The joy of stats: Hans Rosling works his magic in real space
01 February 2011
Another excellent demonstration of our new reality from Hans Rosling. 200 countries over 200 years in 4 minutes. From the BBC Four programme The Joy of Stats.
UN Debate Global Health and Foreign Policy
On 10 December the Assembly held a debate on "global health and foreign policy", adopting a consensus resolution on that issue, by which it underscored that global health was a long-term objective -- local, national, regional and international in scope -- that required sustained commitment and closer international cooperation beyond emergency. It welcomed the coordinated international response to the influenza A (H1N1) pandemic, and acknowledged, with serious concern, that global influenza vaccine production was insufficient to meet anticipated need in pandemic situations, notably in developing countries.
Commonwealth Backs Climate Change Fund
1 December 2009
Commonwealth leaders meeting in Trinidad have backed the proposals put forward by the UK and France for a global fund intended to build up to a total of $10 billion per year to help low income countries achieve carbon emission targets.
Event Report - Nobel Forum Seminar on the EU as a Global Health Actor
The Swedish Presidency of the European Union convened a meeting of high level European global health stakeholders in Stockholm on Friday, 4 December 2009. The meeting was co-organised by the Karolinska Institutet and Global Health Europe. The seminar came at a crucial moment for European engagement in global health; its objective being to give feedback into the European Commission's present work toward a new EU policy on Global Health.
2020 Climate Targets
26 November 2009
It seems that President Obama will come to Copenhagen with an offer to reduce carbon emissions by 17% and Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao will bring an offer to reduce "carbon intensity", that is the amount of carbon per unit of GDP by 40-50%. The EU's climate change package is to reduce carbon emissions by 20% by 2020.
HIV Infections Reduced
25 November 2009
A new report released by UNAIDS and WHO shows that since 2001, when the United Nations Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS was signed, the number of new infections in sub-Saharan Africa is approximately 15% lower in 2008.
First transmission of Tamiflu resistant Swine Flu
24 November 2009
The world's first cases of person to person transmission of H1N1 "swine flu" have been reported amongst a group of immune-compromised patients at a hospital in Wales. While further transmission is unlikely from this group, it shows the potential danger to health resources of the emergence of such resistance.
Open Consultation with Incoming Regional Director of WHO EURO
Mrs. Zsuzsanna Jakab, Regional Director-Elect for the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe (WHO EURO), has asked Global Health Europe to host an open letter to the European Health Community on her behalf. This letter outlines her vision for the future of WHO EURO. As a crucial part of her transition into the office of Regional Director Mrs. Jakab is looking for your input - does her vision capture the issues that matter to you?
To facilitate the discussion she has raised a series of questions in what can be considered the first ever open consultation with a future WHO Regional Director (RD).
Read Zsuzsanna Jakab's Open Letter to the European Health Community
and visit our Forum section where you can read her vision statement and participate in discussions dedicated to the questions raised by the RD-Elect.
New trends in European and U.S. HIV/AIDS funding now available online
18 November 2009
The European HIV/AIDS Funders Group (EFG) and Funders Concerned About AIDS (FCAA) announce the launch of their annual resource tracking publications.
Catherine Ashton brings experience of Health to High Representative Role
20 November 2009
The current EU Trade Commissioner is to become the first EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Her selection was supported by the UK and a number of other left of centre governments, perhaps balancing right of centre support for Herman van Rompuy as President of the European Council.
"The Age of Stupid" connects Global to Local
In a school hall in rural England a group of enthusiasts have arranged a showing of this film by Franny Armstrong about the climate change, which is released through local events rather than mainstream cinemas. The meeting provides a microcosm of what it takes to connect a global issue to local and personal action.US-EU Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance
Following the announcement of a new US-EU Task force to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR) the Center for Global Development in Washington D.C. raised some critical questions on how this task force would be constituted, for how long, to what ends and for what implications for global health. Global Health Europe has tried hard to answer these questions.
David Heymann on Global Health Security Centre
At a meeting in London on 12 November David Heymann, the Head of the Centre introduced the main themes of the work of the Chatham House Centre on Global Health Security.Zedillo Commission Reports
10 November 2009
Ernesto Zedillo the former President of Mexico and Director of the Yale Center for the Study of Globalization has recently delivered the report of the commission he led on the governance of the World Bank Group.
Gordon Brown is latest convert to CTT at G20
09 November 2009
The recent G20 meeting of Finance Ministers in Scotland generated little excitement except for the UK Prime Minister's support for the idea of a Currency Transaction Tax.
Open Forum: The EU Role in Global Health
The European Commission has released an issue paper on the EU's Role in Global Health (PDF) for open consultation with interested stakeholders. To complement the dialogue Global Health Europe has opened a discussion forum based on the 28 questions which the Commission puts forward in the issue paper.
The discussion is only open until Monday, 7 December so be sure to comment soon!New WHO Report on Global Risks to Health
27 October 2009
This new report uses updated information from WHO programmes and scientific studies in order to provide detailed global and regional estimates of premature mortality, disability and loss of health attributable to 24 global risk factors.
New York Times Examines the Hidden Cost of HIV Spending
30 October 2009
The New York Times questions the logic behind current global health priorities and considers the debate on whether "rich nations spend too much on AIDS, which requires lifelong medications, compared with diarrhoea and the other leading killer of children, pneumonia, both of which can be treated inexpensively."
Disagreements Remain In WHO Talks On Virus-Sharing After Chan Proposal
22 October 2009
By Kaitlin Mara, for Intellectual Property Watch
World Health Organization members this week offered views on the global system for virus- and benefit-sharing for pandemic influenza following recently proposed solutions by Director General Margaret Chan aimed at changing the current, ad-hoc model to a more predictable, sustainably-funded system.
New Report on EU Trade Policy and Access to Medicines
20 October 2009
Oxfam International and HAI Europe have published a new report on the consequences of EU Trade Policy on access to medincines in developing countries. The report titled Trading AwayAccess to Medicines: How the European Union's Trade Agenda Has Taken a Wrong Turn.
Essay Contest on US Global Health Policy
20 October 2009
The CSIS Smart Global Health Commission has launched an exciting essay contest for global health students and the general public. The Commission on Smart Global Health is seeking answers to the question:
What is the most important thing the US can do to improve global health over the next 15 years?
European Commission Launches Open Consultation on the EU Role in Global Health
14 October 2009
The online consultation will be open for public contribution for two months, closing on 9 December 2009. The purpose is to gather orientations and views from relevant stakeholders regarding the rationale, scope and strategic objectives relating to an EU role in Global health.
Health 'forgotten' in climate talks
7 October 2009By Euractiv.com
Doctors and environmentalists believe the impact of climate change on public health has been largely ignored by policymakers as global leaders step up talks ahead of December's Copenhagen summit.
UK Funding Spur for Global Health
Sept. 21, 2009
By Andrew Jack
Britain is to offer £250m ($404m, €275m) in funding to strengthen health services in the developing world by extending an innovative financial mechanism that provides recipients with early access to future aid donations.
New Drug Resistant Hospital infection may spread across Europe
The UK Health Protection Agency reports that new strains of antibiotic resistant bacteria have been reported by UK hospitals.