KFF Daily Global Health Policy Report

In The News

In Videoconference Meeting, G20 Leaders Agree To Work Together To Mitigate Social, Economic Impacts From COVID-19 Pandemic

AP: World leaders vow to coordinate virus response in video call
“The head of the United Nations told leaders of the world’s 20 major industrialized nations during an emergency virtual summit Thursday that ‘we are at war with a virus — and not winning it’ despite dramatic measures by countries to seal their borders, shutter businesses, and enforce home isolation for well over a quarter of the world’s population. … The Group of 20 nations, criticized for not taking cohesive action against the virus or its economic impact, vowed to work together and said they are collectively injecting more than $4.8 trillion into the global economy to counteract the social and financial impacts of the pandemic…” (Batrawy/Lederer, 3/26).

AP: The G20 video call: In virus era, even summits are virtual
“…Chaired by Saudi King Salman, who is presiding over the G20 this year, the meeting’s purpose was to tackle the pandemic and its economic implications as people lose their incomes amid closures, curfews, and lockdowns. In opening remarks, the Saudi king said, ‘This human crisis requires a global response. The world counts on us to come together and cooperate in order to face this challenge’…” (Fakahany, 3/26).

Reuters: WHO chief urges G20 to boost production of protective gear against virus
“The head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) told the Group of 20 wealthy nations on Thursday that the coronavirus pandemic is ‘accelerating at an exponential rate’ and urged them to ramp up production of protective gear for health workers…” (Shields, 3/26).

Additional coverage of the G20 videoconference meeting is available from NPR, POLITICO, and U.N. News.

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U.N. Agencies Launch Crowdfund For COVID-19, Warn Of Possible Food Shortages, Urge Countries To Uphold Human Rights In Responses

The Guardian: Coronavirus measures could cause global food shortage, U.N. warns
“Protectionist measures by national governments during the coronavirus crisis could provoke food shortages around the world, the U.N.’s food body has warned. Harvests have been good and the outlook for staple crops is promising, but a shortage of field workers brought on by the virus crisis and a move towards protectionism — tariffs and export bans — mean problems could quickly appear in the coming weeks, Maximo Torero, chief economist of the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, told the Guardian…” (Harvey, 3/26).

The Lancet: WHO launches crowdfund for COVID-19 response
“For the first time, WHO is asking the general public and private donors for support. The project is a test run for the WHO Foundation, to be launched later this year…” (Usher, 3/28).

New York Times: Unprepared for the Worst: World’s Most Vulnerable Brace for Virus
“…As wealthy countries like the United States and Italy struggle with mass outbreaks of the coronavirus, international health experts and aid workers are increasingly worried that the virus could ravage the world’s most vulnerable people: the tens of millions forced from their homes by violent conflict…” (Beech et al., 3/26).

U.N. News: Human rights must be maintained in beating back the COVID-19 pandemic, ‘without exception’ — U.N. experts
“Dozens of independent U.N. human rights experts stressed on Thursday that in addition to public health and emergency measures, battling the COVID-19 pandemic, must respect the fundamental human rights of every individual…” (3/26).

Additional coverage of the U.N. and international response to COVID-19 is available from New Humanitarian, Reuters, and U.N. News.

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Some Nations Prepare For Spread Of Coronavirus While Others Experience Slowdown

AFRICA

The Guardian: ‘We fear, but have to work’: isolation not an option for the poor of Nairobi (Moore, 3/27).

The Hill: Kenya confirms first coronavirus death (Bowden, 3/26).

NPR: South Africa Reports First COVID-19 Deaths, Goes Into 3-Week Lockdown (Neuman, 3/27).

Reuters: Using lessons from Ebola, West Africa prepares remote villages for coronavirus (Peyton, 3/25).

ASIA

Al Jazeera: Coronavirus panic grips Rohingya camps in Bangladesh (3/26).

Financial Times: Hidden infections challenge China’s claim coronavirus is under control (Yang et al., 3/26).

The Hill: North Korea asking for aid, while denying any coronavirus cases: report (Bowden, 3/26).

