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Japan Forward
2 hours ago
- Health
- Japan Forward
To Reform WHO, Prevent US Withdrawal, Taiwan's Exclusion
このページを 日本語 で読む Taking in the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Health Assembly (WHA) of the World Health Organization (WHO) recently adopted the Pandemic Accord. It calls for strengthening measures to improve international cooperation to prevent and respond to future pandemics. For example, it promotes the transfer of technology and knowledge related to vaccine manufacturing to developing countries. Likewise, it advocates for the rapid sharing of information on pathogens. We remember the challenges and welcome the adoption of the accord. After all, viruses recognize no borders. That's why the denial of Taiwan's participation as an observer in the WHO General Assembly is so problematic. Once again, as in the past, this was due to obstruction from China. Eight countries, including Japan, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, issued a joint press statement contending that excluding Taiwan was "completely unjustified." Nevertheless, Taiwan remains excluded from the General Assembly. World Health Organization headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland (©Kyodo) A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson declared that Taiwan has sufficient unimpeded channels to communicate and cooperate with WHO in the technical domain. Then he claimed the "so-called 'gap' in global anti-epidemic efforts is nothing but a politically-driven lie." On the contrary, the truth is that it is Beijing that is peddling political lies. China cannot be allowed to willfully create blank spaces on the world health map. Unfortunately, the United States has announced its intention to withdraw from the WHO and did not attend the WHA. In a video address to the general assembly, US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr criticized the organization. "Not only has the WHO capitulated to political pressure from China, it's also failed to maintain an organization characterized by transparency and fair governance by and for its Member States," said Secretary Kennedy. He observed that the Pandemic Accord would "lock in all of the dysfunction of the WHO pandemic response." Saying, "we're not going to participate in that," he also suggested other nations consider leaving the WHO. Secretary Kennedy's views of China's influence on WHO are certainly valid. When the COVID-19 outbreak first occurred, China's government under Xi Jinping failed to disclose information promptly. The time lag allowed the virus to spread around the world with calamitous results. US Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert Kennedy. (©Getty via Kyodo） WHO's declaration of a global health emergency was also delayed. Despite those facts, Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus bent over backwards to please China in words and deeds. He even commended China for taking "swift and effective measures" after its repeated failures. Meanwhile, the US is a major manufacturer of vaccines. Its withdrawal from the WHO will create a tremendous vacuum. Moreover, China will replace the US as the number one contributor to the WHO budget, further increasing Beijing's influence. In that case, the WHO will lose even more transparency and fair governance. Such an outcome would not be desirable for either the world or America itself. Washington should reconsider its withdrawal from WHO and act responsibly as a member of the international community. Japan, the United States, Europe, and other nations must work together to reform the WHO. Simultaneously, they should begin planning for the election of WHO's next director general in 2027. Chinese Vice Premier Liu Guozhong attended the 2025 WHA and met with Tedros. He told the director general, "China stands ready to work with the WHO to promote the building of a global community of health for all." The fact is, however, that a WHO led by China will do the exact opposite. Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun このページを 日本語 で読む
The Hindu
2 hours ago
- Business
- The Hindu
As U.S. pulls back from WHO and Paris climate deal, China is primed to expand its soft power
Under President Donald Trump, the U.S. has been withdrawing from several key international commitments it had long supported and invested in. It announced its departure from the World Health Organization (WHO) and then from the Paris Agreement. With the U.S. pulling back from global commitments, China has quietly been advancing its position on the world stage. Through promises of financial aid, Beijing has positioned itself as a potential alternative to the Western superpower. With over a quarter of global bilateral sovereign debt now owed to China, and the country's investments spanning continents, the Asian giant has been steadily expanding its soft power influence. Is China trying to fill the void left by a retreating U.S. in the international arena? The 78th World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of the WHO, approved the budget this month for the first time without the participation of the U.S., a founding member and a top donor of the WHO. Mr. Trump has accused the WHO of being biased towards China and mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic. He has also said that the WHO demands onerous payments, which are out of proportion with other countries' assessed payments. While the U.S.'s exit has left a significant void in the WHO, China has committed an additional $500 million over the next five years. China has also been increasing its membership dues to the WHO in recent years. China's share in the WHO's total assessed payments more than doubled post the pandemic, from 6.5% in 2015-16 to 15% in 2024-25 (Chart 1). Chart 1 | The chart shows the country-wise share of assessed contributions to the WHO. Figures in % While China's contribution still falls short of that of the U.S. — which has accounted for around 20% of the WHO's total assessed funding every year — it