The deepening conflict across the Middle East has displaced nearly 3.2 million people in Iran, according to new estimates by UNHCR, as well as nearly 800,000 people in Lebanon, mostly in the southern region, according to a new WHO situation report. After the Lebanese Shi’ite militia Hezbollah entered the war on 2 March firing barrages […] Continue reading ->
Following the lead of Australia, France, and Spain, Germany’s governing parties have found common ground on a proposal to ban social media for children. But as politicians prepare strict age restrictions, experts warn that significant legal roadblocks and data protection concerns could stall the legislation. At a recent party conference in Stuttgart, the centre-right Christian […] Continue reading ->
As the war in Ukraine grinds into its fifth year, the systematic destruction of healthcare infrastructure is accelerating, with strikes targeting hospitals, ambulances, and medical workers surging by nearly 20 percent in 2025 compared to the previous year, according to a statement by the World Health Organization Europe region (WHO/EURO) released on Tuesday. The cumulative […] Continue reading ->
As the mandate of Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus approaches its expiration in August 2027, the high-stakes manoeuvring for the next Director-General (DG) of the World Health Organization (WHO) has intensified in the halls of Geneva and capital cities worldwide. While the official call for nominations is expected in April 2026 and no candidate has formally […] Continue reading ->
Measles cases in Europe and Central Asia dropped by three-quarters in 2025 compared to the previous year – but the decline is partly due to the virus running out of people to infect after spreading rapidly through under-vaccinated communities. Preliminary data from 53 countries in the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region reported 33,998 measles […] Continue reading ->
The European Commission intends to significantly cut its contributions to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, ending a decades-long trend of increasing contributions to the multilateral health organisation. According to research by Health Policy Watch, the Commission plans to pledge €700 million over a four-year span from 2026 to 2029 at the […] Continue reading ->
Although Argentina is withdrawing from the World Health Organization’s global body, it intends to remain an active member in WHO’s regional affiliate, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the country’s representative told the WHO Executive Board on Friday. His comments came in the course of a discussion on the legal and policy impacts of Argentina’s […] Continue reading ->
The European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have jointly established new AI principles in drug development to reduce regulatory divergence between the major markets of the European Union and the United States. Industry associations have applauded the landmark accord, as it strengthens harmonisation across the regions – but emphasise […] Continue reading ->
The German government is set to halve its funding for the Berlin-based WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence this year as part of a broader retreat from global health and aid financing under Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Funding for the pandemic surveillance hub will be reduced from €30 million yearly to €15 million, with only […] Continue reading ->
Sudden fever, a severe cough and acute respiratory distress are the familiar onset symptoms of seasonal flu, which has affected WHO’s European Region with unusual intensity and speed this year. As the Northern Hemisphere enters winter, health systems are struggling to manage an epidemic driven by an aggressive, genetically mutated influenza strain A(H3N2) subclade K. […] Continue reading ->