Healthcare News

Over the next month, The Medical Care Blog will feature a new series of posts on public health leadership. The goal is to help better prepare public health students and early career professionals for the many leadership challenges that await. Public health has a problem Whether it is COVID-19, drug overdoses or gun deaths, the… Read More » Author information Gregory Stevens Professor at California State University, Los Angeles Gregory D. Stevens, PhD, MHS is a health policy researcher, writer, teacher and advocate. He is a professor of public health at California State University, Los Angeles. He serves on the editorial board of the journal Medical Care, and is co-editor of The Medical Care Blog. He is also a co-author of the book Vulnerable Populations in the United States. | Twitter | The post On Public Health Leadership appeared first on The Medical Care Blog.

Welcome to the May, 2023 episode of the Healthy Intersections podcast! This month, we sit down again with Carol Schmitt, Chief Scientist at RTI International, to talk about another of the RTI Rarity interactive state maps. This time, we are looking at Oklahoma. You can watch the episode, download the audio file, and read the… Read More » Author information Lisa M. Lines Senior health services researcher at RTI International Lisa M. Lines, PhD, MPH is a senior health services researcher at RTI International, an independent, non-profit research institute. She is also an Assistant Professor in Population and Quantitative Health Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School. Her research focuses on social drivers of health, quality of care, care experiences, and health outcomes, particularly among people with chronic or serious illnesses. She is co-editor of TheMedicalCareBlog.com and serves on the Medical Care Editorial Board. She also serves as chair of the APHA Medical Care Section's Health Equity Committee. Views expressed are the author's and do not necessarily reflect those of RTI or UMass Chan Medical School. | Twitter | LinkedIn | The post Healthy Intersections podcast: May, 2023 appeared first on The Medical Care Blog.

The pandemic public health emergency declaration ends today in the United States. Here, I share a look back and what to expect going forward. One thing is clear: with this change in designation, the U.S. has revealed that its public health preparedness was always meant to be temporary. Where we started It was December 12,… Read More » Author information Gregory Stevens Professor at California State University, Los Angeles Gregory D. Stevens, PhD, MHS is a health policy researcher, writer, teacher and advocate. He is a professor of public health at California State University, Los Angeles. He serves on the editorial board of the journal Medical Care, and is co-editor of The Medical Care Blog. He is also a co-author of the book Vulnerable Populations in the United States. | Twitter | The post The U.S. Pandemic Public Health Emergency Declaration Has Ended appeared first on The Medical Care Blog.

Now more than ever, we need students engaged in improving healthcare access, delivery, and quality. The Medical Care Blog is committed to elevating student voices on these and other public health topics. To encourage excellent student blog posts, we are sponsoring a blogging competition with the Medical Care Section of the American Public Health Association. Our first… Read More » Author information Jess Williams Associate Professor at The Pennsylvania State University Jessica A. Williams, PhD, MA is an Associate Professor of Health Policy and Administration at The Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Williams has been a member of the editorial board since 2013. Her research examines how workplace psychosocial factors affect the health and well-being of employees. Specifically, she investigates the role of pain in work disability and well-being. In addition, she researches the utilization of preventive medical services. She holds a Doctorate in Health Policy and Management from the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, a Master's in Economics from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a BA in economics from Stanford University. | Twitter | LinkedIn | The post Student Blog Contest! appeared first on The Medical Care Blog.

“Access for the sake of access or inclusion is not necessarily liberatory, but access done in the service of love, justice, connection, and community is liberatory and has the power to transform.” – Mia Mingus, community organizer, disability and transformative justice advocate  Are you designing with equity and inclusion in mind? For public health and… Read More » Author information Alison T. Brill Alison T. Brill (she/her), MPH, is a public health consultant with a focus in health equity and diversity, equity, and inclusion. She is also the Innovation Specialist at RIZE Consultants, Inc. Working at the intersection of public health and mental wellness, Alison delivers strategic, innovative consulting and DEI-informed strategies to advance health and well-being and support healthy, resilient communities. She also serves as a co-leader of the APHA Medical Care Section's Health Equity Committee, as well as a mentor. She holds a Master's of Public Health from Boston University, and a BA in Social Work and Psychology from the University of Iowa. | The post Designing From the Margins to Advance Equity appeared first on The Medical Care Blog.

