WHO says mRNA technology holds particular potential in developing vaccines against emerging epidemic threats. Scientists in the United States and abroad called on US Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F Kennedy Jr, to release the data that informed his decision to cancel the US investments in mRNA vaccine research. The World Health Organization […] Continue reading ->
A large outbreak of the mosquito-borne virus, chikungunya, is spreading rapidly from three Indian Ocean islands to Africa, while parts of South East Asia are also experiencing outbreaks, warned the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday. Around two-thirds of the population of the French island of Réunion has been infected with chikungunya over the past […] Continue reading ->
The global childhood vaccination rate in 2024 held steady with 85% of infants and children receiving three doses of the vaccine for diphtheria, pertussis and tetanus (DPT), used as a global benchmark for immunization rates overall. However large, continued gaps in coverage are propelling outbreaks, including the highest rate of measles cases since 2019. “In […] Continue reading ->
Saima Wazed, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) controversial regional director for the South East Asia Regional Office (SEARO), was placed on leave Friday (11 July) – four months after Bangladesh’s Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) filed two cases against her for fraud, forgery and misuse of power. WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus notified staff […] Continue reading ->
The World Health Organization has reduced its global headcount by about 221 people since January, down to 9,231 as compared to 9452 at the start of January – largely through a termination of temporary contracts and a freeze in renewals. Most of the cutbacks have been at the Geneva Headquarters, WHO’s largest office, where […] Continue reading ->
The World Health Organization has a draft $4.295 million contract with the Boston Consulting Group pending in its Global Management System (GSM), Health Policy Watch has learned – even while Save the Children has suspended its connection to BCG, over the reported involvement of two former staff members in the development of controversial projects in […] Continue reading ->
World Health Organization Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced his new team of 36 directors at headquarters on Tuesday, according to an internal message to WHO staff, seen by Health Policy Watch. Nine of the appointments, including key positions heading the Departments of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health, and the newly-combined Department of Environment, […] Continue reading ->
Dr Mike Ryan, director of the World Health Organization’s emergency response division, held his final press conference Friday in Geneva after eight years leading the UN health agency’s response to global health crises from war and famine to disease outbreaks. In his farewell remarks, Ryan warned of an “era of collapsed funding” following the Trump […] Continue reading ->
A four year WHO-sponsored investigation of the origins of the COVID pandemic by an international group of experts has concluded that “most scientific data and accessible published scientific evidence” support the hypothesis that the novel SARS-CoV2 virus first entered the human population either directly from virus-carrying bats, or from bats to humans via intermediate hosts. […] Continue reading ->
In Mongolia, where extreme winter cold spells, known as “Dzud”, are becoming more frequent due to climate change, these can spell death to people and animals. But in recent years, herders in remote regions can get up-to-date advance warnings of pending extremes, as well as detailed advice prompting them, for instance, to stock up on […] Continue reading ->