«Eine tickende Zeitbombe»: Gesundheitsversorgung aufgrund von Personalmangel in der Krise

"I am delighted to introduce Alessandra Tisi as the new Executive Secretary of Medicus Mundi International – Network Health for All. Starting her work for MMI on 15 October, Alessandra will take over from Thomas Schwarz, who will be retiring at the end of November. Thomas Schwarz will ensure a smooth transition until his retirement. Alessandra will be based in Lausanne. She will work at the Geneva office of MMI, in a part-time employment. As part of this, and based on a joint recruitment process, Alessandra will also be the new Executive Secretary of the Geneva Global Health Hub (G2H2) hosted by MMI."

• Medicus Mundi International (MMI)

"The Nutrition in City Ecosystems (NICE) project is transforming lives by improving nutrition and promoting healthier diets through locally-led actions. Across six secondary cities in Rwanda, Kenya, and Bangladesh, NICE works closely with local communities to connect consumers with farmers who produce food sustainably. The following story of Aline Ayingeneye and her son is a testament of how the NICE project is making a difference in people’s lives."

• Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute

"Who can address public health issues around the world. Three of our DAS Health Care and Management alumni shared their experiences and the invaluable lessons they’ve learned during their time at Swiss TPH, illustrating the impact of mutual learning and the crucial role of scholarships."

• Empowering Health Leaders: Health Care and Management Alumni on the Role of Scholarship

Olutoyin Opeyemi Ikuteyijo is a PhD student in the Society, Gender, and Health Unit within the Public Health and Epidemiology department at Swiss TPH. Her research work focuses on the experiences of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) faced by adolescent girls and young women in low-income communities.

• Swiss TPH

"Seit Ausbruch des Krieges im Sudan vor knapp anderthalb Jahren haben die Konfliktparteien rund 10 Millionen Menschen vertrieben. Das sind mehr als die gesamte Schweizer Wohnbevölkerung. Doch die westlichen Medien berichten kaum darüber. Die Berner NGO Women’s Hope International ist im benachbarten Tschad aktiv und führt dort ein Projekt zur Senkung der Müttersterblichkeit. Sie spürt den Zustrom der Menschen in den unterstützten Gesundheitszentren unmittelbar. Die Programmverantwortliche Muriel Weyermann erklärt auf Radio RaBe, warum im Sudan gekämpft wird und beschreibt, wie den vertriebenen Menschen geholfen werden kann."

• Women's Hope International
• Women's Hope im Radio Rabe Bern - Reinhören

"In Zentralafrika breitet sich eine neue, offenbar gefährlichere Variante des Mpox-Virus (ehemals Affenpocken genannt) rasant aus - die Weltgesundheitsorganisation WHO hat deshalb eine globale Notlage ausgerufen. Betroffen sind auch mehrere unserer Projektregionen in der Zentralafrikanischen Republik, wo bereits über 30 Fälle bestätigt wurden. Wir haben in der Folge Notfallmassnahmen ergriffen, um die Menschen vor Ort zu schützen".

• FAIRMED

"Der Streubomben-Monitor 2024, der im September 2024 veröffentlicht wurde, hat zahlreiche Einsätze von Streumunition und neue Opfer aufgedeckt. Angesichts der Tatsache, dass Litauen kürzlich aus dem Oslo-Übereinkommen über Streumunition ausgetreten ist, erinnern wir an dessen Bedeutung für den Schutz der Zivilbevölkerung und an die langfristigen Folgen des Einsatzes dieser verbotenen Waffen. - «In den 14 Jahren seines Bestehens hat das Oslo-Übereinkommen für den Schutz der Zivilbevölkerung unglaublich viel erreicht: Zwei Drittel der Länder der Welt halten sich an die Werte der Konvention, die Produktion dieser Waffe ist um ein Drittel zurückgegangen, die Lagerbestände der Vertragsstaaten sind vernichtet und die Überlebenden haben viel Unterstützung erhalten und müssen diese auch weiterhin erhalten», kommentiert Daniel Suda-Lang, Geschäftsleiter von Handicap International Schweiz."