New York Times: Japan’s Virus Success Has Puzzled the World. Is Its Luck Running Out? (Rich et al., 3/26).

NPR: How South Korea Reined In The Outbreak Without Shutting Everything Down (Beaubien, 3/26).

STAT: Covid-19’s resurgence in Hong Kong holds a lesson: Defeating it demands persistence (Sataline, 3/26).

EUROPE

AP: Italy hopes virus is easing but fears new onslaught in south (Winfield et al., 3/27).

The Atlantic: A Disturbing Look Inside an Italian Hospital (Parenti, 3/26).

POLITICO: European Commission to develop coordinated ‘exit strategy’ from lockdowns (Wheaton, 3/26).

POLITICO: European Parliament greenlights coronavirus funding plan (Bayer, 3/26).

Reuters: Russian PM urges all citizens to stay at home, calls for tougher measures: Interfax (Kiselyova/Marrow, 3/27).

Science: The new coronavirus is finally slamming Russia. Is the country ready? (Stone, 3/26).

Washington Post: Italy’s new coronavirus cases are slowing. How soon will normal life return? (Harlan/Pitrelli, 3/26).

LATIN AMERICA

The Lancet: Venezuelan migrants “struggling to survive” amid COVID-19 (Daniels, 3/28).

MIDDLE EAST

New Humanitarian: Bracing for coronavirus in Syria’s battered northwest (Al Hosse/Edwards, 3/26).

NPR: Still Locked in Conflict, Israelis and Palestinians Need Each Other To Fight COVID-19 (Estrin, 3/26).

Reuters: Raincoats and rubber boots for Pakistani aid workers in coronavirus fight (Hassan, 3/27).

Reuters: UAE orders overnight curfew for deep clean, Gulf coronavirus cases rise (El Yaakoubi/Saba, 3/26).

U.N. News: Iraq: Top U.N. official calls on political leaders to confront COVID-19 pandemic and unite (3/26).

NORTH AMERICA

AP: Canada urges U.S. not to put troops at border during pandemic (Gillies, 3/27).

The Hill: EXCLUSIVE: Top CDC official warns New York’s coronavirus outbreak is just a preview (Wilson, 3/27).

Washington Post: New York City’s crime rate plummets amid coronavirus shutdown (Jacobs/Barrett, 3/26).

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8 Nations' Ambassadors Appeal To U.N. SG To Urge Lifting Of Sanctions; U.S. Continues 'Maximum Pressure' On Venezuela, Iran

AP: 8 countries under unilateral sanctions ask U.N. chief for help
“Eight countries under unilateral sanctions, mainly from the United States and European Union, urged U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres on Thursday to request the immediate and complete lifting of those measures to enable the nations to respond to the coronavirus pandemic. In a joint letter obtained by the Associated Press, the ambassadors from China, Cuba, North Korea, Iran, Nicaragua, Russia, Syria, and Venezuela urged the U.N. chief to ‘reject the politicization of such a pandemic’…” (Lederer, 3/26).

NPR: Iran Needs Help To Fight Coronavirus, But Delivering Aid Is A Challenge
“Iran is dealing with one of the worst outbreaks of the coronavirus in the world, with a death toll surpassing 2,200 people. But getting help into the country is hindered both by a truculent Iranian leadership and strong U.S. sanctions…” (Northam, 3/26).

Washington Post: What coronavirus? With indictment of Venezeula’s Maduro and sanctions on Iran, U.S. doubles down on ‘maximum pressure’
“The global health crisis caused by the novel coronavirus is prompting calls for global unity, but the Trump administration is showing no sign of pulling back on one of its most divisive foreign policy initiatives: ‘Maximum pressure.’ Instead, it’s doubling down. The administration upped the ante on Venezuela on Thursday, unsealing indictments against President Nicolás Maduro and several members of his inner circle on narcoterrorism charges and offering a $15 million bounty for information leading to Maduro’s capture and conviction…” (Taylor, 3/26).

