Study, Report Examine Global Health Spending Trends April 14, 2016 News Summary Humanosphere: Challenging road ahead for universal health care in low- and middle-income countries Katie Leach-Kemon, policy translation specialist at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME), discusses findings from a new study published in The Lancet, which estimates that by 2040, disparities in health spending in high- and low-income…
Fourfold Return On Investment In Mental Health, WHO-Led Study Shows; WHO, World Bank Convene Meeting To Boost Mental Health On Global Agenda April 13, 2016 News Summary News outlets report on the findings of a new WHO-led study examining the return on investments in mental health, as well as a meeting convened by the WHO and the World Bank taking place this week in Washington, D.C., to address the issue. CNN: Treating anxiety, depression can help global…
House Approves Bipartisan Bill Adding Zika To FDA’s Priority Review Voucher Qualifying Diseases List; President Obama Expected To Sign April 13, 2016 News Summary The Hill: House approves bill to speed up Zika drugs “The House on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a bill to offer incentives to companies seeking cures for the Zika virus amid Congress’s growing battle over funding for the epidemic. The bipartisan legislation would add the Zika virus to a list of…
In Letter To Congress, More Than 50 Public Health Groups Urge TPP Rejection, Citing Concerns Over Access To Medicines April 13, 2016 News Summary The Hill: Public health groups call for Congress to reject TPP “More than 50 public health groups on Tuesday called on Congress to reject a trade agreement between the United States and 11 other Pacific Rim nations because it will block access to affordable medicines. Led by Doctors Without Borders…
Speaking In Senate, Bono Urges Lawmakers To Consider Foreign Aid As National Security, Not Charity April 13, 2016 News Summary Associated Press: U2’s Bono testifies before Congress on the refugee crisis “U2 frontman Bono brought his star power to Capitol Hill Tuesday as he called on members of Congress to take swift action to deal with the global refugee crisis and violent extremism. In testimony before a Senate subcommittee, Bono…
World Unprepared For Widespread Yellow Fever Outbreak, Experts Warn April 13, 2016 News Summary Nature: Fears rise over yellow fever’s next move “As the largest outbreak of yellow fever in almost 30 years continues to spread in Angola, scientists are warning that the world is ill-prepared for what would be a public health calamity: the re-emergence of urban epidemics of the deadly infection, which…
U.N. Begins New Open Process For Selecting Secretary General April 13, 2016 News Summary Associated Press: U.N. takes historic step to open selection of new U.N. chief “The United Nations took a historic step Tuesday to open up the usually secret process of selecting the next secretary general, giving all countries the chance to question candidates on such issues as how they would resist…
Ebola Recovery Must Include Training More Mental Health Workers In Liberia, Sierra Leone April 13, 2016 News Summary Medium: Demand for mental health services surges in Liberia and Sierra Leone Melanie Mayhew, communications officer in the Health, Nutrition, and Population Global Practice at the World Bank Group “…Ebola … has deeply affected people’s mental health. When national statistics are available, the countries’ mental health experts expect that they…
International Community Must Work Together To Address Humanitarian Crises April 13, 2016 News Summary Huffington Post: The Forgotten Crises Samuel A. Worthington, CEO of InterAction “…We must not ignore people in Africa who are forced to flee from their homes due to violence and conflict. … [W]e must work to immediately alleviate suffering and build communities that are resilient to multiple shocks. … The…