Dr Sophie Harman, Reader in International Politics at Queen Mary, commented on the Gates Foundation’s annual letter, which this year was used to answer the questions of some critics. Dr Harman called Bill and Melinda’s acknowledgement of their level of influence a good “first step”, but felt the questions overlooked some details and would have liked to see the Foundation directly address reforming the World Health Organization. “If you sat down with the ministry of health” in some of these developing countries, she said, what you’d hear is “the need for more doctors, more hospitals, more clinicians, more laboratories — all the things you’d expect from contemporary health systems.” More »