Global Health

GHealth News - The World Health Organization (WHO) launches the Healthy Beginnings, Hopeful Futures campaign on World Health Day 2025, April 7, focusing on maternal and newborn health. The campaign aims to reduce preventable deaths, improve long-term health for women, and raise awareness about gaps in maternal and newborn survival. With nearly 300,000 maternal deaths and over 4 million newborn deaths annually, urgent action is needed. WHO encourages collective action, investments in healthcare, and better support for families, addressing both physical and emotional health needs. People are urged to spread awareness, participate in global events, donate, and share personal stories. Campaign goals To raise awareness about gaps in maternal and newborn survival and the need to prioritiz...

By: Rachel Tompa When it comes to widespread global health problems, ChatGPT and its like may not be the first solution that comes to your mind. But generative AI, the type of large language model that underlies artificial intelligence chatbots like ChatGPT, could have a lot to offer in low- and middle-income countries where access to reliable health care remains a hurdle for many. Eleni Linos, MD, DrPH, the director of the Stanford Center for Digital Health, spends a lot of time thinking about how digital tools including generative AI could tackle health problems that humans haven't been able to solve. Recently, Linos and her research team at the center co-authored a report on generative AI's application for health in low- and middle-income countries in collab...

GHealth News - The medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has raised alarm over the escalating malnutrition crisis in Yemen, warning that the growing needs surpass the current treatment capacity. In a statement on Wednesday, MSF urged increased financial support following significant reductions in humanitarian funding for the country. Malnutrition admissions in Yemen remain critically high, MSF reported. "If we don't take immediate action by strengthening nutrition programs and ensuring affordable transportation to healthcare facilities, we risk an even greater surge in malnutrition in the coming months," said Himedan Mohammed, MSF Middle East's head of operations. Despite expanding treatment capacity, MSF stated that it is unable to meet all the demands and called for urg...

GHealth News - The World Health Organization (WHO) plans to cut costs and reassess its health program priorities following U.S. President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw the United States from the organization, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters. Trump announced the withdrawal on Monday, the first day of his second term, accusing the WHO of mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic and other global health crises. "This announcement has made our financial situation more acute," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus wrote in the memo dated January 23. The memo outlined cost-saving measures, including significant reductions in travel expenses and a hiring freeze, except for critical areas. A WHO spokesperson confirmed the authenticity of the memo, initially reported by Reu...

By: Shyam Bishen Health was a major focus in 2024, shaping global news and driving key discussions at the World Economic Forum. From climate change health impacts to the rise of antimicrobial resistance and improving health equity for women, here are 6 top health stories of the year. 1. The impact of climate change on health Our 2024 report Quantifying the Impact of Climate Change on Human Health, in association with Oliver Wyman, explored how climate change will reshape global health over the next two decades. Failing to mitigate and adapt to climate change will pose our greatest global risk, according to the report, with shifting climate and weather patterns already causing alarming trends. These include rising pathogens, increased pollution, worsening extreme ...

GHealth News - The World Health Organization said on Friday it is deploying experts to support health authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo to investigate an as-yet undiagnosed disease linked to multiple deaths in a remote area of the country. The WHO experts are on their way to Panzi, a locality in the southwestern Kwango province, where they will deliver essential medicines and diagnostic kits to help analyse the cause of the illness. Laboratory tests are being conducted to determine the cause, the WHO said, adding that it would share more information as soon as it was available. "Our priority is to provide effective support to the affected families and communities," said Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO's regional director for Africa. "All efforts are underway to identify...

Bill Gates is constantly asked for his thoughts on big topics like artificial intelligence, climate change and pandemics. But there are other topics the Microsoft co-founder and billionaire philanthropist finds just as interesting and important — and he’s “surprised” more people aren’t asking about them. “When I first said, ‘What do kids die of?’ I had a hard time finding out, and I would have thought, ‘Shouldn’t we all be asking that kind of thing?’” Gates, 69, told LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman during an episode of the “Possible” podcast that published on Wednesday. “It’s more important than GDP (Gross Domestic Product)." Similarly, Gates said, he often thinks about questions like “How does malnutrition work?” and “What’s the best way to understand diseases?” — even though th...

In a powerful demonstration of high-level support, the World Health Organization (WHO) received nearly US$ 700 million in new funding commitments from European countries, foundations and others, and another US$ 300 million in reaffirmed commitments. Announced at the WHO Investment Round Signature Event at the World Health Summit in Berlin hosted by Germany, France, and Norway, the commitments highlighted the urgent need for investments in the Organization’s mission to improve health outcomes worldwide. The world’s global health strategy, WHO's Fourteenth General Programme of Work 2025-2028, was approved by WHO’s 194 Member States at the World Health Assembly in May. The Organization’s first ever Investment Round, also launched at the Assembly, aims to ensure that WHO has the predicta...