• Handicap International Suisse

"Das erste Mal trafen wir Kanha 2005 in einem Spital in Kampong Cham in Kambodscha. Die damals Sechsjährige war eines von 65’000 Opfern von explosiven Kriegsmunitionsrückständen im Land. Ihr Vater hatte versucht, einen Sprengkörper zu öffnen, um an die Munition zu gelangen, und ihn dabei ausgelöst. Die Explosion hatte ihn sofort getötet und Kanha so schwer verletzt, dass ihr rechtes Bein amputiert werden musste. Seither begleiten wir ihn auf ihrem Weg durch die Rehabilitation."

• Handicap International Suisse

"Gegen eine Million Menschen leben in den Flüchtlingslagern von Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesch. Vor sieben Jahren sind sie vor der Gewalt im benachbarten Myanmar geflohen. Sie sind komplett auf die zunehmend schwindende internationale Hilfe angewiesen und haben keinerlei Zukunftsaussichten."

• Schweizerisches Rotes Kreuz

"Ein Jahr ist seit dem Erdbeben in Zentralmarokko vergangen. Der Marokkanische Rote Halbmond und die Fachleute für Notunterkünfte der internationalen Rotkreuz- und Rothalbmondbewegung sind weiterhin im Atlasgebirge im Einsatz. Bis zum Wiederaufbau stellen sie für die Betroffenen solidere Unterkünfte bereit."

• Schweizerisches Rotes Kreuz

"Adapté aux pratiques et besoins des femmes malgaches, ce cours transforme l’expérience des futures mères en leur permettant de questionner leurs habitudes quotidiennes pouvant avoir un impact négatif sur leur santé et celle de leur bébé. En confrontant les pratiques traditionnelles aux informations scientifiques fournies par la sage-femme, les participantes identifient des comportements alternatifs bénéfiques pour leur santé maternelle et néonatale. Ainsi par exemple, malgré les interdits sociaux, les futures mères consomment des bananes pour leur bien-être et celui de leur bébé et vont faire l’échographie pour vérifier développement normale du bébé. Le cours inclut également une préparation physique à l’accouchement. « Apprendre à respirer me permet de me sentir prête pour accoucher. », témoigne une future maman."

• Regardez les témoignages des participantes

"In Somalia leben 18,7 Millionen Menschen, davon in der Hauptstadt Mogadischu etwa drei Millionen. Somalia ist über 15-mal grösser als die Schweiz und etwa 1,8-mal so gross wie Deutschland. Mehr als 3,8 Millionen Menschen in Somalia wurden durch den schon über 30 Jahre dauernden Krieg und durch Naturkatastrophen gezwungen ihre Region zu verlassen. Sie leben unter katastrophalen Bedingungen in Camps am Rande der grossen Städte. Frauen und Kinder machen 80 Prozent der internen Flüchtlinge aus und sind grossen Risiken ausgesetzt. (...) Für den somalischen humanitären Hilfsplan der UNO werden 2024 1,6 Milliarden US-Dollar benötigt, um 5,2 Millionen Menschen zu helfen. Hilfe wird in Regionen geleistet, die am meisten von der Not betroffen sind. Angriffe auf die Helfer und ihre Infrastruktur erschweren jedoch die Unterstützungsoperationen."

• SWISSO KALMO
• Download (pdf | 1 MB)

"Im Kinderspital in Bethlehem/Palästina haben grosse Bauarbeiten begonnen. Es entsteht Raum für die dringend benötigte Einführung einer Tageschirurgie. Dabei handelt es sich um das aktuell grösste Bauprojekt in Bethlehem. Nur dank der vielen Spenden aus der Schweiz hat der Bau nun planmässig begonnen. Mit dem Spatenstich kommt die Einführung einer chirurgischen Abteilung im Kinderspital Bethlehem einen weiteren Schritt voran. In der Tageschirurgie sollen in Zukunft planbare Operationen durchgeführt werden. Dank der überwältigenden Unterstützung zahlreicher Spenderinnen und Spender aus Europa kann das Ausbauprojekt realisiert werden."

