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Young (and occasionally less young) researchers, mostly from LMICs, present their views on global health issues.
Canadian leadership in global health: sounds great, right? In Canada, we are well regarded internationally for UHC—anchored in the Canada Health Act, and implemented domestically in our 13 health systems (whether it is equitable is a question we are now grappling with—but more on that later). I’m told that the WHO considers Canada as a lea...
It always surprises me when people who are obviously at least three times smarter than I am fail to see the blatantly obvious, even if at the same time you somehow understand it, given the corners these people are frequenting and their background. No, I won’t go here into the current commotion around the Global Fund’s murky partnership with ...
Twenty years after the Beijing declaration and platform of action on gender equality as a basic human right, the fight for gender equality continues, and “despite progress, societies are still failing women in relation to health, most acutely in poor countries and among the poorest women in all countries.” A parallel can be drawn with the glob...
Having recently undergone the transition from being an academic for over eight years (oh my gosh, yes, grey strands showing) to becoming more active in the civil society space, I have begun to understand and place value on the concept of “meaningful youth engagement”. The term is often bandied about, and usually given a variety of meanings g...
In the year 2017, “Gender equality” was undoubtedly one of the hot topics that was discussed and debated both on online spaces as well as in global events. As the year closed, the appointment of the UNICEF’s new executive director Henrietta Fore and 7 new women to WHO’s leadership team drew wide attention and accolades in global developm...
There is renewed focus on community health, in the drive to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. It is increasingly recognized as an important component of countries’ policies and programs. The understanding of what constitutes community health is evolving, and will continue to do so in the years to come. There is room for...
More than a fortnight after the Times broke the news on the Oxfam scandal, the aftershocks are still being felt in the humanitarian assistance and development sector. The story has more twists and turns than a cheap garden hose, and there seems to be a new development every day, with several other organisations admitting to having the same probl...
Decent people are outraged about the behavior of aid workers in Haiti some seven years ago. Of course, this is triggered by a deeper sentiment – the unease we all have about the state of affairs in the world. In a western world beleaguered by identity crises, climate change, refugees and new values, a scandal in the humanitarian world helps to...
Last month was a busy month in the world of global health. The spotlight was on WHO’s 142nd Executive Board meeting, and the thirteenth General Programme of Work (GPW) for 2019-2023, to be formally approved at this year’s (71st) World Health Assembly, if all goes according to plan. The Prince Mahidol Award Conference (PMAC) had its annual ga...