Ian Hacking →
Philosopher who made original contributions to the philosophy of science. Born on Feb 18, 1936, in Vancouver, Canada, he died of heart failure on May 10, 2023, in Toronto, Canada. Read more.
Supply of one of the world's oldest antibiotics under threat →
The fragile supply of one of the world’s oldest antibiotics, benzathine penicillin G, which is critical for treating syphilis and preventing and managing rheumatic heart disease, is at risk.
Pfizer has announced a shortage of its version of the injectable, long-acting form of penicillin, which the company markets as Bicillin. The pharmaceutical company said it could take up to a year for its supply to recover.
But if Pfizer, which sells primarily to high-income countries, begins to stockpile the active pharmaceutical ingredient, or API, needed to produce the final product, it could trigger a chain reaction that would lead to even longer-term shortages in lower-income countries.
Are we actually on a path to ending AIDS? →
In a new report, UNAIDS laid out a path for ending AIDS by 2030. The problem, one activist says, is not just that the world is not on that path, but is actually increasingly deviating from it. Read more.
Why the 'Grand Bargain' failed to deliver its promise of local funding →
The Grand Bargain was a collection of the great in humanitarian work, and they promised that a quarter of their money would go to local organizations. After seven years of trying, they're further away from that target than ever. What went wrong? Read more.
Moira Woods →
Doctor, feminist, and health and social campaigner. Born on Sept 26, 1934, in London, she died of pneumonia on March 27, 2023, in Dublin, Ireland. Read more.
The Global Fund embraces integration of chronic diseases →
For the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, the funding priorities are in the name. But links between AIDS and TB, in particular, and noncommunicable diseases, have driven calls for the financier to expand its focus to offer more funding for services that integrate NCDs such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
“The awareness is coming from people living with HIV about multiple morbidities and the problems they’re facing,” Alison Cox, the advocacy and policy director at the NCD Alliance, told Devex. “It’s just a cruel irony that the success of HIV treatment and investment in it means that people are living long enough to die of NCDs. That is what we need to address.”
In response, the Global Fund is shifting more explicitly in the direction of financing for integrated programs that include NCDs.
Robin Guenther →
Architect who advanced sustainable health-care design. Born on Oct 2, 1954, in Detroit, MI, she died of ovarian cancer on May 6, 2023, in New York, NY. Read more.
Germany looks to remote learning to promote STEM in Africa →
Remote control of technology will be key to a new pilot initiative, which focuses on training girls and women. Read more.
Are we on the verge of closing global gaps in diagnostics? →
At this year’s World Health Assembly in May, delegates passed a resolution that could be the first step in dramatically scaling up access to the tests and equipment needed to accurately determine what is making people sick — particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Read more.
How ignoring trans populations is hampering Africa's fight against HIV →
New research on HIV/AIDS in transgender populations in South Africa is making clear how much more needs to be done to meet the communities’ needs and end the epidemic. Read more.
With polio eradication in sight, WHA fears setbacks →
Though the disease is considered endemic in just two countries, the fight to get rid of polio entirely by the end of 2026 is far from a foregone conclusion. Read more.
Mathura Prasad Shrestha →
Public health expert, human rights activist, and former Health Minister of Nepal. Born on May 6, 1936 in Kathmandu, Nepal, he died of complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease on Feb 20, 2023 in Kathmandu. Read more.
Zafrullah Chowdhury →
Surgeon, public health activist, and champion of health equity. Born on Dec 27, 1941 in what is now Raozan, Bangladesh, he died from chronic kidney disease complications on April 11, 2023 in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Read more.
Will the medical oxygen industry learn a lesson from COVID-19? →
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the lack of equitable access to medical oxygen in low- and middle-income countries, particularly to medical liquid oxygen, or LOX, which is the gold standard of care.
Lower-income countries found themselves scrambling to work with the gas companies that produce medical oxygen to patch together even a limited supply.
Now advocates are pushing for the gas industry — particularly the six gas companies responsible for producing the vast majority of LOX — to lock in the advances that were made during the outbreak, while also taking additional steps to ensure LMICs have a sustainable supply.
Could WHO jumpstart widespread access to obesity medications? →
As the World Health Organization prepares to update its Essential Medicines List, some think it's time for Ozempic, Wegovy and other new weight-loss drugs to make an appearance. Read more.