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Lebanon: a conflict particularly destructive to health care
Since 7 October 2023, 47% of attacks on health care – 65 out of 137 – have proven fatal to at least one health worker or patient in Lebanon, as of 21 November 2024.This is a higher percentage than in any active conflict today across the globe – with nearly half of all attacks on health causing the death of a health worker.In comparison, the global average is 13.3%, based on the SSA’s figures from 13 countries or territories that reported attacks in the same period, 7 October 2023–18 November 2024 – among them Ukraine, Sudan and the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). In the case of oPt, 9.6% of the total number of incidents has resulted in the death of at least one medical professional or patient.According to the SSA, 226 health workers and patients were killed in Lebanon and 199 injured between 7 October 2023 and 18 November 2024.In the same period, the SSA registered a combined total of 1401 attacks on health in oPt, Lebanon and Israel – 1196 in oPt, 137 in Lebanon and 68 in Israel.Civilian health care has special protection“These figures reveal yet again an extremely worrying pattern. It’s unequivocal – depriving civilians of access to lifesaving care and targeting health providers is a breach of international humanitarian law. The law prohibits the use of health facilities for military purposes – and even if that is the case, stringent conditions to taking action against them apply, including a duty to warn and to wait after warning,” said WHO Representative in Lebanon Dr Abdinasir Abubakar.International humanitarian law states that health workers and facilities should always be protected in armed conflicts and never attacked. Health facilities must not be used for military purposes, and there should be accountability for the misuse of health facilities.“There need to be consequences for not abiding by international law, and the principles of precaution, distinction and proportionality should always be adhered to. It’s been said before, indiscriminate attacks on health care are a violation of human rights and international law that cannot become the new normal, not in Gaza, not in Lebanon, nowhere,” said WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean Dr Hanan Balkhy.The majority of incidents in Lebanon impact health workersThe majority (68%) of incidents in Lebanon registered by the SSA impacted health personnel, a pattern seen repeatedly in the last few years, including in Gaza in the past year. In Lebanon, roughly 63% affected health transport and 26% affected health facilities.Attacks on health care hit twice. First, when health workers lose their lives or when a health centre is obliterated, and again in the following weeks and months when the injured can’t be treated, those who are dependent on regular care don’t receive it and when children can’t be immunized. “Casualty numbers among health workers of this scope would debilitate any country, not just Lebanon. But what the numbers alone cannot convey is the long-term impact, the treatments for health conditions missed, women and girls prevented from accessing maternal, sexual and reproductive health services, undiagnosed treatable diseases and, ultimately, the lives lost because of the absence of health care. That is the impact that’s hard to quantify,” said Dr Abubakar.1 in 10 hospitals in Lebanon directly impactedThe greater the blow to the health workforce, the weaker the longer-term ability of a country to recover from a crisis and deliver health care in a post-conflict settingLebanon is a lower middle-income country with a fairly advanced health system that’s been hit hard by multiple crises in recent years. After hostilities in Lebanon escalated in September 2024, the growing number of attacks on health have caused further strain on an already over-burdened system.Today, the country’s health system is under extreme duress, with 15 out of 153 hospitals having ceased to operate, or only partially functioning. Nabatieh, as an example, one of Lebanon’s 8 governorates, has lost 40% of its hospital bed capacity.“Attacks on health care of this scale cripple a health system when those whose lives depend on it need it the most. Beyond the loss of life, the death of health workers is a loss of years of investment and a crucial resource to a fragile country going forward,” Dr Balkhy concluded.So far this year, between 1 January 2024 and 18 November 2024, a total of 1246 attacks on health care were registered globally, in 13 countries or territories, killing 730 health workers and patients and injuring 1255.Note to editorsThe Surveillance System for Attacks on Health Care (SSA), established in 2017 by the World Health Organization, is an independent global monitoring mechanism whose goal is to collect reliable data on attacks on health care and to then identify patterns of violence that inform risk reduction and resilience measures so that health care is protected. The SSA also provides an evidence base for advocacy against attacks on health care.
Published: 2024-11-21 15:22:48
WHO Investment Round: culminating moment at G20 Summit as leaders pledge
The first-ever Investment Round of the World Health Organization (WHO) reached a culminating moment during the G20 Leaders' Summit today in Rio de Janeiro, chaired by the President of Brazil, H.E. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Heads of state and government at the G20 voiced strong support for a sustainably funded WHO, additional financial pledges were announced, and incoming G20 Chair South Africa pledged to maintain a focus in 2025 on sustainably financing the Organization. The support was reflected in the G20 Rio de Janeiro Leaders’ Declaration which said: “We reiterate the central coordinating role of the World Health Organization (WHO) in the global health architecture, supported by adequate, predictable, transparent, flexible and sustainable financing. We support the conducting of the WHO Investment Round as an additional measure for financing the WHO activities.” The Investment Round is raising funds for WHO’s strategy for global health, the Fourteenth General Programme of Work, which can save an additional 40 million lives over the next four years. The Investment Round has succeeded in shifting WHO’s funding model so that it is more predictable, flexible and resilient. With the pledges received from Australia, Indonesia and Spain at the Leaders’ Summit, WHO has now received pledges of US$ 1.7 billion. Including other signed funding agreements and expected funding from partnerships, WHO has funding of US$ 3.8 billion for the next four years. This means that WHO has raised 53% of the US$ 7.1 billion funding needed, successfully increasing predictability as compared to 2020, when WHO had only 17% of funding secured for its previous strategy. WHO, Member States and partners will continue efforts to cover the remaining gap so the Organization can deliver on the strategy for 2025–2028. The Investment Round has also successfully broadened WHO’s donor base, improving its funding resilience. Since its launch in May, there have been 70 new pledges from Member States, and philanthropic and private sector donors, 39 of which are contributing voluntary funds for the first time. This is making WHO’s funding more diversified and thus marks a milestone in the Organization’s evolution. Seven of these new donors are low-income countries and 21 are middle-income countries, representing a shift in WHO’s funding base. This shift also demonstrates broad-based recognition of the need to invest in health and in WHO. Forty-six donors have so far pledged more flexible funding, compared to 35 in the last four years, increasing the ability of WHO to use the funds where they are most needed. Overall, the Investment Round means that WHO can work more efficiently, better plan the implementation of its Strategy and respond even better to crises. It is expected that a number of other governments and donors will pledge to the Investment Round in the coming months. Quotes: President of Brazil, H.E. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, said: “The World Health Organization represents humanity’s greatest ideals. Investment over the next four years will be repaid many times over in well-being gained. It will set the foundation for future generations.” The Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Olaf Scholz, said: “The work of the WHO benefits all of us. It needs reliable financing from a broad base. Every contribution counts." President of France, Emmanuel Macron, said: “The World Health Organization deserves our support, as our unique common, universal, compass to global health. It is the only organization technically and politically able to coordinate our global action, and edict universal norms and advice in the field of health. As part of this Investment Round, WHO is bringing to life a new Academy, open to all health practitioners around the world, to tackle one of the key investment priorities identified during the COVID crisis, which is human capacity in the health sector. In a nutshell, investing in WHO is investing in the strengthening of our response capacity to health crises and in particular to pandemics.” President of South Africa H.E. Cyril Ramaphosa, who will Chair the G20 Presidency in 2025, said: “We are proud to carry the baton on from Brazil and continue to spotlight the importance of WHO and the need for sustainable financing towards the goal of health for all.” “The WHO Investment Round is about mobilizing the predictable, flexible funding WHO needs to save lives, prevent disease and make the world a healthier and safer place,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “I thank President Lula for his strong support for WHO and for hosting the culmination of the Investment Round during the G20 Leaders’ Summit, and I thank all donors for their contributions. I am grateful to President Ramaphosa for carrying the baton for sustainable financing for WHO into South Africa’s G20 Presidency next year.”
