WHO news

WHO welcomes announcement of major contribution to global road safety

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:30:00 GMT

18 November 2009 -- Bloomberg Philanthropies announced a five-year contribution to WHO and other agencies to support road safety work. The focus will be on reducing drink-driving, increasing the use of seatbelts, child restraints and motorcycle helmets, limiting speed, and strengthening trauma care.

Yellow fever vaccination campaign to start

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:00:00 GMT

17 November 2009 -- The largest-ever yellow fever mass vaccination campaign will kick off next week across three African countries. The week-long event will target 11.9 million people across Benin, Liberia and Sierra Leone, all three of which are at high risk of yellow fever outbreaks.

Agreement for donation of pandemic H1N1 vaccine signed

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:30:00 GMT

10 November 2009 -- GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is to donate 50 million doses of pandemic H1N1 vaccine to WHO under an agreement signed at WHO headquarters in Geneva by the WHO Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan, and the Chief Executive Officer of GlaxoSmithKline, Mr Andrew Witty.

WHO calls for action beyond the health sector to improve the health of girls and women

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

9 November 2009 -- Despite some progress in the past decades, societies continue to fail to meet the health care needs of women at key moments of their lives, particularly in their adolescent years and in old age, a WHO report has found.

Reducing child deaths from pneumonia

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

2 November 2009 -- Up to 5.3 million children can be saved from dying of pneumonia by implementing recommendations set out in the joint WHO/UNICEF Global action plan for the prevention and control of pneumonia. "This action plan provides the strategy to prevent and control pneumonia, which today kills more children than any other illness," said Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of WHO.

Tackling global health risks prevents premature deaths

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:01:00 GMT

27 October 2009 -- Global life expectancy could be increased by nearly five years by addressing five factors affecting health – childhood underweight, unsafe sex, alcohol use, lack of safe water, sanitation and hygiene, and high blood pressure, according to a report published by WHO today.

Childhood vaccines at all-time high, but access not yet equitable

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 01:01:00 GMT

21 October 2009 -- Reversing a downward trend, the State of the world’s vaccines and immunization reports that more infants are being immunized today than ever before - a record 106 million in 2008 - according to new data. At the same time, the report, released today by WHO, UNICEF and the World Bank, shows there is a funding gap that leaves millions of children at risk.

Hospitals must be protected during natural disasters

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 01:01:00 GMT

14 October 2009 -- Dozens of hospitals and heath facilities each year are themselves impacted by floods, hurricanes, cyclones, earthquakes and other natural hazards because safety measures were not integrated in their design, location or construction. Today, the International Day for Disaster Reduction showcases progress made in making hospitals safer from disasters and underscores the work still to be done.

Reducing childhood deaths from diarrhoea

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 01:01:00 GMT

14 October 2009 -- About 1.5 million children die from diarrhoea every year. Yet simple inexpensive and life-saving treatment with ORS and zinc tablets decreases the severity and duration of attack of diarrhoea. These and other prevention strategies are highlighted in a new UNICEF and WHO report on the disease.

More than four million HIV-positive people now receiving life-saving treatment

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 01:01:00 GMT

30 September 2009 -- A new report shows increases in the numbers of HIV-positive people receiving antiretroviral therapy in low and middle income countries, expanded HIV testing and counselling services , and improved access to services to prevent HIV transmission from mother to child. However more than five million people in need still do not receive antiretroviral treatment.