europe, a new report by the EU Court of Auditors finds. The surge of unregulated novel nicotine products and a shift toward illegal manufacturing sites expose significant regulatory gaps. The auditors demand that Brussels take a more active role to establish a […] Continue reading -> Why Disease Elimination Demands More Than Control 05/09/2026 Health Policy Watch “When you aim to deliver zero, and that is the goal of eradication, what it means is every person, every community, every village is equally important.” That is how Dr. Jamal Ahmed, WHO Director for Polio Eradication, explains why eliminating a disease requires a fundamentally different level of ambition than simply controlling it. Speaking on […] Continue reading -> BREAKING: Germany Declines to Nominate Candidate for Upcoming WHO Director-General Election 04/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Germany has declined to put forward a candidate for the election of the next WHO Director-General. With Spain also reportedly ruling out a bid, the global field of candidates has only four official nominees just a few weeks before the deadline. Germany will not nominate a candidate for the post of WHO Director-General, Health Policy […] Continue reading -> Controversy Over Merger Between UN Women and UNFPA Continues 04/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan Women’s organisations are anxious that Secretary-General António Guterres will push the controversial proposed merger of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and UN Women at the UN General Assembly later this month. Guterres proposed the merger as part of his UN80 initiative, aimed at streamlining and cutting costs as the global body tries to recover from […] Continue reading -> US Proposal to Eliminate PAHO Funding Raises Alarm Over Health Security in Americas 03/09/2026 Sophia Samantaroy A group of senior national security and health officials contend that cutting funding to the regional health organization will cripple the Western hemisphere’s ability to defend itself against disease threats. The oldest multilateral health organization in the world, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), is fighting many of the same health threats it did at […] Continue reading -> El Niño Forecast to Be Strongest on Record, Threatening Extreme Weather Through 2027 03/09/2026 Disha Shetty Countries around the world face higher risks of extreme weather events like floods, droughts and extreme heat as the ongoing El Niño intensifies and extends, with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) now assessing it will become the strongest in history. In its latest update, WMO assessed with 100% certainty that El Niño — the result […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older postsNewer posts
EXCLUSIVE: Saima Wazed, WHO’s South-East Asia Regional Director Resigns Day After Member States Recommend Her Termination 10/09/2026 Elaine Ruth Fletcher Saima Wazed, WHO’s Regional Director (RD) for South-East Asia (SEARO) and daughter of ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, resigned Wednesday, just a day after South-East Asian member states recommended her termination, WHO confirmed to Health Policy Watch. “The previous day, 8 September 2026, the Regional Committee had recommended that Wazed’s appointment as Regional Director […] Continue reading -> Jeremy Farrar Joins Global Health Non-Profit PATH Following Unexpected Departure From WHO 09/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Outgoing WHO Assistant Director-General Dr Jeremy Farrar will lead PATH’s regional division for Asia, the Middle East, and Europe starting in October, the organisation announced in a press release on Wednesday (9 September). Based in Geneva, he joins the executive leadership team to accelerate the delivery of health technologies across these regions. “Dr Farrar joins […] Continue reading -> EU is Failing to Stem Illegal Tobacco Trade and Rising Health Risks, Auditors Warn 08/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Fragmented enforcement and uncoordinated policies fail to stem the illegal tobacco trade in Europe, a new report by the EU Court of Auditors finds. The surge of unregulated novel nicotine products and a shift toward illegal manufacturing sites expose significant regulatory gaps. The auditors demand that Brussels take a more active role to establish a […] Continue reading -> Why Disease Elimination Demands More Than Control 05/09/2026 Health Policy Watch “When you aim to deliver zero, and that is the goal of eradication, what it means is every person, every community, every village is equally important.” That is how Dr. Jamal Ahmed, WHO Director for Polio Eradication, explains why eliminating a disease requires a fundamentally different level of ambition than simply controlling it. Speaking on […] Continue reading -> BREAKING: Germany Declines to Nominate Candidate for Upcoming WHO Director-General Election 04/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Germany has declined to put forward a candidate for the election of the next WHO Director-General. With Spain also reportedly ruling out a bid, the global field of candidates has only four official nominees just a few weeks before the deadline. Germany will not nominate a candidate for the