Dear Colleagues, With the SDG summit over, the world is now

Dear Colleagues,
With the SDG summit over, the world is now slowly gearing up for the climate change summit in
Paris, as you’ll notice from this week’s selection, with among others the “Climate Games” coming up.
They sound like a lot of fun. Meanwhile, both the Americans and Russians seem to be playing a nasty
geopolitical version of ‘Funny Games’ these days, attacking medical facilities in Afghanistan and Syria
respectively. War crimes, no less. Well, at least Obama still had the decency to apologize. (As for
Putin, I’m not sure his botox face would survive apologizing)
In true “Global Goals” spirit, it was also an important week for the Trans-Pacific “Partnership” – but
nice to see that at least Hillary seems to be getting the message from angry citizens all over the
western world, and shifts to the left. Getting TPP through Congress is not a done deal yet. There was
some great global health news too, with an “NTD/malaria” Nobel Prize, and in the fight against
Ebola, WHO noted the 1st week since March 2014 with zero Ebola cases!
But these are funny times indeed. Borrowing a line from Ilona Kickbusch, we now very much live in a
global risk society, including in Europe (as even Air France cadres found out this week). If you ask
me, the protesters better start with Michael O’Leary, though. I’m not in favour of violence, but if
structural violence is implemented on such a global scale, and so transparently, the 0.01 % will get hit
too, inevitably. You don’t need to be ‘Lenin material’ to understand that. (And in comparison with the
horrifying pictures of atrocities committed by Assad’s butchers, the “shocking” Air France Pictures are
relatively harmless, I find. But as you know, I’m biased .)
Although ‘crisis is the new normal’ (Kickbush again in Gastein), the fact that we’re now so clearly
connected with each other on the globe also provides opportunities for radical transformation. But
we have to grab them. Henning “Wallander” Mankell, who passed away this week, put it like this in
one of his last interviews. He considered the need for radical people nowadays far greater than when
he was young, because if you honestly assess the current state of the world (“frightening”, he called
it), and what we have to do to change it for the better, a radical opinion is almost unavoidable, he
thought. I agree. Trouble is: with some exceptions, the most radical people these days tend to be
disruptive Silicon Valley-style entrepreneurs or downright rogue entrepreneurs racing to the bottom
(Enter O’Leary again, who announced again price cuts for his fleet). To make things even worse, their
friends in politics tend to be so good at spinning (Cameron is a champ, see also his knack for
aidwashing) that the battle common citizens and progressives face can sometimes feel very
discouraging. But this is no time to give up - paradigms are (slowly but steadily) shifting. Trust me,
Davos men and women have noted the Air France pictures.
In this week’s Featured article, Albino Kalolo (EV 2010 from Tanzania) explores the manifestos of the
key political parties in his country, in the run-up to the elections later this month, trying to find out
what their UHC policy plans are (and whether they’ll then also have concrete plans to implement
them).
Enjoy your reading.
The editorial team
Featured Article
Universal health coverage and election manifestos: Insights
from the upcoming general elections in Tanzania
Albino Kalolo ( EV2010, Public health scientist, Tanzania )
Progress towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) has been slow in many low
income countries, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). In these settings, poor
communities continue to suffer from financial hardship due to catastrophic health
expenditures and many people succumb to morbidity and premature death as a result of poor
quality health services. It’s clear, however, that there could be much more progress if relevant
stakeholders such as governments, civil society organizations, development partners and
citizens expressed themselves forcefully and publicly on the need to (further) design and
implement UHC policies. The priorities set in election manifestos and related campaign
pledges could serve as litmus test for (meaningful) commitment to UHC policies of political
parties in Tanzania, including the incumbent party. The increasing engagement of the young
in political campaigns in SSA already sparks more discussion on UHC, among others thanks
to the social media which help ignite the UHC fire, but a lot more is needed. Hopefully the
young can also push SSA (and Tanzanian) politicians to kickstart implementation of the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As Tanzania prepares for general elections
scheduled later this month (25th October), some insights on how the UHC-agenda features
(or does not feature) in party manifestos will give you a clearer idea on current UHC
developments and support in Tanzania.
But first things first, what does the political constellation in Tanzania look like for the
moment? Recently, four political parties joined forces as an opposition coalition, the
“Coalition of Peoples Constitution” (UKAWA) led by the Chama cha Demokrasia na
Maendeleo (CHADEMA). A new party, ACT-wazalendo, saw the light in 2014. They face
the ruling party - Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) – in this election. In addition to UKAWA,
CCM and ACT-wazalendo, four other parties will also participate in this year’s election.
UKAWA is the main challenger of CCM, though, in this contest, and ACT-wazalendo
perhaps an outsider.
Regardless of the outcome of the (tough) political battle later this month, what would be the
(likely) implications for the design and implementation of UHC policies in Tanzania – i.e. in
terms of covering the whole population (health for all), providing financial protection and
ensuring access to quality health services. Would they add value to the ongoing efforts to
develop a new health financing strategy for UHC in Tanzania, if in power? As stated above,
key steps in this respect for the political parties are (1) to include UHC as a priority in their
election manifesto (and subsequent campaign pledges) and (2) later on implement their
pledges, as pledges without follow-up are just empty promises.
When you go through the manifestos, you notice quite some pledges promising to set up or
boost existing prepayment mechanisms (health insurance) - see the respective manifestos of
CCM, UKAWA and ACT –wazalendo. CCM pledges to look for feasible ways to strengthen
the available prepayment mechanisms, the formal sector’s health insurance through the
National Health Insurance Fund ( NHIF ) and the informal sector’s Community Health Funds
(CHFs). They are however not very explicit on how this is going to happen, unfortunately,
especially given the failure to reach 30% enrollment in health insurance as per targets of their
2010 election manifesto. The UKAWA coalition recognizes the massive problem of
catastrophic health expenditures resulting from out-of-pocket payments and pledges to
establish a public health insurance system. Their promise however also fails to provide a
clear picture on how this will happen. Their manifesto doesn’t provide concrete steps to
tackle the current fragmentation of the health financing system (which relies way too much
on out-of-pocket spending). The ACT-wazalendo manifesto plans to revisit the NHIF law
(which made health insurance for public servants mandatory), expanding coverage; however,
a detailed account on the modus operandi is missing as well.
All key parties in this election promise to strengthen curative health care services, more in
particular by making sure that health facilities are close to the people. CCM, for example,
promises to construct a health facility in every village in the country! Investments will go to
ensuring availability of medicines, diagnostic equipment and training of health care workers.
All parties touch on maternal and child health services but none of the manifestos prioritize
non-communicable diseases. Prevention of diseases and promotion of healthy lifestyles is not
a focus of the manifestos and ongoing campaign rallies. CCM only emphasizes malaria
(distribution of insecticide-treated mosquito nets) and HIV/AIDs (prevention of mother to
child transmission in particular) but does not really talk about other diseases or steps to foster
health promotion. UKAWA and ACT-wazalendo touch on health promotion, but only ACTwazalendo puts an explicit focus on prevention, without going much into detail though.
Despite the inclusion of some important aspects of UHC policies in manifestos, significant
gaps persist. The most obvious gap is that none of the manifestos feature a concrete pledge to
increase the budget in order to fund the UHC package properly - even the Abuja declaration
target is not mentioned. Since 2010, the total health expenditure in Tanzania has remained at
approximately 7% of the gross domestic product (GDP). Only ACT-wazalendo points out
that they will “ring fence” the health care budget, if in power. Moreover, it is not clear
whether some of the stated declarations will actually be converted into law(s) to foster UHC
once they are elected. Only ACT- wazalendo clearly states that they will revisit the NHIF act.
Furthermore, none of the manifestos explain how the pledges will be reached given the lack
of year to year approximate costing of their pledges, and only UKAWA pledges to
strengthen health systems research in the country to guide implementation of the UHC
policies.
There’s already quite some research on moving towards UHC in Tanzania that could guide
inclusion of UHC policies in election manifestos. For example, modelling by Borghi et al
emphasized: “Universal coverage would require an initial doubling in the proportion of
GDP going to the public health system. Government health expenditure would increase to
18% of total government expenditure”. Furthermore, lessons from similar countries that have
made substantial UHC progress in recent years and decades stress the important role of
political push factors emanating from the citizens ( the young demographic especially), civil
society, think tanks and lobby organizations – these lessons could serve as a guide for any
party that wishes to implement UHC policies, surfing on a UHC movement.
Nevertheless, the inclusion of key elements of UHC policies in the election manifestos is
progress. Implementation of the pledges will be important, though, and a catalyst for wider
stakeholder engagement in this agenda, in particular from civil society, researchers and
lobby organizations that support the UHC agenda in Tanzania.
We still have a couple of weeks to make that case.
