Mandates or Markets? Geopolitical Rift Impairs Pandemic Preparedness as Crisis Funds Hit ‘Dangerous Lows’ 26/05/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen WHO emergency funds are running low, and global health leaders are concerned about a systemic paralysis in pandemic preparedness. In high-level discussions in Geneva, experts explored the geopolitical rifts, pitting the Global South’s demand to treat pandemic tools as legally binding “public goods” against a European push for market-driven surge financing. As a severe Ebola […] Continue reading -> Stopping Outbreaks at Source: Pandemic Preparedness Stumbles at Local Level 21/05/2026 Kerry Cullinan The world is not ready for the next pandemic – and it won’t be unless local capacity is strengthened, global health experts agreed at an event in Geneva on Tuesday. Does anyone brief cruise ship captains, cruise operators and passengers from Argentina that hantavirus is an endemic virus? asked Helen Clark, co-chair of the Independent […] Continue reading -> Outbreak Threats, Geopolitical Divides and Financial Crises Hover Over 79th World Health Assembly 18/05/2026 Elaine Ruth Fletcher As the World Health Assembly opens on Monday in Geneva, it will have to grapple with shrinking global health budgets, new outbreak threats, including a new WHO declaration of a public health emergency in Africa over an Ebola virus strain that lacks any vaccine, and an increasingly fractured geopolitical space with deep disputes over Iran, […] Continue reading -> Developed Countries Propose ‘Hybrid’ Model Ahead of Pandemic Agreement Talks 26/04/2026 Kerry Cullinan Yet another negotiating session on the outstanding annex of the Pandemic Agreement begins at the World Health Organization’s (WHO) headquarters on Monday (27 April) – and developed nations have presented a “hybrid” solution in an attempt to find consensus. The “hybrid” proposal consists of a mix of mandatory and voluntary measures for sharing pathogen information […] Continue reading -> Drastic UK Aid Cuts Hit Fragile African Health Systems 07/04/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Sweeping UK aid cuts have drastically reduced direct bilateral funding to African countries, posing a severe threat to the continent’s most fragile health systems. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) officials recently confirmed a steep 31% multi-year reduction of the foreign aid budget, shrinking overall spending from £13.7 billion to an estimated £9.2 billion by […] Continue reading -> Talks Deadlock: Should Pandemic Agreement Annex Go to a Vote? 25/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan A snail would have a faster passage than the Pandemic Agreement talks currently underway in Geneva, according to a briefing on Wednesday by civil society observers – some of whom mooted the possibility of World Health Organization (WHO) member states voting on the outstanding annex to break the deadlock. Only one portion of a single […] Continue reading -> Tense Start to Final Pandemic Agreement Talks as Africa Rejects New Draft Text 23/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan Tension was palpable at the start of the sixth – and supposedly final – round of talks on an annex to the Pandemic Agreement, with the African region rejecting the latest draft PABS Annex text. Pakistan also asserted that an agreement on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-sharing (PABS) annex should not be rushed simply […] Continue reading -> Pandemic Talks: Europe is Blocking Health Equity – And It Knows It 23/03/2026 Guilherme Faviero & Nithin Ramakrishnan Final talks on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system, the last outstanding piece of the Pandemic Agreement, are being held in Geneva this week. The Pandemic Agreement, being negotiated in Geneva, emerged to address the unacceptable inequities that defined the COVID-19 global health disaster. During this pandemic, delayed and inequitable access to vaccines may […] Continue reading -> Pressure Builds as Pandemic Agreement Talks Reach Final Week With Little Consensus 18/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan There are only six negotiating days left to nail down the final piece of the Pandemic Agreement, but huge areas of disagreements still exist between World Health Organization (WHO) member states. The talks, which start on Monday, are set to go until 11pm each night at the WHO headquarters in Geneva – but this may […] Continue reading -> WHO Welcomes US States to its Global Disease Outbreaks Network 12/02/2026 Kerry Cullinan The World Health Organization (WHO) has welcomed the decision of the US states of California, Illinois, New York and New York City to join its Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN). GOARN is a global network of public health institutions, governments, academic bodies and laboratories that helps to detect and control infectious disease outbreaks […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Stopping Outbreaks at Source: Pandemic Preparedness Stumbles at Local Level 21/05/2026 Kerry Cullinan The world is not ready for the next pandemic – and it won’t be unless local capacity is strengthened, global health experts agreed at an event in Geneva on Tuesday. Does anyone brief cruise ship captains, cruise operators and passengers from Argentina that hantavirus is an endemic virus? asked Helen Clark, co-chair of the Independent […] Continue reading -> Outbreak Threats, Geopolitical Divides and Financial Crises Hover Over 79th World Health Assembly 18/05/2026 Elaine Ruth Fletcher As the World Health Assembly opens on Monday in Geneva, it will have to grapple with shrinking global health budgets, new outbreak threats, including a new WHO declaration of a public health emergency in Africa over an Ebola virus strain that lacks any vaccine, and an increasingly fractured geopolitical space with deep disputes over Iran, […] Continue reading -> Developed Countries Propose ‘Hybrid’ Model Ahead of Pandemic Agreement Talks 26/04/2026 Kerry Cullinan Yet another negotiating session on the outstanding annex of the Pandemic Agreement begins at the World Health Organization’s (WHO) headquarters on Monday (27 April) – and developed nations have presented a “hybrid” solution in an attempt to find consensus. The “hybrid” proposal consists of a mix of mandatory and voluntary measures for sharing pathogen information […] Continue reading -> Drastic UK Aid Cuts Hit Fragile African Health Systems 07/04/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Sweeping UK aid cuts have drastically reduced direct bilateral funding to African countries, posing a severe threat to the continent’s most fragile health systems. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) officials recently confirmed a steep 31% multi-year reduction of the foreign aid budget, shrinking overall spending from £13.7 billion to an estimated £9.2 billion by […] Continue reading -> Talks Deadlock: Should Pandemic Agreement Annex Go to a Vote? 25/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan A snail would have a faster passage than the Pandemic Agreement talks currently underway in Geneva, according to a briefing on Wednesday by civil society observers – some of whom mooted the possibility of World Health Organization (WHO) member states voting on the outstanding annex to break the deadlock. Only one portion of a single […] Continue reading -> Tense Start to Final Pandemic Agreement Talks as Africa Rejects New Draft Text 23/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan Tension was palpable at the start of the sixth – and supposedly final – round of talks on an annex to the Pandemic Agreement, with the African region rejecting the latest draft PABS Annex text. Pakistan also asserted that an agreement on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-sharing (PABS) annex should not be rushed simply […] Continue reading -> Pandemic Talks: Europe is Blocking Health Equity – And It Knows It 23/03/2026 Guilherme Faviero & Nithin Ramakrishnan Final talks on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system, the last outstanding piece of the Pandemic Agreement, are being held in Geneva this week. The Pandemic Agreement, being negotiated in Geneva, emerged to address the unacceptable inequities that defined the COVID-19 global health disaster. During this pandemic, delayed and inequitable access to vaccines may […] Continue reading -> Pressure Builds as Pandemic Agreement Talks Reach Final Week With Little Consensus 18/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan There are only six negotiating days left to nail down the final piece of the Pandemic Agreement, but huge areas of disagreements still exist between World Health Organization (WHO) member states. The talks, which start on Monday, are set to go until 11pm each night at the WHO headquarters in Geneva – but this may […] Continue reading -> WHO Welcomes US States to its Global Disease Outbreaks Network 12/02/2026 Kerry Cullinan The World Health Organization (WHO) has welcomed the decision of the US states of California, Illinois, New York and New York City to join its Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN). GOARN is a global network of public health institutions, governments, academic bodies and laboratories that helps to detect and control infectious disease outbreaks […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Outbreak Threats, Geopolitical Divides and Financial Crises Hover Over 79th World Health Assembly 18/05/2026 Elaine Ruth Fletcher As the World Health Assembly opens on Monday in Geneva, it will have to grapple with shrinking global health budgets, new outbreak threats, including a new WHO declaration of a public health emergency in Africa over an Ebola virus strain that lacks any vaccine, and an increasingly fractured geopolitical space with deep disputes over Iran, […] Continue reading -> Developed Countries Propose ‘Hybrid’ Model Ahead of Pandemic Agreement Talks 26/04/2026 Kerry Cullinan Yet another negotiating session on the outstanding annex of the Pandemic Agreement begins at the World Health Organization’s (WHO) headquarters on Monday (27 April) – and developed nations have presented a “hybrid” solution in an attempt to find consensus. The “hybrid” proposal consists of a mix of mandatory and voluntary measures for sharing pathogen information […] Continue reading -> Drastic UK Aid Cuts Hit Fragile African Health Systems 07/04/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Sweeping UK aid cuts have drastically reduced direct bilateral funding to African countries, posing a severe threat to the continent’s most fragile health systems. