News

"African governments are falling far short in their commitments to prioritize public spending on health care, contributing to widespread inequalities in healthcare access and outcomes, Human Rights Watch and the Kampala-based Initiative for Social and Economic Rights (ISER) said today. As the 23rd anniversary of African Union states’ historic commitment approaches, new data reveal alarming stagnation, widening regional inequalities, and pointing up the need to correct course."

• Human Rights Watch

"WHO is deeply concerned that a full-scale military operation in Rafah could lead to a bloodbath. More than 1.2 million people are currently sheltering in the area, many unable to move anywhere else. A new wave of displacement would exacerbate overcrowding, further limiting access to food, water, health and sanitation services, leading to increased disease outbreaks, worsening levels of hunger, and additional loss of lives."

• World Health Organization

"WHO member states finally began text-based negotiations on a new Pandemic Agreement at WHO this week after more than two years since the process commenced. This comes far too late, with just over a handful of negotiating days left to conclude this process. As a result, the risk of a weak text emerging out of this process is nearly certain now."

• Geneva Health Files

"“Get this done” – and if you disagree, don’t block consensus, was the heartfelt plea made by World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyessus to member states negotiating a pandemic agreement on Friday (3 May). Tedros was addressing the ‘stocktake’ in the middle of the final 10-day meeting of the intergovernmental negotiating body (INB), and it was clear that member states were nowhere close to the finish. “You are here for the same reason this organisation was created in the first place – because global threats demand a global response,” said Tedros."

• Health Policy Watch

“The world is off track to reach most of the Triple Billion targets and the health-related Sustainable Development Goals,” said World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. His comments were part of the WHO Results Report 2023 released on Tuesday. The triple billion targets involve one billion more people benefitting from universal health coverage (NO), one billion more people better protected from health emergencies (NO), and one billion more people enjoying better health and well-being by 2025 (YES)."

• Health Policy Watch
• Results report 2023

"The race to save the planet is being impeded by a global economy that is contingent on the exploitation of people and nature, according to the UN’s outgoing leading environment and human rights expert. David Boyd, who served as UN special rapporteur on human rights and the environment from 2018 to April 2024, told the Guardian that states failing to take meaningful climate action and regulating polluting industries could soon face a slew of lawsuits."

• The Guardian

"A Kayes, une ville du sud-ouest du Mali, le mercure est monté le 3 avril jusqu’à 48,5 °C. Du jamais-vu dans le pays. La veille, 5 000 kilomètres plus à l’est, au Soudan du Sud, les écoles venaient tout juste de rouvrir après deux semaines d’interruption forcée pour cause de températures insupportables, avec des pics à 45 °C. A Kinshasa, la capitale de la République démocratique du Congo, les dernières semaines se sont aussi déroulées dans une ambiance suffocante. « La chaleur, on dirait une publicité de l’enfer », grinçait mi-mars sur X l’un des habitants de la mégapole."

• Le Monde

"This year marks the 15th anniversary of the first publication of the framework of “planetary boundaries,” which describes the biophysical limits of Earth systems that, if breached, could have devastating consequences for humanity. Six years after this publication, the report of the Rockefeller-Lancet Commission on Planetary Health defined the concept as “the health of human civilisations and the natural systems on which they depend.” Though progress has been made in the field of planetary health, we need stronger commitment and action for justice and transformative change."

• British Medical Journal (bmj) - Global Health

"As Earth’s natural systems deteriorate, marginalised communities bear the brunt, often excluded from solutions. Our report delves into how gender considerations shape global responses to planetary health crises. Our analysis of 114 organisations reveals gaps in gender integration in planetary health efforts. While some recognise gender inequalities’ structural roots, many overlook gender entirely. Transformative gender justice demands inclusive leadership. While progress has been made in gender parity, disparities persist—particularly in representation from low- and middle-income countries. This report complements our annual Global Health 50/50 Report, highlighting organisations’ commitments to gender equality in global health."

• Global Health 5050

"The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund), warmly welcomes the launch of the Africa Health Workforce Investment Charter, which was signed today in Windhoek, Namibia, at the Africa Health Workforce Investment Forum. The African continent bears a quarter of the global disease burden and endures over 100 health emergencies a year. Yet half of the global shortage in health workers affects the continent, which has only 4% of the global workforce. To date, 1 in 3 qualified health workers in Africa is unemployed or underemployed, given challenging macro-economic contexts, imbalances in health labor markets, unfavorable working conditions in health, and safeguarding and security risks. The World Health Organization (WHO) forecasts that its African Region (47 countries) will face an estimated shortfall of 5.3 million health workers by 2030."

• The Global Fund

"Da der Weg zur nächsten Gesundheitsstation für die Menschen vor Ort oft zu weit ist, besuchen die FAIRMED-Gesundheitshelfenden – die in den meisten Fällen in der Region aufgewachsen sind und deshalb sowohl die Umgebung als auch die Menschen gut kennen – regelmässig die verschiedenen Dörfer. So können sie abklären, ob den Menschen vor Ort etwas fehlt. Zum Beispiel auch in Sindhupalchowk in Nepal."

• FAIRMED

"In 1974, the World Health Organization launched its Expanded Programme on Immunization. Now, 50 years later, a study shows that an estimated 154 million deaths have been averted thanks to vaccination. In 2024, a child under 10 years of age is 40% more likely to survive to their next birthday. The study published today in The Lancet was led by Swiss TPH in collaboration with WHO and numerous research organisations."

• Swiss TPH

"With over 600,000 deaths in 2022, malaria remains one of the biggest health threats particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Against this background, the Multilateral Initiative on Malaria (MIM Society) 8th Pan-African Malaria Conference is currently taking place in Kigali, Rwanda. Coinciding with this years’ World Malaria Day, the conference brings together 1,500 people from around the world to shape future strategies in the fight against malaria. About 30 researchers and students are representing Swiss TPH at the event."

• Swiss TPH

"Novartis and Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) announce positive data from their phase II/III CALINA study, demonstrating that a novel formulation of Coartem® (artemether-lumefantrine) developed for babies weighing less than 5kg with malaria has the required pharmacokinetic profile and good efficacy and safety. The trial was conducted in several African countries. Swiss TPH was in charge of carrying out the study in the Democratic Republic of the Congo."

• Swiss TPH

"Mitte Mai, an der 98. Generalversammlung von SolidarMed im Neubad in Luzern, übernimmt die Juristin Eliane Kiener die Geschäftsleitung von Jochen Ehmer. Zuletzt war sie für die Direktion für Entwicklung und Zusammenarbeit (DEZA) in verschiedenen Positionen und Ländern tätig. Der Public-Health-Experte Ehmer wird der Organisation erhalten bleiben und die neugeschaffene Stelle als «Leiter Medizin und Public Health» übernehmen."

• SolidarMed
• Einladung Generalversammlung