How do we defeat malaria in Africa and spur development?
30/05/2024: The first two decades of the 21st century were a golden era for malaria control. However, progress has slowed since 2015 and in 2022 Africa accounted for 94% of malaria cases (233 million) globally. History shows that malaria can quickly resurge when control measures are weakened and African countries will continue to depend on global financial support.
Source: Devex
Global pandemic treaty could be more than a year away
29/5/2024: Global health leaders have said an international treaty governing how the world should deal with future pandemics may not be agreed for another year or more. After two years of negotiations, countries failed to agree on the text by the deadline.
Source: The Guardian
WHO seeks four-year funding commitments from donors
28/5/2024: The World Health Organization has officially kicked off its latest investment round by asking for $11.1 billion over the next four years. For decades, the organization has been at the mercy of donor funds flowing unpredictably and tied to certain projects. More than half the world’s population lacks essential health services and 2 billion people face financial hardship from out-of-pocket spending on health.
Source: Devex
Pandemic Fund eyes funding target to kick-start strategic plan
27/5/2024: The Pandemic Fund hopes to raise an additional $2 billion over the next two years, as it launches a new five-year, medium-term strategic plan. Established in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis, the Pandemic Fund is a dedicated financing mechanism to strengthen countries’ pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response.
Source: Devex
Gender activists want more philanthropic funding for maternal health
9/5/2024: The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation reports that the Sustainable Development Goal for reducing maternal mortality and ending all preventable deaths under 5 years of age is worryingly off track. Total official development assistance to maternal, newborn, and child health stagnated between 2017 and 2021 at around $10 billion annually.
Source: Devex
High risk, high reward: Gavi’s investment in Africa vaccine production
28/3/2024: Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance, is a global consortium that provides affordable vaccines to lower-income countries through pooled procurement. The organisation is months away from launching a new $1 billion financial instrument to boost Africa’s nascent vaccine manufacturing sector.
Source: Devex
Vaccine shortage paves way for return of cholera
21/3/2024: With 23 countries reporting active outbreaks in 2024 and with vaccine stocks exhausted, cholera has returned with a vengeance. While more than 1 billion lives are at risk from cholera, pharmaceutical companies are not serving the cholera vaccine market due to its low profitability.
Source: The Guardian
Africa needs a win from the pandemic agreement negotiations
15/3/2024: The World Health Organization is leading negotiations for a new legally binding pandemic agreement, hoping to reach a conclusion in May 2024. The director-general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention warns that the agreement should not perpetuate fragility and disparities across global health systems, particularly in Africa.
Source: Devex
Global child deaths reach historic low in 2022
13/3/2024: The number of children who died before their fifth birthday has reached a historic low, dropping to 4.9 million in 2022, according to latest UN estimates. The global under-5 mortality rate has declined by 51 per cent since 2000, with reductions of over 75% achieved in Cambodia, Malawi, Mongolia, and Rwanda. Nonetheless, at current rates, 59 countries will miss the Sustatiainable Development Goal for child mortality.
Source: World Health Organization
Not another pandemic fund, says Pandemic Fund
12/3/2024: The Pandemic Fund, which is housed at the World Bank, was created as a dedicated financing mechanism to help strengthen countries’ pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. The fund has received its fair share of criticisms and its role is unclear in current pandemic treaty negotiations. Some countries advocate a more inclusive alternative.
Source: Devex