Twenty-twenty-six is shaping up as a year of sharp policy fights, fast-moving science, and stubborn system failures. Spotlight’s 2026 Healthcare Watchlist will track nine stories that could shift budgets, reshape services, and test public trust. A limited rollout of a new HIV prevention injection could be a turning point for prevention options. Weight-loss medicines are evolving rapidly, with new oral…
Tag: WHO
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Global Malaria Crisis Deepens Amid US Cuts, Rising Resistance
The global malaria crisis is facing a severe and potentially irreversible setback, according to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) latest report. Progress in fighting the disease has stagnated since 2015, and by 2024, key indicators show a dramatic regression that experts are calling catastrophic. Global Malaria Crisis Escalates With Alarming Statistics In 2024, malaria infected 282 million people and killed…
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Competency-Based Medical Curriculum: A Critical Review
The South African Medical Association (SAMA) has issued a stern warning. It concerns the implementation of a new training model launched by the World Health Organisation (WHO). SAMA argues that speed should not come at the expense of patient safety. Following the WHO Regional Office for Africa’s launch of a new competency-based medical curriculum, SAMA has cautioned against viewing the…
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TB Deaths Decline to 54,000, But Critical Treatment Gaps Remain
South Africa recorded approximately 54,000 deaths from tuberculosis (TB) in 2024, according to the latest World TB Report from the World Health Organisation (WHO). The figures confirm a slow but steady downward trend in TB deaths in recent years. This marks a significant improvement from two decades ago. During that time, the epidemic, fueled by the peak of the HIV…
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TB Epidemic Challenges and Local Manufacturing Needs
The South African National AIDS Council (SANAC) has issued an urgent call for the establishment of secure medical supply chains and the enhancement of local manufacturing capacity. They warn that medicine stockouts and diagnostic delays are costing lives and undermining efforts to end the tuberculosis (TB) epidemic. This critical demand was made during the official relaunch of the South African…
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Surge in Illicit Medicines Threatens Public Health
South Africa is at a critical crossroads in its fight against a rising tide of illicit, substandard, and falsified medicines. These pose a severe threat to public health. The influx is particularly alarming in relation to GLP-1 agonists, the popular class of medicines developed to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity. In response to this escalating crisis, the South African…
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NCD Prevention: A Smart Investment for Health
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued an urgent call to action. It urges countries worldwide to significantly increase their investment in NCD prevention. A new report released by the global health body argues that an additional investment of just $3 per person, per year, could prevent millions of premature deaths. It could also deliver a staggering $1 trillion in…
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WHO Cuts Jobs and Restructures Operations
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is undertaking a major restructuring that includes over 1,000 job losses. It also involves relocating four key departments from its headquarters in Geneva. These changes are due to severe budget cuts following the United States’ decision to leave the agency. Internal documents reveal the global health body is scaling back its operations. It must streamline…
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Global Health Crisis and the Threat to NTD Programmes
Millions of life-saving medicines used to combat debilitating neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are at risk of being wasted. Stockpiles are expiring in warehouses following the abrupt termination of a major US aid programme. Global health experts have sounded the alarm. They warn that this funding crisis could sabotage years of hard-won progress. Moreover, it could lead to a resurgence of…
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New TB Vaccine Initiatives by South Africa
South Africa has taken a landmark step in its fight against tuberculosis (TB) by hosting the first-ever national workshop on TB vaccine preparedness. The event, co-convened by the Department of Health and the World Health Organisation (WHO), signals a new era in public health. It moves the conversation from treatment to outright prevention for adolescents and adults. With a new,…
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Substandard Cancer Drugs in Africa Are A Serious Concern
A groundbreaking investigation across four African nations has uncovered a disturbing truth: a significant portion of cancer medications are substandard or counterfeit. This leaves vulnerable patients with treatments that may be ineffective or even harmful. The study, published in The Lancet Global Health, sheds light on a critical and previously unmeasured gap in pharmaceutical regulation on the continent. It highlights…
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Fears of Disease Outbreaks as Global Child Vaccination Rates Stall
Global childhood immunisation is faltering due to inequality, COVID-19, and misinformation, a new study in The Lancet warns. Millions of children are now at risk from preventable diseases like measles, threatening decades of public health progress. Researchers have issued a stark new warning. Global efforts to vaccinate children against deadly diseases are faltering, putting millions of young lives at risk.…