Individuals who suffer from severe psychiatric disorders were at least twice as likely to die from COVID-19 than others who caught the virus, at least in the first year of the pandemic when the most deadly SARS-COV2 variants, including Delta, were predominant. That is the key finding in a new study published in Molecular Psychiatry, […] Continue reading ->
Nearly ten years of air pollution data for dozens of Indian cities – among the most polluted in the world – was deleted from the latest World Health Organization Air Quality database just before WHO published the report on 4 April 2022, Health Policy Watch has learned. The Indian air quality data, spanning the years […] Continue reading ->
The second season of the Global Health Matters podcast series kicks off with a close-up look at South Africa’s health equity initiatives and champions. Health Policy Watch will be featuring episodes from the series throughout the coming year as part of a TDR-supported series. As the world commits to equitable access to medicines and vaccines, […] Continue reading ->
After years of being the neglected stepchild of global health, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) might finally be getting the urgent attention they need with Tuesday’s launch of an international NCD compact and presidential group. The measures were announced at the International Strategic Dialogue on NCDs and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) co-hosted by the governments of Ghana […] Continue reading ->
More than two years after the novel coronavirus erupted into a global pandemic, the world is beginning to settle into a new normal. COVID-19 changed how we live and work in ways that will continue long after the pandemic subsides. Digital and automation technologies are here to stay, work is done remotely, and shopping and […] Continue reading ->
In its largest release of data on air quality ever, WHO has found that most of the world’s population are breathing unsafe levels of air pollutant – particularly fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) – which cause excess illness and premature death from respiratory disease, as well as from cardiovascular disease and cancers. […] Continue reading ->
Delegates from most of the world’s nations met in Bali this week to review progress in tackling the worldwide problem of mercury poisoning from artisinal gold mining and other environmental sources as well as in the health care industry, in line with the 2013 Minamata Convention. The parties were meeting for the fourth time since […] Continue reading ->
A month after the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, almost 10 million people have been displaced, 64 attacks on health facilities have been verified – and the situation is set to worsen. This was the grim assessment of World Health Organization (WHO) officials briefing the media on Wednesday. “Nearly a quarter of Ukraine’s population […] Continue reading ->
The weekend of 12-13 March was a glorious time to be in the Swiss mountain resort of Villars-sur-Ollon post-pandemic. Special Olympics Switzerland had organized the regional games sporting competition with skiing, bowling, tennis and boccia, drawing dozens of keen athletes and supporters. My son joined the other 46 skiers and snowboarders from the region to […] Continue reading ->
Mental health practitioners worldwide are warning of a massive wave of pandemic-related mental health issues that many countries are ill-equipped to address. On Monday, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Europe office and the government of Greece launched a new European programme to strengthen and improve the quality of mental health services for children and adolescents. […] Continue reading ->