Author: Sage Smiley

SEATTLE— Solving global health crises may become easier and quicker. U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon recently announced the formation of the United Nations High Level Panel on Access to Medicines—a new initiative that aims to examine the lack of universal access to 375 of the most “essential” drugs, including treatments for HIV/AIDS. One aspect of the drug industry that will be scrutinized by the panel is the widespread definition of drug formulas as intellectual property. The cost of and access to essential drugs could aid in solving global health crises. The panel aims to balance trade, human rights, and…

SEATTLE — The world has made leaps and bounds in eradicating global poverty over the past 30 years. In 1990, 37.1 percent of the world’s population lived at or below the poverty line of $1.90 per day. Today, less than 12.7 percent of the global population lives below that line. However, according to the World Bank, poverty in India is at 21.3 percent–a much higher percentage than the global average. Additionally, Indian Express reports that India is home to 26 percent of the world’s extreme poor. With a population of almost 1.3 billion, India’s size makes it a key player in the World Bank’s…

SEATTLE — In May, Japan hosted its first G7 summit since 2008. G7, or the Group of Seven, is an informal alliance between the United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom. The group meets to discuss pressing world issues. Although this G7 summit, called the Ise-Shima summit, covered many topics, Japan especially prioritized global health. Japan’s minister of Health, Labor and Welfare, Yasuhisa Shiozaki, wrote an article for the Japan Times. In the article, he detailed what he saw as the most important future goals for global health. Shiozaki believes there are three main points that need addressing:…

SEATTLE — Although it is clear that the number of global STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) jobs increases year to year, a lively debate exists as to whether or not investment in STEM education (in lieu of arts and humanities education) will benefit the developing countries of Africa in the way that those education systems most need. The Huffington Post reports that 70 percent of domestic and international jobs require core STEM skills, and this number is only increasing as new tech industries emerge on a yearly basis. However, in Africa, these new STEM jobs are increasingly sent abroad…