Animal Health IS Public Health – It’s Time We Act Accordingly 06/07/2025 Carel du Marchie Sarvaas & John de Jong As the world observes World Zoonoses Day, it’s important to remember that human health is intimately tied to the health of animals, wild and domesticated. Five years after COVID-19, the world remains alert to health threats that can cross over from animals to people. Alongside growing concerns over high-profile spillovers like avian influenza, the silent […] Continue reading -> EXCLUSIVE: WHO Chief Names New Team of Directors – Mostly Familiar Faces 01/07/2025 Elaine Ruth Fletcher 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 -> Animal Source Most Likely Origin of SARS-CoV2 but Missing Chinese Data Leave Findings Inconclusive: WHO Expert Group 27/06/2025 Elaine Ruth Fletcher & Stefan Anderson 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 -> Mistrust, Trump and Multilateralism: Key Ingredients of the Pandemic Agreement ‘Recipe’ 17/06/2025 Kerry Cullinan Mistrust undermined the pandemic agreement talks – but, ironically, the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) galvanised member states to reach agreement, according to Ambassador Anne-Claire Amprou, co-chair of the talks. “There was a lack of trust. That means that when member states wanted to make a proposal, sometimes it created suspicion […] Continue reading -> Next Steps: Tension About How to Settle the Pandemic Agreement’s Annex 21/05/2025 Kerry Cullinan There are tensions between World Health Organization (WHO) member states about how to approach the final negotiations on the pandemic agreement – an annex on Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing system (PABS), according to Precious Matsoso, who co-chaired the negotiations. “There’s an argument about whether you invite experts to start working on a technical document […] Continue reading -> Presidents and Prime Ministers Celebrate the Passing of the Pandemic Agreement 20/05/2025 Kerry Cullinan Presidents, prime ministers and even opera singers, celebrated the unanimous adoption of the world’s first Pandemic Agreement by consensus at the World Health Assembly (WHA) plenary on Tuesday morning. Despite the 11th-hour insistence of Slovakia on a vote on the agreement in Committee A on Monday night, none of the World Health Organization (WHO) member […] Continue reading -> Country After Country Endorse Pandemic Agreement in Enormous Show of Support 19/05/2025 Kerry Cullinan An enormous list of World Health Organization (WHO) member states, 173 in all, lined up to speak in favour of the pandemic agreement at the World Health Assembly (WHA) on Monday – an extraordinary demonstration of the breadth of support for the document. By the end yesterday’s meeting of Committee A, member states passed […] Continue reading -> WHO Outlines Long Road Ahead Before Pandemic Agreement Comes into Force 14/05/2025 Kerry Cullinan The final draft of the pandemic agreement for the World Health Assembly (WHA) next week was published by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday – along with a document outlining the long road member states still have to travel before it is enforced. This follows the historic agreement reached on the text in the […] Continue reading -> Countries Say YES to Pandemic Agreement 16/04/2025 Kerry Cullinan At around 3am Wednesday, after three years of often intense negotiations, World Health Organization (WHO) member states agreed on a draft Pandemic Agreement, which sets out basic terms of engagement to prepare for, prevent and respond to pandemics. Bleary-eyed negotiators and co-chairs Precious Matsoso and Anne-Claire Amprou welcomed the final greening of the entire text […] Continue reading -> WHO’s Pandemic Agreement is Finally Within Reach as Brazil Proposes Compromise 13/04/2025 Kerry Cullinan World Health Organization (WHO) member states are very close to agreeing on the entire pandemic agreement – and may even have been able to clinch a deal on Saturday had they not been exhausted after negotiating from Friday morning right through until 9am on Saturday morning, according to sources. Anne-Claire Amprou, co-chair of the Intergovernmental […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older postsNewer posts
EXCLUSIVE: WHO Chief Names New Team of Directors – Mostly Familiar Faces 01/07/2025 Elaine Ruth Fletcher 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 -> Animal Source Most Likely Origin of SARS-CoV2 but Missing Chinese Data Leave Findings Inconclusive: WHO Expert Group 27/06/2025 Elaine Ruth Fletcher & Stefan Anderson 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 -> Mistrust, Trump and Multilateralism: Key Ingredients of the Pandemic Agreement ‘Recipe’ 17/06/2025 Kerry Cullinan Mistrust undermined the pandemic agreement talks – but, ironically, the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) galvanised member states to reach agreement, according to Ambassador Anne-Claire Amprou, co-chair of the talks. “There was a lack of trust. That