• Kinderhilfe Bethlehem

"The 79th session of the UN General Assembly opens on September 10, 2024. When global leaders meet at the UN, they will confront yet another year of complex crises and conflicts — as a deeply divided world watches. The UN is the only place on Earth where countries — whether big or small — have a say. The debates and conversations that will unfold during UNGA 79 will shape the solutions that can redefine our future. (...) The Summit of the Future takes place on September 22 and 23, 2024. The first of its kind, the Summit will bring together leaders, advocates, and activists of all ages to determine how our international system can better meet the needs of current and future generations. UNGA 79 will also include High-level Meetings on two issues of existential importance: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and the global threat of sea-level rise."

• UNITED NATIONS

"The UN’s mission is more important than ever, which is why calls for bold changes to the 1940s-era institution are growing louder. With the UN General Assembly fast approaching, here’s what leaders and experts across the UN Foundation are following, and what this year’s convening could mean for the future of multilateralism and the fate of the world. (...) From sea-level rise to antimicrobial resistance, UNGA 79 will tackle a broad range of challenges that can’t be solved by one nation alone. UNGA High-level Week kicks off on Sept. 24 this year, preceded by the two-day Summit of the Future. There, Member States are expected to outline ways the UN can adapt to meet emerging issues, from closing the digital divide and artificial intelligence to more equitable financing for low-income countries."

• United Nations Foundation

"Targets that aimed to reduce the use of antimicrobials in the livestock industry have been dropped from the latest version of the draft UN Political Declaration on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), reportedly as a result of pressure from major meat-producing nations and the veterinary drug industry. The draft declaration, which aims to curb growing pathogen resistance to leading antibiotics, antiviral and antiparasitic drugs, was distributed amongst UN member states on 9 September ahead of the United Nations High-Level Meeting (HLM) on 26 September."

• Health Policy Watch
• Draft Political Declaration of the High-level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance

"We rely on antibiotics to treat a range of life-threatening infections. But bacteria are changing – becoming more resistant to the drugs we have. Infections that were once curable are now untreatable. Antimicrobial resistance is one of the fastest-growing threats to public health. It is linked to 5 million deaths per year – the third-leading cause of death globally. People with HIV, TB and malaria are particularly vulnerable to infections that are increasingly resistant to treatment."

• The Global Fund - Video

"Financial support for health in low- and middle-income countries has come under renewed criticism in recent years by policymakers and experts, critiquing that it often fragments health systems, undermines national priority-setting, and lacks a clear exit strategy. The most recent effort to address these challenges is the Lusaka Agenda launched in December 2023, which laid out a set of five shifts required to coordinate and strengthen the contribution of global health initiatives (GHIs) (...). Implementing the Lusaka Agenda will require substantial change in how the GHIs operate, unprecedent coordination between GHI board members, clear mutual accountability mechanisms, and must be integrated with individual country-led donor alignment efforts. In a paper released today, we propose a Lusaka Agenda Tracker. Our proposal includes five short-term milestones, that if achieved by the end of 2025 show there is real political will to change, and seven indicators to monitor progress on achieving the Lusaka Agenda over the medium-term."

• Center for Global Development (CGD)
• Tracking Delivery on the Lusaka Agenda

"Die Schweizer Pharmakonzerne fallen auf internationaler Ebene oft durch zahlreiche Rechtsstreitigkeiten auf, die darauf abzielen, die Konkurrenz durch Generika auszuschalten und die Preise für ihre wichtigsten Produkte hochzuhalten. Diese Strategie gefährdet jedoch den Zugang zu bezahlbaren Behandlungen. Es ist an der Zeit, gegen die Zunahme von missbräuchlichen Sekundärpatenten ohne therapeutischen Mehrwert vorzugehen, die einzig dazu dienen, die ohnehin schon vollen Kassen von Big Pharma noch mehr zu füllen. Eine wahre Abzocke auf Kosten der Sozialversicherungen, die die Schweiz anprangern statt blindlings unterstützen sollte."