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U.S. Leads World In Confirmed COVID-19 Cases; Trump Administration Expected To Outline Counties Most At Risk

New York Times: The U.S. Now Leads the World in Confirmed Coronavirus Cases
“Scientists warned that the United States someday would become the country hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic. That moment arrived on Thursday. In the United States, at least 81,321 people are known to have been infected with the coronavirus, including more than 1,000 deaths — more cases than China, Italy, or any other country has seen, according to data gathered by the New York Times…” (McNeil, 3/26).

CNBC: U.S. now has more coronavirus cases than either China or Italy (Feuer et al., 3/26).

CNN: U.S. has most known coronavirus cases worldwide, but experts say it’s just the beginning of the battle (Maxouris, 3/27).

Fox News: How long will coronavirus last in the U.S.? (Stimson, 3/27).

The Hill: Birx cautions against inaccurate models predicting significant coronavirus spread (Chalfant, 3/26).

New York Times: We’re Sharing Coronavirus Case Data for Every U.S. County (3/27).

NPR: READ: President Trump’s Letter To Governors On New Coronavirus Guidelines (3/26).

Reuters: U.S. preparing guidelines to classify county COVID-19 risk: Trump (Heavey/Chiacu, 3/26).

Washington Post: U.S. deaths from coronavirus top 1,000, amid incomplete reporting from authorities and anguish from those left behind (Hauslohner et al., 3/26).

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U.S. House Set To Vote On $2T Coronavirus Stimulus Today; Devex Examines Deal's Funding For International Response

CNN: House set to vote Friday on $2 trillion stimulus as coronavirus crisis worsens
“The House of Representatives on Friday will attempt to approve the historic $2 trillion stimulus package that passed the Senate earlier this week and clear the way for President Donald Trump’s signature as the American public and the U.S. economy fight the devastating spread of Covid-19…” (Foran et al., 3/27).

Devex: What the massive U.S. funding deal means for international COVID-19 response
“The U.S. Congress is poised to approve a third funding package — worth more than $2 trillion — aimed at shoring up America’s economy and boosting the health response to COVID-19. Included in the massive funding bill are some modest increases for international health and development programs, though experts warn these will not be nearly enough to address the global dimensions of the pandemic. … Global health and development advocates had lobbied for more international funding to be included in the package but told Devex that while the relative lack of funding is disappointing so far, it is not surprising U.S. lawmakers are currently focused on domestic response and recovery…” (Saldinger/Igoe, 3/27).

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Presidents Trump, Xi Discuss Coronavirus Pandemic In Phone Call, Pledge Cooperation

NPR: In Phone Call, Trump And China’s President Discuss Coronavirus Pandemic
“President Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping discussed the global response to the novel coronavirus in a phone call in which the two reportedly discussed easing tensions and pledged cooperation in the fight against the pandemic…” (Neuman, 3/27).

Reuters: China’s Xi offers Trump help in fighting coronavirus as U.S. faces wave of new patients
“Chinese President Xi Jinping told U.S. President Donald Trump during a phone call on Friday that he would have China’s support in fighting the coronavirus, as the United States faces the prospect of becoming the next global epicenter of the pandemic. … Xi’s offer of assistance came amid a long-running war of words between Beijing and Washington over various issues including the coronavirus epidemic…” (Lee et al., 3/26).

Wall Street Journal: U.S., China Trade Blame for Coronavirus, Hampering Global Economy Rescue
“…After the call Mr. Trump tweeted, ‘Just finished a very good conversation with President Xi of China. Discussed in great detail the CoronaVirus that is ravaging large parts of our Planet.’ The president, who along with other U.S. officials had been referring to the virus as the ‘China virus’ or ‘Wuhan virus,’ also said he was working closely with Mr. Xi. ‘Under current circumstances, China and the U.S. must unite to fight the virus,’ Mr. Xi was quoted by Xinhua as telling Mr. Trump. Bilateral relations are at a crucial juncture, Mr. Xi said, adding, ‘Cooperation is the only right choice’…” (Davis/Wei, 3/27).