Published: 2024-11-19 21:11:47
WHO adds LC16m8 mpox vaccine to Emergency Use Listing
The World Health Organization (WHO) has granted Emergency Use Listing (EUL) for the LC16m8 mpox vaccine, making it the second mpox vaccine to be supported by WHO following the Director-General’s declaration of an mpox public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) on 14 August 2024.This decision is expected to facilitate increased and timely access to vaccines in communities where mpox outbreaks are surging. In 2024, cases have been reported across 80 countries, including 19 countries in Africa, based on data as of 31 October 2024. The Democratic Republic of the Congo, the hardest-hit country, recorded a large majority of suspected cases – over 39 000 – as well as more than 1000 deaths.Today’s move is particularly relevant as the Government of Japan has announced that it will donate 3.05 million doses of the LC16m8 vaccine, along with specialized inoculation needles, to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This is the largest donation package announced to date in response to the current mpox emergency. LC16m8 is a vaccine developed and manufactured by KM Biologics in Japan. The Technical Advisory Group (TAG) for EUL of vaccines convened to discuss the outcome of the LC16m8 vaccine review, including the product and programmatic suitability assessments. The TAG recommended the vaccine for use in individuals over one year of age as a single dose vaccine, via a multiple puncture technique using a bifurcated needle.“WHO emergency use listing of the LC16m8 vaccine against mpox marks a significant step in our response to the current emergency, providing a new option to protect all populations, including children,” said Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for Access to Medicines and Health Products. “Vaccines are one of the important tools to help contain the outbreak as part of a comprehensive response strategy that also includes improved testing and diagnosis, treatment and care, infection prevention control, and engagement and education within affected communities.”WHO’s assessment for EUL is based on information submitted by the manufacturer and review by the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA), the Japanese regulatory agency of record for this vaccine. The LC16m8 vaccine has been used in Japan during previous mpox outbreaks and was shown to be safe and effective, including in people with well-controlled HIV. The WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization reviewed available evidence and recommended the use of LC16m8 vaccine in outbreak settings in children and others with a documented high-risk of exposure to mpox. However, minimally replicating vaccines, such as LC16m8, should not be used during pregnancy and in people who are immunocompromised. Immunocompromised persons include those with active cancer, transplant recipients, immunodeficiency, and active treatment with immunosuppressive agents. They also include people living with HIV with a current CD4 cell count of <200 cells µl.The Global Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety reviewed the updated safety data on LC16m8 on 20 September 2024 and recommended that healthcare workers are provided with training on the use of bifurcated needles to prevent injuries and adverse effects. In light of the changing epidemiology and emergence of new virus strains, it remains important to collect as much data as possible on vaccine safety and effectiveness in different contexts.WHO continues to work closely with manufacturers, global partners and countries to ensure the availability and administration of safe and effective life-saving products.On 13 September 2024, WHO prequalified the Modified Vaccinia Ankara-Bavarian Nordic (MVA-BN) vaccine and expanded its indication to include use in individuals aged 12 years and older on 8 October 2024. Note to editors: WHO Prequalification (PQ) and Emergency Use Listing (EUL) are mechanisms used to evaluate quality, safety and efficacy of medical products, such as vaccines, diagnostics and medicines, and product suitability for use in the contexts of low- and middle-income countries. Products receiving PQ or EUL support decision-making for international, regional and country procurement by UN and partner procurement agencies and Member States. PQ is based on the review of full set of quality, safety and efficacy data on medical products, including risk management plan and programmatic suitability. EUL is a risk benefit assessment to address urgent demands during public health emergencies based on available limited data where the benefits outweigh the risks.
Published: 2024-11-19 20:07:50
WHO and partners rally cervical cancer elimination efforts
As world leaders arrive in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, for the G20 Summit this weekend, the city’s iconic Christ the Redeemer statue will be illuminated in the colour teal. The Brazilian advocates behind this effort are among many around the globe joining the World Health Organization (WHO) to mobilize efforts on a worldwide “Day of Action for Cervical Cancer Elimination.” Other countries are marking the day with campaigns to provide human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and screening, launching new health policies to align with the world’s first-ever effort to eliminate a cancer, and raising awareness in communities. Four years ago to the day, 194 countries resolved to eliminate cervical cancer and WHO launched a global strategy. Since then, significant progress has been made. At least 144 countries have introduced the HPV vaccine, over 60 countries now include HPV testing in their cervical screening programmes and 83 countries include surgical-care services for cervical cancer in health-benefit packages. “I thank all the health workers who are playing a critical role in this global effort,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “While we are making progress, we still face huge inequities, with women in low-income countries bearing most of the burden. Only with strong leadership and sustained investment can we achieve our shared goal of equitable access for communities most in need.”Marking this campaign for the fourth year, governments, partners and civil society are organizing various activities and commitments. These include:Chile will announce a pilot for self-collection with HPV testing, which will be incorporated as part of its health care reform and universal primary health care.China: Medical schools and hospitals will host a series of academic lectures, health runs, and illuminations to raise awareness across 31 cities. Democratic Republic of the Congo will host a 3-day forum to launch a national strategy for cervical cancer elimination, concluding with a march through Kinshasa for cervical cancer awareness. Ethiopia, with support from Gavi, will launch an HPV vaccination campaign aiming to reach over 7 million girls.India: Civil society groups in different states will host a series of activities that include awareness campaigns and trainings for health-care professionals. Ireland will launch its Action Plan to achieve cervical cancer elimination, one year after announcing its goal to achieve this milestone by 2040 on the Day of Action in 2023. Japan’s Ministry of Health, local municipalities, and hospitals will illuminate over 70 landmarks across the country during their annual Teal Blue Campaign.Nigeria will raise awareness through advocacy led by the Nigerian First Ladies Against Cancer. Rwanda will announce its goal to reach the 90-70-90 targets by the year 2027, three years ahead of the WHO goal.South Africa’s Department of Health will roll out health provider trainings in 3 provinces.Push for better testsWHO is launching new guidance on Target Product Profiles (TPPs) for HPV screening tests. This technical product outlines preferred standards for new HPV tests. The tests should be able to function even in remote areas in low- and middle-income country settings where disease burden is highest. The TPPs highlight the importance of tests that give women the option to collect their own samples for testing; and the value of tools that enable HPV testing in settings closer to where women receive care.The new publication aims to support innovation in the HPV testing market, emphasizing high-performance, low-cost, and accessible solutions, particularly transformative in resource-limited settings.Editor’s noteIn 2020, 194 countries resolved to eliminate a cancer for the first time and WHO launched the Global strategy to eliminate cervical cancer as a public health problem. This historic response to the WHO Director-General’s call to action in 2018 catalyzed a social movement and sparked an annual tradition, bringing communities across the world together for a Day of Action for Cervical Cancer Elimination.
Published: 2024-11-16 16:35:08
Measles cases surge worldwide, infecting 10.3 million people in 2023
Worldwide, there were an estimated 10.3 million cases of measles in 2023, a 20% increase from 2022, according to new estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Inadequate immunization coverage globally is driving the surge in cases.Measles is preventable with two doses of measles vaccine; yet more than 22 million children missed their first dose of measles vaccine in 2023. Globally, an estimated 83% of children received their first dose of measles vaccine last year, while only 74% received the recommended second dose.Coverage of 95% or greater of two doses of measles vaccine is needed in each country and community to prevent outbreaks and protect populations from one of the world’s most contagious human viruses.“Measles vaccine has saved more lives than any other vaccine in the past 50 years,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “To save even more lives and stop this deadly virus from harming the most vulnerable, we must invest in immunization for every person, no matter where they live.”“The number of measles infections are rising around the globe, endangering lives and health,” CDC Director Mandy Cohen said. “The measles vaccine is our best protection against the virus, and we must continue to invest in efforts to increase access.”As a result of global gaps in vaccination coverage, 57 countries experienced large or disruptive measles outbreaks in 2023, affecting all regions except the Americas, and representing a nearly 60% increase from 36 countries in the previous year. The WHO African, Eastern Mediterranean, European, South-East Asia and Western Pacific regions experienced a substantial upsurge in cases. Nearly half of all large or disruptive outbreaks occurred in the African region.An unacceptable death toll due to rising measles casesThe new data show that an estimated 107 500 people, mostly children younger than 5 years of age, died due to measles in 2023. Although this is an 8% decrease from the previous year, far too many children are still dying from this preventable disease. This slight reduction in deaths was mainly because the surge in cases occurred in countries and regions where children with measles are less likely to die, due to better nutritional status and access to health services.Even when people survive measles, serious health effects can occur, some of which are lifelong. Infants and young children are at greatest risk of serious complications from the disease, which include blindness, pneumonia, and encephalitis (an infection causing brain swelling and potentially brain damage).As measles cases surge and outbreaks increase, the world’s elimination goal, as laid out in Immunization Agenda 2030, is under threat. Worldwide, 82 countries had achieved or maintained measles elimination at the end of 2023. Just this week, Brazil was reverified as having eliminated measles, making the WHO Americas Region once again free of endemic measles. With the exception of the African Region, at least 1 country in all WHO regions has eliminated the disease.Urgent and targeted efforts by countries and partners, particularly in the African and Eastern Mediterranean regions, and in fragile, conflict-affected and vulnerable settings, are needed to vaccinate all children fully with two doses of measles vaccine. This requires achieving and maintaining high-performing routine immunization programmes and delivering high-quality, high-coverage campaigns when those programmes are not yet sufficient to protect every child. Countries and global immunization partners must also strengthen disease surveillance, including the Global Measles Rubella Laboratory Network (GMRLN). Strong disease surveillance is critical to optimizing immunization programmes and detecting and responding rapidly to measles outbreaks in order to mitigate their size and impact. Note to editorsProgress Toward Regional Measles Elimination — Worldwide, 2000–2023 is a joint publication of WHO and CDC. It is published within the WHO Weekly Epidemiological Record and in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. CDC and WHO use statistical modelling to estimate measles cases and deaths each year, based on cases reported by countries, and revise previous year's estimates to assess disease trends over time.CDC and WHO are founding members of the Measles & Rubella Partnership (M&RP), a global initiative to stop measles and rubella. Under the umbrella of Immunization Agenda 2030 and guided by the Measles and Rubella Strategic Framework 2030, M&RP’s mission includes addressing the decline in national vaccination coverage, hastening the recovery of the measles backsliding resulting from COVID-19 pandemic, and accelerating progress towards creating a world free of measles and rubella. The partnership also includes American Red Cross, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, United Nations Foundation, and UNICEF.Measles elimination is defined as the absence of endemic measles virus transmission in a region or other defined geographical area for more than 12 months. Conversely, a country is no longer considered to be measles free if the virus returns and transmission is sustained continuously for more than a year.For more information on CDC’s global measles vaccination efforts, visit https://www.cdc.gov/global-measles-vaccination.For more information on WHO’s measles response and support, visit https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/measles.
