Globaler Fonds vor Verteilkämpfen?

"The Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund) held its 51st meeting this week in Geneva, Switzerland. While anticipating record disbursements this year, with an unprecedented pace of investment in resilient and sustainable systems for health (RSSH) and pandemic preparedness and response (PPR), the Board repeatedly acknowledged the numerous challenges – including climate change, conflict, displacement, geopolitics, the economic situation, and in particular, the erosion of human rights and gender equality – that undermine the Global Fund partnership’s ability to end the three diseases by 2030."

• The Global Fund

"In October 2023, Gavi and the Global Fund launched four workstreams to strengthen their collaboration, with the recent inclusion of the Global Financing Facility (GFF). Progress was reviewed at the Strategy Committee meeting in March, together with the proposal for a joint working group between Gavi, the GFF and the Global Fund, in the wider context of the Lusaka Agenda. The Strategy Committee supported the continuity of the four workstreams and recommended the creation of a joint working group to facilitate their implementation, subject to clarification and review by the Ethics and Governance Committee. These discussions were presented to the 51st meeting of the Global Fund Board to seek its advice on how to further improve collaboration and communication between the three global health initiatives, as well as the need to identify key missing elements in each of the four workstreams and to support the formation of a joint working group."

• Aidspan

"Verschiedene Staaten trafen sich in Oslo, um die Umsetzung der politischen Erklärung gegen die Bombardierung von Städten zu überprüfen. Überlebende von Explosivwaffen forderten die Staaten auf, endlich zu handeln. (...) «Die Staaten müssen nationale Verbote und Beschränkungen für den Einsatz von Explosivwaffen in bewohnten Gebieten durchsetzen, um das Leiden der Zivilbevölkerung zu verringern. Wir fordern sie ausserdem nachdrücklich auf, den Einsatz der zerstörerischen Waffen in Städten zu beenden. Die Staaten müssen den Opfern helfen und transparenter über ihre militärischen Operationen berichten.»

• Handicap International

"Maria Marelli, unsere unsere Physiotherapeutin und Expertin Kindergesundheit in Genf, war kürzlich in Rafah, um sich ein Bild von der Lage zu machen. Trotz ihrer langjährigen Felderfahrung war sie erschüttert von dem, was sie vor Ort sah: Sie beschreibt eine katastrophale humanitäre Krise, in der die Grundbedürfnisse (Wasser, Nahrung, Unterkunft) nicht mehr zugänglich sind."

• Handicap International

"Seit sieben Monaten herrscht Krieg in Gaza. Wir sind zutiefst besorgt um die Sicherheit tausender Familien, die gezwungen sein könnten, Rafah zu verlassen und nach Chan Junis oder in andere Gebiete des Gazastreifens zu flüchten. Die unmittelbare Bedrohung durch eine Bodenoffensive in Rafah versetzt die Menschen in grosse Angst, da sie wissen, dass es keinen sicheren Zufluchtsort gibt. Die vertriebenen Familien leben unter katastrophalen Bedingungen in Rafah, wo jeder Person in den Vertriebenenlagern durchschnittlich nur ein Quadratmeter Platz zum Leben zur Verfügung steht. Sie stehen vor enormen Herausforderungen und suchen verzweifelt nach Unterschlupf und Familienangehörigen, die unter den Trümmern begraben sind."

• Handicap International

"Das Schweizer Fernsehen strahlte in der 10 vor 10 Ausgabe vom 30. April 2024 einen Beitrag aus dem Caritas Baby Hospital aus. Erfahren Sie mehr über das Schicksal einer Frau und ihres 9-jährigen Sohnes, die aus dem Gazastreifen stammen und aufgrund des Krieges nun aber in Bethlehem gestrandet sind."

• Kinderhilfe Bethlehem

"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

"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

"Im zentralafrikanischen Tschad ist die Müttersterblichkeitsrate rund 140-mal höher als in der Schweiz. Die Berner Organisation Women’s Hope International hat eine Hebamme portraitiert, die sich mit einfachen Mitteln aber viel Herzblut für sichere Geburten in ihrer Heimat einsetzt."

• Women's Hope International

"In 2024 in Nepal, it still happens that women and newborns are victims of verbal or physical violence during healthcare, stigmatization, discrimination, medical examinations performed without their consent, or breaches of confidentiality. Enfants du Monde, in collaboration with the local NGO Green Tara Nepal and the National Health Training Center, is participating in the country's efforts to improve the quality of care with a training received by nearly 200 healthcare providers in the Lumbini Province. The training uses innovative learning techniques and provides support to facilitate behavior change that has proven effective with strong adherence of providers to values related to respecting the rights of women and newborns in care. These promising results have convinced the National Health Training Center to replicate the training on a national scale, with plans to integrate Respectful Care into the national curriculum for training the skilled birth attendants."