Highlights of the week
Nobel prize
Guardian – William C Campbell, Satoshi Ōmura and Tu
Youyou win Nobel prize in medicine
http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/oct/05/william-c-campbell-satoshi-omura-and-youyoutu-win-nobel-prize-in-medicine?CMP=share_btn_tw
You probably didn’t miss this, but just in case. This year’s Nobel prize in medicine went to global
health breakthroughs (discoveries that helped doctors fight malaria (Artemisinin) and infections
caused by roundworm parasites (Avermectin), respectively) (see also Nature news ; and the Nobel
statement ). “The award highlights the global acceptance of the importance of parasitic infections,
and neglected tropical diseases in general” (S Ward, Liverpool school)
The Tu Youyou story is probably the more interesting one, given the link with Mao. As you notice,
sometimes war and global health progress do go together… although rarely, perhaps. Back then, of
course, it went even further: “Scientific achievement, while important, was not the be-all, end-all of
scientific work. During the Cultural Revolution, it mattered that science proceed along
revolutionary lines. It mattered that scientific advances resulted from collective endeavor and drew
from popular sources. Does it still?” (I admit, this could’ve been written by Richard Horton , one
of the last men standing)
Lancet (World Report) – 2015 Nobel Prize goes to antiparasitic drug discoverers
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(15)00455-9/fulltext
This year's Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is awarded to three researchers from Japan,
Ireland, and China who identified treatments for major tropical diseases. Brian Owens reports. “…
Overall, these drugs have improved the lives of 3·4 billion people in some of the poorest parts of
the world, according to the Nobel committee. …. Both discoveries share one common factor: the
drugs were isolated from organisms in the natural world—avermectin from bacteria and
artemisinin from a plant.”
MSF & Kunduz
Guardian - Afghan hospital bombing: MSF demands investigation under Geneva
conventions
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/07/afghan-hospital-bombing-msf-demandsinvestigation-under-geneva-conventions?CMP=twt_a-global-development_b-gdndevelopment
“Médecins sans Frontières has called for an independent inquiry under the Geneva conventions into
a US airstrike on an MSF clinic in northern Afghanistan that killed at least 22 people. … … “ “If we let
this go, we are basically giving a blank cheque to any countries at war,” Joanne Liu, MSF
international president said, calling on the relatively obscure international humanitarian factfinding commission (IHFFC), to open the investigation”. After the US came up with about 4 excuses
in as many days, Obama apologized to Joanne Liu. MSF nevertheless insists on such an IHFFC –
chances of this happening are low, though.
WHO also deplored the bombing. After the bombing, MSF announced it’s pulling out of Kunduz.
(see also Guardian analysis: Kunduz hospital bombing latest in a long line of attacks on MSF staff ).
SDGs (or is it Global Goals?)
Most of the SDG (& health) related documents and papers you can find below (in the section on
UHC, post-2015 & GGH).
Here we just flag the analyses related to the WB’s new extreme poverty line.
Guardian – World Bank: 'extreme poverty' to fall below 10% of world population
for first time
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/oct/05/world-bank-extreme-poverty-to-fall-below-10of-world-population-for-first-time
“The number of people living in extreme poverty is likely to fall for the first time below 10% of the
world’s population in 2015, the World Bank said on Sunday as it revised its benchmark for measuring
the problem. “This is the best story in the world today,” said World Bank president Jim Yong Kim.
“These projections show us that we are the first generation in human history that can end extreme
poverty.” Extreme poverty has long been defined as living on or below $1.25 a day, but the World
Bank’s adjustment now sets the poverty line at $1.90 a day. It projects 702 million people or 9.6% of
the world’s population will be living in extreme poverty in 2015, down from 902 million people or
12.8% in 2012. “
Recommended analyses:
Vox – Why the World Bank is changing the definition of the word "poor"
Charles Kenny & Justin Sandefur; http://www.vox.com/2015/10/7/9465999/world-bank-povertyline
Explaining, among others, the “political reasons” for the new line.
CGD (blog) – The World Bank’s New Global Poverty Line
M Ravaillon; http://www.cgdev.org/blog/world-bank%E2%80%99s-new-global-poverty-line
In-depth analysis, obviously, from one of the main experts.
Guardian – Describing poverty is no substitute for producing hard evidence to
help end it
Claire Melamed ; http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/oct/07/world-bankestimates-describing-poverty-no-substitute-for-producing-hard-evidence-to-help-end-it
“World Bank estimates on global poverty provide us with the big numbers, yet they lack the detailed
analysis that might help to eradicate the scourge. Poverty estimates are exciting if you’re a
researcher in Washington, London or Delhi. But the numbers become much less useful when it comes
to understanding what needs to be done to end global poverty. The figures offer no detail about
what is happening within countries, which is where the work will have to be done if the world is to
meet the recently adopted aspiration to end extreme poverty by 2030.”
These analyses are all worth reading (and complementary). They all seem to agree though that there
is progress against extreme poverty, even allowing for some poverty line “high-tech”, for political or
other reasons.
Climate change
Quite some climate change related news this week – most you can find below, in one of the next
sections. Here we flag already:
Euractiv – UN publishes draft of slimmed-down Paris climate change deal
http://www.euractiv.com/sections/climate-environment/un-publishes-draft-slimmed-down-parisclimate-change-deal-318235
A new draft of the potential global agreement on climate change, to be negotiated this December in
Paris, has been published by the United Nations.
WHO - WHO calls for urgent action to protect health from climate change – Sign
the call
http://www.who.int/globalchange/global-campaign/cop21/en/
WHO calls on the global health community to add its voice to the call for a strong and effective
climate agreement at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP-21), that will save lives,
both now and in the future. Changes to weather patterns result in extreme weather events that
threaten lives and cause changes to infectious disease transmission patterns resulting in more
outbreaks.
Guardian - The Guardian view on the Paris climate change summit: reasons to be
cheerful
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/oct/04/the-guardian-view-on-the-paris-climatechange-summit-reasons-to-be-cheerful
The Guardian is launching the second phase of their ‘Keep it in the ground’ campaign. See also here
(for a good overview of what the second phase entails). Among others, they’ll be reporting on how
rapidly technology has changed to make the target achievable. The climate change campaign
becomes increasingly a story of hope, on a number of fronts. But let’s not get carried away yet (as
Simon Maxwell tweeted, referring to the sum of the INDCs so far).
TPP
Over to a less encouraging story then, the Trade and Investment “Agreements”. This week, a TransPacific Free trade deal was reached in Atlanta, after five years of negotiation.
Some relevant reads:
Project syndicate - The Trans-Pacific Free-Trade Charade
J. Stiglitz et al; http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/trans-pacific-partnership-charadeby-joseph-e--stiglitz-and-adam-s--hersh-2015-10
Published before the deal. Stiglitz is not a fan, and he’s clearly not the only one. “The biggest
regional trade and investment agreement in history is not what it seems. You will hear much about
the importance of the TPP for “free trade.” The reality is that this is an agreement to manage its
members’ trade and investment relations – and to do so on behalf of each country’s most powerful
business lobbies.”
NYT – The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal explained
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/06/business/international/the-trans-pacific-partnership-tradedeal-explained.html?ref=europe&_r=0
With the general lines, including the geopolitical reasons & ‘level playing field’ stuff/rhetoric. (For
the trade ministers’ short statement, see here. The full document has not been released yet, as you
know (a disgrace), but a summary of all sections is already available here. See also here for the
‘Made in America’ version  )
CGD – The TPP Deal Gets Done: What Does It Mean for Developing Countries?
K Elliott; http://www.cgdev.org/blog/tpp-deal-gets-done-what-does-it-mean-developing-countries
General picture. Elliott lists some potentially positive steps for developing countries, and some
lingering concerns.
IP Watch – Pull Up Your Socks – The TPP Is Done
http://www.ip-watch.org/2015/10/05/pull-up-your-socks-the-tpp-is-done/
Moving on to the public health implications then. This IP Watch article offers an excellent analysis.
See also BMJ News, “Trade pact disappoints biotechnology companies and campaigners for better
access to drugs “. As for Big Pharma, “Industry groups representing US pharmaceutical and
biotechnology companies said on Monday 5 October that provisions in the new Trans-Pacific
Partnership that limit data exclusivity protections for new biologics to 5-8 years instead of the 12
years sought by the industry will discourage investment and impede development of new
treatments.”
Vox – How the Trans-Pacific Partnership could drive up the cost of medicine
worldwide
Julia Belluz; http://www.vox.com/2015/10/5/9454511/tpp-cost-medicine
Good analysis, also including MSF’s official reaction to TPP. In full: “"MSF expresses its dismay that
TPP countries have agreed to United States government and multinational drug company demands
that will raise the price of medicines for millions by unnecessarily extending monopolies and further
delaying price-lowering generic competition. The big losers in the TPP are patients and treatment
providers in developing countries. Although the text has improved over the initial demands, the TPP
will still go down in history as the worst trade agreement for access to medicines in developing
countries, which will be forced to change their laws to incorporate abusive intellectual property
protections for pharmaceutical companies. For example, the additional monopoly protection
provided for biologic drugs will be a new regime for all TPP developing countries. These countries will
pay a heavy price in the decades to come that will be measured in the impact it has on patients. As
the trade agreement now goes back to the national level for countries' final approval, we urge all
governments to carefully consider before they sign on the dotted line whether this is the direction
they want to take on access to affordable medicines and the promotion of biomedical innovation.
The negative impact of the TPP on public health will be enormous, be felt for years to come and it will
not be limited to the current 12 TPP countries, as it is a dangerous blueprint for future agreements."
For the Knowledge Ecology International statement, see here.