Additional coverage of Trump’s and Xi’s conversation, as well as U.S.-China relations, is available from Al Jazeera, Bloomberg, NBC, Reuters, Vox, and Washington Post.

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Experts Discuss U.S., Global Response To COVID-19 Pandemic

ABC: Obama-era Ebola czar says White House is ‘blind’ to how bad coronavirus will get (Dubnow, 3/25).

Democracy Now!: Economist Jeffrey Sachs: Trump ‘Understands Nothing, Listens to Nothing’ as Pandemic Surges in U.S. (Goodman, 3/24).

The Lancet Infectious Diseases: U.S. public health budget cuts in the face of COVID-19 (Devi, 4/1).

Newsweek: 2019 Study Touted by Trump Showed Global Lack of Pandemic Readiness (Martin, 3/25).

PRI: Leon Panetta on coronavirus: ‘We’re paying the price’ of ignoring intelligence reports (Hackel et al., 3/26).

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Media Outlets Profile U.S. Scientists Leading National Response To Coronavirus, Deborah Birx, Anthony Fauci

Los Angeles Times: Deborah Birx, AIDS researcher, takes a prominent role in coronavirus messaging for Trump administration (Wilkinson, 3/25).

Science: Fauci’s straight talk (Cohen, 3/27).

Washington Post: As Trump signals readiness to break with experts, his online base assails Fauci (Stanley-Becker, 3/26).

Washington Post Magazine: Can Deborah Birx Save Us? (Bass, 3/26).

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U.K. Pledges £200M To CEPI For Coronavirus Vaccine Research; PM Johnson Tests Positive For Virus

AP: British Prime Minister Johnson tests positive for virus
“British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has tested positive for the new coronavirus, the first leader of a major nation to contract COVID-19, but he insisted Friday that he remains in charge of the U.K.’s response to the outbreak. Johnson, 55, said he was tested Thursday on the advice of the chief medical officer after showing ‘mild symptoms, of a temperature and a persistent cough.’ Health Secretary Matt Hancock was also confirmed to have the virus. Hancock, 41, tweeted: ‘Thankfully my symptoms are mild’…” (Lawless/Pylas, 3/27).

Reuters: U.K. pledges 210 million pounds to global push for coronavirus vaccine
“Britain pledged on Thursday to contribute 210 million pounds ($253 million) to the international coalition to find a vaccine against coronavirus, which it said made it the biggest contributor. Announcing the commitment after a virtual summit with other G20 leaders, Prime Minister Boris Johnson called on governments to work together to create a vaccine as quickly as possible and make it available to anyone who needs it. … The British funding is being channelled to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), which has said it requires an additional $2 billion in funding from governments to develop the crucial vaccine…” (Shirbon, 3/26).

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Media Outlets Examine Relationship Between COVID-19, Environment, Climate Change

The Economist: Airborne particles may be assisting the spread of SARS-CoV-2
“Pollution and disease have long been associated in people’s minds. The very word ‘malaria,’ for example, means ‘bad air’ in Italian. But the germ theory of infection, developed in the 19th century, knocked on the head the idea that it is the air itself which causes illness. Rather, bad smells indicate sources of pathogens, such as sewage, which are best avoided. A paper just published by a group of Italian researchers does, however, posit the idea that sars-cov-2, the virus behind the covid-19 pandemic, might be getting a helping hand from atmospheric pollution…” (3/26).

The Economist: The epidemic provides a chance to do good by the climate
“In Venice, water in the canals is running clear, offering glimpses of fish swimming against the current. As human activity grinds to a halt, natural rhythms resume. A similar, less visible story is being played out in the skies. Around the world, levels of toxic air pollutants are dropping as places go into lockdown in an attempt to curb the spread of sars-cov-2, the virus causing a pandemic of a new disease called covid-19. Emissions of greenhouse gases are following a similar pattern…” (3/26).