means that when member states wanted to make a proposal, sometimes it created suspicion […] Continue reading -> Next Steps: Tension About How to Settle the Pandemic Agreement’s Annex 21/05/2025 Kerry Cullinan There are tensions between World Health Organization (WHO) member states about how to approach the final negotiations on the pandemic agreement – an annex on Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing system (PABS), according to Precious Matsoso, who co-chaired the negotiations. “There’s an argument about whether you invite experts to start working on a technical document […] Continue reading -> Presidents and Prime Ministers Celebrate the Passing of the Pandemic Agreement 20/05/2025 Kerry Cullinan Presidents, prime ministers and even opera singers, celebrated the unanimous adoption of the world’s first Pandemic Agreement by consensus at the World Health Assembly (WHA) plenary on Tuesday morning. Despite the 11th-hour insistence of Slovakia on a vote on the agreement in Committee A on Monday night, none of the World Health Organization (WHO) member […] Continue reading -> Country After Country Endorse Pandemic Agreement in Enormous Show of Support 19/05/2025 Kerry Cullinan An enormous list of World Health Organization (WHO) member states, 173 in all, lined up to speak in favour of the pandemic agreement at the World Health Assembly (WHA) on Monday – an extraordinary demonstration of the breadth of support for the document. By the end yesterday’s meeting of Committee A, member states passed […] Continue reading -> WHO Outlines Long Road Ahead Before Pandemic Agreement Comes into Force 14/05/2025 Kerry Cullinan The final draft of the pandemic agreement for the World Health Assembly (WHA) next week was published by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday – along with a document outlining the long road member states still have to travel before it is enforced. This follows the historic agreement reached on the text in the […] Continue reading -> Countries Say YES to Pandemic Agreement 16/04/2025 Kerry Cullinan At around 3am Wednesday, after three years of often intense negotiations, World Health Organization (WHO) member states agreed on a draft Pandemic Agreement, which sets out basic terms of engagement to prepare for, prevent and respond to pandemics. Bleary-eyed negotiators and co-chairs Precious Matsoso and Anne-Claire Amprou welcomed the final greening of the entire text […] Continue reading -> WHO’s Pandemic Agreement is Finally Within Reach as Brazil Proposes Compromise 13/04/2025 Kerry Cullinan World Health Organization (WHO) member states are very close to agreeing on the entire pandemic agreement – and may even have been able to clinch a deal on Saturday had they not been exhausted after negotiating from Friday morning right through until 9am on Saturday morning, according to sources. Anne-Claire Amprou, co-chair of the Intergovernmental […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older postsNewer posts
Animal Source Most Likely Origin of SARS-CoV2 but Missing Chinese Data Leave Findings Inconclusive: WHO Expert Group 27/06/2025 Elaine Ruth Fletcher & Stefan Anderson 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 -> Mistrust, Trump and Multilateralism: Key Ingredients of the Pandemic Agreement ‘Recipe’ 17/06/2025 Kerry Cullinan Mistrust undermined the pandemic agreement talks – but, ironically, the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) galvanised member states to reach agreement, according to Ambassador Anne-Claire Amprou, co-chair of the talks. “There was a lack of trust. That means that when member states wanted to make a proposal, sometimes it created suspicion […] Continue reading -> Next Steps: Tension About How to Settle the Pandemic Agreement’s Annex 21/05/2025 Kerry Cullinan There are tensions between World Health Organization (WHO) member states about how to approach the final negotiations on the pandemic agreement – an annex on Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing system (PABS), according to Precious Matsoso, who co-chaired the negotiations. “There’s an argument about whether you invite experts to start working on a technical document […] Continue reading -> Presidents and Prime Ministers Celebrate the Passing of the Pandemic Agreement 20/05/2025 Kerry Cullinan Presidents, prime ministers and even opera singers, celebrated the unanimous adoption of the world’s first Pandemic Agreement by consensus at the World Health Assembly (WHA) plenary on Tuesday morning. Despite the 11th-hour insistence of Slovakia on a vote on the agreement in Committee A on Monday night, none of the World Health Organization (WHO) member […] Continue reading -> Country After Country Endorse Pandemic Agreement in Enormous Show of Support 19/05/2025 Kerry Cullinan An enormous list of World Health Organization (WHO) member states, 173 in all, lined up to speak in favour of the pandemic agreement at the World Health Assembly (WHA) on Monday – an extraordinary demonstration of the