In the universe of Geneva’s global health hub, which includes dozens of international NGOs and WHO as the brightest star in the solar system, a parallel universe of locally-grown health and humanitarian collaborations have also developed around the University of Geneva and Geneva University Hospitals. GENEVA – Ten years ago, two medical professionals from Madagascar […] Continue reading ->
African leaders want “explicit commitments” to debt relief and debt restructuring mechanisms, including debt swaps to support country-level pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPPR) in the pandemic agreement. This is one of the continent’s demands, made on the eve of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) pandemic agreement talks, following a high-level meeting of African health […] Continue reading ->
In 2023, nearly 282 million people – 21.5% of the analysed population across 59 countries and territories – faced high levels of acute food insecurity, according to the Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC) 2024. This is 24 million more people than 2022. The rise was due to the report’s increased coverage of food crisis […] Continue reading ->
The World Health Organization’s (WHO) pandemic agreement negotiations begin their final two-week stretch on Monday (28 April) amid a gamble with the process, a show of unity from African member states – and more suggestions for the draft text. This final intergovernmental negotiating body (INB) meeting will focus on finding “common ground and consensus”, according […] Continue reading ->
The US plans to double the number of countries it supports to prevent infectious disease outbreaks, opting for bilateral agreements with at least 100 countries, according to its new Global Health Security Strategy (GHSS). “Recent outbreaks, from mpox to Marburg, cholera, and other diseases… are wake-up calls for anyone who thought COVID was a once-in-a-lifetime […] Continue reading ->
Pharmacogenomics research in Africa transcends mere regional healthcare improvements: it represents a pivotal step in addressing pressing global health challenges and propelling medical science forward for all.  A revolution is sweeping through the field of medicine, redefining how we approach the treatment of diseases. Africa must not be left behind in this transformative journey. Pharmacogenomics, […] Continue reading ->
The World Health Organization (WHO) has published a new technical report including updated terminology to describe pathogens that are transmitted through the air, following “an extensive, multi-year, collaborative effort”. It follows confusion and contestation between scientists during the COVID-19 pandemic because of the “varying terminologies” and  “gaps in common understanding”, said the WHO. These “contributed […] Continue reading ->
“This is probably the most hopeful time in my professional life and the scariest time,” Dr Mike Ryan, the World Health Organization (WHO) Deputy Director General and head of Health Emergencies, told a high-level Geneva audience on Wednesday. “Hopeful” because there is the possibility of reaching a global agreement on how to tackle future pandemics […] Continue reading ->