The World Health Organization
Selected speeches, articles, and reports for the Office of the WHO Director-General and the WHO Health Emergencies Programme.
Will the Next Superbug Come From Yemen?
In Yemen, the overuse and misuse of antibiotics is fueling the rise of drug-resistant infections, compounding the devastation of war.
How Arsenic is Poisoning a Nation
Despite simple solutions, a fourth of Bangladesh's population is still exposed to drinking water contaminated with the deadly element. Who is accountable when foreign aid goes wrong?
Versehentlich vergiftet
Eine groß angelegte Hilfsaktion in Bangladesch ging fürchterlich schief. Um die Folgen kümmert sich niemand.
Trump’s foreign aid proposal rattles global health advocates
The Trump administration’s proposal for massive cuts to foreign aid signals a substantial shift away from a US leadership role in global health.
Fresh Water in a Village Called Death
In the village of Walumbe, Uganda—whose name means “death”—Lake Victoria is right at the doorstep. But the water that villagers relied on for drinking was making them sick.
▶ VideoBreaking the Cycle: Drought and Hunger in Kenya
Chronic hunger and recurring droughts in Kenya’s arid north continue to devastate communities. Can the cycle be broken?
Learning from Failure
“Success stories” are rarely the whole story. Even with the new fad in the aid world for metrics and impact assessments, public reports are rarely forthcoming about missteps. That’s bad science.
Mapping Toilets in a Mumbai Slum Yields Unexpected Results
A team from the Harvard School of Public Health traveled to one of Mumbai’s oldest slums. They found only one toilet per 170 people. Nobody knew where they all were, or which ones worked. So they made a map.
The Famine Next Time
In northern Kenya, the worst drought to hit the Horn of Africa in 60 years. Unlike earthquakes or hurricanes, droughts take time to develop—and the resulting hunger crises are forecast well in advance.
Escaping from Somalia’s Famine into a Perilous Refuge
At the Dadaab refugee camps in eastern Kenya, a man runs toward us urgently asking for help. A woman who has just given birth is hemorrhaging and needs to get to a hospital.
A Perilous Journey: The mortal danger of poverty
In Chiapas, Mexico, women in traditional multicoloured garb queue up to see a doctor. Tales of deaths during or after giving birth are common in this poor southern state.
▶ VideoGuatemala’s children languish from malnutrition
Documentary video report on the crisis of child malnutrition in Guatemala, where nearly half of all children are chronically malnourished.
The gentle art of lobbying in China
When China was ruled by emperors, a lobbyist would probably have been put to death. Lobbying, if no longer a capital offence, is still a tricky affair for foreign companies trying to make their way in China.
Honoraria lobbying exposé angers Justice Scalia
The Supreme Court's controversies with honoraria had its roots in an effort by Justice Antonin Scalia to lift the ban on judges receiving outside income. Here's the original story, plus his unusual rebuttal.
Madison Avenue Invades Romania
There are few more dramatic -- or ironic -- examples of the clash produced by the introduction of the American marketing machine into a post-communist country than those found in Romania.
Global Health: WASH, Environment and Pollution
Articles examining critical factors for health, including water, sanitation & hygiene; a changing climate; and polluting policies and practices.
K Street and Beyond: Lobbying, Money & Politics
Investigative reporting on offshore tax evasion, toxic chemicals, tobacco company shenanigans, billion dollar scams, Christian Rock, and more.