Preventable environmental risks lead to a yearly death toll of 13 million people, 7 million of which are caused by air pollution, according to a World Health Organization report presented yesterday to its members attending the organisation’s Executive Board. Time is of the essence and the WHO draft global strategy on health, environment, and climate change received broad support, as well as a draft action plan for small island developing states, particularly vulnerable to climate change. Continue reading ->

Image Credits: Flickr – joiseyshowaa.

Shortages, faulty supply chains, unbearable prices, weak health systems – the issue of access to medicines is multifaceted and gave way to a long list of interventions yesterday at the World Health Organization. Challenged on its mandate to address intellectual property and trade issues, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Gheyebresus (Dr Tedros) confirmed that WHO’s mandate includes work with partners on those issues. Discussions also included fair pricing and transparency, for which Italy called for a resolution at the next World Health Assembly. Continue reading ->

Image Credits: WHO.

Measurable outputs are a key element of the World Health Organization transformation and its “triple billion” target. Last week, WHO Executive Board discussed the Impact Framework, a key measurement system. Board members asked clarifications on indicators and underlined the challenge of data collection in many countries. A consultation with country experts is expected to be held before the May World Health Assembly. Continue reading ->

Image Credits: Rikolto (Vredeseilanden).

The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) and Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) today announced the launch of the “Pandemic Response Box”, which offers researchers open access to 400 compounds that could lead to development of new treatments for pandemic diseases. In return, researchers “will be expected to share data resulting from research on the molecules from the box in the public domain within 2 years of its generation.” Continue reading ->

Policy leaders must redesign global economic incentives to advance healthy diets, and take a harder line against commercial interests promoting excessive production and consumption of unhealthy foods. Current trends are driving the inter-related pandemics of obesity and undernutrition as well as climate change, according to a new report by The Lancet Commission on Obesity. Continue reading ->

Image Credits: The Lancet.