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) officials recently confirmed a steep 31% multi-year reduction of the foreign aid budget, shrinking overall spending from £13.7 billion to an estimated £9.2 billion by […] Continue reading -> Talks Deadlock: Should Pandemic Agreement Annex Go to a Vote? 25/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan A snail would have a faster passage than the Pandemic Agreement talks currently underway in Geneva, according to a briefing on Wednesday by civil society observers – some of whom mooted the possibility of World Health Organization (WHO) member states voting on the outstanding annex to break the deadlock. Only one portion of a single […] Continue reading -> Tense Start to Final Pandemic Agreement Talks as Africa Rejects New Draft Text 23/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan Tension was palpable at the start of the sixth – and supposedly final – round of talks on an annex to the Pandemic Agreement, with the African region rejecting the latest draft PABS Annex text. Pakistan also asserted that an agreement on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-sharing (PABS) annex should not be rushed simply […] Continue reading -> Pandemic Talks: Europe is Blocking Health Equity – And It Knows It 23/03/2026 Guilherme Faviero & Nithin Ramakrishnan Final talks on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system, the last outstanding piece of the Pandemic Agreement, are being held in Geneva this week. The Pandemic Agreement, being negotiated in Geneva, emerged to address the unacceptable inequities that defined the COVID-19 global health disaster. During this pandemic, delayed and inequitable access to vaccines may […] Continue reading -> Pressure Builds as Pandemic Agreement Talks Reach Final Week With Little Consensus 18/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan There are only six negotiating days left to nail down the final piece of the Pandemic Agreement, but huge areas of disagreements still exist between World Health Organization (WHO) member states. The talks, which start on Monday, are set to go until 11pm each night at the WHO headquarters in Geneva – but this may […] Continue reading -> WHO Welcomes US States to its Global Disease Outbreaks Network 12/02/2026 Kerry Cullinan The World Health Organization (WHO) has welcomed the decision of the US states of California, Illinois, New York and New York City to join its Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN). GOARN is a global network of public health institutions, governments, academic bodies and laboratories that helps to detect and control infectious disease outbreaks […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Developed Countries Propose ‘Hybrid’ Model Ahead of Pandemic Agreement Talks 26/04/2026 Kerry Cullinan Yet another negotiating session on the outstanding annex of the Pandemic Agreement begins at the World Health Organization’s (WHO) headquarters on Monday (27 April) – and developed nations have presented a “hybrid” solution in an attempt to find consensus. The “hybrid” proposal consists of a mix of mandatory and voluntary measures for sharing pathogen information […] Continue reading -> Drastic UK Aid Cuts Hit Fragile African Health Systems 07/04/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Sweeping UK aid cuts have drastically reduced direct bilateral funding to African countries, posing a severe threat to the continent’s most fragile health systems. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) officials recently confirmed a steep 31% multi-year reduction of the foreign aid budget, shrinking overall spending from £13.7 billion to an estimated £9.2 billion by […] Continue reading -> Talks Deadlock: Should Pandemic Agreement Annex Go to a Vote? 25/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan A snail would have a faster passage than the Pandemic Agreement talks currently underway in Geneva, according to a briefing on Wednesday by civil society observers – some of whom mooted the possibility of World Health Organization (WHO) member states voting on the outstanding annex to break the deadlock. Only one portion of a single […] Continue reading -> Tense Start to Final Pandemic Agreement Talks as Africa Rejects New Draft Text 23/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan Tension was palpable at the start of the sixth – and supposedly final – round of talks on an annex to the Pandemic Agreement, with the African region rejecting the latest draft PABS Annex text. Pakistan also asserted that an agreement on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-sharing (PABS) annex should not be rushed simply […] Continue reading -> Pandemic Talks: Europe is Blocking Health Equity – And It Knows It 23/03/2026 Guilherme Faviero & Nithin Ramakrishnan Final talks on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system, the last outstanding piece of the Pandemic Agreement, are being held in Geneva this week. The Pandemic Agreement, being negotiated in Geneva, emerged to address the unacceptable inequities that defined the COVID-19 global health disaster. During this pandemic, delayed and inequitable access to vaccines may […] Continue reading -> Pressure Builds as Pandemic Agreement Talks Reach Final Week With Little Consensus 18/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan There are only six negotiating days left to nail down the final piece of the Pandemic Agreement, but huge areas of disagreements still exist between World Health Organization (WHO) member states. The talks, which start on Monday, are set to go until 11pm each night at the WHO headquarters in Geneva – but this may […] Continue reading -> WHO Welcomes US States to its Global Disease Outbreaks Network 12/02/2026 Kerry Cullinan The World Health Organization (WHO) has welcomed the decision of the US states of California, Illinois, New York and New York City to join its Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN). GOARN is a global network of public health institutions, governments, academic bodies and laboratories that helps to detect and control infectious disease outbreaks […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Drastic UK Aid Cuts Hit Fragile African Health Systems 07/04/2026 Felix Sassmannshausen Sweeping UK aid cuts have drastically reduced direct bilateral funding to African countries, posing a severe threat to the continent’s most fragile health systems. Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) officials recently confirmed a steep 31% multi-year reduction of the foreign aid budget, shrinking overall spending from £13.7 billion to an estimated £9.2 billion by […] Continue reading -> Talks Deadlock: Should Pandemic Agreement Annex Go to a Vote? 25/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan A snail would have a faster passage than the Pandemic Agreement talks currently underway in Geneva, according to a briefing on Wednesday by civil society observers – some of whom mooted the possibility of World Health Organization (WHO) member states voting on the outstanding annex to break the deadlock. Only one portion of a single […] Continue reading -> Tense Start to Final Pandemic Agreement Talks as Africa Rejects New Draft Text 23/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan Tension was palpable at the start of the sixth – and supposedly final – round of talks on an annex to the Pandemic Agreement, with the African region rejecting the latest draft PABS Annex text. Pakistan also asserted that an agreement on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-sharing (PABS) annex should not be rushed simply […] Continue reading -> Pandemic Talks: Europe is Blocking Health Equity – And It Knows It 23/03/2026 Guilherme Faviero & Nithin Ramakrishnan Final talks on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system, the last outstanding piece of the Pandemic Agreement, are being held in Geneva this week. The Pandemic Agreement, being negotiated in Geneva, emerged to address the unacceptable inequities that defined the COVID-19 global health disaster. During this pandemic, delayed and inequitable access to vaccines may […] Continue reading -> Pressure Builds as Pandemic Agreement Talks Reach Final Week With Little Consensus 18/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan There are only six negotiating days left to nail down the final piece of the Pandemic Agreement, but huge areas of disagreements still exist between World Health Organization (WHO) member states. The talks, which start on Monday, are set to go until 11pm each night at the WHO headquarters in Geneva – but this may […] Continue reading -> WHO Welcomes US States to its Global Disease Outbreaks Network 12/02/2026 Kerry Cullinan The World Health Organization (WHO) has welcomed the decision of the US states of California, Illinois, New York and New York City to join its Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN). GOARN is a global network of public health institutions, governments, academic bodies and laboratories that helps to detect and control infectious disease outbreaks […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Talks Deadlock: Should Pandemic Agreement Annex Go to a Vote? 25/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan A snail would have a faster passage than the Pandemic Agreement talks currently underway in Geneva, according to a briefing on Wednesday by civil society observers – some of whom mooted the possibility of World Health Organization (WHO) member states voting on the outstanding annex to break the deadlock. Only one portion of a single […] Continue reading -> Tense Start to Final Pandemic Agreement Talks as Africa Rejects New Draft Text 23/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan Tension was palpable at the start of the sixth – and supposedly final – round of talks on an annex to the Pandemic Agreement, with the African region rejecting the latest draft PABS Annex text. Pakistan also asserted that an agreement on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-sharing (PABS) annex should not be rushed simply […] Continue reading -> Pandemic Talks: Europe is Blocking Health Equity – And It Knows It 23/03/2026 Guilherme Faviero & Nithin Ramakrishnan Final talks on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system, the last outstanding piece of the Pandemic Agreement, are being held in Geneva this week. The Pandemic Agreement, being negotiated in Geneva, emerged to address the unacceptable inequities that defined the COVID-19 global health disaster. During this pandemic, delayed and inequitable access to vaccines may […] Continue reading -> Pressure Builds as Pandemic Agreement Talks Reach Final Week With Little Consensus 18/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan There are only six negotiating days left to nail down the final piece of the Pandemic Agreement, but huge areas of disagreements still exist between World Health Organization (WHO) member states. The talks, which start on Monday, are set to go until 11pm each night at the WHO headquarters in Geneva – but this may […] Continue reading -> WHO