Published: 2024-11-14 10:48:03
Urgent action needed as global diabetes cases increase four-fold over past decades
The number of adults living with diabetes worldwide has surpassed 800 million, more than quadrupling since 1990, according to new data released in The Lancet on World Diabetes Day. The analysis, conducted by the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC) with support from the World Health Organization (WHO), highlights the scale of the diabetes epidemic and an urgent need for stronger global action to address both rising disease rates and widening treatment gaps, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).“We have seen an alarming rise in diabetes over the past three decades, which reflects the increase in obesity, compounded by the impacts of the marketing of unhealthy food, a lack of physical activity and economic hardship," said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “To bring the global diabetes epidemic under control, countries must urgently take action. This starts with enacting policies that support healthy diets and physical activity, and, most importantly, health systems that provide prevention, early detection and treatment.”The study reports that global diabetes prevalence in adults rose from 7% to 14% between 1990 and 2022. LMICs experienced the largest increases, where diabetes rates have soared while treatment access remains persistently low. This trend has led to stark global inequalities: in 2022, almost 450 million adults aged 30 and older – about 59% of all adults with diabetes – remained untreated, marking a 3.5-fold increase in untreated people since 1990. Ninety per cent of these untreated adults are living in LMICs.The study further reveals substantial global differences in diabetes rates, with the prevalence of diabetes among adults aged 18 and older around 20% in the WHO South-East Asia and the Eastern Mediterranean Regions. These two regions, together with the African Region, have the lowest rates of diabetes treatment coverage, with fewer than 4 in 10 adults with diabetes taking glucose-lowering medication for their diabetes.WHO’s commitment to global diabetes responseAddressing the soaring diabetes burden, WHO is also launching a new global monitoring framework on diabetes today. This product represents a crucial step in the global response, providing comprehensive guidance to countries in measuring and evaluating diabetes prevention, care, outcomes and impacts. By tracking key indicators such as glycaemic control, hypertension and access to essential medicines, countries can improve targeted interventions and policy initiatives. This standardized approach empowers countries to prioritize resources effectively, driving significant improvements in diabetes prevention and care.WHO’s Global Diabetes Compact, launched in 2021, includes the vision of reducing the risk of diabetes, and ensuring that all people who are diagnosed with diabetes have access to equitable, comprehensive, affordable and quality treatment and care. The work undertaken as part of the Compact will also support the prevention of type 2 diabetes from obesity, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity. In addition, the same year, a diabetes resolution was endorsed at the World Health Assembly urging Member States to raise the priority given to the prevention, diagnosis and control of diabetes as well as prevention and management of risk factors such as obesity.In 2022, WHO established five global diabetes coverage targets to be achieved by 2030. One of these targets is to ensure that 80% of people with diagnosed diabetes achieve good glycemic control. Today’s release underlines the scale and urgency of action needed to advance efforts to close the gap. The upcoming year 2025 presents a significant opportunity to catalyse action against the alarming rise in diabetes worldwide with the Fourth High-level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) to take place in September. This meeting brings heads of states and governments together to set a powerful vision for preventing and controlling NCDs, including diabetes, through a collective commitment to address root causes and improve access to detection and treatment. By aligning efforts towards the 2030 and 2050 goals, this high-level meeting is a pivotal moment for strengthening global health systems, including primary health care and halting the rise in the diabetes epidemic. Notes for editorsThe study released today was conducted by the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration (NCD-RisC), a worldwide network of over 1500 researchers and practitioners, in collaboration with WHO. It is the first global analysis of trends in both diabetes rates and treatment coverage that is based on data from over 140 million people aged 18 years or older that were included in more than 1000 studies covering populations in all countries. The study used an updated methodology of measuring diabetes prevalence in populations from previous studies to provide a more accurate overview of the global diabetes epidemic.
Published: 2024-11-13 23:30:51
IsDB joins efforts with WHO and development partners to promote health impact investment
The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) announced today an important grant allocation of US$ 10 million to WHO to implement the Health Impact Investment Platform (HIIP).
Published: 2024-11-12 09:44:46
WHO demands urgent integration of health in climate negotiations ahead of COP29
Ahead of the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference in Baku (COP29), the World Health Organization (WHO) calls for an end to reliance on fossil fuels and advocates for people-centred adaptation and resilience.Launching the COP29 special report on climate and health and a technical guidance on Healthy Nationally Determined Contributions, WHO urges world leaders at COP29 to abandon the siloed approach to addressing climate change and health. It stresses the importance of positioning health at the core of all climate negotiations, strategies, policies and action plans, to save lives and secure healthier futures for present and future generations.“The climate crisis is a health crisis, which makes prioritizing health and well-being in climate action not only a moral and legal imperative, but a strategic opportunity to unlock transformative health benefits for a more just and equitable future,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “COP29 is a crucial opportunity for global leaders to integrate health considerations into strategies for adapting to and mitigating climate change. WHO is supporting this work with practical guidelines and support for countries.”Bold health argument for climate actionDeveloped by WHO in collaboration with over 100 organizations and 300 experts, the COP29 special report on climate change and health identifies critical policies across three integrated dimensions – people, place and planet. The report outlines key actions aiming to protect all people, particularly the estimated 3.6 billion people who live in areas which are most susceptible to climate change.The report underlines the importance of the governance that integrates health in climate policy-making – and climate in health policy-making – being essential for progress. The report’s top recommendations include:make human health and well-being the top measure of climate success to catalyse progress and ensure people-centred adaptation and resilience; end fossil fuel subsidies and reliance by realigning economic and financial systems to protect both people's health and the environment, through investment in clean, sustainable alternatives that reduce pollution-related diseases and cut carbon emissions;mobilize financing for climate-health initiatives, particularly to strengthen responsive health systems and support the health workforce, creating resilient, climate-proof health systems to protect health and save lives;invest in proven solutions; just 5 interventions – from heat-health warning systems, to clean household energy, to efficient pricing of fossil fuels – would save almost 2 million lives a year, and bring US$ 4 in benefits for each dollar invested;build greater focus on the role of cities in health outcomes, through more sustainable urban design, clean energy, resilient housing, and improved sanitation; andincrease protections for and restoration of nature and biodiversity, recognizing the synergistic health benefits of clean air, water and food security.“Health is the lived experience of climate change,” said Dr Maria Neira, Director, Environment, Climate Change and Health, WHO. “By prioritizing health in every aspect of climate action, we can unlock significant benefits for public health, climate resilience, security, and economic stability. Health is the argument we need to catalyze urgent and large-scale action in this critical moment.”Enhanced WHO action on health and climateClimate NDCs or Nationally Determined Contributions are national plans and commitments made by countries under the Paris Agreement. While health is identified as a priority in 91% of the NDCs, few outline specific actions to leverage the health benefits of climate mitigation and adaptation or to protect health from climate-related risks.To support countries to better integrate health into their climate policies, WHO has released today WHO quality criteria for integrating health into Nationally Determined Contributions: Healthy NDCs. The guidance outlines practical actions for ministries of health, ministries of environment, and other health-determining sectors (e.g. transport, energy, urban planning, water and sanitation) to incorporate health considerations within their adaptation and mitigation policies and actions.This technical guidance serves as a concrete framework to implement the recommendations included in the WHO’s COP29 special report, addressing key areas such as leadership and enabling environment; national circumstances and policy priorities; mitigation; adaptation; loss and damage; finance; and implementation. Integrating health within climate plans will support:addressing health impacts: tackling the diverse health effects of climate change;strengthening health systems: enhancing climate resilience and decarbonization in health systems; andpromoting co-benefits: focusing on key sectors that have a strong influence both on health and climate change mitigation and adaptation, such as transportation and energy.In addition to its own initiatives, WHO convenes 90 countries and 75 partners through the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH). This platform was established to advance the commitments made at COP26 for building climate-resilient and sustainable health systems. ATACH promotes the integration of climate change and health nexus into respective national, regional, and global plans using the collective power of WHO Member States and other stakeholders to drive this agenda forward with urgency and scale.Quotes of supportAntónio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations:“The climate crisis is also a health crisis. Human health and planetary health are intertwined. Countries must take meaningful action to protect their people, boost resources, cut emissions, phase out fossil fuels, and make peace with nature. COP29 must drive progress towards those vital goals for the planet’s health and for people’s health.”Dr Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation:“The impact of climate change has to be measured in more than degrees: we have to account for lives saved, lost, and improved. The Rockefeller Foundation is working closely with the World Health Organization and many other partners to center health considerations in all climate action, including efforts to enable just energy transitions and to increase economic opportunities for people living in frontline communities.”Dr Vanessa Kerry, WHO Director-General Special Envoy for Climate Change Health:"This report exposes how the accelerating climate and health crisis impacts more than just our health – it undermines economies, deepens inequities, and fuels political instability. As leaders gather for COP29, we urge them to fast-track a just transition and increase funding for health systems and frontline health workers to protect the most vulnerable. Health must be central in climate discussions, metrics, and Nationally Determined Contributions. To safeguard people, economies, and global security, health must be at the heart of climate action. We can’t afford to wait."Dr Alan Dangour, Director of Climate & Health at Wellcome:“In every single country, climate change is costing lives, causing pain and suffering. It is a common crisis that must unite us to act, and act quickly. At COP29, countries must grasp the opportunity to commit to ambitious cross-government climate actions that both protect the planet and improves health for all. By working together, we can still change our current course and save lives.” Dr Micaela Serafini, President, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Switzerland:“Today, we are in an unacceptable situation where the world’s most vulnerable people are paying the highest price for a problem they did not cause. Solutions to safeguard their health must be prioritized, with the well-being of people placed at the heart of climate action. Failing to do so will take a toll on the very vitals of humanity.”Jagan Chapagain, Secretary General, The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC):“From the impacts of extreme heat to the spread of illnesses through floodwaters, from malnutrition as crops fail to mosquito-borne diseases where they haven’t been seen before, the climate crisis is the ultimate health crisis. This report is vital – highlighting how climate change makes us sick and what we need to do about it.”Jeni Miller, PhD, Executive Director, Global Climate and Health Alliance“Health workers are seeing the impacts of climate change firsthand, in the suffering of patients and communities they serve. During COP29, it is time for all governments to demonstrate readiness to protect people’s lives by getting serious about bold climate action. Wealthy governments must deliver the funding needed to help the most impacted countries to build their resilience and response to climate shocks. And together, governments must spell out how and when they will achieve the fossil fuel phase out promised at COP28, to deliver a full, healthy, and just clean energy transition.”Jaber Oufkir, Liaison Officer for Public Health Issues, The International Federation of Medical Students’ Association (IFMSA):The IFMSA envisions a world where climate change is fundamentally recognized as a health-care emergency. We foresee a future where the health sector leads the charge toward a net-zero economy, prioritizing sustainable practices and advocating for systemic changes. The climate crisis is not just an environmental issue; it’s a health crisis that impacts young people profoundly. Yet, youth voices are often absent from the conversations that could make a real difference. We strongly believe that young perspectives must be front and centre in the fight against climate change and highlight the importance of transparent intergenerational collaboration, creating a space where climate, health, and youth empowerment intersect for change. Our vision calls for actionable commitments from decision-makers to integrate health into Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), prioritize health equity, and integrate climate adaptation strategies into public health frameworks. We ultimately envision diligent efforts towards phasing out fossil fuels and taking necessary steps to ensure a sustainable future for all.