• Public Eye

"A report released today by the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU) and the Centre for International Corporate Tax Accountability and Research (CICTAR) raises questions over how funding meant to improve Kenya’s health sector is being funnelled to European for-profit health corporations. The report outlines how VAMED, an Austrian-based company and subsidiary of the German global health care giant Fresenius, has received millions of dollars in Kenyan government funding to supply equipment to Kenyan health facilities. VAMED’s contracts with the Kenyan government have added to Kenya’s crippling international debt while shifting scarce funding away from public health."

• Public Services International
• Report: KENYA’S HEALTH CARE CRISIS: WHERE IS THE MONEY?

"The field of global health is at a pivotal moment of transformation. Decoloniality has emerged as a critical framework to assess and transform the pathologies that mark the field. These pathologies include the inequitable sharing of resources, the power hierarchies that entrench decision-making in institutions largely based in North America and Europe and the general predisposition towards paternalistic and exploitative interactions and exchange between North and South. The energy being generated around this transformative moment is widening circles of participation in the discourse on what transformation should look like in the field. The importance of decoloniality cannot be overstated in driving the transformative agenda."

• British Medical Journal (bmj) - Global Health

"In Burkina Faso sterben im Sahel-Konflikt Zehntausende Kinder an Krankheiten, Mangelernährung, Hitze und Wassermangel. Jedes zehnte Kind erreicht das fünfte Lebensjahr nicht. Als Gesellschaft, als traditionell humanitäre Schweiz, als eines der reichsten Länder der Welt hätten wir die Mittel, vielen von diesen Kindern das Leben zu retten."

• Neue Zürcher Zeitung (NZZ)

"On August 13, 2024, the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) made an official declaration on mpox, designating it a “public health emergency of continental security (PHECS)”. This is the first ever such declaration for the African continent. The following day, August 14, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), following the first one for mpox on July 23, 2022. (...) Sustained and worsening mpox transmission in Africa is a total and tragic failure of the global response. Once again, the “health for all” principles of global health are denied to people in the global South, in this case, African people."

• PLOS BLOGS

"Thousands of people across Africa have been infected with the Mpox virus, resulting in hundreds of deaths and the ongoing spread of the disease. In response, over 55 health groups have urged the British government to support health systems in the affected countries. In an letter circulated on August 23, the groups demand rapid distribution of vaccines to countries in Africa currently struggling with mounting a response to the outbreak, as well as ensuring sharing of technologies between existing vaccine producers and manufacturers in Africa to increase global supply."

• People's Health Dispatch

"Nachdem sich eine gefährliche Mpox-Variante in afrikanischen Ländern ausgebreitet hat, greift die WHO jetzt zur höchsten Warnstufe. Wie groß ist die Gefahr? - Die Entscheidung war seit Tagen erwartet worden. Und als Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Chef der Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO), am Mittwochabend vor die Presse tritt, kommt er schnell zur Sache: Der massive Ausbruch von Affenpocken auf Teilen des afrikanischen Kontinents sei so besorgniserregend, dass die WHO beschlossen habe, eine gesundheitliche Notlage von internationaler Tragweite auszurufen."

• Die Zeit

"The incredible economic growth of the past century has delivered many benefits, including for health. But this growth has come at a heavy price in terms of pollution, climate change, unhealthy diets and behaviours, and the increasing burden of non-communicable diseases and antimicrobial resistance. Moreover, the benefits of economic growth have not been shared equally, with 4·5 billion people—more than half of the global population—still without access to essential health services and 2 billion individuals experiencing financial hardship when trying to do so, driving huge inequalities in health outcomes. Governments need to rethink the narrow focus on growth in gross domestic product (GDP) that typically dominates economic decision making."

