As More US Dairy Herds Infected with Avian Flu, Americans in the Dark on the Risks of Raw Milk

04/07/2024 Zuzanna Stawiska

As the fourth human case of H5N1 avian flu in a US farmworker in Colorado was confirmed Wednesday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), so far, only farm workers, and not consumers, have reported avian flu infections. This is likely due, at least in part, to the successful inactivation of the […] Continue reading ->

Pandemic Agreement Talks Extended: One More Year to Resolve Critical Issues

02/07/2024 Daniela Morich & Ava Greenup

Following the 77th World Health Assembly (WHA)’s endorsement of a delay of up to one year for finalizing a pandemic agreement, the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) is set to resume talks on 16-17 July 2024. INB member states will face contentious procedural issues and thorny debates over the resolution of substantive matters including a system […] Continue reading ->

When the South ‘Swings’ Together on Health Equity New Possibilities Emerge

01/07/2024 Elaine Ruth Fletcher

While this week’s CARICOM summit in Grenada has been postponed due to Hurricane Beryl, when it does convenes, a key item on the agenda will be the new ‘HeDPAC’ initiative to deepen South-South partnerships to meet shared global health challenges – from pandemic threats to climate change. In remote communities of Guyana, the introduction of […] Continue reading ->

Sudan Conflict Leaves 25.6 Million People in Acute Food Insecurity

30/06/2024 Sophia Samantaroy

Fourteen months into its devastating civil war, one-half of Sudan’s 25.6 million population faces levels of food security ranked as “crisis,” emergency, or “catastrophic,” according to the latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis. The IPC analysis of Gaza also found that a “high and sustained risk” of famine persists across the entire occupied […] Continue reading ->

Food and Drug Administration Expands Testing for Avian Flu in Dairy Products

29/06/2024 Zuzanna Stawiska

Amid the growing avian influenza epidemic in American cattle, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) launched new research Tuesday to ensure dairy products available in the market do not contain the virus in its active form. The research will involve a series of studies to test pasteurised milk samples collected from store shelves. The […] Continue reading ->

Framework to Help Curb Visceral Leishmaniasis in East Africa

26/06/2024 Zuzanna Stawiska

WHO framework to eliminate visceral leishmaniasis (VL), a deadly disease most prominent in East Africa, was launched Thursday. It can play an important role in eliminating VL as a public health problem by 2030: a goal key countries of the East African region committed to in last year’s Nairobi Declaration. “The VL elimination framework will offer […] Continue reading ->

Scientists in West Africa Tackle Malaria and Schistosomiasis

25/06/2024 Zsofia Hesketh

Malaria has long been at the heart of public health efforts in Africa. As a preventable but potentially fatal disease, it is caused by a parasite transmitted by mosquitoes. In 2022, the WHO African Region accounted for about 94% of cases globally. WHO says 78% of deaths in the region are among children under 5 […] Continue reading ->

Zimbabwe Faces Endless Exodus of Health Workers Amid Decreasing Salaries and Worsening Conditions

19/06/2024 Jeffrey Moyo

HARARE, Zimbabwe – After a decade of service as a nurse in the public sector and very little to show for her years of toil, Letina Chiwongotore has thrown in the towel. The 35-year-old is packing her bags for the UK, no longer able to bear mounting economic hardships. Nurses, doctors, pharmacists and other healthcare […] Continue reading ->

World Is Not Ready for the Next Pandemic But Independent Panel Leaders Offer Way Forward

18/06/2024 Kerry Cullinan

The world lacks the funds, political will and appropriate global platforms to tackle the next pandemic – and the World Health Organization (WHO) should possibly be split into two entities, with one focusing solely on health emergencies. This is according to a new report by former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark and former Liberian […] Continue reading ->

US Expands Bilateral Pandemic Preparedness Measures and Establishes Global Health Security Coordinator Post

10/06/2024 Sophia Samantaroy

While the World Health Organization’s International Negotiating Body (INB) continues to negotiate a global Pandemic Agreement, the US has issued its own vision for global health security and expanded its bilateral partnerships with countries across the world. Following the release of this revamped US global health security strategy, Health Policy Watch spoke with Stephanie Psaki, […] Continue reading ->