After a gruelling recent Ebola infection, Dr Patrick Oparpio, a gynaecologist based in Bunia in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), has urged health authorities to offer psychological support for Ebola survivors and their families. This week, the DRC reported 6,843 Ebola cases and 3,310 deaths – a case fatality rate of over 48% […] Continue reading ->
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 ->
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 ->
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 ->
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 ->
Namibia has rejected the United States’ demands for sharing health data and pathogen information during negotiations for renewed US support for its HIV programme, according to The Namibian newspaper. In the past few years, the country has received around $45 million a year in support from the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), […] Continue reading ->
Around 200,000 people in the Israeli-occupied West Bank will lose access to vital food aid from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) due to funding cuts, exacerbating food insecurity. In the Gaza Strip, the nutrition and health crisis is set to worsen further due to a lack of medical supplies and sanitation, the World […] Continue reading ->
Under Germany’s tightly constrained draft budget proposal for 2027, the government is set to reduce global health funding substantially. While mandatory assessed contributions to the World Health Organization (WHO) will rise slightly, flexible budgets for pandemic preparedness are planned to be cut by 15.3%. As part of a broader budget overhaul, the German government is […] Continue reading ->
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)’s Ebola outbreak passed the 100-day mark on Monday with over 5,515 confirmed cases and 2,642 deaths – and health experts warn that the response needs to be accelerated to bring the world’s fastest Ebola outbreak under control. While the case fatality rate is almost 48%, the DRC’s Ministry of […] Continue reading ->
Indonesia has officially nominated its Health Minister, Budi Gunadi Sadikin, for the WHO Director-General election – in what is also an unconventional candidacy for the global health agency that has traditionally been led by medical or public health professionals. Sadikin was posted as an official nominee on the WHO election website over the weekend. A […] Continue reading ->