In the week when the World Health Organization celebrated its 70th birthday, it also supported immunisation advances by recommending the Gavi-supported typhoid conjugate vaccine for use in endemic countries. Meanwhile, the ongoing need for prevention was highlighted as drug-resistant typhoid continued to spread in Pakistan.

The UK announced a £170 million aid package for Yemen, with millions facing starvation and ministers concerned about the risk of cholera. Elsewhere, an outbreak caused trouble in Nigeria, while in Zambia military personnel were withdrawing after quashing cholera there. 

With cases of head and neck cancer on the rise in the UK, there were fresh calls to extend HPV vaccination to boys. In the US, coverage with the vaccine is rising but is still far off 2020 goals.

Vaccine reported on vaccine hesitancy across the globe, whilst Heidi Larson highlighted the role of politics and public trust in vaccine risk perceptions.

Finally, with the posthumous release of Hans Rosling’s book Factfulness this week, Bill Gates explained why he wants to stop talking about the “developing” world.