Over the long weekend (it was a holiday yesterday in Canada), I was doing a bit of cleaning and I stumbled across an old brochure that I had taken from a company who was building a blockchain based patient engagement solution. This brochure was from about 6 years ago when the hype around blockchain had

Blog by Joe Babaian Healthcare Insecurity Unveiled The rising tide of healthcare costs: It’s no secret – healthcare costs are skyrocketing. A study published in JAMA found that healthcare spending in the US increased by about $933.5 billion between 1996 and 2013. With this staggering rise, many are left wondering: Can I afford to get

Is it time for HCLDR to expand beyond Twitter to find new ways to engage the healthcare community?

Blog by Joe Babaian As we navigate the ever-evolving medical landscape, it’s crucial to recognize the role of the medical education system in shaping the doctors of tomorrow. The question is: are we doing enough to prepare them for the challenges they’ll face? I’ll share my thoughts on the most pressing issues facing medical education

Last month on HCLDR we discussed the ideal patient discharge experience (patient separation for those in the EU and Australia). It got me thinking about another aspect of the patient journey that does not get attention – patient transfers and transitions between healthcare organizations. Last week at the annual HIMSS Conference (HIMSS23) I had the

Gearing up for a historic UN High-Level Meeting on Universal Health CoverageMember States expressed alarm that millions of people cannot access life-saving and health-enhancing interventions. Out-of-pocket spending on health catastrophically affects over 1 billion people, pushing hundreds of millions of people into extreme poverty. The situation has worsened due to the COVID-19 pandemic.In response, Member States agreed a resolution supporting preparations for the United Nations High-Level Meeting (HLM) on Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in September 2023. UHC means that all people have access to the full range of quality health services they need without financial hardship.In a transformative policy shift, Member States across high-, middle- and low-income countries expressed strong commitment to reorient their health systems based on primary health care (PHC) as a foundation for achieving health for all and reaching the furthest left behind first. About 90% of UHC interventions can be delivered using a PHC approach; from health promotion to prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and palliative care, potentially saving 60 million lives by 2030.The Member States emphasized the importance of demonstrating the highest-level political commitment at the HLM in September with the aim of achieving resulting in a concise, action-oriented declaration for UHC.Related documentsEB152(5) Preparation for the high-level meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on universal health coverage Stronger national plans needed for emergency care to respond to all hazardsIn a new resolution agreed today, the World Health Assembly called for timely additional global efforts to strengthen the planning and provision of quality emergency, critical and operative care (ECO) services. Robust ECO services are at the foundation of national health systems, and the need to be able to respond effectively to emergency events, including all hazards. Concerned that the COVID-19 pandemic revealed pervasive gaps in the capacity, preparedness of delivery of ECO worldwide, the Assembly urges Member States to, among other actions, create national policies for sustainable funding, effective governance and universal access to needs-based ECO care for all; and promote more coherent, inclusive and accessible approaches to safeguard effective ECO care in disasters, fragile settings and conflict-affected areas.The Assembly requests the Secretariat to provide progress reports on implementation of this resolution in 2025, 2027 and 2029.  Related documentsEB152(3) Integrated emergency, critical and operative care for universal health coverage and protection from health emergencies Related linksClinical services and systems: Emergency and critical care More cost-effective “best buys” endorsed to save lives from noncommunicable diseasesDelegates today endorsed a new menu of cost-effective interventions recommended by WHO recognized as “best buys” to help prevent and control noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). It includes an increased number of “best buys”, giving countries of every income level more options to save more lives from the world's top killers.Among these are prevention interventions such as support to help people quit smoking, promotion and support for breastfeeding and policies to protect children from harmful food marketing.The updated “best buys” also include treatment for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and the early diagnosis and treatment of cancers such as breast, cervical, colorectal and childhood cancers. They also integrate early detection and comprehensive treatment of cancer for people living with HIV.The interventions will help countries to accelerate national action to prevent and control NCDs, accelerating progress towards achieving the SDG 3.4 target and paving the way for increased political commitment in the lead-up to the fourth High-level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on the prevention and control of NCDs in 2025.The Health Assembly also took note of the report on the acceleration plan to support Member States in implementing the recommendations for the prevention and management of obesity over the life course. Twenty-eight countries are now rolling out the acceleration plan, the progress will be recorded and reported back to the Assembly. Their experiences will inform policies and action for all other Member States to accelerate action on obesity.Related documentsEB152 (11) Political declaration of the third high-level meeting of the General Assembly on the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases, and mental health Refugee and migrant health global action plan extended until 2030Refugees and migrants have a right to access health services during their journey and in the host country without experiencing financial hardship. This effort has an important place in the overall global drive for universal health coverage by 2030.Today in Committee B Member States agreed a resolution to extend the WHO Global Action Plan on promoting the health of refugees and migrants until 2030. The global action plan addresses various challenges faced by refugees and migrants and outlines specific measures to be put in place, such as:reorienting health systems to include integrated and inclusive health services, programmes, and policies for refugees and migrants, within the principles of universal health coverage;monitoring the results of refugee and migrant health policies, plans, and interventions to allow updates and redesign of those actions in countries;increasing the capacity of health systems to meet the specific health needs of refugees and migrants and provide health services that are respectful of a person’s cultural, religious, and linguistic needs; andintegrating refugee and migrant health in global, regional and national initiatives, partnerships, and health forums.The resolution lists a range of actions to be taken by the WHO Secretariat, such as convening informal consultations at least every two years with Member States to identify and share challenges, lessons learned, and best practices for the implementation of actions within the WHO global action plan; providing technical assistance, developing