CFR (expert brief) – The Drug Tradeoffs in TPP Deal
Laurie Garret; http://www.cfr.org/health/drug-tradeoffs-tpp-deal/p37096
“The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) now faces an approval battle on Capitol Hill that will find
objections voiced over nearly every major point in the pact. The agreement’s pharmaceutical and
biotechnology provisions, which nearly derailed the TPP negotiations several times, have so far
aroused some of the strongest reactions.” Garrett gives an overview of the trade-offs.
IP Watch – TPP Heads Into Ratification Game
http://www.ip-watch.org/2015/10/06/tpp-heads-into-the-ratification-game/
“Given the level of opposition in some countries, the TPP ratification ahead could still be tricky,
experts confirmed.” This IP Watch article gives an overview for different countries.
See also this week’s Economist on the already fierce opposition.
And you probably also heard that Hillary Clinton now opposes TPP as well, a turnaround compared
to her position a few years ago (when she was Secretary of State ). (I think this is a smart move
from her.)
Guardian - Hillary Clinton's TPP deal disapproval is 'a critical turning point'
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/oct/08/hillary-clinton-tpp-disapproval-critical-turningpoint
Excellent analysis why TPP might not make it through US Congress. (but hold your breath)
World Humanitarian Summit (synthesis report of the
consultation process for the summit) : Restoring humanity –
global voices calling for action
https://www.worldhumanitariansummit.org/whs_global/synthesisreport
“Humanitarian action has never reached so many people in so many places. Around the world,
humanitarian actors are doing extraordinary work to save lives and protect people in the time of
their greatest need. However, the humanitarian system is under strain. … As the scale and cost of
meeting humanitarian needs is increasingly overwhelming our capacity to respond, we need to take
decisive, collective action now. In calling for the World Humanitarian Summit, the Secretary-General
asked that the search for solutions be based on and informed by the experience of all relevant
stakeholders, including people affected by crisis and those serving their needs. Over the past two
years, a worldwide consultation process took place to gather the views of affected people,
governments, civil society, humanitarian organizations, the private sector and other partners. The
results are now presented in this Synthesis Report. … The emerging action areas and proposals will
be discussed at the Global Consultation this October in Geneva.” Next year, Turkey hosts the World
Humanitarian Summit. “The worldwide consultations leading up to the first-ever World
Humanitarian Summit have generated a demand for a vision of a world whose fundamental
humanity is restored, a world where no one confronted by crisis dies who can be saved, goes hungry,
or is victimized by conflict because there is not enough political will or resources to help them.
Consultations with over 23,000 people repeatedly called to put people affected by crises at the heart
of humanitarian action.” This inclusive consultation process resulted in five major areas for action,
each presenting an ambition for the future of humanitarian action.
For the executive summary, see here.
Humanosphere – Top U.S. companies hide $2.1 trillion in tax
havens, according to new study
Tom Murphy; http://www.humanosphere.org/social-business/2015/10/top-u-s-companies-hide-2-1trillion-tax-havens-study/
Other “Funny Games” still ongoing, with massive implications for health inequities: “More than $2.1
trillion in Fortunate 500 company profits are held offshore, a new study has found. Apple, American
Express and Nike are called out as the worst offenders among the at least 358 companies found to
use offshore tax havens.” Tom Murphy gives the background for new research published by Citizens
for Tax Justice and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund: “Offshore Shell
Games 2015”.
WHO/UNAIDS - WHO/UNAIDS launch new standards to
improve adolescent care
http://who.int/mediacentre/news/releases/2015/health-standards-adolescents/en/
New Global Standards for quality health care services for adolescents developed by WHO and
UNAIDS aim to help countries improve the quality of adolescent health care.
WB/IMF Annual meeting in Lima
Guardian – Migration can help to forge a more prosperous world, says World
Bank
http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/oct/07/migration-more-prosperous-worldbank-global-monitoring-report-2015-16
“The global monitoring report 2015/16 (Development Goals in an Era of Demographic Change) ,
published at the start of the World Bank’s annual meeting with the International Monetary Fund
(IMF) in Lima, notes that the world is undergoing a major demographic shift as population growth
slows in developed countries but continues to rise in some less developed ones. An upbeat Jim Yong
Kim claims that movement of people from poor to rich countries could drive economic growth and
boost the battle against global poverty. The large-scale migration of people from poor countries to
richer ones will “reshape economic development for decades” but could help end extreme
poverty and increase global prosperity if the flow is properly harnessed and regulated, according to
the World Bank.” (not sure Kim reads newspapers)
IMF – Next financial crash is coming – and before we've fixed flaws from last one
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/oct/07/next-financial-crash-is-coming-imf-globalstability-report
“The next financial crisis is coming, it’s a just a matter of time – and we haven’t finished fixing the
flaws in the global system that were so brutally exposed by the last one. That is the message from
the International Monetary Fund’s latest Global Financial Stability report, which will make sobering
reading for the finance ministers and central bankers gathered in Lima, Peru, for its annual meeting.”
See also here.
For a general (pre-view) of these annual meetings, see for example Nancy Birdsall (focusing on the
WB): “Finance ministers, central bankers, and development economists are gathering in Lima, Peru,
for the World Bank’s annual meetings, where the debate will focus on how the institution’s agenda
fits our changing world. Holding the event in a developing country represents a welcome shift from
the usual Washington, DC venue. Now, the Bank should make some other important shifts: It should
reframe its mission and undertake new tasks, while its biggest shareholder, the United States, should
rethink its role in the organization.”
Guardian – Tax reforms are small beer when big firms are denying poor countries
billions
Anders Dahlbeck (Action Aid’s policy advisor); http://www.theguardian.com/globaldevelopment/2015/oct/08/tax-reforms-corporate-avoidance-poor-countries-denied-billions-smallbeer
On OECD’s proposed reforms to the international tax system (BEPS). “…In 2013, during the
UK presidency of the G8, David Cameron used the summit in Northern Ireland to make bold
promises on tackling tax dodging. On Thursday, the long-promised reforms will be presented by
finance ministers, including George Osborne, at a dinner on the eve of the annual International
Monetary Fund and World Bank meetings in Lima, Peru. … But the reforms fall far short of what
developing countries need; they are little more than a sticking plaster on a wounded system. … …
Yet, as a new report from ActionAid sets out, the international tax reforms to be discussed today
will fail to fully tackle industrial-scale avoidance by multinationals, do not address the main concerns
of developing nations, and will not deliver the change that is needed for the poorest people in the
world.”
Economist (cover article) – Eradicating disease
http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21672213-viral-and-parasitic-diseases-are-not-onlyworth-killing-they-are-also-increasingly?fsrc=scn/tw/te/img/cover/st/eradicatingdisease
“Viral and parasitic diseases are not only worth killing off, they are also increasingly vulnerable.” “…A
list of five plausible targets—measles, mumps, rubella, filariasis and pork tapeworm—has hardly
changed since the early 1990s, yet measles, mumps and rubella are all the subjects of intensive
vaccination campaigns that could easily be converted into ones of eradication. And even though
Swaziland is poised to become the first malaria-free country in sub-Saharan Africa (see article), only a
few dare to make explicit the goal of ridding the planet of the disease. Hepatitis C should be made a
target, too. It kills half a million a year, and affects rich and poor countries alike, yet new drugs
against it are almost 100% effective and there are no silent carriers. Eradicating these seven
diseases—the five, plus malaria and hepatitis C—would save a yearly total of 1.2m lives. It would
transform countless more”. The Economist sees three big improvements underpinning the argument
for throwing eradication’s net more widely.
Ebola
WHO - Ebola situation report (Oct 7)
http://apps.who.int/ebola/current-situation/ebola-situation-report-7-october-2015
As mentioned in the intro, very encouraging Ebola news. “No confirmed cases of Ebola virus disease
(EVD) were reported in the week to 4 October. This is the first time that a complete epidemiological
week has elapsed with zero confirmed cases since March 2014….” (see also NYT ).
See also Humanosphere : “If Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea can go 21 more days without
transmission, the global outbreak will be considered over. “The World Health Organization says there
were no Ebola cases reported last week — the first time an entire week has passed without any new
confirmed patients since the devastating outbreak began last March. The U.N. health agency said in
a report issued Wednesday that all contacts of Ebola cases in Sierra Leone have now been followed
for 21 days without falling sick, suggesting the country might soon be free of the disease. Still, more
than 500 people are being tracked in Guinea and WHO said there is “considerable risk” of further
spread. Scientists have also lost track of where the virus was recently spreading.”
Foreign Policy – Can the Global Public health system learn from its Ebola
mistakes?
Laurie Garrett ; http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/10/08/global-public-health-system-learn-from-ebolamistakes-who/
(must-read !!!!) “… In January of next year, the Executive Board of the WHO will convene in Geneva
to assess, among other things, the agency’s post-Ebola transformation…. While most attention will
be paid to the World Health Organization’s performance, many other entities merit scrutiny for
their actions (or lack thereof) during the Ebola crisis, including the World Bank, the governments of
the countries hit by the crisis, the World Health Assembly, a long list of nongovernmental
organizations and humanitarian groups, the African Union, and international organizations
representing key trade groups that boycotted the Ebola-affected nations. The bilateral government
responses from the militaries and agencies of the governments of the United States, Britain, and
France will also come under scrutiny. … This panoply of reviews and assessments need to be
coordinated. A summit should be convened, ideally by a respected third party outside of the U.N.,
allowing all of the panels and commissions to compare their diagnoses of global health
governance problems and suggested solutions.” (otherwise the risk is that all these organisations
will just engage in cherrypicking). “ … Of all the entities involved in the Ebola response, the one that
has already adapted the most in response to criticism is the WHO. …. Future epidemics will require
rejection of the business-as-usual behaviors at dozens of other organizations, …. But the whole
world needs coherent, rational changes in the landscape of epidemic recognition and mobilized
global responses. “
Check out also Laurie’s current reservations about the “African CDC”.