continues to inch closer. With the U.S. stepping back and China pledging increased support, its share is poised to rise even further. The Trump administration also announced the U.S.'s withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and said it will immediately cease or revoke any purported financial commitment made under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The U.S.'s share in contributions to the UNFCCC was close to 22% of its core budget, followed by China (17%) — the second highest globally (Chart 2). Chart 2 | The chart shows the country-wise share of contributions made to the UNFCCC's core budget (%) China also holds strategic investments across numerous countries, and many of them owe China a significant share of their external debt. Data show that China is the world's largest debt collector. China's share in bilateral global debts owed remained around 1% until 2003. In just two decades, this share surged to 26%. On the other hand, the U.S.'s share in bilateral global debts owed plummeted from 36% in 1973 to just 4% in 2023 (Chart 3). Chart 3 | The chart shows the share of external debt stock owed to top lenders in the 1973 to 2023 period This influence is also impacting attitudes towards China. A survey conducted by the Pew Research Center in 2024 shows that more than 60% of the respondents across 21 countries believe that China influences their economy by a great deal or by a fair amount (Chart 4). Chart 4 | The share of respondents (in %) who said in 2024 that China is having _ (of) influence on economic conditions in their country Note: The above chart shows data for only 21 countries out of the 35 that were surveyed. The median value is for all the countries surveyed. The question was asked as a part of Pew Research Center's Spring 2024 Global Attitudes Survey across 35 countries. The Democracy Perception Index survey, published by the Alliance of Democracies Foundation, revealed that most countries have a more favourable view of China compared to the U.S. this year. Of the 96 countries surveyed this year, respondents from 76 countries had a more positive view of China, whereas only 20 had a positive view of the U.S. As Chen Xu, China's Ambassador to Geneva, told reporters last month, 'We have to adapt ourselves to multilateral organisations without the Americans. Life goes on.' The data for the charts are sourced from the WHO Budget Portal, UNFCCC, Pew Research Center, World Bank and Reuters
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Vaccination plea after measles cases surge in Scotland
Health chiefs are warning of the risks of measles after more cases were recorded in Scotland in the first five months of the year than the whole of 2024. The latest figures, to be published on Thursday, could show more cases of the highly infectious disease, which is on the rise around the world. Two years ago there was just one case of measles in Scotland but last year that rose to 24 laboratory-confirmed cases. That figure was exceeded by 14 May this year and, although the numbers remain small, health experts are concerned that low vaccination rates in some areas could lead to many more cases. Measles is a highly contagious disease which is spread by coughs and sneezes. The virus can lead to pneumonia, brain swelling and death. The World Health Organization said children under the age of five accounted for more than 40% of the cases reported in Europe and central Asia. In March, it reported that the number of measles cases in Europe was at its highest level for 25 years. WHO regional director Henri Kluge called it a "wake-up call". "Without high vaccination rates, there is no health security," he said. Helen Benson, consultant in public Health for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said there had been an increase in cases across Scotland. "We have already seen more this year than the whole of last year," she said. "In Glasgow we have seen several cases since the start of the year and in recent weeks we have seen a small number within the Govanhill area. "We are potentially aware that there may be some transmission in the local community so our efforts now are to minimise the number of further cases." She said the health board was focusing its campaign on increasing levels of the MMR vaccine in the area. The vaccine is generally given in two doses: the first between 12 and 15 months and the second at four to six years. Health experts says the vaccine - which immunises people against measles, mumps and rubella - is 97% effective in fighting off the dangerous virus. Uptake in Scotland remains high, with 90% of children having two doses by the age of six. However, WHO recommends at least 95% of children are vaccinated. Across Scotland vaccination rates have fallen slightly in recent years with public health officials believing vaccine fatigue or misinformation plays a role. Govanhill, one of the most diverse areas of Scotland, is one of several areas in Glasgow that has lower MMR vaccination rates. Ms Benson said: "We've got a population that speaks many languages. For many English is not the first language. "So sometimes that has meant they may have had difficulty engaging with the NHS." She said the health board had launched a communication campaign across several languages and was using community peer workers to encourage people to take up the opportunity of any MMR vaccinations they may have missed. "Measles can be a very serious infection," Ms Benson said. "Approximately one in five cases end up in hospital. "Many of those may require intensive care, and it can lead to lifelong complications, for example, hearing loss, sight loss and inflammation of the brain." She said some people were more susceptible to complications from measles than others, including small babies under the age of one, pregnant women and people with immunosuppression. "It is important to get the vaccine not just for yourself but for the people around you," she said. Yvonne McAuley is one of the staff nurses who run the immunisation team which has set up a pop-up vaccine clinic in Govanhill. She said it can be difficult to get clients to come to an appointment because of barriers such as language, fear or misinformation. "We are very passionate about our job because we know what the outcome could be if the kids don't get immunised," she added. Ms McAuley said the team was doing everything it could to boost numbers, from providing interpreters and drop-in clinics to giving people who were afraid more time for their appointment. Maryan Chaudhry and her husband Arfan Ali spoke to BBC Scotland News as they brought their one-year-old baby Liya for her MMR jab at the clinic. "If it can benefit my child and her wellbeing, I will get it done," Maryan said. "It is to protect her." Measles highest in 25 years in Europe, WHO says