guidelines and promoting knowledge sharing; as well as collaboration and coordination within and among Member States. The decision comes ahead of the Third global consultation on the health of refugees and migrants to take place in June 2023, which aims to assess progress, build further political commitment on refugee and migrant health, inform future policy deliberations, including the upcoming 2023 General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Universal Health Coverage, and guide the continuous implementation of WHO global action plan.The WHO Secretariat will report on the progress in implementing this resolution to the Health Assembly in 2025, 2027, and 2029.Related documentsA76/7 Rev.1 Strengthening rehabilitation in health systems Related linksFact sheet: Refugee and migrant health  WHO traditional medicine strategy extended to 2025The World Health Assembly (WHA) today agreed to extend the WHO traditional medicine strategy 2014-2023 for an additional two years, until 2025. The Assembly requested the Director-General to draft a new global strategy 2025–2034 and present it to the 78th WHA in 2025 for consideration.The Assembly recognized the efforts of Member States to evaluate the potential of traditional and complementary Medicine (T&CM) through an evidence-based approach, including rigorous clinical research. It also recognized the value and the diversity of the cultures of Indigenous Peoples and local communities and their holistic traditional knowledge. The decision highlighted the importance of WHO’s role in providing technical support for the integration of evidence-based T&CM into national health systems and services, and the support to regulation of T&CM practices, products and practitioners.Under the 2014-2023 strategy, WHO is supporting countries that wish to develop a proactive policy towards this important - and often vibrant and expanding - part of health care. WHO’s strategic policy and technical support enables countries to harness the potential of T&CM in contributing to health, well-being, and people-centred health care.  Since 2014, WHO has been focused on building the knowledge base for active management of T&CM and the appropriate integration, regulation and supervision of evidence-based, safe and quality T&CM into national health systems and services.Related documentsEB152/37 WHO traditional medicine strategy: 2014–2023, Report by the Director-GeneralRelated linksReport: WHO global report on traditional and complementary medicine 2019 Resolution on Increasing access to medical oxygenMember States endorsed a resolution recognizing the critical role of medical oxygen for treatment of hypoxemia (blood oxygen deficiency) across many diseases, including pneumonia and tuberculosis, and in particular for older populations and other vulnerable groups, and for surgery and trauma. In developing countries many health facilities lack uninterrupted access to medical oxygen, resulting in preventable deaths – a problem that has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, when the need for medical oxygen has exceeded the capacities of many health systems.Oxygen has been included on the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (EML) since 1979 and has been included in the WHO EML for children (EMLc) since its first edition in 2007. There are no therapeutic alternatives to oxygen on the Model Lists. This resolution recognizes that medical oxygen generation and distribution requires a specialized infrastructure. It also underscores the need for its delivery to be safely and accurately executed using good quality medical devices through interdisciplinary health workforce, including engineers.The new resolution urges Member States to set up, as appropriate, national and subnational medical oxygen systems in order to secure the uninterrupted provision of medical oxygen to health care facilities at all levels including both rural and urban set-ups. It underlines WHO’s role in supporting Member States through developing guidelines, technical specifications, forecasting tools, training materials and other resources, and by providing technical support especially designed to improve access to medical oxygen to meet the needs of health systems in developing countriesRelated documentsEB 152.4 Increasing access to medical oxygenRelated linksHealth topic: Oxygen Delegates highlight priority actions to catch-up, restore and strengthen immunization servicesToday Member States and partners participated in a Strategic Roundtable on A safer and healthier tomorrow through restoring essential immunization today. Immunization is a priority programme for WHO, particularly in 2023, following the significant setbacks resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. With 67 million children missing at least one essential vaccine during the last three years finding these children is a matter of urgency. Efforts to find zero-dose children (children who have not received one single dose of vaccine) will require effort from organizations and individuals at all levels – global, national and local - to catch-up on vaccination coverage, and recover and strengthen their immunization programmes. As Dr George Mwinnyaa, a community health worker pointed out “Community health workers know where the zero-dose children are, they do not need maps for their own communities”.Today’s roundtable was a collaborative discussion about the role of community and frontline health workers in catch-up efforts, along with the funding and partnerships required to recover from programme disruptions and to strengthen systems to ensure equitable access to immunization services.The session was introduced by Dr Kate O’Brien, WHO Director, Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals, moderated by Renee Ngamau and featured Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General; Dr Ali Haji Adam Abubakar, Minister of Health, Somalia; Dr Seth Berkley, CEO, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance; Dr Yassen Tcholakov, Health worker, Canada; Dr George Mwinnya, Community health worker, Ghana; Dr Sheetal Sharma, Senior Immunization Advisor, CORE Group; and Dr Andrei Cazacu, Ministry of Health, Moldova.“We have an emergency in front of us”, said Dr Bruce Aylward, WHO Assistant Director-General, Universal Health Coverage, Life Course, in concluding the session “the clock is ticking, we will act now and act together.” Related links:Strategic Roundtables: Seventy-sixth World Health Assembly Polio eradication and transition planningThe WHA evaluated the unique epidemiological opportunity which exists over the next six months to eradicate the remaining chains of endemic wild poliovirus transmission. Operations need to be adapted to reach the remaining un- or under-immunized children in the identified subnational consequential geographies.The Assembly noted that the effort to eradicate polio remains a Public Health Emergency of International Concern under the auspices of the International Health Regulations and urged countries to minimize the risk and consequences of spread of disease to polio-free areas.At the same time, delegates called for continued global support to the effort, to ensure all necessary financial and political commitments to achieve success are mobilized. Noting the role the polio infrastructure plays in broader public health efforts, delegates urged this infrastructure to be transitioned into national health plans in a context-specific manner.In conclusion, the Assembly called for collective and global collaboration to achieve a lasting polio-free world once and for all.Related linksNews story: One world: coming together, to achieve one common goal 