Lancet (Editorial) – How to attain the ambitious goals for
health reform in China
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(15)00452-3/fulltext
“The Lancet has been tracking and monitoring the progress and challenges of China's health reform
through publishing its China Series and themed issues regularly since 2008, because we believe the
lessons learned from China will have important implications for not only the country itself but also
for the rest of the world. In today's Lancet, we revisit China's health system for the sixth time, and
provide a snapshot of challenges for health in China. Two major goals for China's health system
reform are achieving and sustaining UHC and enhancing the quality of health care. Overview of the
issue. … “… How should China tackle all the health challenges and eventually achieve its
ambitious goals in health-care reform? The key solution lies in developing its research capacity to
generate knowledge and translate it effectively into clinical practice and health policies that improve
health care.”
Check out also Horton’s Offline – he gets a bit carried away, I am afraid: “Offline: The underrated
value of friendship” (too much bai jiu?) : “Friendship is an underrated virtue. It is underrated
between individuals—and between peoples. And certainly between nations. … China's greatest
contribution to global health has been its careful attention through unprecedented health reforms to
the health of its own people. … China's story is one that not only inspires—the building of a robust
and responsive health system to serve the needs of an increasingly expectant population—but also
educates by showing other countries that rapid progress in health is possible. China is now assuming
a stronger place in the global leadership of science and medicine. President Xi Jinping's recent visit to
the UN General Assembly provided a platform to rewrite China's role in world affairs—a US$2 billion
pledge towards poverty eradication (with the promise of $12 billion over the next 15 years); $1 billion
for a China–UN Peace and Development Fund; and $10 million to the UN, including WHO. … China's
emphasis on friendship, and the free flow of critical ideas that such friendship encourages, might
offer lessons to other nations about how scientific cooperation can accelerate social and political
change.”
Lancet (Comment) – Environmental pollution, health, and
development: a Lancet–Global Alliance on Health and
Pollution–Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Commission
P J Landrigan et al ; http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(15)004262/fulltext
“Environmental pollution is a large, costly, inequitably distributed, and preventable cause of disease
and death in countries around the world. The links between pollution and health, while very strong,
have been insufficiently appreciated in the global health agenda, and the international and domestic
resources allocated to pollution control have not been commensurate with the great magnitude of
the problem. … The Lancet, in partnership with the Global Alliance on Health and Pollution and
the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, NY, USA, is launching a Commission on
Pollution, Health, and Development. ….. The Commissioners will develop robust and scientifically
credible analyses that quantify the effects of pollution on health, economics, and development. They
will analyse past successes in pollution control to seek cost-effective solutions for the future. …. The
Commission's ultimate goal is to raise the priority of pollution control in the international
development agenda, and thus increase the resources allocated to this pressing global health
problem.”
World Mental health day
http://www.who.int/mental_health/world-mental-health-day/2015/en/
“The theme for this year’s World Mental Health Day, observed on 10 October, is "Dignity in mental
health". This year, WHO will be raising awareness of what can be done to ensure that people with
mental health conditions can continue to live with dignity, through human rights oriented policy and
law, training of health professionals, respect for informed consent to treatment, inclusion in
decision-making processes, and public information campaigns.”
Ebola
ProMed Mail - Ebola is not WHO's fault
http://www.promedmail.org/direct.php?id=3683916
A former CDC staff member seconded to WHO Geneva for 8 years, followed by 6 more with WHO is
“fed up with reports hammering WHO over its handling of the Ebola epidemic in West Africa”.
This post already received a warm welcome on Twitter. It clearly addresses a need.
Lancet (World Report) –Ebola vaccines line up while industry calls for change
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(15)00456-0/fulltext
“As the west African Ebola outbreak slows, the world has a suite of experimental vaccines in various
stages of development. But manufacturers are warning of problems ahead. Anna Petherick reports.“
There are concerns in the short-to-medium term. … … “But the longer-term, broad view presents
an even bigger worry. The consensus among experts is that the current model of vaccine
development against known pathogens that present a potentially serious threat to public health is
broken—and the world has yet to heed the lessons of Ebola.”
Guardian – Baby and maternal deaths soar in Sierra Leone amid Ebola fears –
researchers
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/07/baby-and-maternal-deaths-soar-in-sierra-leoneamid-ebola-fears-researchers
“Maternal and newborn deaths in Sierra Leone have soared since the Ebola outbreak in west Africa
as fear of being infected and mistrust of health workers deter pregnant women from giving birth in
health facilities, researchers said on Tuesday. Deaths of women during or just after childbirth rose by
almost a third and those of newborns by a quarter between May 2014 and April 2015 compared with
the previous year, a study by the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine found.”
Humanosphere – Liberian President Sirleaf: Ebola crisis fueled by weak health
systems
Tom Paulson; http://www.humanosphere.org/global-health/2015/10/liberian-president-sirleafebola-crisis-fueled-by-weak-health-systems/
“… Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf says the massive Ebola outbreak in West Africa can be
blamed, in part, on the international community’s tendency to react to crises rather than invest
proactively in basic prevention – and to a failure to listen. “This disease exposed our weak health
systems, no doubt,” said Sirleaf, who was interviewed prior to her taking the stage for the keynote
speech Saturday evening at a big fund-raising gala held here by the Center for Infectious Disease
Research. But one reason many lower-income countries like Liberia have weak health systems, she
said, is because donors and international development agencies have historically tended to offer
help based mostly on their own priorities and agendas.”
WHO – Statement on the 7th meeting of the IHR Emergency Committee regarding
the Ebola outbreak in West Africa
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/statements/2015/ihr-ebola-7th-meeting/en/
“The 7th meeting of the Emergency Committee convened by the WHO Director-General under the
International Health Regulations (IHR) (2005) regarding the Ebola virus disease outbreak in West
Africa took place by teleconference on Thursday, 1 October 2015, and by electronic correspondence
from 1-3 October 2015.” The outcome: “The Committee advised that the EVD outbreak continues to
constitute a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. …”
WHO - The Review Committee on the Role of the International Health Regulations
(2005) in the Ebola Outbreak and Response
http://www.who.int/ihr/review-committee-2016/meetings/en/index1.html
The Review Committee on the Role of the International Health Regulations (2005) in the Ebola
Outbreak and Response holds an intersessional closed meeting from 5-9 October 2015 in Geneva.
Plos Neglected Tropical diseases - Ebola and Its Global Research Architecture—
Need for an Improvement
D Quarcoo et al; http://journals.plos.org/plosntds/article?id=10.1371/journal.pntd.0004083
« The current Ebola outbreak poses a threat to individual and global public health. Although the
disease has been of interest to the scientific community since 1976, an effective vaccination
approach is still lacking. This fact questions past global public health strategies, which have not
foreseen the possible impact of this infectious disease. To quantify the global research activity in this
field, a scientometric investigation was conducted. We analyzed the research output of countries,
individual institutions and their collaborative networks. The resulting research architecture indicated
that American and European countries played a leading role regarding output activity, citations and
multi- and bilateral cooperations. When related to population numbers, African countries, which
usually do not dominate the global research in other medical fields, were among the most prolific
nations. We conclude that the field of Ebola research is constantly progressing, and the research
landscape is influenced by economical and infrastructural factors as well as historical relations
between countries and outbreak events. »
Scidev.net – Isolation beats vaccines for epidemics in poor nations
http://www.scidev.net/global/funding/news/isolation-beats-vaccines-epidemics-poor-nations.html
“Funding vaccine research is not the most effective way to fight epidemics in developing countries
with limited resources, an economics study suggests. Instead, governments should take cheap and
simple steps to isolate infected people, as was the case during the recent Ebola outbreak in West
Africa, according to an analysis published last month (15 September) in PLOS One.”
Global health events
Second China-Africa Health Development Forum in Cape
Town
UNAIDS – China–Africa cooperation ushers in a new era of investment in health
development in Africa
http://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/featurestories/2015/october/20151007_China_A
frica
Increasing the resilience of health system infrastructure across Africa was at the centre of
discussions at the second China–Africa Health Development Forum, which took place in Cape Town,
South Africa, from 4 to 6 October. Discussions resulted in the Cape Town Declaration, which will
serve as a blueprint for health as an intrinsic part of development in Africa.
See also Xinhua. “… The declaration affirms that China-Africa health collaboration should be guided
by African countries' action programmes/strategies, the WHO action programmes, the AU Agenda
2063 and the UN SDGs. The document acknowledges that the focus of China-Africa health
collaboration is saving lives and improving the wellbeing of people. China-Africa health cooperation
should be strengthened around universal health coverage (UHC), the declaration says. It reaffirms
the importance of access to high-quality, essential health commodities, medicines and vaccines, as
well as medical devices, diagnostics, and regulation of drugs and commodities. The document
emphasizes the necessity of taking actions against non-communicable diseases, preventable
communicable and emerging diseases, such as Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria.
