Transforming health systems: Equipping primary care to manage the health of Singaporeans

By Chuan De and external contributor

From ageing populations to zoonotic outbreaks, health systems have learnt that primary care must not just be another stopgap measure during a health crisis nor bolted on as an afterthought when hospitals are inundated with chronic loads. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought us a narrow window of opportunity to build more resilient health systems. We look forward to seeing how Singapore leverages on primary care to safeguard the health of Singaporeans in both crises and peace time.  

Youth mental health in the context of COVID-19 in East and Southern Africa: a desk review

By Joy Muhia, Nadine Nanji, and external contributors

The desk review explored patterns and determinants of youth mental health in the region; how
the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and responses to it have affected this; where youth seek
and obtain support for mental health needs and the perceived challenges and gaps. It presents
recommendations for improving the responses to mental health challenges.

Global Vaccine Equity? Reflections, lessons, and a way forward

By Yasir Essar, Malvikha Manoj, Marali Singaraju and external contributors

The COVID-19 pandemic reaffirmed a quasi-colonial economic order that sparked a vaccine apartheid and disproportionately marginalized the world’s most vulnerable populations. We must prioritize global health equity and solidarity in all actions, working to dismantle systems of coloniality and capitalism that have contributed to health inequities.

Considerations for developing and improving the south african radiographer journal: an open letter to the editors

By Oupa Motshweneng and external contributors

Our letter intends to encourage critical reflection and an open conversation about the current state of the journal and its future while proposing some considerations for improving the overall quality of the journal. We are writing this letter as readers, authors, and reviewers as some of us have pub-lished in and reviewed for the journal.

Open Letter to G7 and G20 leaders: resolve global crises to secure our future

By Joy Muhia, Malvikha Manoj, and external collaborators

We write as a collective of young global health scholars and professionals who recognize the urgency of the challenges we face and the limited time we have to address them. We call on G7 and G20 leaders to act on commitments made and to strengthen global governance to address three interconnected challenges of our time: the COVID-19 pandemic, antimicrobial resistance and the climate crisis.

Global Health Is Broken, But Young People Plan to Repair It

By Madhukar Pai – IWG Members Joy Muhia and Malvikha Manoj are featured

“We cannot overcome these crises in silos – we need the collective. And this is where we fail – we don’t have the global leadership (or investment and prioritization) to inspire collective action to tackle these crises,” said Malvikha Manoj, an emerging public health systems and policy practitioner, and Chair at the International Working Group for Health Systems Strengthening.

Power Cuts in South Africa Wreak Havoc on Health Care

By Nadine Nanji

Power is a fundamental need in the modern world. The neglect or lack of a dependable electrical power system can destroy the economic growth of a country. An inadequate and unreliable supply of power can also take down a country’s health system

Who Gets to Govern in Global Health? The prevailing status quo threatens ‘Health for All’

By Malvikha Manoj and external contributors

Ultimately, there cannot be ‘health for all’ without leadership reflective of all. As we continue to witness leadership failures to improve the status quo, it is also worth asking, can we solve global health challenges by waiting for those in power to realize their privilege and relinquish their power? Or, can we do more to start claiming the room? As emerging professionals in global health, we are not prepared to stand by and inherit this status quo.

Bottom-Up Responses: Lessons from Cape Town’s Community Networks that inspired collective action in a time of crisis

By Lynn Bust, Philip Dambisya, Bronte Davies, Ramonde Patientia

Acknowledging the strengths of self-organising networks to address local issues first-hand is a critical step towards reimaging what a stronger, more responsive health system looks like in any context.

Another Code Red for Humanity: Global Vaccine Inequity

By Malvikha Manoj, Reiner Tamayo, Ghiwa Nasser Eddine, Magali Collonnaz, Marali Singaraju, Ramonde Patientia, Joy Muhia, Meg McCarty, Toluwani Oluwatola, Manik Inder Singh Sethi, Laura Neenan, and external collaborators

Global vaccine inequity is the canary in this coalmine, driven by colonial-era socio-economic and political orders. Whether the argument is ethical, economic, or epidemiological, we need to rise above vaccine injustice, if we are to be liberated from this pandemic.

You cannot practice public health without engaging in politics

By James Coughlan, Laura Haywood, Magali Collonnaz

Public health is inherently political, practicing it is complex and can be frustrating, especially under the harsh spotlights of social media. But if public health is to inform policy making, not just in relation to health, but to broader social and economic policy, then its practitioners need to embrace new perspectives. 

Cape Town Together: Film Review

By Laura Haywood, Faye Roderos, Bronte Davies

The documentary is an inspiring story of hope and action in a time of catastrophe. It carries viewers through a multitude of emotions that anyone can attribute to their personal COVID-19 pandemic experience: a dance between fear, joy, frustration and confusion, with glimmers of hope and an overriding call to action