Innovators seek accessible solutions for health
For Dr. Twalib Ngoma, innovation emerged from simplicity at this year’s World Health Summit in Berlin. At an event showcasing everything from medical record technology to artificial intelligence, it was a mere speculum, acetic acid, and “good eyesight” that struck him as a game-changing combination. With those widely available tools, a health worker can conduct […]
World Health Summit urges political will to follow up on UHC commitments
Advocates for universal health coverage this week lauded the way that global political agendas have integrated health issues in recent years. But participants in this week’s World Health Summit in Berlin — including Nobel laureates, health ministers from around the world, and leaders of international agencies — warned that, without political will, few countries will […]
Inside Germany’s push for a global antimicrobial resistance hub
Germany is positioning itself as a key player in antimicrobial resistance research with the expected launch of a Research and Development Collaboration Hub, likely to be housed in Berlin. Read more.
German election: What’s at stake for global development
Under 12 years of Angela Merkel’s chancellorship, Germany has emerged as a leader in global development. Merkel’s party, the Christian Democratic Union, has touted this rise in the current national election campaigns as evidence of her commitment to human rights and global development issues. But other parties have expressed concern about a development policy they say […]
Ghana turns to community health workers in a bid for universal coverage
Ghana is at the cutting edge of a global push to introduce CHWs in a bid to achieve universal health coverage. The model has been around for decades, but health officials here say there is much to learn from previous attempts — especially better integration into existing health systems — to ensure these new efforts will actually […]
In Ghana, clashes over small-scale mining have become a litmus test for China
A new campaign against small-scale mining, known in Ghana as galamsey, has begun to sour the country’s relations with China. Chinese nationals are frequently portrayed as funding and accelerating the boom in small-scale mining operations, which has caused widespread land erosion and contaminated vital rivers. Development experts are worried the rift could lead to disruptions in […]
HIV advocates fear U.S. cuts and ‘gag rule’ could undermine global progress
Even as HIV researchers buzzed about scientific advances and policymakers championed significant gains, the International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Science was dominated by concerns over global funding and worries that continued drops might undercut recent progress. The most acute concerns center around the United States, the largest global donor to HIV care. If Congress […]
HIV treatment: Strategies to reach the next 10 million patients
The world is on track to put 30 million HIV patients on treatment by 2030 — a critical benchmark to actually end the AIDS epidemic. Yet campaigners know that reaching the remaining 10 million people will be harder in some ways than the 19.5 million who are already accessing life-saving drugs. HIV advocates hope that […]
G20 development pledges overshadowed by climate rift
World leaders at the G-20 summit reached a consensus on an array of development issues, from investment in Africa to pandemic preparedness, during their two-day meeting in Hamburg, Germany, this weekend. Yet amid one of the most visible policy rifts between the United States and the rich-country grouping, many analysts and advocates are concerned that […]
World Bank launches ‘Ivanka Fund’ for women entrepreneurs
The World Bank officially announced the creation of a more than $1 billion women’s economic empowerment facility — the brainchild of Ivanka Trump — at the G-20 Summit in Germany this weekend. Read more.