Published: 2024-11-07 09:32:52
Countries pledge to act on childhood violence affecting some 1 billion children
More than 100 governments today made historic commitments to end childhood violence, including nine pledging to ban corporal punishment – an issue that affects 3 out of every 5 children regularly in their homes. These commitments were made at a landmark event in Bogotá, Colombia, where government delegations are set to agree on a new global declaration aimed at protecting children from all kinds of violence, exploitation and abuse.Also at the event, which is hosted by the Governments of Colombia and Sweden together with the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF and the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, several countries committed to improve services for childhood violence survivors or tackle bullying, while others said they would invest in critical parenting support – one of the most effective interventions for reducing violence risks in the home.“Despite being highly preventable, violence remains a horrific day to day reality for millions of children around the world – leaving scars that span generations,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Today countries made critical pledges that, once enacted, could finally turn the tide on childhood violence. From establishing lifechanging support for families to making schools safer places or tackling online abuse, these actions will be fundamental to protecting children from lasting harm and ill health.”Over half of all children globally – some 1 billion – are estimated to suffer some form of violence, such as child maltreatment (including corporal punishment, the most prevalent form of childhood violence), bullying, physical or emotional abuse, as well as sexual violence. Violence against children is often hidden, mostly occurs behind closed doors, and is vastly underreported. WHO estimates that fewer than half of affected children tell anyone they experienced violence and under 10% receive any help.Such violence not only constitutes a grave violation of children’s rights but also increases the risk of immediate and long-term health issues. For some children, violence results in death or serious injury. Every 13 minutes, a child or adolescent dies as a result of homicide – equating to around 40 000 preventable deaths each year. For others, experiencing violence has devastating and life-long consequences. These include anxiety and depression, risky behaviours like unsafe sex, smoking and substance abuse, and reduced academic achievement.Evidence shows that violence against children is preventable, with the health sector having a critical role to play. Proven solutions include parenting support to help caregivers avoid violent discipline and build positive relationships with their children; school-based interventions to strengthen life and social skills for children and adolescents, and prevent bullying; child-friendly social and health services for children that experience violence; laws that prohibit violence against children and reduce underlying risk factors such as access to alcohol and guns, and efforts to ensure safer internet use for children. Research has shown that when countries effectively implement such strategies, they can reduce violence against children by as much as 20-50%.In line with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the first global targets for ending violence against children were established in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Progress in reducing overall prevalence of childhood violence has however been slow, despite gains in some individual countries. Around 9 in 10 children still live in countries where prevalent forms of childhood violence such as corporal punishment, or even sexual abuse and exploitation, are not yet prohibited by law.Over 1000 people are attending this first-ever Ministerial Conference on Violence against Children, including high-level government delegations, children, young people, survivor and civil society allies.Specific pledges at the event include among others, commitments to end physical punishment, to introduce new digital safety initiatives, increase the legally permitted age of marriage and to invest in parenting education and child protection. WHO provides significant support for efforts to end childhood violence, through technical guidance, guiding effective strategies for prevention and response, and conducting new research and data, including its global status reports. Key statisticsOver half of all children aged 2-17 – more than 1 billion – experience some form of violence each year.Around 3 in 5 children are regularly punished by physical means in their homes.1 in 5 girls and 1 in 7 boys experience sexual violence.Between 25% and 50% children are estimated to have experienced bullying.For adolescent males, violence – often involving firearms or other weapons - is now the leading cause of death. Notable pledgesEight countries pledged to pursue legislation against corporal punishment in all settings – Burundi, Czechia, Gambia, Kyrgyzstan, Panama, Sri Lanka, Uganda and Tajikistan – and Nigeria in schools.Dozens of countries committed to invest in parenting support.The Government of the United Kingdom along with other partners committed to launch a Global Taskforce on ending violence in and through schools.Tanzania committed to introduce Child Protection Desks in all 25 000 schools.Spain committed to pursue a new digital law to promote digital safety.Solomon Islands pledged to raise the age of marriage from 15 to 18 – noting that early marriage is a significant risk factor for violence against adolescent girls.Many countries made commitments to strengthen national policies and/or develop specific plans to tackle violence against children.All pledges
Published: 2024-11-07 06:03:45
Second round of polio campaign in Gaza completed amid ongoing conflict and attacks: UNICEF and WHO
The second round of the polio vaccination campaign in the Gaza Strip was completed yesterday, with an overall 556 774 children under the age of 10 being vaccinated with a second dose of polio vaccine, and 448 425 children between 2- to 10-years-old receiving vitamin A, following the three phases conducted in the last weeks. Administrative data confirm around 94% of the target population of 591 714 children under the age of 10 years received a second dose of nOPV2 across the Gaza Strip, which is a remarkable achievement given the extremely difficult circumstances the campaign was executed under. The campaign achieved 103% and 91% coverage in central and southern Gaza, respectively. However, in northern Gaza, where the campaign was compromised due to lack of access, approximately 88% coverage was achieved according to preliminary data. An estimated 7000-10 000 children in inaccessible areas like Jabalia, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun remain unvaccinated and vulnerable to the poliovirus. This also increases the risk of further spread of poliovirus in the Gaza Strip and neighbouring countries.The end of this second round concludes the polio vaccination campaign launched in September 2024. This round also took place in three phases across central, south and northern Gaza under area-specific humanitarian pauses. While the first two phases proceeded as planned, the third phase in northern Gaza had to be temporarily postponed on 23 October because of intense bombardments, mass displacements, lack of assured humanitarian pauses and access.After careful assessment of the situation by the technical committee, comprising the Palestinian Ministry of Health, World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), the campaign resumed on 2 November. However, the area under the assured humanitarian pauses comprising the campaign was substantially reduced, compared to the first round, as the access was limited to Gaza City. Due to hostilities, more than 150 000 people were forced to evacuate from North Gaza to Gaza City, which helped in accessing more children than anticipated.Despite these challenges, and thanks to the tremendous dedication, engagement and courage of parents, children, communities and health workers, the phase in northern Gaza was completed.At least two doses and a minimum of 90% vaccination coverage are needed in each community to stop circulation of the polio strain affecting Gaza. Efforts will now continue to boost immunity levels through routine immunization services offered at functional health facilities and to strengthen disease surveillance to rapidly detect any further poliovirus transmission (either in affected children or in environmental samples). The evolving epidemiology will determine if further outbreak response may be necessary.To fully implement surveillance and routine immunization services, not just for polio but for all vaccine-preventable diseases, WHO and UNICEF continue to call for a ceasefire. Further, apart from the attack on the primary healthcare centre, the campaign underscores what can be achieved with humanitarian pauses. These actions must be systematically applied beyond the polio emergency response efforts to other health and humanitarian interventions to respond to dire needs. Notes to editors:The polio campaign, being conducted by the Palestinian Ministry of Health in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), and other partners, was part of emergency efforts to stop a polio outbreak in Gaza, which was detected on 16 July 2024, and to prevent further spread of poliovirus.Since July 2024, circulating variant poliovirus type 2 has been confirmed in Gaza in 11 environmental samples has been confirmed in Gaza in a 10-month-old paralysed child (in August 2024).