During a moving ceremony at the Seventy-sixth World Health Assembly in Geneva, awards were presented to persons and institutions from around the world for their outstanding contributions to public health.

26 May 2023, Geneva — The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Republic of Korea have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a global training hub in biomanufacturing. This global training centre will serve all low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) to produce biologicals, such as vaccines, insulin, monoclonal antibodies, and cancer medicines.The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need to expand the local and regional production of vaccines and other essential health products in LMICs to ensure equitable access.To provide countries with the know-how to rapidly produce mRNA vaccines, WHO, in collaboration with partners, established the mRNA Technology Transfer programme, with the formal inauguration of the Hub facility in South Africa in April 2023.This multilateral effort and other recent local production initiatives call for ambitious workforce development strategies to recruit, upskill and retain the staff working at these facilities, with unique competencies required in bioproduction.To address this gap, WHO and the Republic of Korea have engaged in closed collaboration for over a year and are now formalizing their commitment towards the establishment of a global training hub in biomanufacturing.“We are delighted to sign this Memorandum of Understanding to elevate our partnership to the next level and collaborate in the development of a comprehensive training curriculum. We hope this world-class training hub will help to build a skilled workforce and ensure quality health products can be manufactured around the world,” said Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General, Access to Medicines and Health Products.The Government of the Republic of Korea is offering a large range of national training facilities and programmes covering the full spectrum of biological manufacturing and is expanding its operations to accommodate more trainees from other countries with the construction of a Global Bio Education Campus to be launched in 2025.“I hope this Memorandum of Understanding will enhance cooperation between the Republic of Korea and WHO to strengthen biomanufacturing capacities of LMICs,” said Mr Hwang Seunghyun Director General, Global Vaccine Hub Office at the Ministry of Health and Welfare from Republic of Korea.In parallel, WHO is intensifying regulatory system strengthening to ensure the quality and safety of health products. Stronger regulatory agencies will also enhance confidence in locally produced products and counter misinformation and the availability of unsafe substandard or falsified medicines.

