Latest news with #pandemicresponse
NHK
22-05-2025
- Health
- NHK
Ex-WHO regional director speaks on new pandemic agreement
Omi Shigeru, the man who ran Japan's response to COVID-19, gives insight on the World Health Organization's new deal to track and mitigate diseases. He says it's a good step but only the first step.
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).
Asharq Al-Awsat
19-05-2025
- Health
- Asharq Al-Awsat
WHO Opens Annual Assembly as UN Health Agency Faces ‘Existential Crisis' in Wake of US Funding Cuts
The World Health Organization on Monday opened its annual meeting of government ministers and other top envoys facing one of the most serious crises of its 77-year history in the wake of Trump administration funding cuts and plans to withdraw the United States. The UN health agency this year has seen a plunge in its ability to carry out its sweeping mandate to do everything from recommend reductions in sugar levels in soft drinks to head the global response to pandemics like COVID-19 or outbreaks like polio or Ebola. Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has been grappling with a response to the US cuts as well as reduced outlays from other traditional Western donors who are putting more money toward defense and less toward humanitarian aid. Matthew Kavanagh, the director of Georgetown University's center for Global Health Policy and Politics, said other countries have used the 'US disruption' — the cut in aid — 'as cover to do their maneuvering, with many countries in Europe reducing aid.' 'The WHO faces an existential crisis that goes well beyond a budget gap to the question of whether this sort of multilateralism can succeed in addressing global health in this new era of nationalism and misinformation,' he said. 'Literally millions will likely die needlessly on the current trajectory and the world's health ministers do not seem capable of a coherent response,' Kavanagh added. On tap for the nine-day World Health Assembly are two major advances that are aimed to buttress WHO's financial strength and bolster the world's ability to cope with pandemics in the future. Member countries are expected to agree to raise annual dues, known as 'assessed contributions,' by 20% to support WHO finances and reduce dependency on governments' voluntary contributions, which change each year and make up over half of the budget. They are also expected to agree to a hard-wrought 'pandemic treaty' that was born of a desire to avoid any replay of the patchy, unequal response to COVID-19 when the next — and inevitable, most experts say — pandemic hits. Among other things, the treaty would guarantee that countries that share critical samples of viruses will receive any resulting tests, medicines and vaccines and give WHO up to 20% of such products to make sure poorer countries can have access to them. Tedros calls the treaty 'truly historic' and said it 'can make the world safer' by boosting collaboration to prepare for, prevent and respond to pandemics. The treaty's effectiveness will face doubts when the US, which poured billions into speedy work by pharmaceutical companies to develop COVID-19 vaccines, is sitting out, and because countries face no penalties if they ignore it, a common issue in international law. Kavanagh said passage of the treaty 'could be a significant victory — evidence that the US government may no longer be indispensable in global health' and could offer an opportunity for developing nations in the 'global South' over the longer term. In the run-up to the assembly, WHO has been cleaning house and cutting costs. Its management has presented a budget for the next two years at just under $4.3 billion, which is 22% less than originally planned, largely in response to Western funding cuts. At a meeting on its budget last week, Tedros, a former Ethiopian health and foreign minister, announced a shake-up of top management that included the exit of key adviser Dr. Michael Ryan from the job as emergencies chief. Tedros said last week that the loss of US funds and other assistance have left the WHO with a salary gap of more than $500 million. WHO is 'confident' that it has commitments for 60% of funds for the next two-year budget cycle, but it faces a budget gap of $1.7 billion.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
WHO opens annual assembly as UN health agency faces 'existential crisis' in wake of US funding cuts
GENEVA (AP) — The World Health Organization on Monday opened its annual meeting of government ministers and other top envoys facing one of the most serious crises of its 77-year history in the wake of Trump administration funding cuts and plans to withdraw the United States. The U.N. health agency this year has seen a plunge in its ability to carry out its sweeping mandate to do everything from recommend reductions in sugar levels in soft drinks to head the global response to pandemics like COVID-19 or outbreaks like polio or Ebola. Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has been grappling with a response to the U.S. cuts as well as reduced outlays from other traditional Western donors who are putting more money toward defense and less toward humanitarian aid. Matthew Kavanagh, the director of Georgetown University's center for Global Health Policy and Politics, said other countries have used the 'U.S. disruption' — the cut in aid — 'as cover to do their maneuvering, with many countries in Europe reducing aid.' 'The WHO faces an existential crisis that goes well beyond a budget gap to the question of whether this sort of multilateralism can succeed in addressing global health in this new era of nationalism and misinformation,' he said. 'Literally millions will likely die needlessly on the current trajectory and the world's health ministers do not seem capable of a coherent response,' Kavanagh added. On tap for the nine-day World Health Assembly are two major advances that are aimed to buttress WHO's financial strength and bolster the world's ability to cope with pandemics in the future. Member countries are expected to agree to raise annual dues, known as 'assessed contributions,' by 20% to support WHO finances and reduce dependency on governments' voluntary contributions — which change each year and make up over half of the budget. They are also expected to agree to a hard-wrought ' pandemic treaty ' that was born of a desire to avoid any replay of the patchy, unequal response to COVID-19 when the next — and inevitable, most experts say — pandemic hits. Among other things, the treaty would guarantee that countries that share critical samples of viruses will receive any resulting tests, medicines and vaccines and give WHO up to 20% of such products to make sure poorer countries can have access to them. Tedros calls the treaty 'truly historic' and said it 'can make the world safer' by boosting collaboration to prepare for, prevent and respond to pandemics. The treaty's effectiveness will face doubts when the U.S. — which poured billions into speedy work by pharmaceutical companies to develop COVID-19 vaccines — is sitting out, and because countries face no penalties if they ignore it, a common issue in international law. Kavanagh said passage of the treaty 'could be a significant victory — evidence that the U.S. government may no longer be indispensable in global health' and could offer an opportunity for developing nations in the 'global South' over the longer term. In the run-up to the assembly, WHO has been cleaning house and cutting costs. Its management has presented a budget for the next two years at just under $4.3 billion, which is 22% less than originally planned — largely in response to Western funding cuts. At a meeting on its budget last week, Tedros — a former Ethiopian health and foreign minister – announced a shake-up of top management that included the exit of key adviser Dr. Michael Ryan from the job as emergencies chief. Tedros said last week that the loss of U.S. funds and other assistance have left the WHO with a salary gap of more than $500 million. WHO is 'confident' that it has commitments for 60% of funds for the next two-year budget cycle, but it faces a budget gap of $1.7 billion.
Washington Post
19-05-2025
- Health
- Washington Post
WHO opens annual assembly as UN health agency faces 'existential crisis' in wake of US funding cuts
GENEVA — The World Health Organization on Monday opened its annual meeting of government ministers and other top envoys facing one of the most serious crises of its 77-year history in the wake of Trump administration funding cuts and plans to withdraw the United States. The U.N. health agency this year has seen a plunge in its ability to carry out its sweeping mandate to do everything from recommend reductions in sugar levels in soft drinks to head the global response to pandemics like COVID-19 or outbreaks like polio or Ebola.
