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Young (and occasionally less young) researchers, mostly from LMICs, present their views on global health issues.
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 ...
India has made significant advances in becoming the generic pharmaceutical hub of the world. One would expect that with such a flourishing market, availability of essential cancer medicines should not be a problem. With people flocking to India from countries like China, UAE and New Zealand for ‘pharmaceutical tourism’ in the hope of purchas...
American Indian scholar Maria Yellow Horse Brave Heart developed the concept of historical trauma in relation to the cumulative emotional harm of colonialism. The term has since been applied to the legacies of slavery, genocide, and war as well. These events reverberate through generations, whether through social processes or epigenetics, leadin...
It is Mental Health Awareness Week (May 13th-19th) and this has, as usual, brought discussions around mental health to the fore. The initiative began in 2001 and has been organised by the Mental Health Foundation, UK since then. Each year has a dedicated theme – this year’s is #bodyimage. ‘Body Image’ is a term that describes how one thin...
Australia is the only developed nation endemic for trachoma, a blinding bacterial infection of the eye. Developing countries such as Morocco and Cambodia have recently eliminated the disease. However, in Australia, one of the wealthiest countries in the world, trachoma remains highly prevalent among Indigenous Australians living in remote commun...
Last year, members of the health community came together to commemorate Alma Ata. While there was cause for celebration in Astana, it was nonetheless clear that progress had been uneven and people in some parts of the world were in danger of being left behind. There are of course many reasons why 40 years after the initial declaration, the world...