DAMASCUS/JABLEH – One week on from last week’s massive earthquakes, ordinary people across Syria – including in the large parts controlled by President Bashar al-Assad’s forces – have been scrambling to marshal whatever help they can for survivors, offering up their homes, supplies, and skills. While many of the areas al-Assad controls are further from […] Continue reading ->
Following a first-ever outbreak of deadly Marburg virus disease in Equatorial Guinea, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday called an emergency meeting of the Marburg virus vaccine consortium (MARVAC) to receive an urgent update on possible vaccine candidates for the filovirus that can have an 80% fatality rate.   At the meeting, the agency received […] Continue reading ->
On 27 February, World Health Organization member states will meet to commence formal negotiations on a global pandemic preparedness agreement – unofficially turning the page from responding to COVID-19 to readying ourselves for future health emergencies. While the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) of member states have already held a series of meetings, as well as […] Continue reading ->
The world’s biggest multinational companies are failing to meet the bold climate change pledges they have made – and are obfuscating their failures through “ambiguous commitments, offsetting plans that lack credibility and emission scope exclusions”. This is according to the Corporate Climate Responsibility Monitor 2023, which was released on Monday by Carbon Market Watch and […] Continue reading ->
Alcohol is the second biggest cause of cancer after tobacco, and Movendi is mobilizing communities worldwide to publicize the link At the WHO’s 152th Executive Board, an updated list of policy “best buys” to prevent and control non-communicable diseases (NCDs) was presented. The EB decided unanimously to adopt the updated list of cost-effective interventions in […] Continue reading ->
Russia’s war in Ukraine has sparked a global health crisis – from the death, suffering and displacement of people in the country to the global food and fuel insecurity, and diminished donor funds to support other health issues. “The UN High Commission for Refugees estimated that about 17.6 million Ukrainians, which is about 43% of […] Continue reading ->
As Malawi struggles with its biggest-ever cholera outbreak, its response is being hampered by the global shortage of vaccines, warned Dr Patrick Otim Ramadan, World Health Organization (WHO) Africa’s Incident Manager for Regional Cholera Response at a media briefing on Thursday. By Wednesday, Malawi had recorded 40,284 cases and 1,316 deaths, with a case fatality […] Continue reading ->