This commentary examines what recent Hantavirus and Ebolavirus outbreaks reveal about weaknesses in international health preparedness. The Andes virus cluster linked to the MV Hondius cruise ship showed that even a rare rodent-borne disease can become a cross-border concern when passengers and crew travel. The Ebola outbreak in Central Africa highlighted how high-fatality outbreaks become harder to control when health systems are fragile. Together, the two outbreaks show that global health security cannot be built on pandemic planning alone.
A core Hindu philosophical tenet from sacred Sanskrit scriptures, Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, articulates the concept of the world as one family and informs India's global outlook. The theme of India's Group of Twenty (G20) presidency in 2023—One Earth, One Family, One Future—encapsulates Hindu philosophy's emphasis on the importance of every form of life on earth. That approach influences the country's approach to global health in the aftermath of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic.
Pakistan has struggled to cope with the spread of polio, a debilitating viral disease. Human infections are frequently reported despite government and international agencies’ efforts to eliminate the disease.[1] According to a World Health Organization (WHO) estimate, at least 72 polio cases were recorded in Pakistan in 2013, compared to 58 cases in 2012.[2] In 2014, the number of infected children had already reached 115 through August.[3] The most affected provinces of Pakistan are Punjab, Sindh, and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
ABSTRACT: This policy paper offers an in-depth study of the ongoing negotiations for the Pandemic Treaty. The treaty has been proposed as a strategic response to manage global health crises in the post-COVID-19 era and is being developed under the World Health Organization's (WHO) purview. The paper is segmented into five parts: Part I recounts the inception and evolution of the Pandemic Treaty negotiations within the WHO's framework. It summarises the proposed treaty's objectives and major provisions currently under negotiation.
ABSTRACT: The Coronavirus pandemic has exposed myriad vulnerabilities of the modern world, severely questioning the so-called human progress in the sphere of scientific innovations and advances in the global health care system. It has also exposed the socio-religious divide and defiance within communities and lack of collective responsibilities in the face of this Covid-19 challenge.