• The Lancet

"Our lives are profoundly shaped by health information. Warning labels and high taxes on tobacco, regular physical exercise, and adherence to medication for blood pressure control are collective and individual decisions made on the basis of reliable health information. A recent WHO-commissioned survey by the global social movement Healthcare Information For All (HIFA) highlights the crucial role of universal access to health information in global population health and the urgent need for a strategy to this end."

• The Lancet

"The latest draft of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) pandemic agreement shifts key decisions to the Conference of the Parties (COP) – a body that will be set up after the World Health Assembly (WHA) has adopted the agreement. The draft, developed by the WHO Bureau overseeing the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) talks, was distributed to delegates late on Monday. Details about how to implement the contentious Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) system (Article 12) – a mechanism to share information and benefits about pathogens with pandemic potential – is one of those kicked down the road."

• Health Policy Watch

"As part of a new era for health emergencies on the African continent, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization’s regional office for Africa launched a joint plan for responding to the mpox emergency on the continent on Friday. It’s a six-month plan that aims to mobilize nearly $600 million. It’s the first time the agencies are using one continental coordination team, response plan, budget, and monitoring and evaluation framework in a major health response. This is part of yearslong efforts for the two organizations to work more cooperatively together. In the past, there have been challenges around duplications of efforts that led to inefficiencies, wasted resources, and confusion."

• Devex
• Mpox Continental Preparedness and Response Plan for Africa (September 2024 – February 2025)

"The International Council of Nurses (ICN) has called on the World Health Organization (WHO) to consider a “time-limited moratorium of active recruitment of nurses” from countries on the WHO Health Workforce Support and Safeguard List. This follows a “dramatic surge” in the recruitment of nurses from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) by wealthy countries, according to the ICN. The Safeguard List identifies 55 countries that face the most pressing health workforce challenges related to achieving universal health coverage (UHC). Health workers shortages are one of the primary causes of countries’ inability to achieve UHC."

• Health Policy Watch

"The target of Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.c.1 is to “substantially increase health financing and the recruitment, development, training and retention of the health workforce in developing countries” by 2030 and thus improve health workforce density and distribution. However, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates a shortfall of 10 million healthcare workers by 2030, mostly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In addition, there is insufficient distribution, skills, and performance of existing healthcare workers to meet primary health needs. So how can we address these gaps, while remaining on track to achieve SDG 3? Country health systems must build resilience to deliver health for all; promote global health security and bolster strategies to mitigate climate impacts; and recognize the lifeblood of their workforces."

• Chemonics

"Hosted by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC), the congress aims to foster collaboration amongst cancer and health experts through a diverse three-day program of discussions, presentations, and networking opportunities. UICC president, Prof Jeff Dunn, welcomed the delegates and highlighted the importance of international collaboration in the fight against cancer. (...) Despite global disruptions, he said the participants’ turnout reflects the urgency of addressing the rising cancer burden worldwide."

• Health Policy Watch

"Community health workers are often the best – and only – resource for people living in rural and remote areas. Support for community health workers contributes to strong, resilient health systems that can reach more people with lifesaving health care" Since 2020, the Global Fund has invested over US$1.5 billion in community health workers in more than 100 countries and is investing US$900 million more over the next three years. We are talking to community health workers about the challenges and impact of their vital work."

• Print Walking in Other People’s Shoes

"In collaboration with Democracy Moves and funded by the Porticus Learning Partnership, Restless Development selected Politics4Her to conduct a research project. This project focuses on the complex challenges at the intersection of online gender-based violence (OGBV) and youth movements advocating for democratic values, particularly in the SWANA (South West Asia and North Africa) region. The research delves into the experiences and challenges faced by intersectional youth activists in this context. It sheds light on the specific vulnerabilities and struggles of intersectional youth activists facing OGBV in the SWANA region, thereby informing strategies to support and protect these activists as they advocate for democratic values in environments that are often hostile to their efforts and identities."

• politics4her.com