Public health champions honoured for work ‘beyond the call of normal duty’

But this is not universal. Many people worldwide struggle – unable to walk into clinics or explain their symptoms: “[These patients] do not line up on waiting lists. They wait, unknowingly, for inside understanding and the courage to seek care,” said Dr. Merete Nordentoft of Denmark, describing the patients with whom she has worked most […]

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‘A silent crisis’: Obstetric fistula affects 500,000 women, yet it’s fully treatable

16 years – that is how long Dah had to live with the agonising condition, undergoing eight different surgical procedures before finally getting the fistula repaired. In recognition of the over 500,000 women like Dah who are forced to endure what is a highly treatable condition, the International Day to End Obstetric Fistula is being […]

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Global Cholera Outbreak Escalates: WHO Reports Over 157,000 Cases and 2,148 Deaths

As of April 27, 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported a cumulative total of 157,035 cholera cases and 2,148 deaths across 26 countries in three regions: Africa, the Eastern Mediterranean, and South-East Asia. This marks a 5% increase in new cases compared to March, with 37,147 new cases and 561 deaths recorded in […]

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Global Leaders Reaffirm Commitment to WHO with US$170 Million Raised at 2025 World Health Assembly

Geneva, Switzerland – At a high-level pledging event held on Tuesday during the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva, global leaders committed at least an additional US$170 million to the World Health Organization (WHO). This significant contribution, directed to WHO’s Investment Round (IR), comes at a time when rising global health challenges make robust multilateral […]

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Nations adopt historic pledge to guard against future pandemics

The effects of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic are still being felt. Around seven million people died, health systems were overwhelmed, and the global economy was practically driven to a standstill. The global turmoil prompted a stunned international community to pursue an agreement aimed at preventing such a catastrophic event from happening again – and ensuring […]

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WHO Member States Approve Historic Pandemic Agreement in Assembly Committee, Paving Way for Formal Adoption

19 May 2025 – Geneva: Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO), meeting today in Committee A of the World Health Assembly, have approved a landmark resolution endorsing the adoption of the WHO Pandemic Agreement — a groundbreaking global accord aimed at strengthening the world’s defenses against future pandemics. The resolution will now move […]

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World Health Assembly opens amid high-stakes pandemic treaty vote, global funding crisis

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, urged Member States to remain focused on shared goals even amid global instability. “We are here to serve not our own interests, but the eight billion people of our world,” he said in his keynote address at the Palais des Nations. “To leave a heritage for […]

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Biopharma Modalities VC Funding Consolidates in Q1, But Annual Investment Surges Past $31 Billion

Venture capital activity in the biopharma modalities sector continued to consolidate in the first quarter of 2025, according to PitchBook’s latest Emerging Tech Research. Deal volume declined by more than 18% compared to the previous quarter, reflecting growing investor selectivity and ongoing macroeconomic pressures. Despite the dip in activity, total deal value remained stable, indicating […]

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Countries set to adopt ‘vital’ pandemic preparedness accord

The stakes are high for this year’s World Health Assembly, the UN’s premier health forum, where officials will tackle a sweeping agenda – from pandemic readiness and climate-related health risks to mental health, maternal care, and environmental justice. But with geopolitical tensions running high, international collaboration on these and other vital issues will be tested. Here […]

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Pandemic heroes stepped up in 2020 – now they’re asking world leaders to do the same

A defining moment for global health is about to unfold in Geneva. The United Nations is playing a central role in efforts to prevent future pandemics, as the World Health Assembly works to finalise the text of the Pandemic Preparedness Treaty — a document born from the catastrophic failures and fragile victories of COVID-19. The […]

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