breadth of support for the document. By the end yesterday’s meeting of Committee A, member states passed […] Continue reading -> WHO Outlines Long Road Ahead Before Pandemic Agreement Comes into Force 14/05/2025 Kerry Cullinan The final draft of the pandemic agreement for the World Health Assembly (WHA) next week was published by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday – along with a document outlining the long road member states still have to travel before it is enforced. This follows the historic agreement reached on the text in the […] Continue reading -> Countries Say YES to Pandemic Agreement 16/04/2025 Kerry Cullinan At around 3am Wednesday, after three years of often intense negotiations, World Health Organization (WHO) member states agreed on a draft Pandemic Agreement, which sets out basic terms of engagement to prepare for, prevent and respond to pandemics. Bleary-eyed negotiators and co-chairs Precious Matsoso and Anne-Claire Amprou welcomed the final greening of the entire text […] Continue reading -> WHO’s Pandemic Agreement is Finally Within Reach as Brazil Proposes Compromise 13/04/2025 Kerry Cullinan World Health Organization (WHO) member states are very close to agreeing on the entire pandemic agreement – and may even have been able to clinch a deal on Saturday had they not been exhausted after negotiating from Friday morning right through until 9am on Saturday morning, according to sources. Anne-Claire Amprou, co-chair of the Intergovernmental […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older postsNewer posts
Mistrust, Trump and Multilateralism: Key Ingredients of the Pandemic Agreement ‘Recipe’ 17/06/2025 Kerry Cullinan Mistrust undermined the pandemic agreement talks – but, ironically, the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) galvanised member states to reach agreement, according to Ambassador Anne-Claire Amprou, co-chair of the talks. “There was a lack of trust. That means that when member states wanted to make a proposal, sometimes it created suspicion […] Continue reading -> Next Steps: Tension About How to Settle the Pandemic Agreement’s Annex 21/05/2025 Kerry Cullinan There are tensions between World Health Organization (WHO) member states about how to approach the final negotiations on the pandemic agreement – an annex on Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing system (PABS), according to Precious Matsoso, who co-chaired the negotiations. “There’s an argument about whether you invite experts to start working on a technical document […] Continue reading -> Presidents and Prime Ministers Celebrate the Passing of the Pandemic Agreement 20/05/2025 Kerry Cullinan Presidents, prime ministers and even opera singers, celebrated the unanimous adoption of the world’s first Pandemic Agreement by consensus at the World Health Assembly (WHA) plenary on Tuesday morning. Despite the 11th-hour insistence of Slovakia on a vote on the agreement in Committee A on Monday night, none of the World Health Organization (WHO) member […] Continue reading -> Country After Country Endorse Pandemic Agreement in Enormous Show of Support 19/05/2025 Kerry Cullinan An enormous list of World Health Organization (WHO) member states, 173 in all, lined up to speak in favour of the pandemic agreement at the World Health Assembly (WHA) on Monday – an extraordinary demonstration of the breadth of support for the document. By the end yesterday’s meeting of Committee A, member states passed […] Continue reading -> WHO Outlines Long Road Ahead Before Pandemic Agreement Comes into Force 14/05/2025 Kerry Cullinan The final draft of the pandemic agreement for the World Health Assembly (WHA) next week was published by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday – along with a document outlining the long road member states still have to travel before it is enforced. This follows the historic agreement reached on the text in the […] Continue reading -> Countries Say YES to Pandemic Agreement 16/04/2025 Kerry Cullinan At around 3am Wednesday, after three years of often intense negotiations, World Health Organization (WHO) member states agreed on a draft Pandemic Agreement, which sets out basic terms of engagement to prepare for, prevent and respond to pandemics. Bleary-eyed negotiators and co-chairs Precious Matsoso and Anne-Claire Amprou welcomed the final greening of the entire text […] Continue reading -> WHO’s Pandemic Agreement is Finally Within Reach as Brazil Proposes Compromise 13/04/2025 Kerry Cullinan World Health Organization (WHO) member states are very close to agreeing on the entire pandemic agreement – and may even have been able to clinch a deal on Saturday had they not been exhausted after negotiating from Friday morning right through until 9am on Saturday morning, according to sources. Anne-Claire Amprou, co-chair of the Intergovernmental […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older postsNewer posts