Progress and challenges in women’s, children’s and adolescent healthThe World Health Assembly delegates in Committee A discussed progress against the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescent Health (2016-2030). During the discussion, which took place over two days, drawing comments from a high number of Member States, the delegates strongly reiterated their commitment to the Strategy as a priority for global health and expressed alarm about stalling progress in improving maternal and newborn survival.The Director-General’s report on the Strategy presented to the World Health Assembly expressed alarm that maternal mortality rates have stagnated since 2016. Furthermore, if current trends continue, it said, 54 countries will fall short of meeting the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target for under-five mortality and 63 countries will not achieve the SDG target for neonatal mortality. Levels of violence against women and girls remain alarmingly high, while mental health challenges represent an increasing health threat for adolescents. Delegates emphasized the importance of an integrated, life-course approach to improve outcomes, including access to sexual and reproductive health services, as well as greater efforts and investment to accelerate progress in the poorest, fragile and conflict-affected countries.Related links A76/5 Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health (2016–2030) Report by the Director-General Related progress reportsMember States urge WHO to keep momentum on work to prevent and respond to sexual misconductCommittee B this afternoon discussed the Prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment (Item 22.1) as part of the Review of and update on matters considered by the Executive Board (Item 22, Pillar 4)The Committee heard the recommendations of the Programme, Budget and Administration Committee of the Executive Board and the Committee’s Chair opened the floor. Australia spoke on behalf of 61 Member States from across WHO’s regions; Botswana spoke on behalf of the 47 African Region Member States; Israel, India, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Kenya, the United States of America, South Africa, Maldives, Ecuador, Bangladesh and Peru also took the floor.All speakers acknowledged the significant progress made by WHO in tackling sexual misconduct and welcomed both the new Policy on Addressing Sexual Misconduct (PASM), launched in March 2023, and the three-year strategy to prevent and respond to sexual misconduct, launched in January this year. Member States highlighted the need for the conclusion of the cases relating to the response to the 10th Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (2018-2019) including holding perpetrators to account and supporting victims and survivors comprehensively. They welcomed WHO’s transparency in publishing dashboards capturing both investigations and disciplinary action taken. They encouraged WHO to continue to make progress and lead by example within the UN system. Member States stressed that preventing and responding to sexual misconduct is a shared responsibility and they will continue to support WHO. The Director-General thanked Member States for their support and reminded Member States that WHO is focusing on four areas: changing the organizational culture – a process that takes time; having safe and trusted reporting mechanisms in place; ensuring swift and credible investigations and setting deadlines for the end-to-end process (200 days); and following a victim and survivor-centered approach.Related linksA76/7 Rev.1Consolidated report by the Director-GeneralA76/39Prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse and harassmentReport of the Programme, Budget and Administration Committee of the Executive Board to the Seventy-sixth World Health AssemblySustainable financing: feasibility of a replenishment mechanismThe Seventy-fifth World Health Assembly adopted the recommendations of the Working Group on Sustainable Financing, requesting WHO to explore the feasibility of a replenishment mechanism to broaden further the financing base. In response, WHO submitted an assessment of the feasibility of such replenishment mechanism. Member States noted the report and reaffirmed the need for more sustainable, predictable and flexible financing of WHO. The report summarizes the analysis of the six principles that are to serve as the basis for considering a WHO replenishment mechanism and proposes the major elements of a first “WHO investment round” to implement such a mechanism in 2024. Member States adopted a decision welcoming the continued effort to sustainably finance WHO and requested a plan for the First Investment Round in 2024, in closer consultation with Member