PRI: Coronavirus is changing how people think about fighting climate change
“When climate journalist Emily Atkin was asked to pledge to stop flying to help prevent climate change earlier this year, she said no. … This week, as Atkin watched the coronavirus pandemic spread across the world, she said it shook her worldview. When it comes to the spread of COVID-19, personal choices matter. One infected person staying home instead of going out could save thousands of lives. … ‘We all started to signal to each other that we had to sacrifice those things, and that in doing that, it would make a difference,’ she said. ‘And there is science right in front of me that said that in doing that, it would make a difference.’ Not unlike climate change…” (Kusmer, 3/26).

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Lancet Article Addresses USAID Administrator Mark Green's Resignation

The Lancet: Leadership changes at USAID
“Mark Green, administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is a rarity in Washington, D.C. — an appointee of President Donald Trump’s administration who is respected by both Republicans and Democrats. He also has earned high marks from global health advocates. But last week he announced he will leave his post on April 10. His departure has raised some concerns about the agency’s role as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) takes hold in more corners of the world…” (Jaffe, 3/28).

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More News In Global Health

Devex: Data mapping key to track disease spread and plug health gaps, experts say (Willmer, 3/26).

The Economist: Taking people’s temperatures can help fight the coronavirus (3/26).

The Lancet Infectious Diseases: New guidelines for latent tuberculosis (Mushtaq, 4/1).

The Lancet Infectious Diseases: Ebola virus disease in DR Congo (Burki, 4/1).

New Yorker: How Does the Coronavirus Behave Inside a Patient? (Mukherjee, 3/26).

Reuters: Yemen warring parties back U.N. truce call, as U.S. starts aid reduction (Ghobari et al., 3/26).

Science: Race to find COVID-19 treatments accelerates (Kupferschmidt/Cohen, 3/27).

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Editorials and Opinions

Editorials, Opinion Pieces Discuss Various Aspects Of Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic

The Lancet: COVID-19: learning from experience
Editorial Board

“…[M]any countries are still not following WHO’s clear recommendations on containment (widespread testing, quarantine of cases, contact tracing, and social distancing) and have instead implemented haphazard measures … Alongside the deep distress felt as many countries experience a peak in cases or brace for it, there is also a growing understanding about the importance of the collective and community. Europe and the USA have shown that putting off preparation, in either the hope of containment elsewhere or a mood of fatality, is not effective. It is imperative that the global community takes advantage of this spirit of cooperation to avoid repeating this error in more vulnerable countries. WHO has provided consistent, clear, and evidence-based recommendations; communicated effectively; and navigated difficult political situations shrewdly. The world is not lacking effective global leadership. The central role played by WHO in coordinating the global response must continue, and countries and donors need to support WHO in these efforts” (3/28).

Washington Post: Rich nations must help coronavirus disaster zones. It’s crucial to ending the pandemic.
Editorial Board

“Bad as it has been, the damage the covid-19 epidemic is inflicting on the United States and Europe could soon be overtaken by catastrophes in poorer and more distressed parts of the world. In areas of Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America, escaping the new coronavirus through social distancing or even hand-washing will not be an option — and obtaining treatment from health care services will be next to impossible. The result could be staggering death tolls, major social disruptions and new waves of refugees headed for the United States and Europe. … [U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres] unveiled a response plan put together by the World Health Organization and U.N. humanitarian agencies as well as nongovernment groups. The $2 billion in funding they are seeking would provide tests, supplies for medical workers, and water and sanitation to places that now lack it. The requested resources, the secretary general pointed out, are a drop in the bucket compared with what Western governments are spending on their own citizens. But they are critical to defeating the disease” (3/26).

Washington Post: Trump can’t fix the ventilator problem. But right now, he’s not even managing it.
Editorial Board

“Ventilators are the most critical device that can save lives in the struggle against the coronavirus. They are also the scarcest. No international authority governs the global allocation of ventilators; in the United States, no federal agency can satisfy any state’s full demand for the devices. For now, there is only chaotic scrounging…” (3/26).

The Atlantic: The Pandemic Has Grounded Humankind
Marina Koren, staff writer at the Atlantic (3/26).