…”
WHO Afro – Health is a reliable measure of progress towards the Sustainable
Development Goals
On Dr Moeti; http://www.afro.who.int/en/media-centre/pressreleases/item/8066-dr-moeti-healthis-a-reliable-measure-of-progress-towards-the-sustainable-development-goals.html
“The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti has underscored the critical role of
health in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Addressing delegates at the Second
Ministerial Forum on China-Africa Health Development, in Cape Town, South Africa, Dr Moeti
observed that although health is a desirable outcome of the SDGs in its own right and an input into
other goals, it is a reliable measure of sustainable development. She noted that health can no
longer be considered as a consuming sector. Its recognition as a smart economic investment has
been formalised in the SDGs.”
European Health Forum Gastein (30 Sept-2 Oct)
Euractiv - After Ebola, global health experts say crisis is the new normal
http://www.euractiv.com/sections/european-health-forum-gastein-2015/after-ebola-global-healthexperts-say-crisis-new-normal
Account of the session chaired by Ilona Kickbusch. “After nearly a decade of economic crisis, an
Ebola epidemic in West Africa, and a refugee crisis, experts say that EU health systems must get used
to the fact that "shockwaves" are here to stay. They hope that the Ebola outbreak will be a wake-up
call, that, without stronger European leadership, healthcare in the EU will come under many
threats. You find the presentations from this session (on how to secure health in the EU through
development work and international cooperation) here.
For a more general account of the Gastein health forum, see Euractiv (“Health forum discusses
emerging ‘threats and opportunities”)
G7 meeting health ministers in Berlin
On the agenda, among others: NTDs, Ebola, AMR. (check the tweets from Ilona Kickbusch)
Check out Margaret Chan’s speech on AMR, for example. “The rise of AMR is a global health crisis…”
Global health initiatives
Global Fund Observer – new issue (272)
http://www.aidspan.org/node/3404?pk_campaign=email-attrib-Word-PDF-download&pk_kwd=gfoissue-272
Check out the latest issue. In particular we would like to draw your attention to:
* a Commentary by David Garmaise, What changes are being considered for the allocations
methodology for 2017-2019?
* An analysis by Emma Oberth, Financing the Global Goals: Why the Global Fund replenishment
matters for the SDGs (must-read!!) (with among others, the importance of the replenishment for
SDG targets 3.3 & 3.8, and what the current (financing) situation looks like)
In other GHI news, South Korea pledged $12 M over three years to GAVI.
And PEPFAR’s annual treatment report was published.
UHC, post-2015 and global governance for health
UHC
Health Affairs - Assessing Latin America’s Progress Toward Achieving Universal
Health Coverage
Adam Wagstaff et al; http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/34/10/1704.abstract
“Two commonly used metrics for assessing progress toward universal health coverage involve
assessing citizens’ rights to health care and counting the number of people who are in a financial
protection scheme that safeguards them from high health care payments. On these metrics most
countries in Latin America have already “reached” universal health coverage. Neither metric
indicates, however, whether a country has achieved universal health coverage in the now commonly
accepted sense of the term: that everyone—irrespective of their ability to pay—gets the health
services they need without suffering undue financial hardship. We operationalized a framework
proposed by the World Bank and the World Health Organization to monitor progress under this
definition and then constructed an overall index of universal health coverage achievement. We
applied the approach using data from 112 household surveys from 1990 to 2013 for all twenty Latin
American countries. No country has achieved a perfect universal health coverage score, but some
countries (including those with more integrated health systems) fare better than others. All
countries except one improved in overall universal health coverage over the time period analyzed.”
World Bank (health ) – Going universal: 24 countries and the “how” of universal
health coverage
D Cotlear; http://blogs.worldbank.org/health/going-universal-24-countries-and-how-universalhealth-coverage
Excellent summary of the WB report, released at the SDG summit.
WSJ – Indonesia’s Health-Care Program Struggles With Its Own Success
http://www.wsj.com/articles/indonesias-health-care-program-struggles-with-its-own-success1444260768
India’s Health care program is struggling to live up to its own ambitions (pay-wall).
SDGs (& health)
Jan Vandemoortele (Crop Poverty brief) – A serene look at the SDGs
http://www.crop.org/viewfile.aspx?id=809
“This brief argues that: (1) As a whole, the SDGs do not constitute a universal agenda, despite the
claim that they do. As with the MDGs, they reflect the old world view in terms of North-South divide.
(2) It is astounding that the SDGs, as the global development agenda for the next 15 years, remain
silent about overweight and obesity, which constitute major public health challenges in countries
across the world. (3) The basic premise of the SDGs is wrong. It is not extreme poverty that
represents the biggest challenge the world is facing today, but extreme inequality. (4) Although
they pretend to do so, the SDGs do not address inequality. (5) The SDGs contain many items but
only a few numerical targets. (6) The SDGs use absolute benchmarks and mix collective and countryspecific targets. This sets the stage for biased assessments of country-level performances in the
future. (We don’t agree with everything, but plenty of valid ideas from one of the MDG founding
fathers. Must-read)
IISD – Summary of the UN Sustainable development summit: 25-27 September
2015
http://www.iisd.ca/download/pdf/enb3224e.pdf
“Although more limited in scope and time, the three-day UN Summit for Sustainable Development
could be viewed as a stocktaking exercise for the implementation period. It is through this lens that
this brief analysis reviews the UN Summit on Sustainable Development.”
SDSN – Investment Needs to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals:
Understanding the Billions and Trillions
http://unsdsn.org/resources/publications/sdg-investment-needs/
This paper reviews the role that global needs assessments play in supporting the SDGs and discusses
common criticisms.
Gizmo – The UN is throwing its weight behind 14 tech-startups
http://gizmodo.com/the-un-is-throwing-its-weight-behind-14-tech-startups-t-1733884875
For the disruptive entrepreneurs among you .
Chatham House (Comment) – The SDGs Can Help Strengthen Global Health
D Harper; https://www.chathamhouse.org/expert/comment/sdgs-can-help-strengthen-globalhealth
“With a rare alignment of political energy, and in the wake of the Ebola crisis, the international
community has a golden opportunity to push forward on fundamental reform of the global health
system. “
Guardian – Tory development success undermined by 'aidwashing' and dirty
tactics
Jonathan Glennie; http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/oct/06/torydevelopment-success-undermined-by-aidwashing-and-dirty-tactics?CMP=share_btn_tw
Always worth reading, Glennie. “The UK pledge on aid certainly deserves praise, he argues, but does
not excuse the UK government’s record on tax avoidance or arms sales, or let it off the hook on
climate change.” (so let’s call the smug UK prime minister from now on David “aidwasher”
Cameron.)
Development Policy- The SDGs, gender and Beyoncé: feminist, but not flawless
A Betteridge; http://devpolicy.org/the-sdgs-gender-and-beyonce-feminist-but-not-flawless20151006/
Brilliant blog, focusing on gender in the SDGs.
New Internationalist – Global Goals vs TTIP: trading human rights for profit
Mark Dearn; http://newint.org/blog/2015/10/07/sdgs-vs-ttip-trading-human-rights-for-profit/
Last week, amidst much fanfare, the UN proudly announced that human rights are at the heart of its
new 15-year sustainable development policy. Three years in the making, the SDGs have been the site
of many battles, often waged by Southern states and civil-society groups, to ensure human rights are
at the heart of the Goals. But the Goals’ laudable aim of seeking to ‘realize the human rights of all’
faces a severe threat from a new raft of secretly negotiated trade and investment deals. The deals,
including the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), risk undermining any gains from
the Goals by undercutting international human rights law. Indeed, a 3-million signature petition
against TTIP was handed in to the European Commission in London and Brussels today.” This post
focuses on the impact of these trade agreements on the South.
Among others, it’s worth to repeat the following: “The combination of privatization and ISDS will
have toxic results for many human rights. As an unprecedented 10 UN Special Rapporteurs warned
in a statement ( 2 June) condemning the impact of trade and investment agreements on human
rights: ‘The regulatory function of many States and their ability to legislate in the public interest have
been put at risk.’ “
IBON – The (UN)Sustainable Development Goals: Now Open for Business
http://iboninternational.org/sites/ibon/files/article_attachment/IBON%20International%20UPDATE
%20UN%20Summit.SusDev3.pdf
Summary of the SDG summit. Not a “corporate read”, clearly.
Lancet (viewpoint) – Challenges of health programmes in slums
S van de Vijver et al; http://www.lancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(15)003852/fulltext
“The African Population and Health Research Center, in collaboration with international partners,
has been working for the past decade in slum settings in Nairobi, Kenya, doing research and
intervention projects. The aim of this Viewpoint is to share our experiences working in the centre
and provide some insights into the complexities surrounding design and implementation of
programmes aimed at improvement of health and wellbeing in such a dynamic setting.”
“…The combination of high population density and poor living circumstances, such as poor hygiene
and restricted health-care access, makes slums an important risk for general public health.
Therefore, the post-2015 UN Development Agenda should address this issue under the priority to
“leave no one behind”. Although important challenges exist for implementation of health
interventions in slum settings, these populations need to be monitored and served. With concerted
efforts, poor living conditions and their effect on the health of slum dwellers can be improved.”
Plos (Translational Global health) – The MDGs to SDGs trade off : What has been
lost and gained for global equity?
