Staff unrest at the World Health Organization’s Geneva headquarters reached a new milestone this week, as the WHO Staff Association (HQSA) adopted three resolutions challenging the fairness and legitimacy of the Organization’s ongoing restructuring process, which has already led to post abolitions, reassignments, and widespread anxiety. In two meetings, Monday and Friday, attended by some […] Continue reading ->
NEW YORK – Although chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) are the third leading cause of death globally, there remains a ‘mismatch’ between impact and action, said a group of global health leaders and experts on the sidelines of the 80th UN General Assembly. “There is a mismatch between the disease [impact] from CRD and the action against […] Continue reading ->
On 25 September, world leaders will gather at the United Nations for the Fourth High-Level Meeting on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs). It comes at a pivotal moment: funding for global health has plummeted, while NCDs like heart disease, cancer and diabetes continue to claim 75% of all lives lost worldwide. This amid recent efforts to water […] Continue reading ->
In a 4 September message,  the WHO/HQ Staff Association called for an Extraordinary General Assembly (EGA), now due to take place on Monday, 22 September. The message acknowledged what many staff were feeling: profound change, deep uncertainty, and a heavy personal and professional toll. Their statement flagged key concerns raised by many WHO staff about […] Continue reading ->
WHO’s 2025 Essential Medicines Lists (EML), published Friday, has included the active ingredients in popular weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy –  semaglutide or other comparable  GLP-1 receptor agonists – in a recommendation that recognizes the growing importance of the drugs in clinical treatment of diabetes worldwide.  These drugs, as well as new PD-1/PD-L1 […] Continue reading ->
There is mounting rage amongst World Health Organization’s (WHO) staff about planned workforce reductions, as new financial data suggests that low- and mid-level personnel are bearing the brunt of cuts—while high-ranking executives, whose real costs far exceed their published salaries, remain largely protected. In an email to WHO staff last week, WHO Director General Dr […] Continue reading ->