post of WHO Director-General, Health Policy […] Continue reading -> Controversy Over Merger Between UN Women and UNFPA Continues 04/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan Women’s organisations are anxious that Secretary-General António Guterres will push the controversial proposed merger of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and UN Women at the UN General Assembly later this month. Guterres proposed the merger as part of his UN80 initiative, aimed at streamlining and cutting costs as the global body tries to recover from […] Continue reading -> US Proposal to Eliminate PAHO Funding Raises Alarm Over Health Security in Americas 03/09/2026 Sophia Samantaroy A group of senior national security and health officials contend that cutting funding to the regional health organization will cripple the Western hemisphere’s ability to defend itself against disease threats. The oldest multilateral health organization in the world, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), is fighting many of the same health threats it did at […] Continue reading -> El Niño Forecast to Be Strongest on Record, Threatening Extreme Weather Through 2027 03/09/2026 Disha Shetty Countries around the world face higher risks of extreme weather events like floods, droughts and extreme heat as the ongoing El Niño intensifies and extends, with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) now assessing it will become the strongest in history. In its latest update, WMO assessed with 100% certainty that El Niño — the result […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older postsNewer posts
Jeremy Farrar Joins Global Health Non-Profit PATH Following Unexpected Departure From WHO 09/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Outgoing WHO Assistant Director-General Dr Jeremy Farrar will lead PATH’s regional division for Asia, the Middle East, and Europe starting in October, the organisation announced in a press release on Wednesday (9 September). Based in Geneva, he joins the executive leadership team to accelerate the delivery of health technologies across these regions. “Dr Farrar joins […] Continue reading -> EU is Failing to Stem Illegal Tobacco Trade and Rising Health Risks, Auditors Warn 08/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Fragmented enforcement and uncoordinated policies fail to stem the illegal tobacco trade in Europe, a new report by the EU Court of Auditors finds. The surge of unregulated novel nicotine products and a shift toward illegal manufacturing sites expose significant regulatory gaps. The auditors demand that Brussels take a more active role to establish a […] Continue reading -> Why Disease Elimination Demands More Than Control 05/09/2026 Health Policy Watch “When you aim to deliver zero, and that is the goal of eradication, what it means is every person, every community, every village is equally important.” That is how Dr. Jamal Ahmed, WHO Director for Polio Eradication, explains why eliminating a disease requires a fundamentally different level of ambition than simply controlling it. Speaking on […] Continue reading -> BREAKING: Germany Declines to Nominate Candidate for Upcoming WHO Director-General Election 04/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Germany has declined to put forward a candidate for the election of the next WHO Director-General. With Spain also reportedly ruling out a bid, the global field of candidates has only four official nominees just a few weeks before the deadline. Germany will not nominate a candidate for the post of WHO Director-General, Health Policy […] Continue reading -> Controversy Over Merger Between UN Women and UNFPA Continues 04/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan Women’s organisations are anxious that Secretary-General António Guterres will push the controversial proposed merger of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and UN Women at the UN General Assembly later this month. Guterres proposed the merger as part of his UN80 initiative, aimed at streamlining and cutting costs as the global body tries to recover from […] Continue reading -> US Proposal to Eliminate PAHO Funding Raises Alarm Over Health Security in Americas 03/09/2026 Sophia Samantaroy A group of senior national security and health officials contend that cutting funding to the regional health organization will cripple the Western hemisphere’s ability to defend itself against disease threats. The oldest multilateral health organization in the world, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), is fighting many of the same health threats it did at […] Continue reading -> El Niño Forecast to Be Strongest on Record, Threatening Extreme Weather Through 2027 03/09/2026 Disha Shetty Countries around the world face higher risks of extreme weather events like floods, droughts and extreme heat as the ongoing El Niño intensifies and extends, with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) now assessing it will become the strongest in history. In its latest update, WMO assessed with 100% certainty that El Niño — the result […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older postsNewer posts
