Middle East Conflict Set to Drive Up Food and Medicine Costs, Exacerbate Hunger

18/03/2026 Elaine Ruth Fletcher

Following Iranian missile attacks on Dubai, a major global logistics and humanitarian hub, the World Health Organization is struggling to revive the traffic of medicines and health care supplies in and around the Middle East and African regions most served by the hubs, a WHO official said on Wednesday. “We have managed to do a […] Continue reading ->

Progress Reducing Early Childhood Mortality Has Slowed Sharply Since 2015

18/03/2026 Elaine Ruth Fletcher

Under-five deaths have fallen globally by more than half since the year 2000. However, since 2015, the pace of reduction in early childhood mortality has slowed by more than 60%, a new UN report shows. The report, co-authored by UNIICEF, WHO and the World Bank, also shows that while great gains have made globally, the […] Continue reading ->

Unlocking the Power of the Private Sector for Stronger Health Systems

06/03/2026 Elaine Ruth Fletcher

As USAID programmes funding vital treatments for HIV/AIDS, malaria, maternal and child health, and other critical needs were imploding across Africa last year, a for-profit social enterprise startup geared up for its first real test. Using medicines procurement as its lever, the Swiss-based startup Axmed called for a radical reboot of national systems — to […] Continue reading ->

Historic HPV Vaccination Campaign in India to Boost Fight Against Cervical Cancer

05/03/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen

India launched the most extensive free Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination initiative in history to systematically combat the rising toll of cervical cancer. This ambitious 90-day campaign aims to inoculate nearly 12 million 14-year-old girls before the preventative shot is permanently integrated into the country’s universal immunization schedule. “India has joined the community of 160 countries […] Continue reading ->

Innovative Finance Can Strengthen Fragile Health Systems

27/02/2026 Elaine Ruth Fletcher

Financial innovation is a key, underused tool that can be mustered to strengthen humanitarian outreach in crisis settings, while also strengthening public health systems over the long term, according to a new report published by The Geneva Health Forum. “New sources of financing are developing, breaking with the traditional vision of charitable action financed by […] Continue reading ->

Mozambique and Madagascar Battle After-Effects of Cyclone and Floods

27/02/2026 Kerry Cullinan

Mozambique and Madagascar are struggling to address the after-effects of cyclones and cyclone-related flooding, with huge increases in cholera cases and displaced people. There has been a seven-fold increase in cholera cases in southern Africa in the first six weeks of 2026 in comparison to the same time last year, with 90% of the 4,300 […] Continue reading ->

Zambia and Zimbabwe Back Away From ‘Prescriptive’ US Health Deals

26/02/2026 Kerry Cullinan

The government of Zambia acknowledged this week that it is unhappy with part of a proposed health aid deal with the United States that “does not align with the country’s interests”. The Zambia-US bilateral deal was due to be signed last December, but it faltered after the US linked the billion-dollar deal to access to […] Continue reading ->

Post-USAID, Kenyans’ Access to HIV and Maternal Medicine and Contraceptives Plunges

24/02/2026 Kerry Cullinan

Kenyans’ access to a range of health products – including HIV treatment, maternal medicine, and contraceptives – plunged in three counties last year, largely as a result of the closure of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). In contrast, Zambia showed “modest improvements” in certain areas, particularly maternal health – largely thanks to a […] Continue reading ->

Air Pollution and Heatwaves Take Centre Stage at Mumbai Climate Week

19/02/2026 Disha Shetty

MUMBAI, India – Air pollution and heat are much worse together for human health than each of them alone, said Dr Soumya Swaminathan, former chief scientist at the World Health Organization, speaking at this week’s Mumbai Climate Week (MCW). Heat and air pollution were among the key regional priorities during the three-day event that brought […] Continue reading ->

Investment in Malaria Venture Yields 13x Health Benefits

17/02/2026 Kerry Cullinan

Every $1 invested in the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) between 2000 and 2023 yielded $13 in monetised health benefits, according to a study published in The Lancet Global Health this week. MMV is a not-for-profit product development partnership (PDP) that works with public and private sector partners to discover, develop and deliver accessible and […] Continue reading ->