Latest news with #healthsecurity
ABC News
26-05-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Cook Islands' first Joint External Evaluation seeks to strengthen health security
The Cook Islands Government has put its hand up to take on it's first Joint External Evaluation (JEE), citing health security. The island is vulnerable to natural disasters, outbreaks and the impacts of climate change, and the JEE mission looked at how they respond to it's health risks. World Health Organisation's Director of Pacific technical support, Dr Mark Jacobs who led the mission, says they only work with countries who freely volunteer to participate. "The Cook Islands saw this as an important thing they want to really shows how much commitment there is by the Cook Islands into improving their capacity," said Dr Jacobs.
Reuters
20-05-2025
- Health
- Reuters
China to give $500 million to WHO in next 5 years, official says
GENEVA, May 20 (Reuters) - China will give an additional quota of $500 million to the World Health Organization over the next five years, the country's Vice Premier of the State Council told the World Health Assembly in Geneva on Tuesday. Liu Guozhong vowed China's support for the global health body that has been rocked by the U.S.'s withdrawal - plunging it into a financial crisis. "The world is now facing the impacts of unilateralism and power politics bringing major challenges to global health is a sure pass to addressing difficulties," Liu Guozhong told delegates.
Zawya
19-05-2025
- Health
- Zawya
Rwanda strengthens fight against antimicrobial resistance with Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) support
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a silent yet escalating threat to global health, food security, and sustainable development. The diminishing effectiveness of antimicrobial medicines against common infections in humans, animals, and plants jeopardizes our ability to treat diseases, protect livelihoods, and ensure safe food systems. Recognizing the urgency of this challenge, Rwanda has taken a step forward in its national efforts to combat AMR with the official validation and online release of its updated National Action Plan (NAP II) for the period 2025–2029. This milestone comes after months of technical support from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), which has been a longstanding partner in the country's One Health efforts. Thanks to FAO's support and funding from international partners, Rwanda revised its NAP through an inclusive, evidence-based, and multisectoral process involving national stakeholders from human, animal, plant, and environmental health sectors. The newly published NAP (2025-2029) provides a unified strategic framework for Rwanda to prevent, slow down, and control the spread of resistant organisms. It emphasizes the optimal use of antimicrobials and aims to ensure the continuous availability of safe and effective medicines, a cornerstone for protecting human, animal, and environmental health. FAO's contribution to this process was comprehensive, using the FAO tools for AMR and antimicrobial use. Through the comprehensive assessment and prioritization of activities jointly using FAO Progressive Management Pathway for AMR (PMP-AMR) and FAO Assessment Tool for Laboratories and AMR Surveillance Systems (FAO-ATLASS) for five days, countries could assess the implementation of the first AMR-NAP and identify the next steps to enhance the level and inform the revision process. Moreover, FAO recruited a national consultant to guide the revision of the document and provided assistance throughout the post-editing and validation phases. FAO also played a key role in high-level advocacy with national authorities, helping secure official endorsement and publication of the NAP. The culmination of these efforts is the public online publication of the NAP, making this vital strategic document accessible to all stakeholders and the international community, a testament to transparency and commitment. 'Decreasing AMR risks to human, animal and environmental health requires first a good understanding of where and why risks exist,' stated Dr Nomathemba Mhlanga, FAO Representative ad interim in Rwanda, highlighting the importance of such foundational documents. 'This Action Plan is a significant step in building the national systems needed to protect health and livelihoods.' This NAP not only provides Rwanda with a clear roadmap to address AMR but also strengthens its capacity to contribute to regional and global efforts to mitigate this pervasive threat. By ensuring the responsible use of antimicrobials, enhancing surveillance, and promoting infection prevention and control across human, animal, and agricultural sectors, Rwanda is better positioned to protect its population, its economy, and its environment. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO): Regional Office for Africa.
