Social Justice
February 10, 2024
Defunding UNWRA in Gaza is ‘collective punishment’ – Lancet & Health Justice Organizations
Health and political leaders globally have condemned defunding of UNRWA, the principle lifeline for the people of Gaza. Sharmila Devi, in the current issue of Lancet, quotes UN leaders and aid agency leaders (including WHO) “no other entity has the capacity to deliver the scale and breadth of assistance that 2·2 million people in Gaza…
January 27, 2024
Tim Schwab & “The Bill Gates Problem” Town Hall Seattle Podcast
Tim Schwab, author of the recently published “The Bill Gates Problem: Reckoning with the myth of the good billionaire,” headlined a Seattle Town Hall event in December 2024 sponsored by the Community Alliance for Global Justice. In this podcast of the event, Tim explains how Bill Gates’ uses his foundation as a vehicle for unaccountable…
November 7, 2023
Vaccine Milestone: South Africa Starts Local Meningitis Production
In a landmark move for public health and African pharmaceutical manufacturing, South Africa’s Biovac has entered into a strategic partnership with Korean vaccine producer, EuBiologics Co. Ltd., to commence the production of a meningitis vaccine on African soil. This collaboration represents a significant stride in the fight against meningococcal disease, an endemic threat in South…
Rewriting the Script of Global Health
In the heart of Rwanda, a pharmaceutical revolution is unfolding, disrupting a global health order long dominated by high-income nations. This bold move by a nation determined to chart its own course in healthcare sovereignty embodies the spirit of decolonizing global health. It serves as a testament to the possibility of a world where equity…
September 20, 2023
Missionaries of Hate: U.S. Christian Right Group Enflames Homophobia in Uganda
Ugandan Dr. Frank Mugisha exposes the U.S. backers of the 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act. He accuses American “conservative anti-gay activists” of fearmongering in Uganda that has led to its LGBTQ criminalization laws. He outlined how this happening when interviewed on the Rachel Maddow in May, 2023. https://glaad.org/rachel-maddow-traces-anti-lgbtq-legislation-uganda-activists-arizona/ Many people in the Global North were shocked by…
September 15, 2023
Mexico’s Supreme Court decriminalizes abortion nationwide
¡Victoria! Wave High the Green Bandanas! Years of concerted action by reproductive rights activists in Mexico have just gained a huge win. “Today is the day of victory and justice for Mexican women!” declared Mexico’s National Institute for Women. “No woman or pregnant person, nor any health worker, will be able to be punished for…
September 13, 2023
Substandard medicines blamed for 285,000 childhood malaria, pneumonia deaths
VIdya Krishnan, an Indian Journalist writes about a “dirty secret in global health:” that rich countries get quality medicines and that the poor countries often get poison. Her op-ed in the Sept 11 New York Times describes the regulatory inequities between rich and poor nations. and how these inequities fail to prevent manufacture and export…
July 16, 2023
DEI plays a critical role in addressing health disparities, despite political controversy surrounding it.
The diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) movement is under organized and escalating attack. The critics argue that “DEI Inc.” has gone too far-and should be rolled back or defunded because of clunky and controversial administrative moves.” It was recently reported by the National Bureau of Economic Research that even the wealthiest Black patients suffer worse…
December 13, 2022
[BOOKS] on Structural Violence
Structural violence refers to the social, economic, or political harm ingrained in the underlying systems and structures of a society, causing long-term suffering and disadvantage for certain groups or individuals. Here are some suggested books on the topic: “Violence: Reflections on a National Epidemic” by James Gilligan (1997) Gilligan, a psychiatrist and expert on…
September 13, 2022
[BOOKS] on Phantom Aid
“Phantom Aid” refers to the phenomenon where foreign aid is promised but not effectively delivered, often due to corruption, mismanagement, or other systemic issues. Here are recommended books to explore the topic more: “The White Man’s Burden: Historical Origins of Racism in the United States” by Winthrop D. Jordan (1974) This seminal work offers…
