Africa’s Health Financing in a New Era

Africa’s health sector faces a major financing crisis, with a 70% drop in ODA from 2021 to 2025 threatening critical health programs and SDG 3. Africa CDC’s new strategy focuses on domestic resource mobilization, innovative and blended financing, with governance as a key enabler. A two-phase plan (2025–2030) and a Health Financing Scorecard will guide and track progress. Read more: Addressing-Health-Financing-Challenges-in-Africa-Through-Domestic-Resource-Mobilization-and-Innovative-Financing-Mechanisms_7-April-2025 

The Human Variome Project: Global Coordination in Data Sharing

This article outlines a global effort initiated in 2006 to standardize and share genetic data for clinical and research purposes, supported by international bodies such as UNESCO. It details the establishment of national hubs to ethically collect, curate, and disseminate genomic information, addressing infrastructure gaps and fostering regional collaboration through diplomacy. The initiative aims to advance healthcare equity and improve diagnostics through coordinated, cross-border cooperation by prioritizing capacity-building in underserved regions and harmonizing data practices. Download

Humanitarian Action in the Planetary Crisis

    This Policy Brief examines how the OneHealth approach can transform humanitarian action amid rising natural disasters, conflicts, and displacement in low-resource settings.  Developed collaboratively by leading academics and humanitarian experts, it offers four key recommendations and 28 actionable steps to enhance crisis response, disease prevention, and environmental sustainability.  Read here

Knowledge and perceptions of graduating BS pharmacy students in Metro Manila to counsel on the use of medical devices for diabetes management: A cross-sectional study

            This paper evaluated these students’ readiness to guide diabetes management devices. The results indicated that, despite students’ confidence in their counseling skills, their actual knowledge about these devices was insufficient. Notably, an increase in course hours correlated with enhanced perceived counseling abilities, suggesting a need to reassess the BS Pharmacy curriculum in the Philippines. Download

India’s Vaccine Diplomacy to Southeast Asia in the Context of “Act East Policy”

This chapter of the book, India and Southeast Asia in a Changing World,  examines how India’s Act East Policy (AEP), initially implemented from 2014–2019 to strengthen ties with Southeast Asia, adapted in response to the COVID-19 pandemic through the emergence of vaccine diplomacy. With Southeast Asian nations identified as key partners, the chapter explores how vaccine diplomacy became a strategic tool for advancing AEP objectives during the global health crisis. It provides a detailed review structured in three parts: first, analyzing the strategic importance of Southeast Asia within India’s vaccine diplomacy efforts; second, outlining the specific modalities through which India implemented this approach; and third, assessing the impact of these efforts on the broader implementation and future trajectory of AEP in the region. This comprehensive analysis sheds light on how health diplomacy reshaped regional engagement during a critical period. View

Transforming Global Health Partnerships

Transforming Global Health Partnerships: Critical Reflections and Visions of Equity at the Research-Practice Interface, edited by Anna Stewart Ibarra and A. Desiree LaBeaud. It is part of the Sustainable Development Goals Series.  With contributions from over 90 authors across 26 countries, it examines the global health landscape through themes such as decolonization, ethics, gender, systems approach, transdisciplinary science, Planetary Health, One Health, and communication. Covering historical contexts, case studies, and future visions, the book emphasizes equitable and impactful partnerships among researchers, community leaders, and policymakers to address global health challenges. Download book