News and top stories

Keeping Lebanon’s food safe

9 March 2015-- In Lebanon, food is considered a national treasure, and the country’s cuisine is appreciated worldwide. However, in recent years Lebanon’s government has observed an increase in foodborne illnesses. World Health Day, 7 April 2015, will highlight the importance of food safety, under the theme of "From farm to plate, make food safe." WHO's campaign raises awareness on the need for action by all involved in the food chain to ensure the safety of food, from production to consumption and all steps in between.

Ten top issues for women's health

6 March 2015 -- International Women’s Day is a day to celebrate women and their achievements. It’s also a day to take stock of how women’s rights, especially the right to health, are fulfilled in the world. Women still face many health problems. 8 March is an opportunity to re-commit to addressing issues ranging from cancer to reproductive health, from mental health to HIV. That’s why WHO and its partners are developing a new global strategy for women’s, children’s, and adolescents’ health.

Ebola vaccine efficacy trial ready to launch in Guinea

5 March 2015 -- Based on promising data from initial clinical trials in late 2014, WHO, with the Health Ministry of Guinea, Médecins Sans Frontières, Epicentre and The Norwegian Institute of Public Health, will launch a Phase III trial in Guinea on 7 March to test the VSV-EBOV vaccine for efficacy and effectiveness to prevent Ebola. The vaccine was developed by the Public Health Agency of Canada. A second vaccine will be tested in a sequential study, as supply becomes available.

Reducing sugars intake among adults and children

4 March 2015 --- A new WHO guideline recommends adults and children reduce their daily intake of free sugars to less than 10% of their total energy intake. An additional reduction to below 5% of total energy intake or roughly 25 grams (6 teaspoons) per day would provide additional health benefits. Much of the sugars consumed today are “hidden” in processed foods that are not usually seen as sweets.

Keeping communities safe from contaminated waste

2 March 2015 -- Every day, every bed in an Ebola treatment unit creates approximately 300 litres of liquid waste. Managing this waste has been a challenge in the Ebola outbreak in Liberia. WHO is working with partners to ensure this waste is effectively decontaminated and no longer poses a threat to health.

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Ebola outbreak


Highlights

  • WHO Framework Convention celebrates 10 years action against tobacco
    February 2015 – Tomorrow marks 10 years since the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control came into being. Since then it has been endorsed by 180 Parties, covering 90% of the world’s population and “stands out as the single most powerful preventive instrument available to public health,” according to Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General. “We know it works. It averts addiction to a deadly product.”
  • WHO calls for scaled-up vaccination against measles
    February 2015 -- The WHO Regional Office for Europe calls on policy-makers, health-care workers and parents to immediately step up vaccination against measles across age groups at risk. This will help to put an end to outbreaks occurring in countries in the WHO European Region and to prevent similar outbreaks in the future.

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