Welcomes US States to its Global Disease Outbreaks Network 12/02/2026 Kerry Cullinan The World Health Organization (WHO) has welcomed the decision of the US states of California, Illinois, New York and New York City to join its Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN). GOARN is a global network of public health institutions, governments, academic bodies and laboratories that helps to detect and control infectious disease outbreaks […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Tense Start to Final Pandemic Agreement Talks as Africa Rejects New Draft Text 23/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan Tension was palpable at the start of the sixth – and supposedly final – round of talks on an annex to the Pandemic Agreement, with the African region rejecting the latest draft PABS Annex text. Pakistan also asserted that an agreement on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-sharing (PABS) annex should not be rushed simply […] Continue reading -> Pandemic Talks: Europe is Blocking Health Equity – And It Knows It 23/03/2026 Guilherme Faviero & Nithin Ramakrishnan Final talks on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system, the last outstanding piece of the Pandemic Agreement, are being held in Geneva this week. The Pandemic Agreement, being negotiated in Geneva, emerged to address the unacceptable inequities that defined the COVID-19 global health disaster. During this pandemic, delayed and inequitable access to vaccines may […] Continue reading -> Pressure Builds as Pandemic Agreement Talks Reach Final Week With Little Consensus 18/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan There are only six negotiating days left to nail down the final piece of the Pandemic Agreement, but huge areas of disagreements still exist between World Health Organization (WHO) member states. The talks, which start on Monday, are set to go until 11pm each night at the WHO headquarters in Geneva – but this may […] Continue reading -> WHO Welcomes US States to its Global Disease Outbreaks Network 12/02/2026 Kerry Cullinan The World Health Organization (WHO) has welcomed the decision of the US states of California, Illinois, New York and New York City to join its Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN). GOARN is a global network of public health institutions, governments, academic bodies and laboratories that helps to detect and control infectious disease outbreaks […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Pandemic Talks: Europe is Blocking Health Equity – And It Knows It 23/03/2026 Guilherme Faviero & Nithin Ramakrishnan Final talks on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system, the last outstanding piece of the Pandemic Agreement, are being held in Geneva this week. The Pandemic Agreement, being negotiated in Geneva, emerged to address the unacceptable inequities that defined the COVID-19 global health disaster. During this pandemic, delayed and inequitable access to vaccines may […] Continue reading -> Pressure Builds as Pandemic Agreement Talks Reach Final Week With Little Consensus 18/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan There are only six negotiating days left to nail down the final piece of the Pandemic Agreement, but huge areas of disagreements still exist between World Health Organization (WHO) member states. The talks, which start on Monday, are set to go until 11pm each night at the WHO headquarters in Geneva – but this may […] Continue reading -> WHO Welcomes US States to its Global Disease Outbreaks Network 12/02/2026 Kerry Cullinan The World Health Organization (WHO) has welcomed the decision of the US states of California, Illinois, New York and New York City to join its Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN). GOARN is a global network of public health institutions, governments, academic bodies and laboratories that helps to detect and control infectious disease outbreaks […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
Pressure Builds as Pandemic Agreement Talks Reach Final Week With Little Consensus 18/03/2026 Kerry Cullinan There are only six negotiating days left to nail down the final piece of the Pandemic Agreement, but huge areas of disagreements still exist between World Health Organization (WHO) member states. The talks, which start on Monday, are set to go until 11pm each night at the WHO headquarters in Geneva – but this may […] Continue reading -> WHO Welcomes US States to its Global Disease Outbreaks Network 12/02/2026 Kerry Cullinan The World Health Organization (WHO) has welcomed the decision of the US states of California, Illinois, New York and New York City to join its Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN). GOARN is a global network of public health institutions, governments, academic bodies and laboratories that helps to detect and control infectious disease outbreaks […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts
WHO Welcomes US States to its Global Disease Outbreaks Network 12/02/2026 Kerry Cullinan The World Health Organization (WHO) has welcomed the decision of the US states of California, Illinois, New York and New York City to join its Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN). GOARN is a global network of public health institutions, governments, academic bodies and laboratories that helps to detect and control infectious disease outbreaks […] Continue reading -> Posts navigation Older posts