Published: 2024-11-06 20:51:30
Vaccine doses allocated to 9 African countries hardest hit by mpox surge
The Access and Allocation Mechanism (AAM) for mpox has allocated an initial 899 000 vaccine doses for 9 countries across the African region that are hit hard by the current mpox surge. In collaboration with affected countries and donors, this decision aims to ensure that the limited doses are used effectively and fairly, with the overall objective to control the outbreaks.The AAM principals from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), UNICEF, and the World Health Organization (WHO) approved the allocation, following the recommendations of an independent Technical Review Committee of the Continental Incident Management Support Team for mpox. The decision was informed by country readiness and epidemiological data.The 9 countries are the Central African Republic, Cote d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda. The largest number of doses – 85% of the allocation – will go to the Democratic Republic of the Congo as the most affected country, reporting four out of every five laboratory-confirmed cases in Africa this year.These doses come from Canada, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the European Union (Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Germany, Luxemburg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal and Spain, as well as the European Union Health Emergency Response Authority), and the United States of America.The outbreak of mpox, particularly the surge of the viral strain clade Ib, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and neighbouring countries was declared a public health emergency of international concern by WHO and a public health emergency of continental security by Africa CDC in mid-August. This year, 19 countries in Africa have reported mpox, many of them newly affected by the viral disease. The epicentre of the outbreak remains the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with over 38 000 suspected cases and over 1000 deaths reported this year.Vaccination is recommended as a part of a comprehensive mpox response strategy, focusing also on timely testing and diagnosis, effective clinical care, infection prevention, and the engagement of affected communities. Vaccines play an important role and are recommended to reduce transmission and help contain outbreaks.In recent weeks, limited vaccination has begun in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda. This allocation to the 9 countries marks a significant step towards a coordinated and targeted deployment of vaccines to stop the mpox outbreaks.For most countries, the rollout of mpox vaccines will be a new undertaking. Implementing targeted vaccination requires additional resources. Partners of the mpox AAM, set up last month, are working to scale up the response. Further allocations of vaccines are expected before the end of the year. Notes to editorsKey points of the vaccination approach under the global and continental strategic preparedness and response plans:Vaccine availability: Over 5.85 million vaccine doses are expected to be available to the Mpox Vaccines AAM by the end of 2024, including the nearly 900 000 allocated doses. The supply includes contributions from multiple nations and organizations, including 1.85 million dose donations of MVA-BN from the European Union, United States, and Canada, 500 000 doses of MVA-BN from Gavi utilizing the First Response Fund, 500 000 doses procured through UNICEF, as well as a further 3 million doses of the LC16 vaccine from Japan.Phased vaccination strategy:• Phase 1: Stop outbreaks – Focused on interrupting transmission through targeted vaccination of people at highest risk of infection including contacts of confirmed cases, health-care workers, frontline responders, and key at-risk populations in areas with active human to human transmission.• Phase 2: Expand protection – To protect more people at risk in affected communities, as additional doses of vaccine are available. It targets individuals at high risk of severe disease – based on local epidemiology – in affected areas, focusing on regions with the highest incidence of mpox. Special attention will be given to vulnerable populations, including those living with HIV, internally displaced persons, and refugees, due to their increased risk of severe outcomes.• Phase 3: Protect for the future – Aimed at building population immunity to guard against future outbreaks as part of a longer-term mpox control programme.The first phase targets the vaccination of approximately 1.4 million people at risk of infection by the end of 2024, with an initial 2.8 million doses of the MVA-BN vaccine to be allocated for this effort.Maximizing the impact of vaccines through strategic vaccination is crucial: Implementing targeted vaccination approaches can reduce transmission by focusing on those at the highest risk of infection. This vaccination strategy prioritizes individuals at substantially higher risk of exposure, including close contacts – such as household members and sexual partners – of confirmed cases. A combination of prevention and control interventions are recommended to optimize the effectiveness of vaccination efforts.Demand planning for Phase 2: Current demand forecasts for Phase 2 estimate the need to vaccinate at least an additional 10 million individuals to protect high-risk groups across Africa. The projection is based on current epidemiological data and emerging information on transmission patterns. These estimates will be updated as more data becomes available, and the outbreak trajectory evolves.Regulatory and policy updates: The WHO Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) recommends off-label use of vaccines for children and pregnant women in outbreak settings. Urgent action is required to expedite regulatory pathways for vaccine approval across affected countries, ensuring timely access for infants and children. Additionally, delivery support must be strengthened to address in-country vaccine delivery challenges and ensure efficient distribution.
Published: 2024-11-06 16:03:52
WHO study lists top endemic pathogens for which new vaccines are urgently needed
A new World Health Organization (WHO) study published today in eBioMedicine names 17 pathogens that regularly cause diseases in communities as top priorities for new vaccine development. The WHO study is the first global effort to systematically prioritize endemic pathogens based on criteria that included regional disease burden, antimicrobial resistance risk and socioeconomic impact. The study reconfirms longstanding priorities for vaccine research and development (R&D), including for HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis – three diseases that collectively take nearly 2.5 million lives each year. The study also identifies pathogens such as Group A streptococcus and Klebsiella pneumoniae as top disease control priorities in all regions, highlighting the urgency to develop new vaccines for pathogens increasingly resistant to antimicrobials.“Too often global decisions on new vaccines have been solely driven by return on investment, rather than by the number of lives that could be saved in the most vulnerable communities,” said Dr Kate O’Brien, Director of the Immunization, Vaccines and Biologicals Department at WHO. “This study uses broad regional expertise and data to assess vaccines that would not only significantly reduce diseases that greatly impact communities today but also reduce the medical costs that families and health systems face.” WHO asked international and regional experts to identify factors that are most important to them when deciding which vaccines to introduce and use. The analysis of those preferences, combined with regional data for each pathogen, resulted in top 10 priority pathogens for each WHO region. The regional lists where then consolidated to form the global list, resulting in 17 priority endemic pathogens for which new vaccines need to be researched, developed and used.This new WHO global priority list of endemic pathogens for vaccine R&D supports the Immunization Agenda 2030’s goal of ensuring that everyone, in all regions, can benefit from vaccines that protect them from serious diseases. The list provides an equitable and transparent evidence base to set regional and global agendas for new vaccine R&D and manufacturing, and is intended to give academics, funders, manufacturers and countries a clear direction for where vaccine R&D could have the most impact. This global prioritization exercise for endemic pathogens, complements the WHO R&D blueprint for epidemics, which identified priority pathogens that could cause future epidemics or pandemics, such as COVID-19 or severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS). The findings of this new report on endemic pathogens are part of WHO’s work to identify and support the research priorities and needs of immunization programmes in low- and middle-income countries, to inform the global vaccine R&D agenda, and to strategically advance development and uptake of priority vaccines, particularly against pathogens that cause the largest public health burden and greatest socioeconomic impact. WHO Priority endemic pathogens listVaccines for these pathogens are at different stages of development.Pathogens where vaccine research is neededGroup A streptococcusHepatitis C virusHIV-1Klebsiella pneumoniae Pathogens where vaccines need to be further developedCytomegalovirusInfluenza virus (broadly protective vaccine)Leishmania speciesNon-typhoidal SalmonellaNorovirusPlasmodium falciparum (malaria)Shigella speciesStaphylococcus aureusPathogens where vaccines are approaching regulatory approval, policy recommendation or introductionDengue virusGroup B streptococcusExtra-intestinal pathogenic E. coliMycobacterium tuberculosisRespiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
Published: 2024-11-04 17:47:08
Statement by Principals of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee – Stop the assault on Palestinians in Gaza and on those trying to help them
We the leaders of 15 United Nations and humanitarian organizations urge, yet again, all parties fighting in Gaza to protect civilians, and call on the State of Israel to cease its assault on Gaza and on the humanitarians trying to help. The situation unfolding in North Gaza is apocalyptic. The area has been under siege for almost a month, denied basic aid and life-saving supplies while bombardment and other attacks continue. Just in the past few days, hundreds of Palestinians have been killed, most of them women and children, and thousands have once again been forcibly displaced. Hospitals have been almost entirely cut off from supplies and have come under attack, killing patients, destroying vital equipment, and disrupting life-saving services. Health workers and patients have been taken into custody. Fighting has also reportedly taken place inside hospitals. Dozens of schools serving as shelters have been bombed or forcibly evacuated. Tents sheltering displaced families have been shelled, and people have been burned alive. Rescue teams have been deliberately attacked and thwarted in their attempts to pull people buried under the rubble of their homes. The needs of women and girls are overwhelming and growing every day. We have lost contact with those we support and those who provide lifesaving essential services for sexual and reproductive health and gender-based violence. And we have received reports of civilians being targeted while trying to seek safety, and of men and boys being arrested and taken to unknown locations for detention. Livestock are also dying, crop lands have been destroyed, trees burned to the ground, and agrifood systems infrastructure has been decimated. The entire Palestinian population in North Gaza is at imminent risk of dying from disease, famine and violence. Humanitarian aid cannot keep up with the scale of the needs due to the access constraints. Basic, life-saving goods are not available. Humanitarians are not safe to do their work and are blocked by Israeli forces and by insecurity from reaching people in need. In a further blow to the humanitarian response, the polio vaccination campaign has been delayed due to the fighting, putting the lives of children in the region at risk. And this week, the Israeli Parliament adopted legislation that would ban UNRWA and revoke its privileges and immunities. If implemented, such measures would be a catastrophe for the humanitarian response in Gaza, diametrically opposed to the United Nations Charter, with potential dire impacts on the human rights of the millions of Palestinians depending on UNRWA’s assistance, and in violation of Israel’s obligations under international law. Let us be very clear: There is no alternative to UNRWA. The blatant disregard for basic humanity and for the laws of war must stop. International humanitarian law, including the rules of distinction, proportionality and precautions, must be respected. IHL obligations do not depend on reciprocity. No violation by one party ever releases the other from its legal obligations. Attacks against civilians and what remains of civilian infrastructure in Gaza must stop. Humanitarian relief must be facilitated, and we urge all parties to provide unimpeded access to affected people. Additionally, commercial goods must be allowed to enter Gaza. The wounded and sick must receive the care they need. Medical personnel and hospitals must be spared. Hospitals should not turn into battlegrounds. Unlawfully detained Palestinians must be released. Israel must comply with the provisional orders and determinations of the International Court of Justice. Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups must release the hostages immediately and unconditionally and must abide by international humanitarian law. Member States must use their leverage to ensure respect for international law. This includes withholding arms transfers where there is a clear risk that such arms will be used in violation of international law. The entire region is on the edge of a precipice. An immediate cessation of hostilities and a sustained, unconditional ceasefire are long overdue. Signatories: Ms. Joyce Msuya, Acting Emergency Relief Coordinator and Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Ms. Nimo Hassan, MBE, Chair, International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA) Mr. Jamie Munn, Executive Director, International Council of Voluntary Agencies (ICVA) Ms. Amy E. Pope, Director General, International Organization for Migration (IOM) Mr. Volker Türk, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Ms. Abby Maxman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Oxfam Ms. Paula Gaviria Betancur, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Internally Displaced Persons (SR on HR of IDPs) Mr. Achim Steiner, Administrator, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Ms. Anacláudia Rossbach, Executive Director, United Nations Human Settlement Programme (UN-Habitat) Mr. Filippo Grandi, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Ms. Catherine Russell, Executive Director, UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) Ms. Sima Bahous, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director, UN Women Ms. Cindy McCain, Executive Director, World Food Programme (WFP) Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO)
Published: 2024-11-01 17:39:35
Global Model WHO youth delegates urge swift action on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response
The World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA) and the World Health Organization concluded the first in-person Global Model WHO (GMWHO) today, marking a powerful gathering of over 350 youth delegates from 52 countries from all Regions.