States, for the EB in January 2024.Related linksA76/32, A76/40 and A76/40 Add.1  Results Report 2022, Financial report and audit for year ended 31 December 2022Financing and implementation Programme Budget 22-23 and outlook of Programme Budget 24-25  Member States welcomed the Results Report and the detailed work found therein. Further progress is needed to achieve the triple billion targets towards attaining the health-related Sustainable Development Goals and meeting other health challenges. The mid-term review of the Programme Budget 2022–2023 shows that, despite the progress in 2022 towards the triple billion targets, outcomes and outputs, based on the GPW 13 results framework, the world is not on track to meet the targets.  While much has been achieved, further urgent action is needed to achieve the goals. In addition, key accomplishments and selected impact case studies are highlighted in the report to exemplify how the Secretariat and Member States work together to drive health impact at the country level, where it matters most. The Health Assembly noted the Results Report.  Member States also noted the reports on financing and implementation of the Programme Budget. Despite positive trends, as of 31 March 2023, the base programmes of WHO have a funding gap of US$ 443.8 million, after including projections of voluntary contributions. The current gap is compounded by the challenge of persisting “pockets of poverty” – underscoring the urgent need for more sustainable financing.  Related links A76/16 Results Report 2022 (Programme budget 2022–2023: performance assessment)Mid-term review of implementation of the Programme budget 2022–2023 A76/17Audited Financial Statements for the year ended 31 December 2022 A76/INF./2 Voluntary contributions by fund and by contributor, 2022 A76/INF./3  WHO reformWHO presence in countries, territories and areas: 2023 report WHO’s Contribution towards health outcomes from the Results Report A76/18 Financing and implementation of the Programme budget 2022–2023 and outlook on financing of the Programme budget 2024–2025  A76/19  Financing and implementation of the Programme budget 2022–2023 and outlook on financing of the Programme budget 2024–2025Reporting on operational efficiencies Delegates support maintaining momentum and innovations to end TB Today delegates at the Seventy-sixth World Health Assembly participated in a Strategic Roundtable on Ending TB by 2030: Universal access to care, multisectoral collaboration, and innovations to accelerate progress and combat antimicrobial resistance.TB, a treatable and curable communicable disease, remains a top infectious killer, claiming 1.6 million lives and affecting millions of additional lives and livelihoods annually.Ministers of health, leaders from civil society, partner organizations and WHO shared first-hand reflections on global and national leadership and innovations to end TB, as well as challenges and concerns, including increasing threats of antimicrobial resistance.Dr Atul Gawande, Deputy Administrator, USAID and Ambassador Zbigniew Czech, Permanent Representative of Poland to the UN Office in Geneva, highlighted the importance of building stronger partnerships and integrating TB services into primary health care.Delegates heard stories of halted and reversed progress; Dr Ethel Leonor Noia Maciel, Secretary of Health, Brazil noted declining rates of TB service coverage during the pandemic while also highlighting the need for shared responsibility and resources across sectors to tackle the core drivers of the TB epidemic.There were stories of resilience too; Sylvia Masebo, Minister of Health, Zambia, which is one of the 30 high TB burden countries, reported that the country managed to maintain progress despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and shared lessons learned on how combating TB and COVID-19 could strengthen pandemic preparedness.  Mr Setiaji, Deputy Minister for Health Technology, Indonesia described the country’s new innovative national health financing strategy, its efforts to provide equitable TB services and the country’s commitment to advance TB research, in particular for new vaccine development.Top leaders in the fight against TB noted the importance of the political momentum in the lead up to the upcoming second UN High-Level Meeting (HLM) on TB which will take place in September. The HLM can provide the political impetus needed to turn the tide in the fight against TB and fast-track progress to attain the critical TB related targets of the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.Related links  Watch the webcast: Strategic Roundtables: Seventy-sixth World Health Assembly Global Tuberculosis Programme The second United Nations high-level meeting on the fight to end tuberculosis  