Scoop
5 hours ago
- Health
- Scoop
Commitment To End Tobacco Must Translate To Bold Actions On The Ground
Commitment to end tobacco must translate to bold actions on the ground, said Dr Tara Singh Bam. He exhorted the new government of Indonesia to sign and ratify the global tobacco treaty (formally called the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control or WHO FCTC) in the interest of the health and wellbeing of its people. FCTC is the first international legally binding corporate accountability and public health treaty of the WHO to protect people from the devastating tobacco use. It was adopted by the World Health Assembly of the WHO on 21 May 2003 and entered into force on 27 February 2005. Currently, among the countries that are part of the United Nations, except 14, all of them have ratified the FCTC. Among the 14 countries that have not yet become a part of the global tobacco treaty, 6 have signed but not ratified it, and 8 have not even signed it - including Indonesia. Dr Tara Singh Bam was addressing the delegates of 10th Indonesian Conference on Tobacco Control (ICTOH 2025) including Vice President of Indonesia, Minister of Health of Indonesia, and other dignitaries. Dr Bam is the Board Director of Asia Pacific Cities Alliance for Health and Development (APCAT) and serves as Asia Pacific Director (Tobacco Control), Vital Strategies. Indonesian conference was held just few days before the World No Tobacco Day 2025 and few weeks before the World Conference on Tobacco Control opens in Ireland next month. With highest male smoking rates globally in Indonesia, ratifying FCTC is an urgent priority With an Adult Smoking rate of 39%, Indonesia ranks among the top 5 countries with highest smoking rates. It also holds the dubious distinction of having 74.5% male smokers - highest in the world. It is also the only country in the Asia Pacific region that has not signed the FCTC. Dr Bam blames it on the intense influence of tobacco industry on the government. It lobbies with the government, including giving donations to political parties for their political campaigns. According to Dr Bam, in the absence of FCTC, the tobacco industry interference is all pervasive in Indonesia- at the central level, provincial level and local level. So, the first urgent thing to do is for the government to sign the FCTC in the interest of public health. Once the government ratifies the treaty, it will become mandatory for it to implement all the provisions of the treaty comprehensively, including FCTC Article 5.3, that mandates protection of public health policies from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry, and take steps to ensure that tobacco industry interference does not undermine the implementation of tobacco control measures and public policy. 'Signing FCTC is all about political leadership, commitment and action. What I have seen in Indonesia is commitment, but there is not enough action on the ground. Action also means that the government has to sign and ratify the treaty. The government has to be honest to its people. We now have a new government and hopefully it will take this issue seriously and ratify the treaty," he hoped. Bright tobacco products, dark deadly intentions The theme of World No Tobacco day 2025 theme is 'Bright Products. Dark Intentions. Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing industry tactics on tobacco and nicotine products'. Dark intentions indeed! Throughout its lifecycle, tobacco pollutes the planet and damages the health of all people. Globally, about 35 lakh hectares of farm land are destroyed to grow tobacco every year. Deforestation caused by tobacco farming is estimated at 2 lakh hectares annually. Sustainable food production in poor and middle-income nations is jeopardised where tobacco is grown as a commercial crop. Tobacco use is one of the biggest (and yet entirely preventable) risk factors for major non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases (such as heart diseases and stroke), cancers, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and arthritis, as well as for communicable diseases like TB and COVID-19. One in six NCD deaths and 27% of TB deaths globally are attributed to tobacco use. The economic losses are staggering too. The global economic cost of tobacco use is estimated at USD 1.85 trillion annually, equivalent to approximately 1.8% of the world's GDP. These are funds that could be used by governments for education, healthcare, and social benefit schemes for the good of the common public, especially the disadvantaged communities. Burden and Impact of tobacco use in Indonesia In Indonesia too, tobacco is the leading cause of preventable deaths, claiming over 270,000 lives annually, which is about 23.3% of the total deaths. It deepens poverty and hits the most vulnerable the hardest. Tobacco use is also the biggest risk factor for TB in Indonesia which has the 2nd highest burden of TB globally. Smoking is responsible for up to 30% of Indonesia's TB burden, or 319,000 TB cases each year. All this drains the country's exchequer by over IDR 450 trillion or approximately USD 29 billion annually. And yet, the tobacco industry continues to find new ways to dole out this poison in various forms to lure youngsters and children - by way of new nicotine