Published: 2024-11-01 16:11:32
Quadripartite partners organize High-Level One Health meeting in collaboration with Brazil's Ministry of Health at the G20 Summit
The Quadripartite collaboration on One Health - comprising the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) - co-organized the G20 High-Level Meeting on One Health on 30 October 2024.
Published: 2024-11-01 15:43:34
Polio vaccination campaign to resume in northern Gaza
A third phase of the polio vaccination campaign is set to begin tomorrow in part of the northern Gaza Strip after being postponed from 23 October 2024 due to lack of access and assured, comprehensive humanitarian pauses, intense bombardment, and mass evacuation orders. These conditions made it impossible for families to safely bring their children for vaccination and to organize campaign activities. The humanitarian pause necessary to conduct the campaign has been assured; however, the area of the pause has been substantially reduced compared to the first round of vaccination in northern Gaza, conducted in September 2024. It is now limited to just Gaza City. Though in the past few weeks, at least 100 000 people have been forced to evacuate from North Gaza towards Gaza City for safety, around 15 000 children under ten years in towns in North Gaza like Jabalia, Beit Lahiya and Beit Hanoun still remain inaccessible and will be missed during the campaign, compromising its effectiveness. To interrupt poliovirus transmission, at least 90% of all children in every community and neighborhood must be vaccinated. This will be challenging to achieve given the situation. The final phase of the campaign had aimed to reach an estimated 119 000 children under ten years old in northern Gaza with a second dose of novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2). However, achieving this target is now unlikely due to access constraints. Despite the lack of access to all eligible children in northern Gaza, the Polio Technical Committee for Gaza, including the Palestinian Ministry of Health, World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and partners has taken the decision to resume the campaign. This aims to mitigate the risk of a long delay in reaching as many children as possible with polio vaccine and the opportunity to vaccinate those recently evacuated to Gaza City from other parts of North Gaza. To overcome challenges posed by the volatile security situation and constant population movement, robust micro plans have been developed to ensure the campaign is responsive to the significant population shifts and displacement in the north, following the first round in September. The campaign will be delivered by 216 teams across 106 fixed sites, 22 of which have been added to ensure increased availability of vaccination in areas where recently displaced people are seeking refuge. Two hundred and nine social mobilizers will be deployed to engage communities and raise awareness around vaccination efforts. The time period for the humanitarian pause has been extended by two hours and is expected to run from 6am to 4pm daily. As in the first two phases, vitamin A will also be co-administered to children between two to ten years in the north to help boost overall immunity. The campaign in northern Gaza follows the successful implementation of the first two phases of the second round in central and southern Gaza, which reached 451 216 children – 96% of the target in these areas. A total of 364 306 children aged between 2 and 10 years have received vitamin A so far in this round. Despite the challenges, WHO and UNICEF urge for the humanitarian pauses to be respected to ensure the successful delivery of this second round of the polio vaccination campaign. This is crucial to help curb the spread of polio in Gaza and neighboring countries.
Published: 2024-11-01 12:12:31
G20 health ministers rally support for WHO’s Investment Round
Ministers of Health expressed their support for WHO's Investment Round during a G20 meeting chaired by Brazil held today in Rio de Janeiro.
Published: 2024-10-31 18:48:12
WHO lists additional mpox diagnostic tests for emergency use
As part of ongoing efforts to enhance quality-assured testing options, the World Health Organization (WHO) has listed two additional mpox in vitro diagnostics under its Emergency Use Listing (EUL) procedure. WHO’s EUL is based on the review of quality, safety and performance data in compliance with international standards while addressing the specific needs of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing, which detects viral DNA, is considered the gold standard for diagnosing mpox infection.WHO listed the Xpert Mpox, a real-time PCR test manufactured by Cepheid under its EUL procedure, on 25 October. This test is designed for use on compatible GeneXpert systems. The Xpert Mpox test is easy to operate and delivers results in under 40 minutes. Once the cartridge is placed in the system, the process is fully automated, with real-time PCR detecting viral DNA of monkeypox virus clade II. The GeneXpert system is a near-point-of-care testing option, which can support decentralized testing.Another PCR-based option, the cobas MPXV assay, developed by Roche Molecular Systems, Inc., was listed on 14 October 2024. It is intended for use on the cobas 6800/8800 Systems. This tool is a real-time PCR test capable of detecting both mpox clades and delivering results in under 2 hours. It can process multiple samples simultaneously and is suitable for clinical laboratories that handle large volumes of tests.“Ensuring global access to mpox diagnostic tests that meet WHO standards for quality, safety and performance is essential for efficient and effective testing in settings affected by mpox outbreaks,” said Dr Rogerio Gaspar, WHO Director for Regulation and Prequalification. “Rapid access to those listed products is critical not only for prompt diagnosis and timely treatment but also for effectively containing the spread of the virus."WHO previously listed Alinity m MPXV assay, manufactured by Abbott Molecular Inc. under EUL on 3 October. In 2024, 19 countries in Africa have reported over 40 000 suspected mpox cases with most remaining unconfirmed due to limited testing capacity, especially in LMICs. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo—the hardest-hit country—testing has significantly increased in 2024, following efforts to decentralize testing with support from WHO and partners. However, the proportion of tested cases remains low, accounting for 40-50% of the suspected cases.WHO is working with manufacturers of the EUL-listed products and national regulatory authorities in affected countries to facilitate domestic registration or emergency listing. Fast-tracking approvals and applying reliance principles will enhance access to quality-assured mpox tests.Overall, WHO has received over 60 expressions of interest for the EUL review of mpox diagnostic tests. Seven of these progressed to EUL applications, with 2 products currently under review and 2 more expected soon.The status of active applications and listed mpox diagnostics under WHO EUL procedure can be seen on WHO webpages.After WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared mpox a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC) on 14 August 2024, WHO called on mpox in vitro diagnostic manufacturers to submit expressions of interest for Emergency Use Listing on 28 August 2024.WHO EUL is a risk-benefit assessment designed to meet urgent needs during public health emergencies based on limited available data, accelerating the availability of life-saving medical products such as vaccines, tests, and treatments. It assists decision-making for procurement by UN, partner agencies and Member States at international, regional and national levels. Under EUL, the manufacturers must commit to continue generating any missing information in order to fulfil prequalification requirements. Once this information is available, a prequalification application should be submitted to complete the full process for achieving a recommendation for international procurement in both emergency and non-emergency settings.Note to editorsOn 31 October 2024, a correction was made to the first sentence of the seventh paragraph of this news release as noted below.The sentence in the original news release read:In 2024, 18 countries have reported over 40 000 suspected mpox cases with most remaining unconfirmed due to limited testing capacity, especially in LMICs. This was changed to: In 2024, 19 countries in Africa have reported over 40 000 suspected mpox cases with most remaining unconfirmed due to limited testing capacity, especially in LMICs.
