New Research Reveals High Prevalence of Persistent COVID Infections

26/02/2024 Maayan Hoffman

A much higher percentage of the population has experienced “persistent” COVID-19 infections lasting more than 30 days than initially assumed, according to new research by the University of Oxford. The study, published on February 21 in Nature, found that one to three of every 100 infections may last a month or longer. The scientists, using […] Continue reading ->

Four Tips To Achieve Healthier Cities

24/02/2024 Maayan Hoffman

By 2050, around 70% of the global population is projected to reside in urban areas. While cities provide numerous advantages, they can also pose health risks to people and the environment. “Thoughtful planning and creation of inclusive urban spaces can have a significant impact on reducing the number of deaths attributed to poor air quality, […] Continue reading ->

How Criminalisation and Prejudice Is Undermining HIV Prevention

23/02/2024 Kerry Cullinan

In January, Ugandan LGBTQ activist Steven Kabuye was stabbed multiple times by two men travelling on a motorbike and left for dead on the outskirts of Kampala, the country’s capital city. The 25-year-old, who had received several death threats after Uganda’s Parliament passed its Anti-Homosexuality Act last May, criminalising LGBTQ people, said that the attackers […] Continue reading ->

European Union, Japan and South Korea Export ‘Heavy Duty’ Vehicle Pollution to Low-Income Countries

22/02/2024 Chetan Bhattacharji

A new report finds that the European Union, Japan and the Republic of Korea have been “dumping” used, and highly polluting trucks and buses on low- and middle-income countries. Heavy duty trucks and buses account for as much as 63% of PM2.5 pollution emissions from road vehicles globally. A new UN report has exposed a […] Continue reading ->

WHO: ‘Stringent Conditions’ Govern Military Action Against Health Facilities

21/02/2024 Kerry Cullinan

International humanitarian law is clear that “even if health care facilities are being used for military purposes, there are stringent conditions which apply to taking action against them, including a duty to warn and to wait after warning”, said Steven Solomon, the World Health Organization’s (WHO) principal legal officer. “Disproportionate attacks are strictly prohibited. All […] Continue reading ->

18 Million Sudanese Facing Acute Hunger as Civil War Shows No Signs of Ending

20/02/2024 Sophia Samantaroy

Nearly 18 million people face acute hunger in Sudan – 37% of the population – the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned Monday. Five million people are experiencing emergency levels of hunger, including 700,000 children. The World Health Organization (WHO) also called attention to the rise in infectious diseases as a result of the […] Continue reading ->

Shortage of Cholera Vaccines Spurs Africa CDC’s Quest for Local Manufacturing of Medical Products

20/02/2024 Kerry Cullinan

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) needs at least five million cholera vaccines to address the worst outbreak of the disease on the African continent – but it has received none so far. Meanwhile, Zambia has received half the cholera vaccines it needs and less than a third of Zimbabwe’s vaccine needs have been met, […] Continue reading ->

Pandemic Talks: Chasm Between Member States Over How to Share Pathogen Information

19/02/2024 Kerry Cullinan

Officially, there are 19 negotiating days left until a pandemic agreement is due to be presented to the World Health Assembly, yet deep divisions remain between World Health Organization (WHO) member states over a number of clauses. One of the biggest obstacles relates to pathogen access and benefit-sharing (PABS) – or how countries should share […] Continue reading ->

From Pandemics to AI: Unpacking the Forces Shaping Global Health Policies

17/02/2024 Maayan Hoffman

In the most recent episodes of the Global Health Matters podcast, host Dr Garry Aslanyan and his guests reflect on the forces and factors that shape the economic, social, and physical landscape affecting health for all. “The global policy landscape is changing more rapidly than ever due to the influence of pandemics, regional conflicts and […] Continue reading ->

EXCLUSIVE: Read Latest Pandemic Agreement Draft Ahead of Monday’s Negotiations

15/02/2024 Kerry Cullinan

Health Policy Watch has obtained portions of the latest draft of the pandemic agreement that member states will negotiate over at the eighth intergovernmental negotiating body (INB) starting on Monday, 19 February. At the time of publishing, only member states had access to the draft, although a number of civil society organisations recognised as stakeholders […] Continue reading ->