As many high-income countries are relaxing restrictions for the summer months, low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are witnessing rises in cases, deaths, and overwhelmed hospitals.  Countries in Europe and the United States are increasingly allowing in travellers, ending mask mandates, and allowing large gatherings including football matches and concerts.  At the same time, the third […] Continue reading ->
In his most explicit appeal to date, WHO’s Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called upon the global leaders in COVID mRNA vaccine manufacturing – Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna to “share their know-how” in vaccine manufacturing with more manufacturers, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.  The WHO DG also called upon countries that are beginning to […] Continue reading ->
African Union and WHO/African Region officials on Thursday sharply criticized the European Union decision to not grant the Indian version of AstraZeneca’s “Covishield” vaccine, distributed by the global COVAX facility, recognition in the new EU “Digital Green Pass programme” – amidst a growing chorus of global protests over the double standard. In a related statement, […] Continue reading ->
As World Trade Organization (WTO) members continue to negotiate on ways to streamline and adapt intellectual property rules in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we bring you this interview with the European Union’s ambassador to the WTO, João Aguiar Machado. He discusses the different strands in the EU’s overall strategy on trade and health […] Continue reading ->
A “terrible third wave” of the COVID-19 pandemic is now hitting Africa in full force – with about 20 of the continent’s 54 countries experiencing particularly sharp rises in new infections, African Centers for Disease Control director, John Nkengasong told Health Policy Watch at a press briefing on Thursday.  Per-capita rates of new SARS-CoV2 cases […] Continue reading ->
Proponents of a sweeping World Trade Organization ‘waiver’ on intellectual property rights for all COVID-19 treatments, tests and vaccines face an uphill battle to reach consensus on a text ahead of a WTO General Council meeting scheduled for 27-28 July.  This is despite the recent agreement of the initiative’s opponents, including the European Union, Korea, […] Continue reading ->