Scoping review identifies growing use of political economy analysis to help design fairer and more effective health systems
A new review has found that understanding politics, power and institutions is essential for explaining why some health policies succeed while others fail, highlighting the growing role of political economy analysis in…
Bachera Aktar’s research shows how people in informal settlements in Dhaka, Bangladesh, access public health services through local networks and community relationships, and how these arrangements can both help address and deepen existing inequality.
When formal health systems do not reach everyone, people often rely on personal relationships…
In this blog, Dr Catharina C Boehme discusses the critical role of science-driven collaboration in advancing One Health and strengthening health security in South-East Asia
World Health Day (WHD) is an annual global awareness campaign observed on April 7 to mark the founding of the World Health Organisation…
New research shows improving nutrition could prevent child stunting, reduce chronic disease, and protect national income in two countries facing different stages of the nutrition transition.
Unhealthy diets are now recognised as a leading contributor to global ill health, linked both to persistent undernutrition in early life…
By Dr Catharina Boehme, Officer-in-Charge, WHO South-East Asia Region
PM Modi warns of the threat from antimicrobial resistance
In December 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a timely warning about one of the most serious yet under-recognised global health threats: antimicrobial resistance (AMR). PM Modi alerted…
By Sunit Bagree (Senior Policy Advocacy Officer at Results UK and Research Associate in International Development at the University of Sussex)
A recent article in Health Policy and Planning by Jain et al laid bare the enormous costs of inaction on undernutrition.
By Dylan Walters (Nutrition International) and Sandra Remancus (Alive & Thrive)
Every year, a lack of concerted support for breastfeeding from governments around the world costs the global economy more than US$570 billion. These losses, the cumulative result of child and maternal mortality, increased healthcare costs, and depleted human…
By Priya Balasubramaniam (Public Health Foundation of India & Centre for Sustainable Health Innovations), Birger C. Forsberg (Karolinska Institutet), Gerald Bloom (Institute of Development Studies), Phyllis Awor (Makerere University School of Public Health), Meenakshi Gautham, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine), Desta, Lakew (Amref Health Africa) & Uranchimeg Tsevelvaanchig…
By Natasha Salaria (London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine)
Health Policy and Planning publishes health policy and systems research focusing on low- and middle-income countries. The journal consists of four sections; Health Systems Research, Health Economics, Health Policy Processes and Implementation Research and Evaluation.
2019 was another…
By Mishal Khan (London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine)
This is the first World Tuberculosis (TB) Day since high-level UN General Assembly meeting on TB in September 2018. Strong commitments were made by political leaders and hopes are high. Enthusiasm for a revolutionary shift in tackling infectious diseases…
