Political leaders should find a way to collaborate and “follow the science,” taking a page from researchers, public health practitioners, and healthcare workers who have learned to work together during the COVID-19 pandemic, WHO Health Emergencies Executive Director Mike Ryan said on Friday. “The people have found a way to cooperate, leaders need to find […] Continue reading ->
September 7 is the first International Day of Clean Air for blue skies launched by the United Nations’ General Assembly. It aims to build a global community of action that calls on countries to work together to tackle air pollution and provide clean air for all. As the COVID-19 lockdowns reminded us of from Wuhan […] Continue reading ->
Environmentalists and scientists have called out the recent Indian Supreme Court decision directing the government to install “smog towers” in Delhi as an injudicious move that will lead to a waste of public money. The opposition escalated after the Court on Tuesday, ordered the government to begin installing the smog towers within the next week. […] Continue reading ->
In a landmark achievement, incidence of chronic hepatitis B has successfully dropped below 1% in children under five, reaching the 2020 goal set at the 2016 World Health Assembly, said World Health Organization Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanon Ghebreyesus on Monday. The target reduction in hepatitis B virus (HBV) incidence in children was met in 2019, […] Continue reading ->
BREAKING – The United States on Tuesday gave formal notice to the United Nations and the US Congress that it intends to withdraw from the World Health Organization as of 6 July 2021, following President Donald Trump’s announcement after the World Health Assembly on 18 May. The administration first notified the United Nations, and sent […] Continue reading ->
Germany has pledged an unprecedented € 500 million to the World Health Organization for 2020, making this the “highest amount” ever provided by the country, said Jens Spahn, German Minister of Health at an impromptu WHO press briefing on Thursday. The German contribution, equal to about 20% of WHO’s annual budget, plugs the major funding […] Continue reading ->
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance raised a whopping US $8.8 billion at the first ever virtual Global Vaccine Summit co-hosted Thursday by the United Kingdom, surpassing the fundraising goal of US $7.4 billion. “We have secured a fantastic US $8.8. billion for Gavi’s work over the next five years and I’d like to thank everyone very, […] Continue reading ->
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to ravage the world, hope has been pinned on the development and roll-out of an effective vaccine. But in a global crisis where demand for the vaccine will be everywhere, how can fair and equitable distribution be ensured? Panelists from the World Health Organization; the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations […] Continue reading ->
Low and middle-income countries urgently need affordable personal protective equipment, diagnostics, treatments and vaccines to ward off even bigger waves of COVID-19 infection and mortality – and global production capacity is failing to ensure timely supply even of those products now on the market. Now, more than ever, producers in poor countries need to be […] Continue reading ->
Now, more than ever, the pharma industry has been thrust into the limelight – as the world races to find new drugs and a hoped-for vaccine to beat COVID-19 and ensure universal access to critical treatment. Thomas Cueni, director general of the International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers and Associations (IFPMA), talks about the old-new tensions […] Continue reading ->