Published: 2024-10-30 12:24:19
WHO and partners activate Global Health Emergency Corps for the first time in response to mpox outbreak
In October 2024, WHO and partners, in collaboration with Member States, activated the Global Health Emergency Corps (GHEC) for the first time to provide support to countries facing mpox outbreaks.GHEC is a grouping of professionals with the objective of strengthening the response to health emergencies, and a collaboration platform for countries and health emergency networks. It supports countries on their health emergency workforce, the surge deployment of experts and the networking of technical leaders. GHEC was established by WHO in 2023 after the response to the COVID-19 pandemic revealed the need to streamline efforts of existing networks to ensure better-coordinated support to countries. “WHO and partners are supporting the government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and other countries to implement an integrated approach to case detection, contact tracing, targeted vaccination, clinical and home care, infection prevention and control, community engagement and mobilization, and specialized logistical support,” said Dr Mike Ryan, Executive Director of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme. “The GHEC enhances the ability of the many effective responders at national and regional levels to collaborate and ensure the success on the ground in interrupting transmission and reducing suffering.”The first activation of this new support mechanism follows the declaration of mpox as a public health emergency of international concern by WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on 14 August 2024. Eighteen African countries have reported mpox cases this year, and the rapid spread of clade 1b mpox to at least two other regions has raised concerns about further spread.In collaboration with the International Association of National Public Health Institutes, GHEC is assessing the emergency workforce capacities in 8 countries affected by the mpox outbreak, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Burundi, the two most affected countries. The assessment has so far identified 22 areas that need strengthening, including epidemiology and surveillance, laboratory capacities, infection prevention and control, risk communication and community engagement. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Health Cluster partners have joined in strengthening the coordination set up by the Ministry of Health under the leadership of the public health emergency operations centre. As of 17 October, WHO has managed the deployment of 56 experts to the affected countries. This includes WHO staff as well as experts mobilized through the Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN) and the African Volunteers Health Corps (AVoHC-SURGE). The AVoHC-SURGE responders, coordinated by WHO’s Regional Office for Africa and the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, are a growing cohort of professionals with diverse skillsets that can be deployed in the region. “By mobilizing trained professionals from within the continent, we ensure that responses are not only timely but also contextually relevant,” said Dr Abdou Salam Gueye, Regional Emergency Director for the WHO Regional Office for Africa. “The dedication and expertise of these responders are essential in saving lives and building resilient health systems capable of withstanding future threats.” Additionally, GOARN is leading the efforts to map the support provided by partners on a bilateral basis to affected countries and the regional coordination structure. This includes the provision of experts, supplies, financial support, capacity strengthening and other activities. As part of the GHEC activation, on 22 October, technical leaders from affected countries and leaders from other countries, including those who have experienced previous mpox outbreaks, convened to discuss the most effective control measures, share best practices and coordinate their efforts to halt the outbreak. Note to editors:GHEC was established by WHO in 2023 in response to the gaps and challenges identified during the COVID-19 response. It supports countries experiencing public health emergencies through three key pillars:Emergency workforce assessment: GHEC conducts assessments of emergency workforce capacities in affected countries to identify gaps and challenges hindering an effective response.Rapid deployment of surge capacities: Countries can request support from various pools of experts with specific skill sets tailored to the identified needs. These experts can be rapidly deployed to affected countries to support the emergency response.Leadership network: Countries nominate representatives to connect with other leaders to share best practices and coordinate the response. Leaders include representatives from national public health agencies, national emergency operation centres or other disease experts.
Published: 2024-10-29 08:55:31
Tuberculosis resurges as top infectious disease killer
The World Health Organization (WHO) today published a new report on tuberculosis revealing that approximately 8.2 million people were newly diagnosed with TB in 2023 – the highest number recorded since WHO began global TB monitoring in 1995. This represents a notable increase from 7.5 million reported in 2022, placing TB again as the leading infectious disease killer in 2023, surpassing COVID-19. WHO’s Global Tuberculosis Report 2024 highlights mixed progress in the global fight against TB, with persistent challenges such as significant underfunding. While the number of TB-related deaths decreased from 1.32 million in 2022 to 1.25 million in 2023, the total number of people falling ill with TB rose slightly to an estimated 10.8 million in 2023. With the disease disproportionately affecting people in 30 high-burden countries, India (26%), Indonesia (10%), China (6.8%), the Philippines (6.8%) and Pakistan (6.3%) together accounted for 56% of the global TB burden. According to the report, 55% of people who developed TB were men, 33% were women and 12% were children and young adolescents. “The fact that TB still kills and sickens so many people is an outrage, when we have the tools to prevent it, detect it and treat it,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “WHO urges all countries to make good on the concrete commitments they have made to expand the use of those tools, and to end TB.”In 2023, the gap between the estimated number of new TB cases and those reported narrowed to about 2.7 million, down from COVID-19 pandemic levels of around 4 million in 2020 and 2021. This follows substantial national and global efforts to recover from COVID-related disruptions to TB services. The coverage of TB preventive treatment has been sustained for people living with HIV and continues to improve for household contacts of people diagnosed with TB. However, multidrug-resistant TB remains a public health crisis. Treatment success rates for multidrug-resistant or rifampicin-resistant TB (MDR/RR-TB) have now reached 68%. But, of the 400 000 people estimated to have developed MDR/RR-TB, only 44% were diagnosed and treated in 2023. Funding gaps and challengesGlobal funding for TB prevention and care decreased further in 2023 and remains far below target. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), which bear 98% of the TB burden, faced significant funding shortages. Only US$ 5.7 billion of the US$ 22 billion annual funding target was available in 2023, equivalent to only 26% of the global target.The total amount of international donor funding in LMICs has remained at around US$1.1 – 1.2 billion per year for several years. The United States government remains the largest bilateral donor for TB. The While Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund) is the top contribution to international funder of the TB response, especially in LMICs. is important, it remains However, resources remain insufficient to cover essential TB service needs. The report emphasizes that sustained financial investment is crucial for the success of TB prevention, diagnosis, and treatment efforts.Globally, TB research remains severely underfunded with only one-fifth of the US$ 5 billion annual target reached in 2022. This impedes the development of new TB diagnostics, drugs, and vaccines. WHO continues leading efforts to advance the TB vaccine agenda, including with the support of the TB Vaccine Accelerator Council launched by the WHO Director-General.Complex drivers of the epidemicFor the first time, the report provides estimates on the percentage of TB-affected households that face catastrophic costs (exceeding 20% of annual household income) to access TB diagnosis and treatment in all LMICs. These indicate that half of TB-affected households face such catastrophic costs. A significant number of new TB cases are driven by 5 major risk factors: undernutrition, HIV infection, alcohol use disorders, smoking (especially among men), and diabetes. Tackling these issues, along with critical determinants like poverty and GDP per capita, requires coordinated multisectoral action.“We are confronted with a multitude of formidable challenges: funding shortfalls and catastrophic financial burden on those affected, climate change, conflict, migration and displacement, pandemics, and drug-resistant tuberculosis, a significant driver of antimicrobial resistance,” said Dr Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Global Tuberculosis Programme. “It is imperative that we unite across all sectors and stakeholders, to confront these pressing issues and ramp up our efforts.” Global milestones and targets for reducing the TB disease burden are off-track, and considerable progress is needed to reach other targets set for 2027 ahead of the second UN High-Level Meeting. WHO calls on governments, global partners, and donors to urgently translate the commitments made during the 2023 UN High-Level Meeting on TB into tangible actions. Increased funding for research, particularly for new TB vaccines, is essential to accelerate progress and achieve the global targets set for 2027.Note to editorsOn 31 October 2024, a correction was made to this news release as noted below.The sentence in the original news release read:The total amount of international donor funding in LMICs has remained at around US$ 1.1–1.2 billion per year for several years. The United States government remains the largest bilateral donor for TB. While the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund) contribution to international funding of the TB response, especially in LMICs, is important, it remains insufficient to cover essential TB service needs. This was changed to:The total amount of international donor funding in LMICs has remained at around US$1.1--1.2 billion per year for several years. The United States government remains the largest bilateral donor for TB. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (the Global Fund) is the top international funder of the TB response especially in LMICs however resources remain insufficient to cover essential TB service needs.
Published: 2024-10-29 08:51:06
Intense bombardments, mass displacements and lack of access in northern Gaza force the postponement of polio vaccination campaign
Due to the escalating violence, intense bombardment, mass displacement orders, and lack of assured humanitarian pauses across most of northern Gaza, the Polio Technical Committee for Gaza, including the Palestinian Ministry of Health, World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and partners have been compelled to postpone the third phase of the polio vaccination campaign, which was set to begin today. This final phase of the ongoing campaign aimed to vaccinate 119 279 children across northern Gaza.The current conditions, including ongoing attacks on civilian infrastructure continue to jeopardize people’s safety and movement in northern Gaza, making it impossible for families to safely bring their children for vaccination, and health workers to operate.All logistics, supplies and trained human resources were prepared to vaccinate children across northern Gaza with a second dose of novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2), following a first round conducted across the Gaza Strip from 1-12 September 2024. However, given that the area currently approved for temporary humanitarian pauses was substantially reduced—now limited only to Gaza City, a significant decrease from the first round—many children in northern Gaza would have missed out on the polio vaccine dose.To interrupt poliovirus transmission, at least 90% of all children in every community and neighborhood must be vaccinated – a prerequisite for an effective campaign to interrupt the outbreak and prevent its further spread. Humanitarian pauses are essential for its success, allowing partners to deliver vaccination supplies to health facilities, families to safely access vaccination sites, and mobile teams of health workers to reach children in their communities. A delay in administering a second dose of nOPV2 within six weeks reduces the impact of two closely spaced rounds on concurrently boosting the immunity of all children and interrupting poliovirus transmission. Having a significant number of children miss out on their second vaccine dose will seriously jeopardize efforts to stop the transmission of poliovirus in Gaza. This could also lead to further spread of poliovirus in the Gaza Strip and neighboring countries, with the risk of more children being paralyzed.Since the rollout of the second round of the polio campaign in Gaza on 14 October 2024, 442 855 children under ten years have been successfully vaccinated in central and south of the Gaza Strip– 94% of the target in these areas. A total of 357 802 children between two to ten years received vitamin A supplements as part of efforts to integrate the delivery of polio vaccine with other essential health services in Gaza.It is imperative to stop the polio outbreak as soon as possible, before more children are paralyzed and poliovirus spreads further. It is crucial therefore that the vaccination campaign in northern Gaza is facilitated through the implementation of the humanitarian pauses, ensuring access for wherever eligible children are located. WHO and UNICEF urge all parties to ensure that civilians, health workers, and civilian infrastructure, such as schools, shelters, hospitals, are protected and renew their call for an immediate ceasefire.
