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2017 Year in review: Key health issues

WHO

This was a year of major achievements for WHO - from responding to disease outbreaks and crises, to shaping global policy, to the election of a new Director-General.

Review and relive some of the biggest health stories from WHO in 2017.

• 2017 Year in review

• Health inequalities
• Universal health coverage
• Health services
• Flu

Addressing health inequalities in Indonesia

Puskesmas Senen

19 December 2017 – WHO has published its first ever joint report with a Member State presenting a comprehensive assessment of health inequalities within a country. Age, sex, economic status, education and where a person lives, can all affect peoples’ state of health and access to health services. State of health inequality: Indonesia identifies priority areas for action to ensure that, when it comes to essential health, ‘no one is left behind’.

• Feature story
• Report

Tokyo declaration on universal health coverage

WHO

18 December 2017 – Health is a human right. But we have a long way to go until everyone can get the quality health care they need and deserve. The historic Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Forum in Tokyo, held on 12–15 December, culminated in a declaration to galvanize action toward #HealthforAll.

• UHC Forum
• News release
• Declaration
  pdf, 430kb

Half the world lacks access to essential health services

13 December 2017 – At least half of the world’s population cannot obtain essential health services, according to a new report from the World Bank and WHO. And each year, large numbers of households are being pushed into poverty because they must pay for health care out of their own pockets. Currently, 800 million people spend at least 10% of their household budgets on health expenses for themselves, a sick child or other family member.

• News release
• Fact sheet

Up to 650 000 people die of respiratory diseases due to seasonal flu yearly

14 December 2017 – According to new calculations, this marks an increase on the previous global estimate of 250 000 – 500 000, which dates from over ten years ago and covered all influenza-related deaths, including cardiovascular disease or diabetes. The new figures of 290 000 – 650 000 deaths are based on more recent data from a larger, more diverse group of countries, including lower middle income countries, and exclude deaths from non-respiratory diseases.

• News release

Highlights

• Situation update on meningitis C epidemic risk
  December 2017 – As bacterial meningitis season begins in West Africa this year, a convergence of factors is threatening the region with large outbreaks.

• WHO helps Nigeria control cholera in Borno state
  Nigeria has successfully contained a 5-month cholera outbreak in conflict-affected Borno state, with support from WHO and other partners. The Government announced the end of the outbreak on 21 December after 2 weeks had passed with no new cases.
• Ethiopia is working jointly with the UN System to strengthen the national NCD response
  December 2017 – All-of-government action is needed to prevent and control the health and development impacts of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in Ethiopia.

• South Sudan implements the second round of oral cholera vaccination
  December 2017 – As part of the ongoing cholera response, the Ministry of Health of South Sudan with support from WHO and partners has deployed cholera vaccines to complement traditional cholera response.
  From the 2 178 177 doses secured by WHO in 2017, a total of 1 133 579 doses have already been deployed.