Latest news with #pandemicpreparedness
Malay Mail
19-05-2025
- Health
- Malay Mail
‘Ready for any disease X': New Singapore-made virus immunity test now used in 90 countries to track Covid-19, Ebola and Nipah
SINGAPORE, May 19 – A diagnostic test developed by Singaporean scientists to detect neutralising antibodies for multiple viruses is now in use in over 90 countries as part of global pandemic preparedness efforts. The Straits Times reported that the multiplex surrogate virus neutralisation test (sVNT), can identify whether a person has antibodies capable of neutralising several pathogens, including Sars-CoV-2, the virus responsible for Covid-19, as well as Ebola and Nipah viruses. 'Neutralising antibodies are a functional measure of your immunity. So if you have a high level, you will most likely be protected against future infection,' said Prof Wang Linfa from Duke-NUS Medical School, who co-led the project with Dr Tan Chee Wah from NUS Medicine. This ability to assess immunity can also help gauge the effectiveness of vaccines and inform future formulations to cover a broader range of related viruses, Prof Wang added. Beyond vaccine development, the test supports contact tracing during outbreaks by identifying those previously infected, and can also be used in animals, having traced Sars-CoV-2 transmission from humans to deer in a US study. Dr Tan noted the test's safety advantage, as it uses only spike proteins from viruses rather than live pathogens, avoiding risks of infection during antibody detection. The test was developed under the Integrated Innovations in Infectious Diseases grant led by the National Medical Research Council, which funds medical research under Singapore's Ministry of Health. Based on the cPass test introduced in 2020, the sVNT expands on its predecessor's limitations, particularly its inability to detect newer Covid-19 variants, said Professor Paul Tambyah from NUS Medicine. Now adopted by institutions like the University of Oxford and the University of Melbourne, the sVNT plays a role in international research and surveillance of infectious diseases. Looking ahead, Dr Tan said the team aims to create a universal test for all pathogens listed by the World Health Organisation as global health threats, including antibiotic-resistant bacteria. 'The challenge now, and also our excitement, is trying to build up a really multi-family, multi-class surrogate virus neutralisation test, so that we're ready for any disease X,' said Prof Wang, referring to a yet-unknown virus that could spark a pandemic. Singapore has boosted its pandemic readiness since Covid-19, with the launch of a S$100 million research programme in 2022 and, most recently, the Communicable Diseases Agency in April 2025 to centralise infectious disease response.
Arab News
18-05-2025
- Health
- Arab News
As old powers retreat, the Gulf steps up in global health
As the 78th World Health Assembly gathers this week in Geneva, global health funding and governance are at an inflection point. For decades, Western donors — particularly the US — have dominated the agenda. That era is ending. In the opening days of President Donald Trump's second term, executive orders again withdrew US support for the World Health Organization's core budget, slashed funding for pandemic preparedness and prohibited federal agencies from collaborating on climate-linked health research. These reversals reopen vulnerabilities exposed by COVID-19, even as new global threats — such as pandemics, antimicrobial resistance and climate-driven illness — grow more urgent. The retrenchment runs deeper. The UN's AIDS program recently announced cuts of up to 50 percent in staffing and country coverage. Memos circulating within donor circles hint at a larger reshuffling of global governance — including in health. And yet, for all the institutional uncertainty, global health remains indispensable. Strong health systems are not just a moral imperative — they underpin sustainable development, economic stability and geopolitical resilience. Health spending already represents about 10 percent of global gross domestic product. But more than half the world's population — about 4.5 billion people — lack access to basic services. For pandemic preparedness alone, the funding gap remains at an estimated $10.5 billion annually, much of it in low- and middle-income countries. Amid this leadership vacuum, a new axis of influence is emerging from an unexpected quarter: the Gulf. Gulf Cooperation Council countries are not merely stepping into a donor role — they are reshaping what global health leadership looks like in a multipolar world. With capital, coordination and strategic clarity, nations like the UAE and Saudi Arabia are moving from the margins to the center of the global health architecture. In March, the Mohamed Bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity launched in Abu Dhabi with the goal of reaching 500 million people across Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The foundation, building on the UAE's earlier work through the Reaching the Last Mile initiative, focuses on system strengthening, innovation and measurable impact. Its benchmark for success is lives saved — not dollars pledged. That same mindset underpins the Beginnings Fund, an initiative backed by the UAE, the Gates Foundation, Delta Philanthropies and others, which aims to prevent 300,000 maternal and newborn deaths across 10 low-income countries by 2030. These are not abstract commitments. They represent a deliberate shift away from bureaucratic, process-heavy aid toward outcomes-based, data-driven investment in health systems. The Gulf is also establishing itself as a convening force in global health diplomacy. GCC countries are not merely stepping into a donor role — they are reshaping what global health leadership looks like in a multipolar world. Matthew Miller Saudi Arabia has quietly become one of the WHO's most important contributors. Since 2018, it has donated more than $385 million, supporting health operations in conflict-affected regions including Palestine, Ukraine, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. The Kingdom ranked among the WHO's top 20 donors over the past six years and was the fourth-largest contributor to thematic funds in 2022-23. In February, Riyadh hosted the International Humanitarian Forum, where Saudi Arabia reaffirmed a $500 million commitment to UNICEF and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. This was more than symbolic. It was a signal of strategic intent. Abu Dhabi, too, has become a focal point for global health discussion. Its annual Global Health Week convenes government officials, health ministers, CEOs and scientists to discuss topics ranging from artificial intelligence to antimicrobial resistance and sustainable life sciences investment. This year's event featured 13 health ministers, several major pharmaceutical firms and the visible presence of UAE sovereign wealth funds — all aligned around a vision of preventive, precision-based and tech-enabled health systems. The WHO will this week debate revisions to the International Health Regulations and new rules on pandemic preparedness. What the moment calls for is not just more funding — it is a different kind of leadership. The GCC countries are not alone in seeking a more inclusive, representative global health order. But their model — rooted in delivery, backed by capital and framed by a pragmatic, forward-looking vision — is gaining traction, particularly among countries that have long felt marginalized by legacy institutions. These nations could host a WHO collaborating center or convene a permanent South-South forum to help redistribute governance power. They are already taking action. Through the G20, Saudi Arabia has supported the WHO's digital health strategy, workforce development programs, vaccine certification systems and campaigns to combat health misinformation — many of them shaped by lessons from the COVID-19 response. The UAE, meanwhile, played a leading role during COP28, hosting the first-ever Health Day and advancing a joint declaration linking climate and health policy. The country is investing in early-warning systems, genomics and the training of a new generation of global health diplomats. These are not vanity projects. They are the building blocks of a new system — one oriented around results, not rhetoric. The retreat of traditional donors leaves not only a gap, but a chance to build better. The Gulf model — regional capital, measurable outcomes and an openness to innovation — offers a new template, one that could be adapted well beyond the region. As ministers and delegates meet in Geneva this week, they will debate how to future-proof global health. But in many ways, that future is already unfolding — in Abu Dhabi, Riyadh and beyond. The question is no longer whether the Gulf is rising in global health. It is whether the rest of the world is ready to keep pace.