• Enfants du Monde

"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

"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

Young people face considerable challenges in addressing their SRHR needs, encompassing prevention of unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, early marriage, and sexual coercion and violence. In many countries in the global South there is an overarching issue exacerbating these SRHR challenges which is the lack of solutions tailored to the youth's unique needs and societal contexts. The MMS SRHR Conference 2024 explored what kind of locally led and low cost innovations are in place to reach young people, who are the drivers of such projects and initiatives and how can these locally led innovations be scaled up.

• Medicus Mundi Schweiz

"Women in countries affected by conflict are three times more likely to go without a skilled birth attendant, and three times more likely to give birth outside of a health facility, according to a new report by Save the Children. Climate disasters and regressive reproductive rights and education are also denying pregnant women access to a doctor or midwife, the charity said."

• The Telegraph

"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

"In a significant step forward for malaria prevention in Africa, three countries—Benin, Liberia and Sierra Leone—today launched a large-scale rollout of the life-saving malaria vaccine targeting millions of children across the three West African nations. The vaccine rollout, announced on World Malaria Day, seeks to further scale up vaccine deployment in the African region. Today’s launch brings to eight the number of countries on the continent to offer the malaria vaccine as part of the childhood immunization programmes, extending access to more comprehensive malaria prevention."

• World Health Organization
• World Malaria Report 2023

"Im Zusammenhang mit den Diskussionen der Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO) um ein Pandemieabkommen reden Kritiker von einer «WHO-Diktatur». Davon kann keine Rede sein, die Mitgliedländer sind denn auch weit davon entfernt, eine Einigung zu erzielen. Die Fehlinformationen zu den derzeitigen Verhandlungen am Sitz der Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO) in Genf nehmen zu. Besonders laut sind jene Stimmen, die einen drohenden Souveränitätsverlust der Nationalstaaten und eine «WHO-Diktatur» am nahen Horizont herbeireden. Sie wissen offenbar wenig über den Standardablauf internationaler Verhandlungen – oder wollen das gar nicht wissen."

• Neue Zürcher Zeitung

"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

"Negotiations on the International Health Regulations go down to the wire as countries were unable to complete the discussions at the end of the final meeting of the Working Group to amend the IHR, that concluded this week. Riding on a constructive approach and an overall positive momentum, countries made steady progress under the decisive leadership of co-chairs Abdullah Asiri and Ashley Bloomfield, but a few areas of contention remained as the clock ticked away towards the conclusion of the meeting on April 26, Friday. The working group decided to buy additional time to conclude the negotiations and are expected to meet on May 16-17 to complete the process. More time is needed to reach consensus on key contentious matters including on technology transfer, a dedicated fund, governance of an implementation committee, among other areas, diplomatic sources said."

• Geneva Health Files

"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

"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

“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

"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

"In Washington, D.C., where health and finance ministers, global health leaders, and international funders gathered for the World Bank’s Spring Meetings, these are ways of talking — or not talking — about a growing fear: A large group of countries are facing an alarming health funding landscape. “We have a problem globally,” health economist David Evans said Thursday at a forum on health financing. The problem, Evans said, is particularly acute in a group of 28 low- and middle-income countries whose governments are spending less on health than they did before the COVID-19 pandemic, with no prospect — according to International Monetary Fund projections — of returning to those pre-pandemic levels in the next five years."

• Devex

"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

"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

"A 20-page thunderclap hit European development watchers this week when Politico published the European Commission's draft vision for how its development policy should look for the next five years. However, anyone “truly shocked" — as the NGO confederation CONCORD claimed to be — by the document’s plan for development assistance to be recast as “investment” in a three-part offer (together with trade and macroeconomic assistance) to countries in the global south has not been paying attention. The commission has been talking like this for years."

• Devex Pro

"In the Lancet Series on the commercial determinants of health, authors warn that policy inertia is enabling the products and practices of some commercial actors to cause substantial harms to health. In the digital environment, the actions of commercial actors (including those involved in social media, information and communications technology, and digital health solutions, to name just a few) are contributing both directly and indirectly to health and wellbeing."

• The Lancet

"Artificial Intelligence (AI) can save lives – but “we need to get the regulations right,” according to Dr Ricardo Baptista Leite, CEO of HealthAI, the agency responsible for artificial intelligence in health. To address the urgent need for the robust regulation of AI in the healthcare sector, HealthAI has initiated a worldwide community of practice (CoP), the organisation said last week. This initiative aims to strengthen each nation’s capacity to create well-informed regulations that promote AI’s ethical and fair utilisation in healthcare."

• Health Policy Watch

"La Centrale Sanitaire Suisse Romande (CSSR) met au concours le poste de : Chargé·e de projet 50 %. Les tâches principales concernent la gestion directe de plusieurs projets de développement en collaboration avec nos partenaires sur le terrain, le suivi de la situation locale en matière de santé, et la prospection occasionnelle pour de nouveaux projets. Envoyez par e-mail votre dossier complet (lettre, CV, certificats…) à: a.martenot@css-romande.ch."

• Centrale Sanitaire Suisse Romande (CSSR)