EU is Failing to Stem Illegal Tobacco Trade and Rising Health Risks, Auditors Warn 08/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Fragmented enforcement and uncoordinated policies fail to stem the illegal tobacco trade in Europe, a new report by the EU Court of Auditors finds. The surge of unregulated novel nicotine products and a shift toward illegal manufacturing sites expose significant regulatory gaps. The auditors demand that Brussels take a more active role to establish a […] Continue reading -> Why Disease Elimination Demands More Than Control 05/09/2026 Health Policy Watch “When you aim to deliver zero, and that is the goal of eradication, what it means is every person, every community, every village is equally important.” That is how Dr. Jamal Ahmed, WHO Director for Polio Eradication, explains why eliminating a disease requires a fundamentally different level of ambition than simply controlling it. Speaking on […] Continue reading -> BREAKING: Germany Declines to Nominate Candidate for Upcoming WHO Director-General Election 04/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Germany has declined to put forward a candidate for the election of the next WHO Director-General. With Spain also reportedly ruling out a bid, the global field of candidates has only four official nominees just a few weeks before the deadline. Germany will not nominate a candidate for the post of WHO Director-General, Health Policy […] Continue reading -> Controversy Over Merger Between UN Women and UNFPA Continues 04/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan Women’s organisations are anxious that Secretary-General António Guterres will push the controversial proposed merger of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and UN Women at the UN General Assembly later this month. Guterres proposed the merger as part of his UN80 initiative, aimed at streamlining and cutting costs as the global body tries to recover from […] Continue reading -> US Proposal to Eliminate PAHO Funding Raises Alarm Over Health Security in Americas 03/09/2026 Sophia Samantaroy A group of senior national security and health officials contend that cutting funding to the regional health organization will cripple the Western hemisphere’s ability to defend itself against disease threats. The oldest multilateral health organization in the world, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), is fighting many of the same health threats it did at […] Continue reading -> El Niño Forecast to Be Strongest on Record, Threatening Extreme Weather Through 2027 03/09/2026 Disha Shetty Countries around the world face higher risks of extreme weather events like floods, droughts and extreme heat as the ongoing El Niño intensifies and extends, with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) now assessing it will become the strongest in history. In its latest update, WMO assessed with 100% certainty that El Niño — the result […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older postsNewer posts
Why Disease Elimination Demands More Than Control 05/09/2026 Health Policy Watch “When you aim to deliver zero, and that is the goal of eradication, what it means is every person, every community, every village is equally important.” That is how Dr. Jamal Ahmed, WHO Director for Polio Eradication, explains why eliminating a disease requires a fundamentally different level of ambition than simply controlling it. Speaking on […] Continue reading -> BREAKING: Germany Declines to Nominate Candidate for Upcoming WHO Director-General Election 04/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Germany has declined to put forward a candidate for the election of the next WHO Director-General. With Spain also reportedly ruling out a bid, the global field of candidates has only four official nominees just a few weeks before the deadline. Germany will not nominate a candidate for the post of WHO Director-General, Health Policy […] Continue reading -> Controversy Over Merger Between UN Women and UNFPA Continues 04/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan Women’s organisations are anxious that Secretary-General António Guterres will push the controversial proposed merger of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and UN Women at the UN General Assembly later this month. Guterres proposed the merger as part of his UN80 initiative, aimed at streamlining and cutting costs as the global body tries to recover from […] Continue reading -> US Proposal to Eliminate PAHO Funding Raises Alarm Over Health Security in Americas 03/09/2026 Sophia Samantaroy A group of senior national security and health officials contend that cutting funding to the regional health organization will cripple the Western hemisphere’s ability to defend itself against disease threats. The oldest multilateral health organization in the world, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), is fighting many of the same health threats it did at […] Continue reading -> El Niño Forecast to Be Strongest on Record, Threatening Extreme Weather Through 2027 03/09/2026 Disha Shetty Countries around the world face higher risks of extreme weather events like floods, droughts and extreme heat as the ongoing El Niño intensifies and extends, with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) now assessing it will become the strongest in history. In its latest update, WMO assessed with 100% certainty that El Niño — the result […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older postsNewer posts
