The US sets in motion process to amend the International Health Regulations; Developing countries try to restore balance in WGPR discussions Rules to govern health emergencies continue to dominate the policy discussions at WHO. As the 75th World Health Assembly gets underway in a few days, a crowded agenda awaits member states: from the re-election of the director-general, to the Ukrainian crisis, from formal efforts towards the amendments of International Health Regulations to increasing countries’ assessed contributions to boost sustainable financing of WHO. The first in-person meeting in two years will bring ministers, delegates and other attendees, to Geneva in … Continue reading Curtain-Raiser: WHA75

Sustainable Financing Working Group Final Meeting Next Week WHO member states have so far struggled to reach a consensus on increasing their assessed contributions that would make the organization’s financing more predictable and sustainable. That window of making this decision may be closing fast, also given the simultaneous proposals that will transform global health financing in a post-pandemic world.   The Bureau of the Working Group on Sustainable Financing has recommended that the World Health Assembly in May, must commit to future incremental increases of assessed contributions to an eventual level of 50% of the budget for 2022–2023 base programmes. The first increase … Continue reading The Chronic Crisis in WHO Financing: A Temperature Check on Member States’ Commitments

The opposition to the idea of a pandemic treaty appears to be strengthening, even as there is emerging preference for a revision of existing rules such as the International Health Regulations, in order to better address future emergencies.On-going discussions suggest that WHO member states might prefer other ways to govern pandemic preparedness and response instead of crafting a new instrument. As in other policy spheres, these matters too, are being driven by geopolitical considerations. At a meeting this week, the working group on strengthening WHO preparedness and response to health emergencies (WGPR), set up to discuss the need for a new legal … Continue reading Review of International Health Regulations Makes Space in Treaty Talks

Health in the cross hairs of the Tigray conflict By Mukesh Kapila As Ethiopia’s civil war  approaches its first deadly anniversary in November, there is, as yet, little prospect for peace.  The underlying causes of the immediate conflict are bitterly contested and the essential conditions for solutions remain elusive. Geopolitical factors mean that the African Union and United Nations are paralysed, even if there was a mood for external intervention after the Afghanistan debacle. Ethiopia was starting to do well… Ethiopia has a long and bloody history with repeated internal conflicts distinguished by extreme brutalities. But recent periods of peace and stability were bearing fruit. … Continue reading “Health is a strategic frontline target”: Guest Essay by Mukesh Kapila on the Tigray Crisis

By Rithika Sangameshwaran In January 2021, Achim Kessler, member of the Left Party of Germany (known as Die Linke) co-submitted a motion in the Bundestag (Parliament). It called on the German Federal Government to support the TRIPS waiver. After months of deliberation, the motion was rejected in May 2021, with majority members voting against it. While they unanimously agreed that more needed to be done to increase global vaccine production, just like at the WTO, they differed on ways to achieve it. “There is a difference even within the government, between members of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and members of the conservative party. Some … Continue reading Understanding Germany’s Trenchant Opposition To the TRIPS Waiver

THE GENEVA HEALTH FILES INTERVIEW As we reported recently, the debate around enabling technology transfer is proving to be critical in addressing shortages in the production of vaccines to fight back the pandemic. We wanted to know from manufacturers from developing countries on the challenges they face in making vaccines for COVID-19. Geneva Health Files brings you an interview with Abdul Muktadir, Chairman & Managing Director, of the Dhaka-based company Incepta Pharmaceuticals Limited. Muktadir, an industrial pharmacist by training, leads Incepta, which was established in 1999. A company specialising in biosimilars and vaccines, Incepta employs nearly 10,000 people and produces about 1000 … Continue reading Views from a vaccine manufacturer: Incepta, Bangladesh

COVAX IN 2021: WILL THE PIECES COME TOGETHER? What Gavi’s Board documents say. There is tremendous pressure on Gavi – The Vaccine Alliance and its partners including WHO to deliver vaccines for the pandemic even as the increasing complexity of COVID-19 challenges scientists and policy-makers. The risks facing Gavi and the constraints it faces as the responsible global health agency in making COVID-19 vaccines available to the world, is significant. This is not only about Gavi. At stake are some of the poorest countries in the world for whom the COVAX Facility is the only ticket out of the pandemic. … Continue reading COVAX 2021: The Gavi Board Dossiers

WHO convened a Global Research and Innovation Forum on COVID-19 this week, bringing together 1300 experts virtually including researchers, funders and developers, to discuss the state of the science and to take stock of the six-month old pandemic which has resulted in more than half a million deaths, infected upwards of 10 million people in more than 200 countries, and has devastated lives and livelihoods. The forum was convened in order lay out the existing knowledge gaps, map emerging research priorities and decide on the critical research questions that need to be addressed going forward. The conference follows the first … Continue reading WHO-led Research & Innovation Forum on COVID-19: July 2