Latest news

Tajikistan builds towards universal health coverage

WHO

28 March 2018 – In 2013 the Tajik Ministry of Health and Social Protection, with the support of WHO, set up a disability and rehabilitation programme to develop national policy and services.

In the spirit of universal health coverage, all services are free of charge to people with disabilities. More than 170 000 men, women and children have benefitted from the Programme since 2017.

• Feature story

• Tuberculosis
• Lassa fever
• Water and sanitation
• DG's visit

Wanted: Leaders for a TB-free world

23 March 2018 – The theme of World TB Day 2018 is "Wanted: Leaders for a TB-free world". The day focuses on building commitment to end TB, not only at the political level with Heads of State and Ministers of Health, but at all levels from Mayors, Governors, parliamentarians and community leaders, to people affected with TB, civil society advocates, health workers, doctors or nurses, NGOs and other partners. All can be leaders of efforts to end TB in their own work or terrain.

• World TB Day, 24 March 2018
• Fact sheet

On the trail of Lassa fever in southern Nigeria

WHO

21 March 2018 – Some 3675 contacts of the 376 confirmed Lassa fever cases in Nigeria had been identified and more than three-quarters had completed their 21 days of monitoring as of 18 March. WHO, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the local government are reaching out to communities with a large-scale awareness raising campaign. This feature story tell of the importance of contact tracing in controlling the disease outbreak.

• Feature story

Safe drinking-water in Europe?

WHO/O. Schmoll

20 March 2018 – Millions of people in the WHO European Region drink contaminated water, often without knowing it. WHO estimates that, every day, 14 people die of diarrhoeal disease due to inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH). Clean and safe drinking-water at home is frequently unavailable, particularly for those living in rural areas. In the Region, 57 million people do not have piped water at home, and 21 million people still lack access to basic drinking-water services.

• News release

Health can be a bridge for peace between Israel and Palestine

WHO/S. Bennett

19 March 2018 – WHO’s Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus concluded his first visit to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory. Dr Tedros saw the challenges that many people in Gaza face in accessing quality health services. For example, chronic electricity shortages in Gaza are hindering the delivery of life-saving medical services. In Israel, he recognized the progress made in the Israeli health system, such as introducing a digital health system, stronger food labeling laws, and extending free dental care to older people and children under 18.

• Statement on visit to occupied Palestinian territory
• Statement on visit to Israel
• Video on visit to oPt

Highlights

• WHO supports 16 African countries to protect against Listeriosis
  March 2018 - WHO has reached out to 16 African nations to provide support for preparedness and response to a listeriosis outbreak that started in South Africa in 2017 but is now threatening other countries on the continent.

• Call for Europe’s commitment to increase investment to end TB
  March 2018 – The number of new tuberculosis (TB) patients has been decreasing at an average rate of 4.3% yearly in the last decade in the WHO European Region. Despite being the fastest decline in the world, the trend is insufficient to achieve the target of ending the TB epidemic by 2030.

• Diphtheria vaccination campaign for 2.7 million children concludes in Yemen
  March 2018 – WHO, UNICEF and national health authorities have completed a large-scale vaccination campaign to control the spread of diphtheria in Yemen. The campaign targeted nearly 2.7 million children aged 6 weeks to 15 years in 11 governorates.

• Have your say and help give every child the best start in life
  March 2018 – The Nurturing Care Framework for early childhood development is now entering its second phase of online consultations. The Framework builds on state-of-the-art evidence of effective interventions and recognises the critical importance of an enabling environment, with policies, information and services in a range of sectors including health, nutrition, education, social protection and child protection. The Framework will be launched at the time of the World Health Assembly in May 2018. The consultation runs until 28 March 2018.