TAIPEI, Taiwan - Two years after the victory of Taiwan Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) and President Tsai Ing-wen, Taiwan is feeling the effects of the DPP's position against the "One China principle." At the World Health Organization, China is allegedly successfully blocking Taiwan from participating in the annual World Health Assembly, and in a number of WHO technical meetings, officials say. Beyond the political dimension of the dissent between China and Taiwan, the situation may hurt the Taiwanese and global health security, Taiwanese officials said. Continue reading ->
The 70th annual World Health Assembly kicked off today with the focus of thousands on the grand plenary hall in United Nations headquarters in Geneva. But in the surrounding rooms and buildings in and outside of the UN, a wide array of side events is taking place. IP-Watch's Global Health Policy News took a look at a selection of these events and found this year a stronger focus has emerged on the subject of health security and the new UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These are occurring alongside the usual disease-specific events and those on various sectors of humanity, the focus on access to medical products, and a variety of other current topics. Continue reading ->
Taiwan will not be allowed to participate in the World Health Assembly (WHA) this year as an observer, the WHA has decided on its opening day. Some hours earlier today, Taiwan’s minister of health gave a press conference to denounce the fact that the country has not been invited by the World Health Organization, and saying that Taiwan needs the WHO, and the WHO needs Taiwan. Continue reading ->
WHO will have terminated, retired or separated by agreement an estimated 2371 staff worldwide by mid-2026 – shedding about 25% of a workforce that numbered 9,457 in December 2024 – a 15-year peak.  That’s according to a new report that is to be presented and discussed with WHO member states on Wednesday.  Despite the huge […] Continue reading ->
African countries want information about pathogens with the potential to cause pandemics to be shared “exclusively” through a global system currently being negotiated at the World Health Organization (WHO) – yet at the same time, their governments are under pressure to agree to bilateral Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) with the United States that will trade […] Continue reading ->
Climate change is claiming millions of lives annually through extreme heat, air pollution, wildfires and the spread of deadly infectious diseases, according to the most comprehensive assessment to date of the links between climate change and health. The ninth annual Lancet Countdown report, authored by 128 experts from 71 academic institutions and UN agencies worldwide, […] Continue reading ->