(crossposted from Medium ‘Health for All’ where it was first published) There was once a dream. A dream that led to the establishment of the United Nations (UN) in 1946 whereby an idealistic view of international cooperation was regarded as a key mechanism to prevent war and free humanity from widespread misery. Chapter I of the UN charter ...

The Mexico City policy was reinstated and broadened by Trump in his first week in office, January 2017, and renamed in May (when the implementation plan of the policy was announced) as Protecting Life in Global Health Assistance (PLGHA). The Mexico City policy, better known as the ‘Global Gag Rule’ (GGR), was first implemented by Reagan, a R...

Bihar is the third largest state in India with a population of more than 110 million. It is also one of the most resource-constrained. The per capita income in the state is one of the lowest in the country. Vital health indicators of the state are also dismal, especially in comparison to southern states in India. Nevertheless, some of the indica...

I never knew of a morning in Africa when I woke up and was not happy- Ernest Hemingway   Rwanda- a gem in East Africa, is also called the Land of a Thousand hills. Rwanda’s experience is one of the best examples in history to show the power of hope in the face of despondence. Twenty five years after the genocide, Rwanda is a success story the ...

Amongst all those identifying themselves as ‘working in the field of Global Health’, there seems to be at least one agreed-upon-statement. “The world is changing faster than ever”. Quite objective, very bold, and undeniably true. However, logically, the follow-up question/statement would be regarding what to do about it. “What to do ...

Knowledge translation (KT), use of evidence in decision making, diffusion of evidence in policy development, evidence-based decision making…  – whatever term you may prefer for it, KT is not really a new phenomenon. Still, realization remains elusive, certainly in many countries in sub-Saharan Africa.  Does the current (continent-wide) Unive...

When Kristof asked me whether I would like to write a piece on Women Deliver  in Vancouver, I thought it would be easy. However, days before the largest conference on gender equality, when 8000 people from over 160 counties were landing in my city, the excitement turned into slight panic. If you have seen a glimpse of this programme, it spans fr...

The question that Women Deliver 2019  kept asking was “How will you use your power?” to inspire the participants, 8,000 strong from 165 countries, to continue the fight for gender equality and justice. I was really inspired by the community, the energy and hope, which is sometimes tough these days as it seems like two steps forward, one step...

Disease unites the world. So does the impact of unbridled capitalism. Rich and poor countries alike, came together this week to take first steps to understand why medicines cost as much as they do. The 72nd World Health Assembly that convened in Geneva, adopted a resolution to push for greater transparency around the prices of drugs, but fought ...