Published: 2024-10-23 07:22:09
Patients transferred, critical supplies denied as high-risk, on WHO-led joint mission in northern Gaza amid intense hostilities
On 21 October, 14 patients and 10 caregivers were transferred from Kamal Adwan in North Gaza to Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City during a high-risk, WHO-led joint mission, amid intense hostilities and access restrictions. Despite an initial agreement, the delivery of critical medical supplies, blood, and fuel – resources essential for keeping Kamal Adwan and Al-Awda hospitals operational – was denied just a few hours before the mission began on 20 October. The mission lasted two days, with the team facing delays at successive checkpoints, and during extensive security screenings. The team was forced to stay overnight at Kamal Adwan Hospital, as they were not cleared to proceed to Al-Shifa hospital due to active conflict in the area. Heavy bombardment continued near the hospital throughout the night, causing distress among patients, health workers and the mission team. The team was only able to proceed to Al-Shifa Hospital around midday on 21 October. En route to Al-Shifa, all patients were taken out of the ambulances for a security screening. Some patients on stretchers were left lying on the ground for some time during the screening was conducted, while some partner staff were subjected to humiliating treatment. This was the fourth WHO mission to the north of Gaza since 1 October. So far this month, out of the 21 missions requested by WHO, only 6 were facilitated, the majority being denied or impeded. Kamal Adwan Hospital remains partially functional but is struggling to meet growing needs due to intensified hostilities in the north and a shortage of medical supplies and fuel. A strike near the hospital causing damages to the gate was reported earlier today, 22 October. Currently, there are 95 patients in the hospital, including 15 in intensive care (including four requiring continuous life support) seven of whom are children. Over the last two days, at least 200 severely injured people and 53 dead bodies have been brought to the already overwhelmed hospital. Damaged roads, combined with ongoing hostilities, are severely disrupting safe access to the hospital. If patients, ambulances, and health workers are unable to reach the facility, and partners cannot resupply it, the hospital may soon become non-functional. As hostilities intensify in North Gaza, WHO is deeply concerned about the last two functional hospitals – Kamal Adwan and Al-Awda – which must be protected. A complete lack of health care in North Gaza would make an already catastrophic situation worse, and lead to more lives being lost. One year on, health care continues to be attacked and deprived of supplies and fuel, while WHO’s ability to regularly reach health facilities is severely compromised due to mission delays and denials. WHO reiterates its call for unimpeded access to health facilities, reliable and timely facilitation of missions, sustained flow of aid into and across Gaza, protection of health care, and above all a ceasefire.
Published: 2024-10-22 17:28:52
WHO global network expands digital health certification for Hajj pilgrims
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced a new milestone digital health collaboration today to expand the Hajj health card initiative to support the roughly 3 million pilgrims who undertake the holy pilgrimage every year.The Hajj health card, built on the WHO Global Digital Health Certification Network’s public key infrastructure, summarizes critical health information, such as medication needs, allergies, immunization status and pre-existing conditions. The card gives individuals agency over their own health information when they travel to Saudi Arabia so that they can provide authorized health providers access to accurate, up-to-date patient summary information and obtain personalized quality care. “Today marks a notable progress in WHO’s support to Member States to expand access to safer and person-centered digital health tools for people to improve their access to quality health care when and where they need it,” said Dr Jeremy Farrar, WHO Chief Scientist. “We are thankful for the excellent collaboration with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, participating countries, and the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, and look forward to further support building capacity and infrastructure in countries shifting to more digitized health systems.”The Hajj is the largest pilgrimage in the world, drawing almost 3 million pilgrims from over 180 countries every year. Over 250 000 pilgrims from 3 countries, Indonesia, Malaysia and Oman, were issued Hajj health cards in 2024, as part of the pilot collaboration between WHO and Saudi Arabia. This test-phase demonstrated that each country was able to use global standards to issue their own national versions of the card, enhancing the pilgrims’ safety and quality of care while undertaking the Hajj.WHO and Saudi Arabia agreed to further collaborate to improve and expand upon the successful pilot programme for the Hajj health card. The expertise and support from the Saudi government and their digital implementing partner LEAN, will enable increased data security and essential technical support to additional countries joining the Hajj health card programme. “This exciting partnership between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the World Health Organization to expand the Hajj health card initiative enhances the safety and well-being of millions of pilgrims,” said Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO). “By leveraging digital health solutions, we strengthen quality of care, and help strengthen health systems in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and around the world."Eighty countries joined the WHO’s digital health certification networkWHO launched the Global Digital Health Certification Network (GDHCN) in 2023 building on a successful collaboration with the European Union and other partnering countries to support COVID-19 vaccination certificates. The GDHCN now includes over 80 WHO Member States that have established systems to verify the authenticity of health information between each other, leveraging a new global ISO standard, IPS – the International Patient Summary. The GDHCN is based on a robust public key infrastructure (PKI) encryption system that keeps health credentials verifiable and secure, allowing national authorities and health providers to trust the authenticity of health documents across borders without compromising individual privacy.The initiative aims to bring a digital health future where people can carry internationally recognized health credentials for improved travel and health care access. This enables greater access and control for people over their health information with the ability to select and decide which health information should be shared when seeking care domestically or abroad.By joining WHO’s certification network, countries can cut down on administration processes, making border controls more efficient and health visits better informed. The global network lays the groundwork for long-term improvements in international health collaboration, enabling future use-cases such as cross-border e-prescriptions, insurance, and even telemedicine.
Published: 2024-10-21 09:47:55
Egypt is certified malaria-free by WHO
The World Health Organization (WHO) has certified Egypt as malaria-free, marking a significant public health milestone for a country with more than 100 million inhabitants. The achievement follows a nearly 100-year effort by the Egyptian government and people to end a disease that has been present in the country since ancient times.
Published: 2024-10-19 15:48:52
WHO in Lebanon working to stop cholera spread amid conflict
On 16 October, the Ministry of Public Health of Lebanon confirmed a cholera case, highlighting the escalating health risks amidst ongoing conflict. The case was identified in Akkar governorate in the north of the country, marking the first case since the October 2022-June 2023 outbreak was declared over. Authorities are investigating the extent of the disease’s spread, gathering samples from the patient’s contacts, and assessing potential water contamination. “WHO has been sounding the alarm on the risk of emerging infectious diseases like cholera resurfacing in Lebanon as a result of poor water and sanitation conditions and the impact of the current conflict,” said Dr Abdinasir Abubakar, WHO Representative in Lebanon. “Our immediate focus now is to enhance surveillance and water sanitation conditions to interrupt transmission and prevent further spread.”The current resurgence occurs as conflict strains Lebanon’s already overburdened health system, exacerbating displacement, and contributing to a further decline in water and sanitation services and infrastructure. Overcrowded shelters are not equipped to accommodate the increasing number of displaced people, raising the risks of the spread of cholera.WHO is collaborating closely with the Ministry of Health and partners, leveraging lessons from the last outbreak in October 2022 to contain the disease outbreak and prevent its spread. The 2022-2023 outbreak was the first in Lebanon in over 30 years and was driven by economic decline and inadequate access to clean water and sanitation, resulting in 8,007 suspected cases, 671 lab-confirmed cases, and 23 deaths.Earlier in August, the Ministry of Public Health launched a preemptive oral cholera vaccination campaign in coordination with WHO, UHNCR, UNICEF and other partners, targeting 350 000 people living in high-risk areas. The campaign, which was interrupted by the escalation in violence, aimed to cover individuals aged one year and above residing in high-risk areas in 5 out of Lebanon’s 8 governorates.In response to the detection of the current case, WHO has immediately activated a cholera preparedness and response plan to enhance surveillance and contact tracing, including environmental surveillance and water sampling, strengthen laboratory testing capacity, preposition cholera supplies and support infection prevention and control measures in designated treatment centre facilities.On 4 and 5 October, a WHO shipment of essential health supplies arrived in Beirut to support the response to the ongoing emergency. The shipment of over 116 metric tons included cholera supplies as part of the preparedness and response plan. WHO will continue to procure and preposition essential cholera supplies, including laboratory supplies.As part of the efforts to contain the outbreak, WHO and the Ministry of Public Health will explore whether to introduce oral cholera vaccines in high-risk areas to interrupt the transmission as early as possibleWHO is also supporting the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre at the Ministry of Public Health to coordinate response activities at national and subnational level in coordination with the health sector. These response activities include maintaining essential health services to ensure no interruption of health delivery while supporting case identification and management at health facilities, as well as strengthening risk communication and community engagement activities so that people are aware of symptoms, risk factors and preventive measures.By implementing the comprehensive cholera preparedness and response plan, WHO together with MoPH and partners aims to limit transmission, reduce the burden of the disease, and improve overall health outcomes.
Published: 2024-10-17 17:29:01
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