Work continues to strengthen preparedness and response for health emergenciesToday at the World Health Assembly, delegates in Committee A concluded discussions on Item 14 and parts of Item 15, noting the reports under these items, voting on two proposals, and agreeing to defer another for later in the week.   The WHO Secretariat responded to comments and questions from delegates, observers and other organizations received over the past day. The Chief Scientist said work would continue to strengthen clinical trials in emergencies. WHO's Executive Director of emergencies appreciated Member States’ support for WHO’s ongoing work in emergencies, and the recognition of the need to give the organization the resources it needs to continue. (WHO is currently responding to over 55 emergencies that have received official grading, 14 of which requiring support from all three levels of the organization). The Director-General said WHO would continue to work to align the various processes for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response.     Delegates noted the following reports: one from the Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee for the WHO Health Emergencies Programme which reviews WHO’s work in emergencies annually, a regular report on the implementation of the International Health Regulations, WHO’s annual report on its work in emergencies, and its work on strengthening preparedness for and response to emergencies. The latter included a paper on strengthening the global architecture for health emergency preparedness, response and resilience (known by the acronym HEPR).   Delegates voted on two proposals related to the health emergency in Ukraine. The draft decision on “Health emergency in Ukraine and refugee-receiving and -hosting countries, stemming from the Russian Federation’s aggression” was adopted (80 yes, 9 no, 52 abstentions). The draft resolution on “Health emergency in and around Ukraine” was not adopted (62 no, 13 yes, 61 abstentions).  On the Global Health for Peace Initiative, delegates agreed to consider the item later in the Assembly, following informal consultations slated to continue.   In Committee B, delegates considered a report on “Health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan.” In a vote, they adopted the decision (76 yes, 13 no, 35 abstentions). Related documents Documents A76/7 Rev.1 Add.2, A76/7 Rev.1 Add.3, A76/8, A76/9 Rev.1, A76/10, A76/11, A76/12 and A76/15  A76/7 Rev.1 Add.2 Global Health for Peace InitiativeA76/7 Rev.1 Add.3Financial and administrative implications for the Secretariat of decisions proposed for adoption by the Health AssemblyA76/7 Rev.1 Add.4Financial and administrative implications for the Secretariat of decisions proposed for adoption by the Health AssemblyA76/8Public health emergencies: preparedness and responseThe Independent Oversight and Advisory Committee for the WHO Health Emergencies ProgrammeA76/9 Rev.1Implementation of the International Health Regulations (2005)A76/10Strengthening WHO preparedness for and response to health emergenciesStrengthening the global architecture for health emergency preparedness, response and resilienceA76/11WHO’s work in health emergenciesPublic health emergencies: preparedness and responseA76/12 Implementation of resolution WHA75.11 (2022)  A76/15Health conditions in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem, and in the occupied Syrian Golan  Delegates discuss critical financing needs to address climate related health crisisToday, Seventy-sixth World Health Assembly delegates participated in a Strategic Roundtable on The role of the health community in climate action: taking stock and moving forward, during which the critical intersections of climate change and health were discussed, including its impact on millions of people worldwide.The meeting heard compassionate pleas from John Kerry, United States Special Presidential Envoy for Climate Change and Dr Vanessa Kerry, Chief Executive Officer of Seed Global Health. The father and daughter climate advocates highlighted the top political importance of the agenda for today’s and future generations, pushing for smarter investments and solutions to bring a catalytic impact across sectors.As the incoming Presidency for COP28, the United Arab Emirates pledged to further elevate the importance of health by announcing the first-ever dedicated Health Day and the convening of the inaugural Health and Climate Ministerial meeting at the forthcoming Conference of the Parties (COP) in Dubai in November 2023.Germany underscored its commitment of €2 billion additional funding for the Green Climate Fund to support efforts in low- and middle-income countries. The BBC Studios also showcased its upcoming production, entitled “Climate and Us”, underlining the importance of public communication and discussion on climate and health crisis.The meeting heard that 70% of reporting countries identified lack of funding as a top barrier in addressing the health impacts of climate change. Through the WHO ATACH (Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health) initiative, already supported by 66 countries, WHO is reviewing whether existing finance mechanisms can be adapted to meet this challenge, or whether new instruments are needed.In concluding the strategic discussion, the WHO Director-General highlighted that climate change and health action are falling between the siloes of climate financing and health financing and emphasized the need for urgent and increased investment in the climate and health agenda.Links:Watch the recording: The role of the Health Community in Climate Action: taking stock and moving forward News: WHO issues urgent call for global climate action to resilient create sustainable health systems