Maja Pleic; http://blogs.plos.org/globalhealth/2015/10/the-mdgs-to-sdgs-trade-off-what-has-been-
lost-and-gained-for-global-equity/
“In the end, it is not the length, specificity, or implementability of the SDGs that will decide their
success, but whether or not they inspire and motivate a global solidarity movement for addressing
the inescapable challenges of global development and inequity. » (we agree, and reckon the
chances for that happening are improving given the fact that crises are the new normal; but the
opposite movements will also gain momentum, unfortunately, so it’ll be a ‘Clash of the Titans’)
Nature – Make vaccine coverage a key UN health indicator
http://www.nature.com/news/make-vaccine-coverage-a-key-un-health-indicator-1.18516
Meanwhile, the jockeying and positioning for SDG indicators is in full swing. Check out Seth
Berkeley’s suggestion for an UHC indicator. Last week Chris Murray also already offered a number of
indicators “for discussion”, in the Lancet.
GHG & GG4H
Equinet newsletter (October)
The Equinet October newsletter features an editorial by René Loewenson, ‘Learning from research
on health diplomacy in East and Southern Africa.’
http://equinetafrica.org/newsletter/index.php?issue=176#1
“African governments have influenced global health negotiations on a range of issues, including on
intellectual property rights, access to medicines, migration of health workers, control of breast milk
substitutes and food security. While there have been debates about whether public health is best
served by being elevated to a foreign policy concern, the realities of globalization, the level of
external financing of African health systems and rising international interest in African resources
have intensified the demand for effective African engagement in global and international
negotiations, including to protect or promote public health. From 2012 to 2014 EQUINET
implemented through various institutions a research programme in east and southern Africa (ESA)
that examined the role of global and south-south health diplomacy. It did so by addressing selected
priority challenges to health and strengthening health systems raised in the region. The programme
explored African actors’ involvement in negotiations on design of global financing for health
systems; in negotiating co-operation in overcoming bottlenecks to local medicine production; in
advancing ESA priorities within the ‘BRICS’ and health worker migration and the implementation of
the WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel (termed the
‘Code’). A set of papers presenting the findings and conclusions from the work are included in the
current issue of the Journal of Health Diplomacy co-edited with EQUINET. “ (see also previous IHP
newsletters)
Climate change
As mentioned before, the SDG health goal & targets cover a lot (not to mention the SDG targets
related to health under other SDG goals), but we feel that planetary health is still not enough
emphasized by the health community, for example in the SDG agenda (the assumption is perhaps
that other sectors will take care of sustainable development?). Anyhow, the climate change battle is
in full swing now on a number of fronts; the fact that the Paris Summit is coming up obviously has
something to do with that.
See below for some reads:
Guardian – UN drops plan to help move climate-change affected people
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/oct/07/un-drops-plan-to-create-group-torelocate-climate-change-affected-people
The Australians might have gotten rid of their moron prime minister (hurray!), but some of their
diplomatic positions still stupefy: “Australia’s opposition to the creation of a body to help people
escaping the ravages of climate change appears to have paid off, with the idea dropped from the
draft agreement for the crucial UN climate talks in Paris.”
Climate action tracker
http://climateactiontracker.org/countries.html
Check out how your country is doing. “The Climate Action Tracker rates INDCs, pledges and current
policies against whether they are consistent with a country's fair share effort to holding warming to
below 2°C.”
Guardian – Why we'll sue CEOs who ignore climate change
J Thornton (CEO of Clientearth) http://www.theguardian.com/sustainablebusiness/2015/oct/08/business-boss-legal-action-court-climate-change
The game is on. The more sophisticated ones among us prefer litigation over stripping fossil fuel
companies’ CEOs. All the better. “Environmental lawyers have vowed to pursue legal action against
directors who fail to protect their investors from climate risks.” The fight is clearly no longer just
about ethics.
Project Syndicate –The Clean-Energy Moonshot
Jeff Sachs; http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/renewable-energy-decarbonization-byjeffrey-d-sachs-2015-10
Jeff Sachs backs the Global Apollo Program to combat climate change. (now we still need a Martian
program- if any ideas, shoot)
Nature (news) – Four challenges facing newly elected climate chief
http://www.nature.com/news/south-korean-economist-to-lead-climate-science-panel1.18492?WT.mc_id=TWT_NatureNews
The new leader of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the South-Korean Hoesung Lee,
has his work cut out. Four major challenges facing the IPCC and its new chief, according to Nature,
are: (1) becoming more nimble; (2) joining forces with social scientists; (3) building bridges to the
developing world; (4) learning to speak in plain English (the IPCC, that is, in its reports).
Guardian – Paris climate talks should not put figure on finance, says World Bank
vice-president
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/oct/07/paris-talks-un-cop-climate-finance-worldbank-vice-president
Hear hear. Rachel Kyte, WB vice president, says governments at the 2009 summit agreed funding for
developing countries by ‘picking a $100bn figure out of the air’.
BBC - UN battle looms over finance as nations submit climate plans
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-34412647
See the previous entry. “Divisions over money between rich and poor countries re-emerged as
nations submitted their plans for tackling climate change to the UN.”
Good news was that India now finally also unveiled its climate pledge (on October 2). The last I heard
is that the sum of all INDC commitments now puts us on a path to a 2.7 degrees temperature rise.
Still way to go, in other words.
Guardian – African countries turn to insurance to safeguard against climate
change
http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/oct/07/african-risk-capacity-agency-auclimate-change-adaptation-insurance
“An African Union agency designed to respond quickly and effectively to natural disasters is
transferring the burden of climate risk from governments to markets”. (On the African Risk Capacity)
Guardian - Activists promise largest climate civil disobedience ever at Paris
summit
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/oct/08/activists-promise-largest-climate-civildisobedience-ever-at-paris-summit
The “Climate Games” are coming up. I have a few ‘Mad Max’ colleagues and friends who will surely
join the protests in Paris. And Nathalie Eggermont even puts in a “Climate express” train.
Infectious Diseases
Lancet (Editorial) –HIV: the question is not when to treat, but
how to treat
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(15)00454-7/fulltext
“Last week, WHO expedited release of their Guideline on when to start antiretroviral therapy and on
pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV, ahead of the updated comprehensive guidelines scheduled for
publication later this year. The early-release guideline recommends immediate initiation of
antiretroviral therapy (ART) for all individuals living with HIV, irrespective of age and CD4 cell count.
… Importantly, for the first time, the new guideline also supports provision of pre-exposure
prophylactic interventions for all individuals at high risk of HIV infection.”
“… The recommendations are welcome but ambitious. Whereas trials have shown that treatment
can work as prevention, no studies exist that address how such a strategy can be executed on a
global scale. By not specifying how the most vulnerable will access the recommended measures of
health care, this guideline risks failing those most at need. With 2 million new infections occurring
every year, treatment alone will not end the AIDS epidemic by 2030. A human rights-based approach
that encompasses tailored combination HIV prevention must remain at the heart of the response.”
Guardian – Ukraine could destroy 3.7m polio vaccines
despite risk of major outbreak
http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/oct/07/ukraine-polio-vaccine-un-worldhealth-organisation-major-outbreak
Unvaccinated children in Ukraine are at risk as healthcare lobbyists claim UN-donated vaccines are
unsafe in spite of assurances from WHO.
NYT – Letter to the Editor: a different strategy
New York Times;
Letter by Elliott Millenson, founder and former chief executive of the Johnson & Johnson subsidiary
that developed the first home test for HIV. “It’s time to move past our ABCs”, she reckons – for
example using “less expensive approaches to prevention, including extremely low-cost rapid HIV
tests — less than $1 — that people can use at home to test themselves and find out the HIV status of
sex partners.”
University of California San Francisco - New website
highlights progress in eliminating malaria
http://globalhealthsciences.ucsf.edu/news-events/new-website-highlights-progress-in-eliminatingmalaria
“The Global Health Group’s Malaria Elimination Initiative (MEI) has launched a new website to
showcase commitment to and progress in malaria elimination. ShrinkingtheMalariaMap.org
highlights the epidemiological progress in malaria-eliminating countries, emphasizes the resilient
regional collaborations, offers information on the latest policy and financing, and provides a onestop-shop for malaria elimination resources.” Pretty neat.
NCDs
WHO (Commentary) –A call for higher taxes on tobacco
M Chan & M Bloomberg; http://www.who.int/mediacentre/commentaries/tobacco-asdevelopment-issue/en/
“For the first time, the new global Sustainable Development Goals currently being negotiated at the
United Nations will treat tobacco use – and the chronic diseases it causes – as a development issue.
It’s about time.” (the Commentary first appeared in the Washington Post – Oct 2)
NYT – The decline of big soda
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/04/upshot/soda-industry-struggles-as-consumer-tasteschange.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0
Big Soda still makes the best (i.e. most cunning) commercials. But the decline has started, at least in
the US.
Plos Translational Global health - CokeGate – Big Soda’s deep
pockets reach further than we think
Alexandra Jones; http://blogs.plos.org/globalhealth/2015/10/cokegate-big-sodas-deep-pocketsreach-further-than-we-think/
Interesting overview of recent news around Coca Cola’s support for the Global Energy Balance
network, the company’s sudden ‘commitment to transparency’, and more.