products like e-cigarettes and flavoured tobacco products- that are rapidly gaining ground. It is high time to focus on challenging the misleading techniques employed by the tobacco industry to make their unsafe products appealing to their victims. Silver lining Although Indonesia is yet to sign the WHO FCTC, Indonesia's Ministry of Health supports the Asia Pacific Cities Alliance for Health and Development (APCAT),which is a unique alliance of mayors and sub-national leaders from 122 cities of 12 countries. APCAT is dedicated to advance tobacco control, prevention and control of NCDs and TB in the region, among addressing other compelling health and development priorities. Several Indonesian cities are members of APCAT, including Bogor, Denpasar, Klungkung, Bandar Lampung, East Jakarta, Pekalongan, Malang, and Balikpapan. Local governments of these cities have been doing inspiring work on the ground for tobacco control since several years now which has demonstrated commendable public health impact. This includes implementing 100% smoke-free policy in all public and work places; banning tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship; building policy advocacy to raise taxes and prices on tobacco, alcohol and other harmful products; safeguarding peoples' health from tobacco industry tactics; incorporating NCD prevention programmes into primary healthcare services, among others. The way forward to #endTobacco But this is not enough. Dr Bam rightly calls upon all levels of government, parliamentarians, and stakeholders to act decisively to align the local tobacco control efforts with global standards by committing to the ratification of the WHO FCTC. He acknowledges the Presidential Regulation No. 28 of 2024 (that covers a wide range of healthcare issues, including regulations on tobacco products and steps against electronic cigarettes) as a step forward in the right direction, but thinks it is not enough for the scale of the crisis the country is facing. 'It is our shared responsibility to protect public health policies from the vested interests of the tobacco companies. Both national and local governments must ensure that all tobacco control policies are developed and implemented, free from tobacco industry influence. The tools, the science, and the evidence are in our hands. What we need now is political will and courageous leadership," he said. Shobha Shukla – CNS (Citizen News Service) (Shobha Shukla is the award-winning founding Managing Editor and Executive Director of CNS (Citizen News Service) and is a feminist, health and development justice advocate. She is a former senior Physics faculty of prestigious Loreto Convent College and current Coordinator of Asia Pacific Regional Media Alliance for Health and Development (APCAT Media) and Chairperson of Global AMR Media Alliance (GAMA received AMR One Health Emerging Leaders and Outstanding Talents Award 2024). She also coordinates SHE & Rights initiative (Sexual health with equity & rights). Follow her on Twitter @shobha1shukla or read her writings here
Scoop
6 hours ago
- Health
- Scoop
Sudan War Exacerbates Risk Of Cholera And Malaria: UNICEF
May 2025 In a report released Wednesday, UNICEF highlighted the growing threat of cholera in the war-torn country, with more than 7,700 cases and 185 associated deaths reported in Khartoum State alone since January 2025. Alarmingly, over 1,000 cases have affected children under the age of five. Since the onset of conflict in April 2023, three million people have been forced to flee their homes, displaced internally and across the region. Returning to homes without water While improved access to parts of Khartoum State has enabled more than 34,000 people to return since January, many are coming back to homes that have been severely damaged and lack access to basic water and sanitation services. Recent attacks on power infrastructure in Khartoum State have compounded the crisis, disrupting water supplies and forcing families to collect water from unsafe, contaminated sources. This significantly increases the risk of cholera, particularly in densely populated areas such as displacement camps. UNICEF has implemented a multi-pronged approach to the crisis, including distributing household water treatment chemicals, delivering over 1.6 million oral cholera vaccines, supplying cholera treatment kits, and more. 'Each day, more children are exposed to this double threat of cholera and malnutrition, but both are preventable and treatable, if we can reach children in time,' said Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative for Sudan. Malaria and new prevention efforts Also on Wednesday, UNICEF launched a partnership with the Sudanese government's health ministry and The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to distribute nearly 15.6 million insecticide-treated bed nets to prevent the spread of malaria among vulnerable families across Sudan, along with 500,000 additional nets for antenatal and immunization facilities. The campaign aims to protect 28 million Sudanese across 14 states. As with cholera, ongoing conflict and displacement have created conditions conducive to the spread of malaria. Overcrowded and unsanitary living conditions, coupled with the approaching rainy season, present a serious health risk to millions, particularly those returning to damaged communities. In addition, the initiative aims to bolster the availability of anti-malarial medications, rapid diagnostic tests, and investments in strengthening the healthcare system. Critical medical supplies reach West Darfur In a more positive development, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced Tuesday that El Geneina Hospital in West Darfur has received eight tonnes of medical supplies for nutrition, non-communicable diseases and mental health. The delivery, supported by the World Bank Africa, the Share Project, and the European Union, is expected to sustain the hospital's operations for six months, providing vital support to one of the regions hardest hit by the multiple escalating crises.