Bloomberg: Why Our Leaders Fail to Learn Pandemic Lessons
Clara Ferreira Marques, Bloomberg opinion columnist (3/25).

Devex: Opinion: Global health security depends on women
Roopa Dhatt, executive director and co-founder of Women in Global Health, practicing internal medicine physician, implementing partner and steering committee member of the Women Leaders in Global Health Conference, and member of the Advisory Council of Global Health 50-50 (3/27).

Foreign Policy: How China is Exploiting the Coronavirus to Weaken Democracies
Peter Rough, fellow at the Hudson Institute (3/25).

Foreign Policy: Africa Is Bracing for a Head-On Collision With Coronavirus
Landry Signé, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and professor at Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management, and Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, president of Mauritius from 2015 to 2018 (3/26).

The Hill: Secretary Azar: use the truth to help save us from the coronavirus
Erica Newland, counsel at Protect Democracy (3/26).

IPS: Coronavirus Worsens Yemen’s Long Tale of Woe
Abdul Mohammed, humanitarian worker for Oxfam Yemen (3/26).

New York Times: What India Needs to Fight the Virus
Ramanan Laxminarayan, director of the Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy in Washington and senior research scholar at Princeton (3/27).

New York Times: The Road to Coronavirus Hell Was Paved by Evangelicals
Katherine Stewart, author (3/27).

Project Syndicate: The Trump Administration’s Epic COVID-19 Failure
J. Bradford DeLong, professor of economics at the University of California at Berkeley and research associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research (3/26).

Project Syndicate: The ‘Invisibles’ in the Pandemic
Tim Dixon and Mathieu Lefèvre, co-founders of More in Common (3/26).

Project Syndicate: China’s Misplaced Pandemic Propaganda
Minxin Pei, professor of government at Claremont McKenna College and non-resident senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States (3/26).

Science Magazine: COVID-19 needs a Manhattan Project
Seth Berkley, chief executive officer of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (3/27).

Scientific American: Anthony Fauci Shows Us the Right Way to Be an Expert
Gregory E. Kaebnick, scholar at the Hastings Center and editor of Hastings Center Report (3/26).

Scientific American: For Budding Researchers like Me, COVID-19 Is a Lesson in Science Communication
Adeline Williams, Ph.D. student in the microbiology department at Colorado State University studying mosquitoes genetically modified to be resistant to viral infection (3/26).

STAT: Covid-19 hasn’t yet hit India in a widespread way. But I saw more warnings there than I did in the U.S.
Shraddha Chakradhar, reporter and STAT Morning Rounds writer (3/27).

STAT: A CDC veteran asks: Why is the agency ‘sitting on the sidelines’ in the fight against Covid-19?
Pierre E. Rollin, retired epidemiology team lead of the Viral Special Pathogens branch at CDC (3/26).

Washington Post: America’s $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package ignores the rest of the world
Josh Rogin, columnist for the Global Opinions section at the Washington Post (3/26).

Washington Post: My hometown showed us how a pandemic begins. Could it also show us how one ends?
Xinyan Yu, journalist from Wuhan (3/26).

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More Opinions In Global Health

Devex: Opinion: How health care systems designed by and for women can save lives
Sylvana Q. Sinha, founder and CEO of Praava Health, a Bangladeshi health system offering patient-centered family health and diagnostics (3/24).

The Lancet: Building on the PrEP victory
Editorial Board (3/28).

The Lancet: Why WHO needs a feminist economic agenda
Asha Herten-Crabb of the Department of International Relations at the London School of Economics and Political Science, and Sara E. Davies of the School of Government and International Relations at Griffith University in Brisbane, Australia (3/28).

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From the Global Health Policy Community

Global Health Community Publishes Blog Posts On Various Aspects Of COVID-19 Pandemic

Arms Control Association: Pandemic Reveals Misplaced Priorities
Daryl G. Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association (April 2020).

Human Rights Watch: Congo’s Ebola Fight Has Lessons for COVID-19
Ida Sawyer, deputy director for Africa at HRW (3/26).

