News and top stories

Urgent health needs for refugees and migrants

Migrant photo
EPA/H. Oczeret

3 September 2015 -- The large influx of refugees and migrants to countries of the WHO European Region, which has escalated in the past few months, calls for an urgent response to their health needs. Actions are needed between and within countries as well as among sectors. WHO is providing technical and on-site assistance to affected countries, with the training of health personnel and delivery of emergency kits to address the health needs of refugees and migrants.

World Hepatitis Summit harnesses global momentum towards elimination

EPA/P. Adhikary

2 September 2015 -- The participants at the first-ever World Hepatitis Summit, 2-4 September 2015, urge countries to develop national programmes that can ultimately eliminate viral hepatitis as a problem of public health concern. WHO is launching a new manual for the development and assessment of national viral hepatitis plans at the summit.

Guinea ring vaccination trial extended to Sierra Leone to vaccinate contacts of new Ebola case

WHO team is organizing intensive response to the new Ebola case reported in Kambia, Sierra Leone, 31 August 2015
WHO/S. Gborie

31 August 2015 -- Detection of a new case of Ebola virus disease in Kambia, Sierra Leone, after the country had marked almost 3 weeks of zero cases has set in motion the first "ring vaccination" use of the experimental Ebola vaccine in Sierra Leone. The source of Ebola virus transmission is being investigated and all the people who may have been in contact with the infected person are being traced.

The road to redemption: Ebola infection prevention and control

Redemption Hospital, Monrovia, Liberia
WHO/S. Saporito

28 August 2015 -- Redemption Hospital is the only public health facility in the area and serves some 90 000 people. In August 2014, the hospital was at the centre of the Ebola epidemic in Liberia. It quickly became overwhelmed and, for a time, had to close its inpatient department. Now, the community and its health workers feel safer coming to the hospital since adequate infection, prevention and control measures are in place.

Water, sanitation and hygiene to eliminate neglected tropical diseases

Children holding cups.
WaterAid/T. Greenwood

27 August 2015 -- WHO releases a global plan today to better integrate water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services with other public health interventions to accelerate progress in eliminating and eradicating neglected tropical diseases by 2020. Targeted water and sanitation interventions are expected to bolster ongoing efforts to tackle 16 neglected tropical diseases that affect more than 1 billion of the world’s most vulnerable populations.

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Emergencies

Ebola outbreak » MERS-CoV outbreak »

WHO fact sheets

Measles vaccination campaign, Liberia

Highlights

  • Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and the Hajj
    September 2015 -- The International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee regarding the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) noted that progress to control the virus is not yet sufficient and until this is achieved, the world will remain at significant risk for further outbreaks. The current outbreak is also occurring near the start of the Hajj and many pilgrims will return to countries with weak surveillance and health systems.
  • Ebola features map update
    August 2015 -- This interactive timeline highlights the events of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The timeline links to stories of the people who responded, the people who survived and the communities who stood up and faced this disease.

Disease outbreak news

Emergency reform

WHO is reforming its work in outbreaks and emergencies with health and humanitarian consequences to ensure the Organization can respond rapidly to future crises.

Commentary

Dr Gottfried Hirnschall, Director, Global Hepatitis Programme - Hepatitis: 'by applying the tools already in hand to expand access to lifesaving measures, we can dramatically reduce the burden from this disease.'
WHO

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What we do

Dr Chan, WHO Director-General, visits Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India, three of the four countries where indigenous transmission of wild poliovirus has not yet been interrupted.
WHO

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