From barriers to treatment for people with hearing disabilities to preconceptions about albinism and inaccessible COVID testing for wheelchair users, participants in the Global Disability Summit took a fresh look at the wide range of discriminatory practices that an estimated 1 billion people – 15% of the world’s population – living with disabilities have to […] Continue reading ->
Representatives from Brazil, Egypt, Japan, Netherlands, South Africa, and Thailand are to make up the World Health Organization (WHO) Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) on a future pandemic instrument, according to Knowledge Ecology International. The countries each represent a different region of the WHO, namely Africa (South Africa), the Americas, known as the Pan-American Health Organisation […] Continue reading ->
Despite earlier disruption from Ethiopia, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus received overwhelming support for his nomination for a second term as World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General from the body’s executive board on Tuesday. As the only nominee, Tedros is guaranteed to be re-elected at the next World Health Assembly in May. All WHO regions expressed their […] Continue reading ->
People with disabilities have been some of the biggest silent sufferers in the COVID-19 pandemic, according to speakers at the Pre-Summit of the Global Disability Summit 2022 on Wednesday. “Now, more than ever, if we want to be ready for a new pandemic, we need to ensure that disability inclusion in the health sector becomes […] Continue reading ->
The World Health Assembly Special Session (WHASS) closed on Wednesday with a standing ovation as virtually all 194 Member States committed to negotiating a new global accord to guide the response to future global pandemics. The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, described the decision as “cause for celebration, and cause for […] Continue reading ->
A special session of the World Health Assembly is under way this week with just one item under consideration – Pandemic Treaty. Will a pandemic treaty be able to help address deficiencies in global solidarity, and improve access to essential lifesaving medicines, vaccines, and tools? The short answer is no. Not without the political will […] Continue reading ->
As pandemic treaty negotiations kick off again at the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva this week, countries face a stark choice. Will they decide to move ahead on a new system that vests an independent entity with greater powers to monitor their own national alert and responses – in the name of faster pandemic […] Continue reading ->
There is “broad consensus” on the need for a “binding pact” to address the threat of pandemics, said World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General on Wednesday – a few days before the World Health Assembly special session devoted exclusively to discussing what many refer to as a pandemic treaty. “The ongoing chaos of this pandemic only […] Continue reading ->
The tobacco industry used the COVID-19 pandemic to ingratiate itself with governments around the world and win concessions for their harmful products, according to a review of 80 countries analyzed in the Global Tobacco Industry Interference Index 2021, which was released on Tuesday. It wasn’t simply economically vulnerable countries that were susceptible to industry influence. […] Continue reading ->
The incumbent Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, is the sole nominee for his position, which will be decided upon at the 75th World Health Assembly in May 2022. With the backing of 28 member states, Tedros is likely to be re-appointed unopposed as the deadline to submit nominations was […] Continue reading ->