The Lancet (review) –Addressing the burden of mental,
neurological, and substance use disorders: key messages
from Disease Control Priorities, 3rd edition
V Patel et al; http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(15)00390-6/abstract
A review highlights key messages relating to mental, neurological and substance use disorders from
the third edition of Disease Control Priorities.
Herald Scotland - Calls for Scotland to lead global 'war' on
alcohol
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/13802159.Calls_for_Scotland_to_lead_global__war__on_alc
ohol/
Sometimes you already nod (or is it chuckle?) when you see a news headline, as it feels instantly
right:
“An international expert on tobacco control is calling for Scotland to lead the way in a global ‘war’ to
tackle alcohol problems, similar to the efforts which have been made to reduce smoking across the
western world. Professor Gerard Hastings, who founded the Centre for Tobacco Control Research at
Stirling University, and has advised governments and WHO, said tobacco and alcohol were examples
of an “industrial epidemic”, where health issues are being driven by commercial interests. … Hastings
will make the call at a major international summit being held in Edinburgh this week, which will
examine the most effective ways to reduce alcohol-related harm – which campaigners say causes an
estimated 3.3million deaths worldwide every year.” The Global Alcohol Policy Conference takes
place from 7-9 October.
CGD (Policy paper) – Missed Opportunities in Global Health:
Identifying New Strategies to Improve Mental Health in
LMICs
V de Menil & A Glassman ; http://www.cgdev.org/publication/missed-opportunities-global-healthidentifying-new-strategies-improve-mental-health
“Mental illnesses are among the top causes of disability and disease in low- and middle-income
countries (LMIC). Yet despite the enormous burden that mental ill-health imposes on individuals,
their families, society, health systems and the economy, mental health care remains a truly
neglected area of global health policy. Policy and practice in most LMIC and among development
partners is either absent, outdated, or ineffective, characterized by systemic neglect and–in too
many cases–outright human rights violations. In spite of this discouraging reality, the good news is
that the evidence base on low-cost, effective interventions that can significantly reduce the burden
of disease and enhance economic productivity in LMIC is increasing daily. Countries like South Africa
and India are putting new mental health policies in place. There is now a clear agenda of “what to
deliver” to make this deplorable reality better, and indeed a nascent advocacy community has begun
to call for action and align scientific research. This paper sets out this status quo, but also makes a
unique contribution by investigating practical and immediate opportunities on “how to deliver”
more effectively on this new agenda, suggesting reforms to three existing LMIC government and
donor strategies to extend healthcare coverage, pay healthcare providers, and alleviate poverty
using cash transfers.”
NTDs
Economist (blog) - What makes a disease eradicable
http://www.economist.com/blogs/economist-explains/2015/10/economist-explains-4
Scientific feasibility & political support. See also the Economist’s cover article of this week. (Now we
still have to find out if capitalism is eradicable)
BMJ - Experts call for snakebite to be re-established as a
neglected tropical disease
http://www.bmj.com/content/351/bmj.h5313?etoc=
“Deaths and disabilities associated with snakebites are more than twice the estimated numbers
provided by international organisations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), experts have
said. Speaking at the 18th World Congress of the International Society on Toxinology in Oxford on 2530 September, they called on WHO and governments to re-establish snakebite as a neglected tropical
disease. They also warned that stocks of antivenom were “running dangerously low” in some
countries and that the quality and quantity of antivenom stocks in rural areas, where they were most
needed, was reaching crisis point.”
Reproductive, maternal, neonatal & child health
Health Policy & Planning –Pneumonia’s second wind? A case study of the global
health network for childhood pneumonia
David Berlan;
http://heapol.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2015/10/01/heapol.czv070.short?rss=1
In the HP&P series on global health networks compiled by J Shiffman. “Advocacy, policy, research
and intervention efforts against childhood pneumonia have lagged behind other health issues,
including malaria, measles and tuberculosis. Accelerating progress on the issue began in 2008,
following decades of efforts by individuals and organizations to address the leading cause of
childhood mortality and establish a global health network. This article traces the history of this
network’s formation and evolution to identify lessons for other global health issues.”
CGD (blog) –US Senators Mobilize on Improving Maternal and Child Health
A Glassman et al; http://www.cgdev.org/blog/us-senators-mobilize-improving-maternal-and-childhealth
(must-read) « Earlier this year, Senators Susan Collins (R-ME) and Chris Coons (D-DE) introduced the
Reach Every Mother and Child Act of 2015, or Reach Act, which aims to accelerate progress toward
ending preventable maternal and child deaths by 2035. The bill has tallied additional supporters since
then, including Senators Rubio (R-FL), Murray (D-WA), Kirk (R-IL) and Shaheen (D-NH). Much of the
bipartisan bill is to be lauded—from its focus on evidence-based interventions to its call for resultsbased financing schemes.” Glassman et al list a few ways to ensure that this legislation, if passed,
delivers real impact.
Guardian – Director’s cut: Luc Besson leads campaign to reduce child road deaths
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/oct/07/director-luc-besson-reduce-child-road-deathssafety-save-kids-lives?CMP=twt_a-global-development_b-gdndevelopment
“The French film director Luc Besson has teamed up with international road safety campaigners to
create a hard-hitting film aimed at saving the lives of the 500 children worldwide who are killed every
day as a result of traffic collisions. Save Kids’ Lives, which features two groups of children making
their way to school in a South African suburb and a wealthy French neighbourhood, aims to highlight
the dangers facing pupils. …”
Gates Foundation – Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Announces 52 weeks
Parental Leave and Unlimited Time-Off
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/bill-melinda-gates-foundation-announces-52-weeks-parentalsteven-rice
Some news that will annoy most of the brand new moms & dads among you.
The conversation - Kenyan schoolgirls dread their periods, but simple changes
could help
S Jewitt; https://theconversation.com/kenyan-schoolgirls-dread-their-periods-but-simple-changescould-help-48528
The world marks the UN’s International Day of the Girl Child on October 11. Menstruation is one of
the issues keeping girls away from school. The United Nations has acknowledged menstrual health
requirements as a major issue in its recently ratified SDGs. Target 6.2 emphasises “adequate and
equitable sanitation and hygiene for all” with “special attention to the needs of women and
girls”. But there are other barriers as well.
See also an innovation in the area, covered in the Guardian Global Development.
Plos One – Overcoming Stagnation in the Levels and Distribution of Child
Mortality: The Case of the Philippines
Raoul Bermejo et al; http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0139458
“Health-related within-country inequalities continue to be a matter of great interest and concern to
both policy makers and researchers. This study aims to assess the level and the distribution of child
mortality outcomes in the Philippines across geographical and socioeconomic indicators.”
WHO – Preventing and treating infections around the time of childbirth: WHO
launches new guidance
http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/maternal_perinatal/treatment-maternalperipartum-infections/en/
“Bacterial infections around the time of childbirth (peripartum infections) account for about one
tenth of maternal deaths globally. In addition to the high risk of mortality and acute morbidity,
women who experience peripartum infections are also vulnerable to serious long-term disabilities
such as chronic pelvic pain, fallopian tube blockage and secondary infertility (the inability to become
pregnant or carry a pregnancy to term after the birth of one or more children). Peripartum infections
also pose a threat to the lives of newborns – maternal infections during childbirth cause
approximately 1 million newborn deaths annually. WHO has launched a new guidance to help health
professionals and policy makers reduce the global burden of maternal infections and their
complications around the time of childbirth.”
Figo conference in Vancouver
In Vancouver, the FIGO conference takes place this week (4-9 October), the World Congress of
Gynecology & Obstetrics, dubbed also as ““the Olympics” in obstetrics, gynaecology and women’s
health”.
Reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health - Key findings
from Disease Control Priorities. 3rd edition
http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/news/dcp3/en/#.Vhah-XvweHg.twitter
Investing in quality childbirth and family planning can quadruple returns on investment by reducing
maternal and neonatal mortality, preventing stillbirth and reducing disabilities, according to new
findings presented in a forthcoming volume of Disease Control Priorities, 3rd Edition (DCP3) on
Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health (RMNCH). You find the key findings here.
The volume’s key findings were presented on Thursday 8 October at a panel session in the FIGO
World Congress.
Last but not least, check out WHO’s Maternal Death Surveillance and Response website.
Health Policy & Financing
CoP Financial access to health services newsletter
http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=a317a1de75df7470579776f0b&id=a28ed6ad6f
Check out the latest issue, focusing on Ethiopia. What can we learn from Ethiopia’s march to UHC?
