In The News
1. White House, U.S. Health Officials Urge House To Approve Zika Funding Measure Before Summer Recess
The Guardian: 'One week left' to pass Zika funding bill in U.S. House, Democrats warn
"The head of the Centers for Disease Control, congressional Democrats, and the second-in-command at the Department of Homeland Security called for Republicans to bring a Zika funding bill to the floor -- again..." (Glenza, 7/7).
The Hill: Obama gets involved in last-ditch push for Zika funding
"President Obama this week has personally lobbied leaders in Congress over funding for the fight against the Zika virus. Obama has spoken with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) as well as top Senate Democrats over the 'past few days,' White House homeland security adviser Amy Pope told reporters Thursday..." (Ferris, 7/7).
Miami Herald: Sen. Bill Nelson calls for do-over in Senate Zika funding standoff
"With one week left to pass a Zika funding bill before the summer congressional recess, Florida Sen. Bill Nelson on Thursday called for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to allow a new vote on a stripped-down $1.1 billion Zika funding package, then send the measure to the House of Representatives for reconsideration..." (Pugh, 7/7).
Reuters: U.S. Democrats pressure Republicans for bipartisan Zika funding
"...On Thursday, Democrats called on McConnell and House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan to revive a bipartisan measure that passed the Senate in May. McConnell has said he would stick with the current legislation, which was agreed by House and Senate negotiators and has already passed the House..." (Morgan, 7/7).
TIME: White House and Democrats Make Last-Ditch Zika Funding Plea
"Democratic members of Congress and White House officials said the country is beyond a 'day late and a dollar short' on allocating funds to combat the Zika virus in a White House conference call urging Congressional action on Thursday..." (Rhodan, 7/7).
U.S. News & World Report: Democrats: GOP Playing Politics on Zika
"... 'This is not a time to play political games. It's a time to compromise and get something done,' Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said on Thursday's call..." (Leonard, 7/7).
2. U.S. Congress Approves Foreign Aid Transparency And Accountability Act To Monitor, Evaluate Foreign Aid Programs
Devex: U.S. Congress approves long-sought Foreign Aid Transparency and Accountability Act
"It was first introduced more than five years ago, but after many negotiations, the Foreign Aid Transparency and Accountability Act has been approved by the United States Congress and is on its way to President Barack Obama's desk for his signature. The legislation will require U.S. government agencies to closely monitor and evaluate all foreign aid programs based on their outcomes and improve transparency by publicly sharing the data about what's working and what's not, in large part through the foreignassistance.gov portal..." (Saldinger, 7/7).
3. Aid Agencies Laud Passage Of U.S. Global Food Security Act Of 2016
Thomson Reuters Foundation: Aid agencies hail U.S. bill to end global hunger and malnutrition
"Aid agencies have hailed the passage of a U.S. bill that aims to eliminate hunger and poverty around the world by helping smallholder farmers, especially women, with investments targeted at increasing productivity and improving nutrition. The Global Food Security Act of 2016, which enshrines in law the U.S. government's global hunger initiative Feed the Future, is designed to promote food security, resilience, and nutrition through investments in agriculture..." (Mis, 7/7).
4. U.S. House Subcommittee Endorses FY17 Draft Labor-HHS Funding Measure Including Increase For NIH
The Atlantic: Another Step Forward for National Institutes of Health Funding
"Following in their Senate colleagues' footsteps, a House subcommittee signed off on a budget increase for the National Institutes of Health Thursday. The increases for fiscal year 2017 confirm lawmakers' public pledges to establish a pattern of improved budgets for the agency, which before last year saw more than a decade of flat funding. ... [L]awmakers will eventually negotiate a final budget number in the months to come..." (Kelly, 7/7).
5. Some U.S. Congress Members Look To FEMA Disaster Relief Fund As Model For Infectious Disease Threat Preparedness
CQ HealthBeat: Disaster Relief Overhaul May Be Model for Viral Threat Fund
"Lawmakers in both parties are eyeing the overhauled Federal Emergency Management Agency's Disaster Relief Fund as a possible model for a proposed reserve fund to address emerging infectious threats such as the Zika virus. ... Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut sees the Disaster Relief Fund as a model for addressing infectious threats. 'By allocating funding ahead of time, we can better prepare for and respond to these events,' DeLauro, the ranking Democrat on the House Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee, said earlier this year. 'The U.S. prepares for disasters like hurricanes, and there is no reason why we should not do the same for outbreaks of disease'..." (Young, 7/7).
6. Health Officials, U.N. Envoy Warn More Must Be Done To Address Health, Development Impacts Of El Niño, Climate Change
Agence France-Presse: Climate change health impacts loom large
"The world should brace for potentially devastating impacts on human health due to climate change, top policymakers and officials from around the globe meeting in Paris said Thursday. Some of these consequences may be avoided if humanity radically curbs its use of fossil fuels in coming decades, but many are already being felt, they said at the opening of a two-day conference run by the World Health Organization (WHO) and hosted by France..." (Hood, 7/7).
Thomson Reuters Foundation: Interview-World must stop next El Niño harming development -- U.N. envoy
"Governments have been too slow to respond to droughts and floods linked to the El Niño weather pattern, and must do better next time if global development goals are to be met, said Mary Robinson, U.N. special envoy for El Niño and climate. ... The United Nations says there is a shortfall of $2.5 billion for aid needed this year to help more than 60 million people affected by El Niño in 22 countries across Southern and Eastern Africa, Central America, and the Pacific..." (Rowling, 7/7).
7. WHO Director Of Essential Medicines Discusses Agency’s Plan To Devise Fair Drug Pricing Model
STAT: Q&A: Why the World Health Organization plans a fair pricing model for drugs
"Over the next year, the World Health Organization wants to develop a fair pricing model for pharmaceuticals. ... The trick is to find the right balance between access to affordable medicines and enticing companies to develop new and improved medicines, while also ensuring lower-cost generics remain available. We spoke with Suzanne Hill, the WHO director of essential medicines and health products, about how the agency hopes to get this done..." (Silverman, 7/7).
8. WFP Announces $610M Shortfall To Address Drought Relief In 7 Southern African Nations
Reuters: U.N. food agency says faces $610 million shortfall for southern Africa drought relief
"The United Nations' food agency said on Thursday it needed $730 million over the next 12 months for relief in seven Southern African countries hit hard by a blistering drought and faced a $610 million shortfall. The World Food Programme (WFP) said in a statement the seven countries were Malawi, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho, Madagascar, Swaziland, and Zambia..." (Stoddard, 7/7).
9. Sierra Leone’s Trauma Counselors Work To Assist Ebola Survivors
The Guardian: Mental health experts in Sierra Leone aim to pluck out heart of Ebola mystery
"...For nearly two years, Ebola stormed across this corner of West Africa, devastating communities and health systems that were already among the world's poorest. But within that public health emergency was a second crisis, acute but nearly invisible: one of mental health care..." (Brown, 7/7).