BREAKING: Germany Declines to Nominate Candidate for Upcoming WHO Director-General Election 04/09/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Germany has declined to put forward a candidate for the election of the next WHO Director-General. With Spain also reportedly ruling out a bid, the global field of candidates has only four official nominees just a few weeks before the deadline. Germany will not nominate a candidate for the post of WHO Director-General, Health Policy […] Continue reading -> Controversy Over Merger Between UN Women and UNFPA Continues 04/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan Women’s organisations are anxious that Secretary-General António Guterres will push the controversial proposed merger of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and UN Women at the UN General Assembly later this month. Guterres proposed the merger as part of his UN80 initiative, aimed at streamlining and cutting costs as the global body tries to recover from […] Continue reading -> US Proposal to Eliminate PAHO Funding Raises Alarm Over Health Security in Americas 03/09/2026 Sophia Samantaroy A group of senior national security and health officials contend that cutting funding to the regional health organization will cripple the Western hemisphere’s ability to defend itself against disease threats. The oldest multilateral health organization in the world, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), is fighting many of the same health threats it did at […] Continue reading -> El Niño Forecast to Be Strongest on Record, Threatening Extreme Weather Through 2027 03/09/2026 Disha Shetty Countries around the world face higher risks of extreme weather events like floods, droughts and extreme heat as the ongoing El Niño intensifies and extends, with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) now assessing it will become the strongest in history. In its latest update, WMO assessed with 100% certainty that El Niño — the result […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older postsNewer posts
Controversy Over Merger Between UN Women and UNFPA Continues 04/09/2026 Kerry Cullinan Women’s organisations are anxious that Secretary-General António Guterres will push the controversial proposed merger of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and UN Women at the UN General Assembly later this month. Guterres proposed the merger as part of his UN80 initiative, aimed at streamlining and cutting costs as the global body tries to recover from […] Continue reading -> US Proposal to Eliminate PAHO Funding Raises Alarm Over Health Security in Americas 03/09/2026 Sophia Samantaroy A group of senior national security and health officials contend that cutting funding to the regional health organization will cripple the Western hemisphere’s ability to defend itself against disease threats. The oldest multilateral health organization in the world, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), is fighting many of the same health threats it did at […] Continue reading -> El Niño Forecast to Be Strongest on Record, Threatening Extreme Weather Through 2027 03/09/2026 Disha Shetty Countries around the world face higher risks of extreme weather events like floods, droughts and extreme heat as the ongoing El Niño intensifies and extends, with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) now assessing it will become the strongest in history. In its latest update, WMO assessed with 100% certainty that El Niño — the result […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older postsNewer posts
US Proposal to Eliminate PAHO Funding Raises Alarm Over Health Security in Americas 03/09/2026 Sophia Samantaroy A group of senior national security and health officials contend that cutting funding to the regional health organization will cripple the Western hemisphere’s ability to defend itself against disease threats. The oldest multilateral health organization in the world, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), is fighting many of the same health threats it did at […] Continue reading -> El Niño Forecast to Be Strongest on Record, Threatening Extreme Weather Through 2027 03/09/2026 Disha Shetty Countries around the world face higher risks of extreme weather events like floods, droughts and extreme heat as the ongoing El Niño intensifies and extends, with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) now assessing it will become the strongest in history. In its latest update, WMO assessed with 100% certainty that El Niño — the result […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older postsNewer posts
El Niño Forecast to Be Strongest on Record, Threatening Extreme Weather Through 2027 03/09/2026 Disha Shetty Countries around the world face higher risks of extreme weather events like floods, droughts and extreme heat as the ongoing El Niño intensifies and extends, with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) now assessing it will become the strongest in history. In its latest update, WMO assessed with 100% certainty that El Niño — the result […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older postsNewer posts