Bibi Sharifa’s grandmother died of tuberculosis when there was no medicine available in her village in central Afghanistan and visiting shrines of the dead holy men was the only healing they could get. That was two decades ago when the country’s entire healthcare system was in shambles under the first term of a brutal Taliban […] Continue reading ->
There is a 33-year gap in life expectancy between people born in the country with the highest life expectancy and those born in the country with the lowest life expectancy, while 94% of maternal deaths happen in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), according to a World Health Organization global report on the social determinants of […] Continue reading ->
On International Midwives’ Day (5 May), the crucial role of midwives – particularly in humanitarian crises – needs recognition, and their voices need to be included in planning and policies. Being pregnant, giving birth or having a newborn are times of change and challenge – but when a woman is also facing a humanitarian crisis, […] Continue reading ->
Calls for more resources to address non-communicable diseases (NCDs), higher taxes on unhealthy products and the decriminalisation of suicide were made at a multi-stakeholder hearing at the United Nations (UN) on Friday. The hearing was convened by UN General Assembly President Philemon Yang to enable stakeholders to identify priorities to address NCDs ahead of the […] Continue reading ->
Merging WHO and UNAIDs, and combining the “operational” component of WHO’s Emergencies response with that of other agencies are just two among the several dozen ideas pitched by the UN80 Initiative Task Force – in the full text of options for interagency budget cuts and efficiencies, obtained by Health Policy Watch. The list of over […] Continue reading ->
In the first episode of “Trailblazers with Gary,” Global Health Matters podcast host Dr Garry Aslanyan sat down in South Africa with Professor Tulio de Oliveira — one of TIME Magazine’s 100 most influential people in global health. Oliveira leads the Centre for Epidemic Response and Innovation at Stellenbosch University and was part of the […] Continue reading ->
The United States’ dismantling of its vast network of global health aid and assistance programmes constitutes “greatest disruption to global health finance in memory” and it is “sowing chaos in public health”, that threatens to roll back decades of progress on infectious and neglected diseases of poverty that affect billions of people, said WHO’s Director […] Continue reading ->
African countries like Uganda and South Africa are rewriting the rules of emergency response. The rest of the world must follow – or fall behind. Every April, World Immunisation Week is observed with predictable rhetoric: health leaders celebrate progress, governments make declarations, and global agencies issue reports highlighting gains and gaps in vaccination. But as […] Continue reading ->
Big tobacco companies are marketing heated tobacco products (HTP) as a less harmful alternative to cigarettes, but researchers warned this week that there is no evidence to support this or the industry claim that they can help smokers to quit. HTPs are electronic devices that heat an insert of processed tobacco, often in a stick […] Continue reading ->
As Donald Trump’s US presidency reaches its 100th day, Zimbabweans living with HIV are fearful about their futures as they struggle to get antiretroviral medication. MWENEZI, Zimbabwe – Memory Sibanda tried three times to get antiretroviral medication from her usual clinic in February but was turned away. The 67-year-old has lived with HIV for the […] Continue reading ->