IntraHealth International’s “VITAL”: We’re Moving Fast to Help Health Workers Worldwide Combat COVID-19
Polly Dunford, president and chief executive officer at IntraHealth International (3/26).

Overseas Development Institute: How coronavirus is accelerating a new approach to international cooperation
Annalisa Prizzon, senior research fellow in the Development Strategy and Finance Program at ODI (3/26).

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Friends Of The Global Fight President Chris Collins Testifies Before House Appropriations Subcommittee To Support FY21 Budget For Global Fund

Friends of the Global Fight: Chris Collins Testifies in Support of the Global Fund for FY 2021
“On Thursday, March 12, 2020, Friends of the Global Fight Against AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (Friends) President Chris Collins testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs. You can read his in-person testimony below. His full written testimony is accessible here…” (3/26).

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From the U.S. Government

President Trump, Vice President Pence, Members Of Coronavirus Task Force Provide Updates On U.S. Response To COVID-19 At Press Briefing

White House: Remarks by President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Members of the Coronavirus Task Force in Press Briefing
In this press briefing held Thursday, President Trump, Vice President Pence, and members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force discuss developments regarding the U.S. response to COVID-19 (3/26).

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Administration Officials Discuss U.S. Foreign Assistance Efforts In Response To COVID-19 Pandemic

U.S. Department of State: U.S. Foreign Assistance in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
In a press statement, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo discussed U.S. foreign assistance efforts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic: “The U.S. government has rapidly mobilized unprecedented resources to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, both at home and abroad. … I am pleased to announce that the United States has made available nearly $274 million in emergency health and humanitarian funding. Along with the U.S. private sector, the American people continue to lead in responding to this pandemic…” (3/26).

U.S. Department of State: Briefing With USAID Deputy Administrator Bonnie Glick and Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance Resources James L. Richardson On U.S. Foreign Assistance in Response to COVID-19
During a special briefing, Bonnie Glick, deputy administrator at USAID, and James L. Richardson, director of the Office of U.S. Foreign Assistance Resources, discussed U.S. foreign assistance efforts in response to the COVID-19 pandemic (3/26).

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CDC's MMWR Releases Reports On TB Preventive Treatment Scale-Up In PEPFAR-Supported Countries, Hepatitis E. Outbreak In Namibia, Public Health Responses To COVID-19 On Cruise Ships

CDC’s “Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report”: Tuberculosis Preventive Treatment Scale-Up Among Antiretroviral Therapy Patients — 16 Countries Supported by the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, 2017-2019 (3/27).

CDC’s “Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report”: Notes from the Field: Nationwide Hepatitis E Outbreak Concentrated in Informal Settlements — Namibia, 2017-2020 (3/27).

CDC’s “Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report”: Public Health Responses to COVID-19 Outbreaks on Cruise Ships — Worldwide, February-March 2020 (3/26).

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Alma Crumm Golden Becomes New USAID Assistant Administrator For Global Health

USAID: Alma Crumm Golden Sworn In As Assistant Administrator For Global Health
“On March 25, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Mark Green swore in Dr. Alma Crumm Golden as USAID’s Assistant Administrator for Global Health. As Assistant Administrator for Global Health, Dr. Golden will oversee USAID’s programs to save lives; protect people most vulnerable to disease; and promote high-quality health care as the key to the stability of communities and nations, while advancing American security and prosperity…” (3/26).

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From KFF

KFF Resources Examine Global COVID-19 Cases, U.S. Global Health Assets In LMICs Amid Outbreak, Other Aspects Of Pandemic

KFF: COVID-19 Coronavirus Tracker — Updated as of March 27, 2020 (3/27).

KFF: Preparing for COVID-19 in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Leveraging U.S. Global Health Assets (Kates/Moss/Oum, 3/20).

KFF: The U.S. Military and the Domestic Coronavirus Response: Key Questions (Michaud/Moss, 3/20).

KFF: Coronavirus (COVID-19) Outbreak Glossary (3/18).

Additional KFF COVID-19 resources, including those focused on the response and impact within the U.S., are available here.

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