Zawya
19-05-2025
- Health
- Zawya
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and Unitaid partner to strengthen equitable access to health products in Africa
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) and Unitaid have formed a new strategic partnership to expand the production of essential health products in Africa and improve sustainable access to medicines, diagnostics, and medical oxygen across the continent. Signed on the margins of the 78th World Health Assembly, the Memorandum of Understanding focuses on scaling up regional manufacturing as a central pillar of Africa's health security and autonomy. Africa bears 25% of the global disease burden yet imports more than 95% of the active pharmaceutical ingredients and 70% of the medicines it consumes. The continent has just 600 health product manufacturing sites for a population of 1.1 billion – compared to about 10,000 in India and 5,000 in China. To help address these gaps and bolster Africa's ability to respond to future pandemics, the partnership will support regional manufacturing of essential medical products such as diagnostics, therapeutics, and oxygen, while also building capacity to produce priority health products and scale up innovative technologies – including those developed in Africa. These efforts will target key health priorities such as HIV, tuberculosis, malaria, hepatitis, cervical cancer, sexually transmitted infections, and other diseases and conditions – particularly those affecting women and children. 'This partnership reflects Africa's goals to develop and produce health products that people across the continent need while building a resilient future,' said Dr Jean Kaseya, Director-General of Africa CDC. 'Together with Unitaid, we are building on African expertise, expanding our regional manufacturing capacity, and strengthening our ability to produce essential health products reliably, affordably, and closer to where they are needed.' Through this agreement, the two institutions will coordinate efforts to overcome regulatory, financing, and market challenges that hold back regional production. The collaboration also aims to improve pandemic preparedness by supporting the development and availability of health tools that are designed, produced, and delivered within Africa. 'Africa CDC and Unitaid share the same goal – to reinforce African capacity so the continent can sustainably respond to endemic diseases and regional health challenges,' said Dr. Philippe Duneton, Executive Director of Unitaid. 'By expanding regional production, we can help reduce supply chain risks, and ensure faster, more equitable access to lifesaving products while investing in industry development in the region.' The joint work will be guided by a shared action plan and regular progress reviews to ensure sustained momentum and accountability. Areas of collaboration will include supporting innovation in diagnostics, treatments, and medical technologies; strengthening regulatory and procurement pathways for locally produced health products; expanding access to medical oxygen; enhancing pandemic preparedness and response; and advancing joint advocacy for African-led solutions at both regional and global levels. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).
BBC News
14-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Uncertainty over secretive Harlow research lab alarms MPs
Uncertainty over plans to build a secretive new research centre has been described as "alarming" by a panel of on the laboratories in Harlow, Essex, was paused in March 2023 after years of delays and costs rising from £530m to £ facility, designed to prepare the UK for dangerous pathogens, was branded a "critical piece of infrastructure" at a meeting of the government's public accounts Rachel Reeves vowed to "get the best possible outcome" of land earmarked for the centre, which was purchased for £30m in 2017. More than £400m has already been spent on the project, according to a National Audit Office was born out of concerns about the high-containment laboratories in Porton Down in Wiltshire, and Colindale in north sites have been essential for detecting and studying the most threatening pathogens, including Ebola and Covid-19. Cross-party MPs said the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) "lacks a grip of the financial pressures it faces" when they criticised delays in decision-making about whether or not the Harlow project would continue."There is little to show for the £400m spent so far on the development of Harlow health security campus, with no decision yet on the future of the site," MPs wrote. They challenged the department to ensure it had "effective oversight" of major Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, chairman of the committee, said the Harlow scheme remained a "vexed question"."Of all the projects to have been poorly overseen, the lack of clear direction on a critical piece of infrastructure designed to keep us all safe from infectious disease is particularly alarming," the Conservative chancellor is expected to announce a decision on the site's future in the spending review by 11 a letter to the Labour MP for Harlow, Chris Vince, Reeves said the government was "actively considering" its options."If a new facility is not built at Harlow, I would like to reassure you that we will ensure the site is used so the people of Harlow get the best possible outcome in terms of jobs and public service infrastructure," she said. Follow Essex news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
