(The New Humanitarian) The International Rescue Committee, one of the oldest humanitarian aid organizations in the United States, is cutting thousands of staff, in another sign of the turmoil rippling across the humanitarian sector as the US aid funding freeze continues. “We have had to take immediate and significant cost-cutting measures, including laying off and furloughing […] Continue reading ->
KIGALI, Rwanda – Confronted by a huge and growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), governments worldwide are under pressure to devote more of their domestic budgets to these illnesses. Patients carry the burden of both the diseases and an estimated 60% of the cost of treating these, which include cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes. Yet […] Continue reading ->
“It’s now or never,” World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyussus told the start of the 13th round of talks on a pandemic agreement on Monday morning. Five days of talks are scheduled this week with another five days scheduled in April. Thereafter, the plan is for an agreement to be presented […] Continue reading ->
In a breakthrough moment for Africa’s vaccine independence, two landmark deals could help put the continent on a path to becoming a producer, not just a buyer, of life-saving vaccines. For the first time, an end-to-end mRNA vaccine production platform will be built in Africa, with plans to manufacture 100 million doses annually. A separate […] Continue reading ->
As Africa battles a relentless mpox outbreak, a sudden freeze in United States foreign aid is crippling containment efforts, threatening vaccine distribution, and leaving the hardest-hit regions scrambling for solutions, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) warned on Thursday. In conflict-ridden Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the epicentre of the outbreak, […] Continue reading ->
From the deadly mpox outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo to the composition of the next seasonal flu vaccine, the collapse of USAID and the US CDC communications blackout are creating new challenges for WHO and its partners to respond in disease emergency hotspots – well beyond the direct loss of financial support. That […] Continue reading ->
WASHINGTON, DC – The abrupt decision by the United States National Institutes of Health to slash funding for overheads to the nation’s research centers and universities has provoked a fresh outcry among leading US researchers, global health experts and even some Republican politicians – with leading one expert saying this latest move could “seriously jeopardize” […] Continue reading ->
WHO Faces China Pushback on Member State Fee Increase – Even After Slashing Budget Following US Exit
China has signalled it could oppose a planned increase in national membership fees to the World Health Organization (WHO) aimed at increasing the reliability of its funding, threatening to deepen the financial crisis at the UN health agency as it faces the loss of its largest donor, the United States. The proposed 20% increase in […] Continue reading ->
WHO’s Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu has been appointed as Acting Regional Director of the African Regional Office, until a new regional director is nominated and confirmed by the Executive Board – moves all due to happen in May and early June. Meanwhile, the EB also confirmed the appointment of Hans Henri Kluge to a second five-year […] Continue reading ->
World Health Organization (WHO) member states expressed unanimous public support for the body at its executive board (EB) meeting on Monday (3 February) following the United States’ decision to quit. But several countries also urged diplomatic efforts to woo the US back. US ally Israel noted that while the loss of US membership fees […] Continue reading ->