Beating cardiovascular disease

22 September 2016 – A new initiative from WHO and partners, the Global Hearts Initiative, has been launched to respond to the world’s leading cause of death, cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes. Scaling up tobacco control, reducing salt consumption and strengthening primary health care services to reduce cardiovascular risk factors such as high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol are the focuses of the Global Hearts Initiative.

Global leaders commit to act on antimicrobial resistance

21 September 2016 – World leaders today signalled an unprecedented level of attention to curb the spread of infections that are resistant to antimicrobial medicines. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) happens when bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi develop resistance against medicines that were previously able to cure them. A broad, coordinated approach will now be taken to address AMR through human health, animal health and agriculture.

UN Commission: Investments in health workforce drive growth

20 September 2016 – The Presidents of France and South Africa today called for urgent investments globally to create new jobs in the health sector to prevent a shortfall of 18 million health workers and to maximize the social and economic benefits of increased health employment. Demand for 40 million new health workers is expected worldwide by 2030, a doubling of the current global health workforce.

Promoting health: It’s our health, our future, our choice

16 September 2016 – How can everyone on the planet, from people living in cities to remote communities, attain the highest level of health? All-of-government action, healthy environments and an empowered and informed public are essential. A healthy population is also key to advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The 9th Global conference on health promotion, being held this November in Shanghai, will profile these and other innovative actions to promote health.

Resetting the yellow fever strategy

16 September 2016 – A coalition of partners working to stop yellow fever outbreaks met in Geneva on 12 September 2016 to develop a new strategy - Eliminating Yellow fever Epidemics (EYE). This strategy aims to protect the populations most at risk, ensure a ready supply of yellow fever vaccine, build resilience in urban centres and prevent international spread.

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Highlights

  • WHO certifies Sri Lanka malaria-free
    September 2016 − In a remarkable public health achievement, Sri Lanka was certified today by WHO on having eliminated malaria, a life-threatening disease which long affected the island country.

Emergency reform

The WHO emergency reform process encompasses governance reform, managerial reform, and further development of emergency capacities.

Zika virus and complications

After a spike in cases of microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome associated with Zika virus, WHO declared a public health emergency.

Commentaries

Superbugs: Why we need action now

"The world is in the midst of a different kind of public health emergency, one that is just as dramatic but not as visible. Except for the headline-grabbing 'superbugs,' antimicrobial resistance (AMR) doesn’t cause much public alarm."

Dr Monique Eloit Director General of the World Organisation for Animal Health
Jose Graziano da Silva, Director-General, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and
Dr Margaret Chan, the Director-General of WHO


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