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Health Equity in Focus
Health Equity in Focus delves into the intricate dynamics of global health, examining how historical legacies continue to shape present-day realities in the Global South. Global health institutions, when failing to address deep-rooted issues, can perpetuate inequalities between North and South. Across various episodes, we explore issues like the implications of intellectual property to access to medicines, the use of policy space through TRIPS flexibilities, international regulatory standards, the intersection of biological diversity with health, and developments regarding these topics in international fora, through an equity perspective.
As a reflection of the Third World Network’s core mission, this podcast offers a fresh perspective on these matters. While our work often involves highly technical contributions, the subtext of our interventions advocates for a reimagined global order. This vision is one where development equips countries with the means to uplift their populations and foster a fairer, more equitable world. And that is the object of this conversation.
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Credits
Production: Third World Network Berhad
Audio editing: Guilherme Conde
Original soundtrack (intro and outro): Daniel Gómez Rico
Artwork: Ames Sia
Health Equity in Focus
Mpox's Lessons on Pandemic Preparedness
For years, Africa grappled with a steady rise in mpox cases and recurring outbreaks, yet the disease remained largely overlooked by the global community. It was only when the virus reached Northern countries that mpox began to garner international attention. This long-standing neglect is evident in the sparse data on the disease, the minimal investment in research and development of medical countermeasures, delayed regulatory approvals, and stark inequities in access to these measures.
In this Health Equity in Focus episode, we welcome Chetali Rao, a senior researcher at the Third World Network and an expert in biotechnology, intellectual property, and global health to discuss the pressing ethical, legal, and equity issues raised by the global mpox response and the role the Pandemic Instrument, an agreement currently under negotiation at the WHO, could play.
Chetali provides an in-depth analysis of the current landscape of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics, highlighting the stark inequities faced by developing countries in accessing these critical resources. She also examines the challenges of affordability, the monopolistic practices of manufacturers, and the consequences of relying on a few producers for lifesaving medical countermeasures. Finally, she addresses what could be a potential response to these issues, the Pathogens Access and Benefit Sharing System being negotiated at the WHO.
To clarify the complexities of mpox outbreaks and developments, we have created a timeline that traces the virus’s emergence and trends, focusing on 2022 and 2024. It highlights the deployment of vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics, while exposing inequalities in access and Africa’s long-standing burden.
Transcripts in English and Spanish.
Credits
Production: Third World Network Berhad
Audio editing: Guilherme Conde
Soundtrack: Daniel Gómez Rico
Artwork: Ames Sia