Next Steps: Tension About How to Settle the Pandemic Agreement’s Annex 21/05/2025 Kerry Cullinan There are tensions between World Health Organization (WHO) member states about how to approach the final negotiations on the pandemic agreement – an annex on Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing system (PABS), according to Precious Matsoso, who co-chaired the negotiations. “There’s an argument about whether you invite experts to start working on a technical document […] Continue reading -> Presidents and Prime Ministers Celebrate the Passing of the Pandemic Agreement 20/05/2025 Kerry Cullinan Presidents, prime ministers and even opera singers, celebrated the unanimous adoption of the world’s first Pandemic Agreement by consensus at the World Health Assembly (WHA) plenary on Tuesday morning. Despite the 11th-hour insistence of Slovakia on a vote on the agreement in Committee A on Monday night, none of the World Health Organization (WHO) member […] Continue reading -> Country After Country Endorse Pandemic Agreement in Enormous Show of Support 19/05/2025 Kerry Cullinan An enormous list of World Health Organization (WHO) member states, 173 in all, lined up to speak in favour of the pandemic agreement at the World Health Assembly (WHA) on Monday – an extraordinary demonstration of the breadth of support for the document. By the end yesterday’s meeting of Committee A, member states passed […] Continue reading -> WHO Outlines Long Road Ahead Before Pandemic Agreement Comes into Force 14/05/2025 Kerry Cullinan The final draft of the pandemic agreement for the World Health Assembly (WHA) next week was published by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday – along with a document outlining the long road member states still have to travel before it is enforced. This follows the historic agreement reached on the text in the […] Continue reading -> Countries Say YES to Pandemic Agreement 16/04/2025 Kerry Cullinan At around 3am Wednesday, after three years of often intense negotiations, World Health Organization (WHO) member states agreed on a draft Pandemic Agreement, which sets out basic terms of engagement to prepare for, prevent and respond to pandemics. Bleary-eyed negotiators and co-chairs Precious Matsoso and Anne-Claire Amprou welcomed the final greening of the entire text […] Continue reading -> WHO’s Pandemic Agreement is Finally Within Reach as Brazil Proposes Compromise 13/04/2025 Kerry Cullinan World Health Organization (WHO) member states are very close to agreeing on the entire pandemic agreement – and may even have been able to clinch a deal on Saturday had they not been exhausted after negotiating from Friday morning right through until 9am on Saturday morning, according to sources. Anne-Claire Amprou, co-chair of the Intergovernmental […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older postsNewer posts
Presidents and Prime Ministers Celebrate the Passing of the Pandemic Agreement 20/05/2025 Kerry Cullinan Presidents, prime ministers and even opera singers, celebrated the unanimous adoption of the world’s first Pandemic Agreement by consensus at the World Health Assembly (WHA) plenary on Tuesday morning. Despite the 11th-hour insistence of Slovakia on a vote on the agreement in Committee A on Monday night, none of the World Health Organization (WHO) member […] Continue reading -> Country After Country Endorse Pandemic Agreement in Enormous Show of Support 19/05/2025 Kerry Cullinan An enormous list of World Health Organization (WHO) member states, 173 in all, lined up to speak in favour of the pandemic agreement at the World Health Assembly (WHA) on Monday – an extraordinary demonstration of the breadth of support for the document. By the end yesterday’s meeting of Committee A, member states passed […] Continue reading -> WHO Outlines Long Road Ahead Before Pandemic Agreement Comes into Force 14/05/2025 Kerry Cullinan The final draft of the pandemic agreement for the World Health Assembly (WHA) next week was published by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday – along with a document outlining the long road member states still have to travel before it is enforced. This follows the historic agreement reached on the text in the […] Continue reading -> Countries Say YES to Pandemic Agreement 16/04/2025 Kerry Cullinan At around 3am Wednesday, after three years of often intense negotiations, World Health Organization (WHO) member states agreed on a draft Pandemic Agreement, which sets out basic terms of engagement to prepare for, prevent and respond to pandemics. Bleary-eyed negotiators and co-chairs Precious Matsoso and Anne-Claire Amprou welcomed the final greening of the entire text […] Continue reading -> WHO’s Pandemic Agreement is Finally Within Reach as Brazil Proposes Compromise 13/04/2025 Kerry Cullinan World Health Organization (WHO) member states are very close to agreeing on the entire pandemic agreement – and may even have been able to clinch a deal on Saturday had they not been exhausted after negotiating from Friday morning right through until 9am on Saturday morning, according to sources. Anne-Claire Amprou, co-chair of the Intergovernmental […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older postsNewer posts