Lancet Global Health (blog) –Addressing climate change by
promoting a clean environment in the developing world
I O Ejakhegbe; http://globalhealth.thelancet.com/2015/10/06/addressing-climate-changepromoting-clean-environment-developing-world
“The significant effects of an unhealthy environment are not just global, they are personal and its
impact on our health interacts in several ways. While climate change has been well acknowledged as
a global human health issue, for many of us who live in the developing world, we are equally faced
with a huge burden of unhealthy surroundings owing to indiscriminate dumping of refuse. …
Despite progress in human development, addressing filthy environments is yet to be given the
needed attention on a global scale. We are just not talking about it enough to find a lasting
solution. Even when hygiene and sanitation is being addressed by governments and developmental
agendas, the focus is often on providing clean water and decent toilet facilities. Yet garbage
dumping in public places, open refuse disposal in flowing waters, throwing empty cans around, etc,
are still widely practised. “
IP Watch – At WTO, Governments, Health Advocates See
Benefit From TRIPS; LDC Waiver Urged
http://www.ip-watch.org/2015/10/07/at-wto-health-advocates-see-benefit-from-trips-urge-waiverfor-ldcs/
“Access to medicines and innovations was the subject of a panel at the World Trade Organization
Public Forum last week. After 20 years of the WTO intellectual property agreement, panellists looked
at the impact of the agreement on access to medicines, and in particular the use of its flexibilities. In
addition, a delegate of India detailed the legal-political aspects of an upcoming WTO decision on
disputes for harmful actions that do not technically violate any WTO rules. Co-organised by Médecins
Sans Frontières (MSF), the Third World Network (TWN), UNAIDS, and the Peoples Health Movement
(PHM), the panel sought to take stock of the state of access to medicines and innovation, twenty
years after the WTO Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) was
adopted.”
Meanwhile, on this issue (with respect to LDCs), follow the tweets from James Love (KEI): for
example: “Canada's right wing government backing Obama efforts to block permanent waiver of
WTO drug patent obligations for LDCs.”
WHO - Trade and Health: Towards building a National
Strategy
Edited by Richard Smith et al;
http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/183934/1/9789241565035_eng.pdf?ua=1
This publication comes very timely. It is part of WHO’s response to help develop a better
understanding of the issues involved in the interface of trade and health, generally and with
reference to specific issues.
Development Policy – The Emergence of Emergency care
B Lawton; http://devpolicy.org/the-emergence-of-emergency-care-20151007/
(must-read) “Emergency care has an image problem: in the context of low and middle income
countries (LMICs), it is often characterised as being too expensive, too complex and too much of a
luxury to gain much traction. … …. There are three key events now driving change in the health
world that make international emergency care worth reconsidering: the rise of the global surgery
agenda; the strengthening of data from LMICs; and the increased rigour and volume of the work
emerging from across the developing world, spearheaded by organisations including the African
Federation for Emergency Medicine (AFEM).”
FT – Free Lunch: No free drugs
Andrew Jack; http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/3/b40c190a-677d-11e5-a57f21b88f7d973f.html#axzz3nLnfJETU
Recent pricing debates focus on the wrong issue, argues Andrew Jack.
Health Affairs (blog) –Putting The Brakes On Global Road
Crash Deaths: One Foundation’s Efforts
K Henning; Health Affairs (blog);
“[The SDGs ]… set the stage for dealing with a worldwide scourge—road crashes and the growing
rates of traffic deaths and injuries. Road crashes kill more than 1.2 million people a year worldwide
and injure more than 50 million, with deaths disproportionately taking place in low- to middleincome countries. It’s about time; this public health crisis goes largely unrecognized. If no action is
taken, it will become the seventh leading cause of death globally by 2030. The UN’s plan for dealing
with this epidemic is part of SDG Goal 3 and SDG Goal 11, which ensure healthy lives and promote
well-being for all, at all ages, and also promote safe, affordable, and sustainable transport systems
for all. “ The blog post focuses on the work of the Bloomberg Initiative for Global Road Safety.
Journal of health diplomacy –Business as usual? The role of
BRICS cooperation in addressing health system priorities in
East and Southern Africa
G Wallace Brown et al;
http://media.wix.com/ugd/35c673_b4cfdbae1f334eb0b07c1656d96d0380.pdf
“There has been increased interest in whether “South-South” co-operation by Brazil, Russia, India,
China and South Africa (BRICS) advances more equitable initiatives for global health. This article
examines the extent to which resolutions, commitments, agreements and strategies from BRICS and
Brazil, India and China (BIC) address regionally articulated policy concerns for health systems in East
and Southern Africa (ESA) within areas of resource mobilization, research and development and local
production of medicines, and training and retention of health workers. …”
Emerging Voices
IHP – Harper’s Canada: Swimming against the global
development current
Dena Javadi; http://www.internationalhealthpolicies.org/harpers-canada-swimming-against-theglobal-development-current/
Dena Javadi (EV 2014) wrote this reflection on the upcoming elections in Canada (and the current
(worsened) social, international development & health care environment), with inputs from other
Canadian EVs & Canadian EV residents.
A related story:
Lancet (World Report) –Canada criticised over refugee health-care restrictions
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(15)00457-2/fulltext
“Cuts to health services for refugees in Canada have been hotly debated in the run-up to the
country's general election, which takes place later this month. Paul C Webster reports from
Toronto.”
Walter Flores (EV 2010) informed us that two short documentaries produced by CEGSS (his
institution in Guatemala) have been selected by the organizers of an international film festival on
public health and human rights. You find the short film here: Citizens´vigilance of health care
services and accountability: Guatemala http://www.filmfest.health-rights.org/item/34-citizensvigilance-of-health-care-services-and-accountability-guatemala
Euphemia Sibanda (EV 2013) won an award for best poster at the recently held World STI & HIV
Congress in Brisbane.
Research
HS Global (blog) – Ten gender related points to keep in mind
when you’re doing health systems research
http://www.healthsystemsglobal.org/blog/71/Ten-gender-related-points-to-keep-in-mind-whenyou-are-doing-health-systemsresearch.html?utm_content=buffer759b2&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_ca
mpaign=buffer
By Benjamin Uzochukwu and Kate Hawkins.
Social Science & Medicine –Unpaid work in health economic
evaluations
M Krol et al; http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953615301131
“Given its societal importance, unpaid work should be included in economic evaluations of health
care technology aiming to take a societal perspective. However, in practice this does not often
appear to be the case. This paper provides an overview of the current place of unpaid work in
economic evaluations in theory and in practice. “
Israel Journey of Health Policy research - What do people die
from? The challenges of measuring disease burden posed by
multi-morbidity
Martin McKee; http://www.ijhpr.org/content/pdf/s13584-015-0047-2.pdf
“Determining the precise cause of death of an individual has become increasingly difficult as life
prolonging treatments mean that many people may die with multiple disorders, any of which,
individually or in concert, might have killed them. Yet this problem has been recognised from the
very earliest attempts to develop classifications of diseases. This paper traces the evolution of
thinking on death certification and disease classification, describing what has been achieved but also
identifying what more needs to be done to advance research and inform policy.”
Miscellaneous
Newslaundry – The 3rd India-Africa summit will begin this
month. What is the mega-event all about?
http://www.newslaundry.com/2015/10/05/the-3rd-india-africa-summit-will-begin-this-month-whatis-the-mega-event-all-about/
The third India-Africa summit, said to be India’s largest diplomatic event since commonwealth and
non-aligned movement (NAM) summits of 1983 – and delayed owing to Ebola by almost a year – will
finally be held between October 26 and 29 in New Delhi.
Guardian – Humanitarian system 'stretched to its limits' says
new research
http://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionalsnetwork/2015/oct/02/humanitarian-system-stretched-to-its-limits-says-new-research
“The humanitarian system has been stretched to its limits with aid agencies unable to support
people living in areas blighted by complex conflicts in countries like Syria and Central African
Republic, according to a new report examining the sector. The State of the Humanitarian System,
which is published every three years and produced by Active Learning Network for Accountability
and Performance in Humanitarian Action (Alnap), reveals that agencies are struggling to reach
people in many of the world’s trouble spots. … The report comes a few months after the UN
announced it had increased its annual appeal for international aid by 500% in a decade, with $20bn
requested in 2015 to combat multiple crises. … With international crises becoming protracted, and
refugees finding themselves displaced for longer periods, the UN has also warned that many of its
aid projects are in urgent need of cash. It reports that humanitarian appeals are underfunded by
40%.”
VOA – World Bank Urges Governments to Address Wealth
Inequality
http://www.voanews.com/content/world-bank-urges-governments-to-address-wealthinequality/2988472.html
Ahead of the annual WB/IMF meeting in Lima, World Bank President Jim Yong Kim challenged
governments around the world to address the problem of inequality by promoting the idea of
shared prosperity. But he said doing so will require tailoring policies to help the bottom 40 percent
of populations in developing countries. Kim described a three-step process to reduce inequality:
Growing the economy, investing in people, and safety nets to reduce the risks of falling back into
poverty. Kim said the strategies will differ from one country to the next. He clearly rejected trickledown economics.
Guardian – Governance sliding back in a third of African
nations, warns Ibrahim index
http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/oct/05/africa-governance-sliding-back-ina-third-of-nations-warns-ibrahim-index?CMP=twt_a-global-development_b-gdndevelopment
“More than a third of African countries are backsliding on governance, the 2015 Ibrahim index
showed on Monday. Some 21 of the 54 states ranked, including five of the top 10, have deteriorated
in overall governance performance since 2011, the annual index found. The top three countries in
the index remain Mauritius, Cape Verde and Botswana. The bottom three are Central African
Republic (CAR), South Sudan and Somalia.”
Foreign Policy – Starving for answers
Olivier De Schutter; http://foreignpolicy.com/2015/07/20/starving-for-answers-food-water-unitednations/
Producing too much food is what starves the planet.
Euractiv –UNCTAD: Forget innovative financing, increase
ODA
http://www.euractiv.com/sections/development-policy/unctad-forget-innovative-financingincrease-oda-318276
If only for the title . New UNCTAD report, belligerent as always.