Reuters: Gates Foundation CEO Sue Desmond-Hellmann to step down after five years “The multi-billion-dollar philanthropic Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation said on Thursday that its chief executive officer, Sue Desmond-Hellmann, is to step down after more than five years, to be replaced by Mark Suzman. Desmond-Hellmann, who until October was…

World Economic Forum: How venture capital can transform global health Nina Rawal, founder and managing director of Emerging Health Ventures, discusses the financing needs to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and the role of venture capital. Rawal concludes, “The venture capital model is far from perfect and is not proposed…

Project Syndicate: ​The most important story you missed in 2019 Mark Suzman, chief strategy officer and president of Global Policy and Advocacy at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation “…Each of us probably overlooks tens of thousands of important news stories every year. But the biggest one that people missed…

Xinhua: China, Gates Foundation sign MoU on tuberculosis prevention, control “China’s National Health Commission (NHC) and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation on Wednesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the prevention and control of tuberculosis. Aiming to promote new tools, technologies, and strategies to counter the epidemic, the…

IPS: As Donors Ramp up Polio Funding, Worries of Comeback Persist “…Donor governments and philanthropists pledged $2.6 billion on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi to immunize 450 million children against polio each year — further beating back a bug that is only endemic nowadays in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Some global health…

Devex: Donors give polio eradication a $2.6B boost during Abu Dhabi conference “Global efforts to accelerate polio eradication received a $2.6 billion push from a range of donors during a conference in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. The contribution is significant, experts say, but still not enough to fully implement the…

Reuters: Donors pledge $2.6 billion for ‘last mile’ of polio eradication “Donor governments and philanthropists pledged $2.6 billion on Tuesday to help fund a worldwide polio eradication plan that has taken decades to reach what global health specialists say is now the ‘last mile.’ The funding — almost of half…

AFP: First case of dengue spread by sex confirmed in Spain (11/8). Associated Press: WFP chief vows more ‘aggressive’ action on sexual harassment (Michael, 11/12). Devex: Q&A: Monique Barbut gives the view from the Wise Persons Group (Chadwick, 11/12). Devex: Beyond recognition: Certifying quality maternal care in India (Espinosa, 11/11).…

Gates Foundation’s “The Optimist”: How do you solve a problem like malaria? Mark Honigsbaum, author, medical historian, and lecturer, discusses the history of malaria control efforts around the world, including the organizations, programs, and funding mechanisms developed in recent decades to accelerate efforts. The blog post also introduces a new…

Al Jazeera: Nigeria urged to ban chaining people with mental health issues (11/11). Borgen Magazine: Bill Gates on Decreasing Global Poverty (Dobson, 11/9). Deutsche Welle: Drug addiction in Russia: Draconian laws instead of help (Kauschanski, 11/11). Devex: A remote Congolese island offers a test case for improving the country’s health…