Country After Country Endorse Pandemic Agreement in Enormous Show of Support 19/05/2025 Kerry Cullinan An enormous list of World Health Organization (WHO) member states, 173 in all, lined up to speak in favour of the pandemic agreement at the World Health Assembly (WHA) on Monday – an extraordinary demonstration of the breadth of support for the document. By the end yesterday’s meeting of Committee A, member states passed […] Continue reading -> WHO Outlines Long Road Ahead Before Pandemic Agreement Comes into Force 14/05/2025 Kerry Cullinan The final draft of the pandemic agreement for the World Health Assembly (WHA) next week was published by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday – along with a document outlining the long road member states still have to travel before it is enforced. This follows the historic agreement reached on the text in the […] Continue reading -> Countries Say YES to Pandemic Agreement 16/04/2025 Kerry Cullinan At around 3am Wednesday, after three years of often intense negotiations, World Health Organization (WHO) member states agreed on a draft Pandemic Agreement, which sets out basic terms of engagement to prepare for, prevent and respond to pandemics. Bleary-eyed negotiators and co-chairs Precious Matsoso and Anne-Claire Amprou welcomed the final greening of the entire text […] Continue reading -> WHO’s Pandemic Agreement is Finally Within Reach as Brazil Proposes Compromise 13/04/2025 Kerry Cullinan World Health Organization (WHO) member states are very close to agreeing on the entire pandemic agreement – and may even have been able to clinch a deal on Saturday had they not been exhausted after negotiating from Friday morning right through until 9am on Saturday morning, according to sources. Anne-Claire Amprou, co-chair of the Intergovernmental […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older postsNewer posts
WHO Outlines Long Road Ahead Before Pandemic Agreement Comes into Force 14/05/2025 Kerry Cullinan The final draft of the pandemic agreement for the World Health Assembly (WHA) next week was published by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday – along with a document outlining the long road member states still have to travel before it is enforced. This follows the historic agreement reached on the text in the […] Continue reading -> Countries Say YES to Pandemic Agreement 16/04/2025 Kerry Cullinan At around 3am Wednesday, after three years of often intense negotiations, World Health Organization (WHO) member states agreed on a draft Pandemic Agreement, which sets out basic terms of engagement to prepare for, prevent and respond to pandemics. Bleary-eyed negotiators and co-chairs Precious Matsoso and Anne-Claire Amprou welcomed the final greening of the entire text […] Continue reading -> WHO’s Pandemic Agreement is Finally Within Reach as Brazil Proposes Compromise 13/04/2025 Kerry Cullinan World Health Organization (WHO) member states are very close to agreeing on the entire pandemic agreement – and may even have been able to clinch a deal on Saturday had they not been exhausted after negotiating from Friday morning right through until 9am on Saturday morning, according to sources. Anne-Claire Amprou, co-chair of the Intergovernmental […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older postsNewer posts
Countries Say YES to Pandemic Agreement 16/04/2025 Kerry Cullinan At around 3am Wednesday, after three years of often intense negotiations, World Health Organization (WHO) member states agreed on a draft Pandemic Agreement, which sets out basic terms of engagement to prepare for, prevent and respond to pandemics. Bleary-eyed negotiators and co-chairs Precious Matsoso and Anne-Claire Amprou welcomed the final greening of the entire text […] Continue reading -> WHO’s Pandemic Agreement is Finally Within Reach as Brazil Proposes Compromise 13/04/2025 Kerry Cullinan World Health Organization (WHO) member states are very close to agreeing on the entire pandemic agreement – and may even have been able to clinch a deal on Saturday had they not been exhausted after negotiating from Friday morning right through until 9am on Saturday morning, according to sources. Anne-Claire Amprou, co-chair of the Intergovernmental […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older postsNewer posts
WHO’s Pandemic Agreement is Finally Within Reach as Brazil Proposes Compromise 13/04/2025 Kerry Cullinan World Health Organization (WHO) member states are very close to agreeing on the entire pandemic agreement – and may even have been able to clinch a deal on Saturday had they not been exhausted after negotiating from Friday morning right through until 9am on Saturday morning, according to sources. Anne-Claire Amprou, co-chair of the Intergovernmental […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older postsNewer posts