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 ->
For the first time since the 1990s, the World Health Organization has been asked by member states to update its assessment on the health impacts of nuclear war, although not without significant resistance, led by Russia and North Korea, but also including many other major nuclear states. The resolution calling for an updated assessment of […] Continue reading ->
The pace of technological change today is nothing short of revolutionary, according to Dr Douglas Bettcher, Senior Advisor in the Director-General’s Office at the World Health Organization (WHO). “I think we find ourselves very strangely in the last couple of years, in what seems to be a really brave new world, brave new reality,” he […] Continue reading ->
Self-care can be a key strategy in tackling the global crisis of non-communicable diseases that are responsible for three-quarters of premature deaths globally and 86 percent of early deaths (before age 70) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Moreover, dentists, pharmacists and community health workers are trained professionals who can provide innovative forms of self-care […] Continue reading ->
DAVOS – With populations ageing and mental health disorders at a record high, halting the global “pandemic” of brain disorders needs to be a paramount concern of industry – as well as the global health community. What is needed is a global effort spawning a “healthy brain economy” for the future, reflecting the same sense […] Continue reading ->
WASHINGTON, DC – Robert F Kennedy (RFK) Jr’s Senate confirmation as Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary faced fresh obstacles on Thursday after Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana) said he “wasn’t sure “ he could vote for someone “who spent decades criticizing vaccines, and who’s financially vested in […] Continue reading ->
Robert F Kennedy (RFK) Jr, President Donald Trump’s nominee for the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), faced two days of tense questioning from senators on the finance and health committees. He walked back many of his past statements on vaccines and abortion, and emphasized his commitment to address America’s […] Continue reading ->
WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebryesus urged a ‘wait and see’ attitude Tuesday in his first public comments on US President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of Robert F Kennedy Jr as Secretary of Health and Human Services – despite a flurry of fresh criticism by 77 Nobel Laureates over the controversial appointment. “It’s a transition […] Continue reading ->
Helen Rochford-Brennan, a 72-year-old Irish woman living with Alzheimer’s, was first diagnosed at 57, with a more complete diagnosis following five years later. At the time, there were no life-enhancing medications, leaving her to face the grim reality of her brain’s gradual decline, enduring what she described as “many dark days.” “Imagine having a new […] Continue reading ->
GENEVA – Ensuring that universal health coverage (UHC) protects cancer patients and tackling commercial interests driving cancer were two issues in the spotlight of the World Cancer Congress. Speakers stressed that they need to make their mark at the United Nations (UN) High-Level Meeting (HLM) on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in 2025, ensuring a bold rethinking […] Continue reading ->