Health Policy

The episode marks a critical moment for global health diplomacy. As pandemics and health crises increasingly transcend borders, the debate over the US withdrawal from the WHO highlights the fragile balance between national interests and collective security in an interconnected world.

In the first quarter of 2025, Bangladesh reported only 641 malaria cases and one death – a dramatic fall from the 13,099 cases and six deaths recorded in 2024, and a far cry from the 84,690 cases and 154 fatalities seen in 2008 at the height of the country’s malaria burden.

The Global Health Index specifically highlights poor diet and lack of exercise as significant contributors to Sri Lanka’s low relative standing, noting that even...

Despite the obstacles, Pakistan has shown significant reductions in reported polio cases in recent years, though sporadic outbreaks serve as stark reminders of how tenuous progress can be.

Awareness messages on tuberculosis, reducing the digital divide, the PC&PNDT Act, 1994, and other key issues have been displayed both inside the coaches and on the exterior of the metro.

In a landmark two-day visit (December 4–5, 2025) by Vladimir Putin to New Delhi, the governments of India and Russia unveiled one of the most extensive packages of bilateral agreements in recent years.

WHO plans to update the recommendations as new evidence emerges and will work with partners in 2026 to ensure that those with the most urgent needs are prioritised.

Recent pledges from multilateral funding platforms – notably the replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria – and renewed donor commitment signal that global solidarity may yet rescue the response.