A Friday session of the 74th World Health Assembly discussed a report on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and multi-sectoral approaches to address it. Speakers generally supported a One Health approach involving multiple agencies concerned with communicable diseases, environment, water and food.  This approach recognises the interconnectedness of people with environments and other animals. The World Health […] Continue reading ->
Amidst fresh calls from US President Joe Biden ordering the science and intelligence community to come up with a more detailed account of how the SARS-CoV2 virus emerged – it’s unclear how much action the World Health Assembly will really see on the issue. Language in the the final-agreed draft of a WHA resolution, Strengthening […] Continue reading ->
Controlling a disease outbreak requires cooperation both behind borders and between countries, experts said at a Wednesday event co-organised by the Geneva Graduate Institute’s Global Health Centre.  And one key, neglected area of international cooperation has been travel restrictions, where countries worldwide have created a cacophony of different measures to control COVID.   “Travel measures are […] Continue reading ->
Bold decisions are required to strengthen the World Health Organization and equip it with authority and resources it needs to address glaring shortcomings in pandemic preparedness and response, the 74th World Health Assembly was told on Tuesday. Recommendations emerging out of a report by the Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee (IOAC) for the WHO Health […] Continue reading ->
The number of pandemic-related cases and deaths have rapidly accelerated in the first four months of 2021, said WHO officials on the second day of the 74th World Health Assembly – and despite sharp declines seen in almost every region over the four weeks, the situation remains “fragile.” The “highly unstable” global epidemiological situation, combined […] Continue reading ->
  Key World Health Organization (WHO) member states agreed to postpone a potentially polarising discussion on a ‘pandemic treaty’ until November, according to a World Health Assembly ‘draft decision’ published Tuesday. The proposal – by 26 entities including the European Union, USA, UK and key countries from each WHO region – specifies that a special […] Continue reading ->