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Since 2000, most countries – across all income levels and regions – have made concurrent progress in expanding health service coverage and reducing the financial hardship associated with health costs, according to a new joint report from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank Group. These two indicators are the foundation of universal health coverage (UHC) – the global commitment that everyone, everywhere can access the care they need without financial hardship by 2030.
The UHC Global Monitoring Report 2025 shows that health service coverage, measured by the Service Coverage Index (SCI), rose from 54 to 71 points between 2000 and 2023. Meanwhile, the share of people experiencing financial hardship due to large and impoverishing out-of-pocket (OOP) health payments declined from 34% to 26% between 2000 and 2022.
However, the report cautions that the poorest populations continue to bear the greatest burden of unaffordable health costs, with 1.6 billion people further pushed into poverty. Overall, an estimated 4.6 billion people worldwide still lack access to essential health services and 2.1 billion people experience financial hardship to access health care, including the 1.6 billion people living in poverty or pushed deeper into it due to health expenses.
\"Universal health coverage is the ultimate expression of the right to health, but this report shows that for billions of people who cannot access or afford the health services they need, that right remains out of reach,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “In the context of severe cuts to international aid, now is the time for countries to invest in their health systems, to protect the health of their people and economies. WHO is supporting them to do that.”
Financial hardship in health is defined as household spending more than 40% of its discretionary budget on OOP health expenses. Cost of medicines is a major driver of financial hardship: in three-quarters of countries with available data, medicines account for at least 55% of people’s OOP health expenses. The burden is even greater among people living in poverty who allocate a median of 60% of their OOP health expenses on medicines diverting their scarce resources from other essential needs.
While the burden of OOP health costs falls mostly on poorer people, it also affects better-off segments of the population that allocate a large share of their budgets to health expenses, particularly in middle-income countries where this group of people is growing.
Without faster progress, full-service coverage without financial hardship will remain out of reach for many: the global SCI is projected to reach only 74 out of 100 by 2030, with nearly 1 in 4 people worldwide still facing financial hardship at the end of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) era.
Despite positive direction, the global progress rate has slowed since 2015 with only one-third of countries improving in both increasing health coverage and reducing financial hardship. All WHO regions have improved service coverage, but only half – Africa, South-East Asia, the Western Pacific – also reduced financial hardship. Low-income countries achieved the fastest gains in both areas but are still facing the largest gaps.
The global increase in health service coverage has been driven largely by advances in infectious disease programmes. Coverage for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) has shown steady improvement, while gains in reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health have been modest.
The report notes that improved sanitation has supported service coverage gains. At the same time, inclusive economic growth, rising incomes, and stronger social protection mechanisms have driven poverty reduction, especially in low-income countries, contributing to declines in financial hardship. However, health costs have increasingly become a source of financial hardship among the poor.
Despite progress, persistent gaps and inequalities are on the rise. In 2022, 3 out of 4 people among the poorest segment of the populations faced financial hardship from health costs, compared with fewer than 1 in 25 among the richest.
Women, people living in poverty, or in rural areas, or with less education, reported greater difficulty accessing essential health services. The gap between women in the richest and poorest quintiles narrowed slightly, from about 38 to 33 percentage points over the past decade. Even in high-performing regions such as Europe, vulnerable groups – including the poorest and people with disabilities – continue to report higher unmet health needs.
These findings likely underestimate the true extent of health inequalities, as the most vulnerable groups – such as displaced populations and people living in informal settlements – are often missing in data sources used to monitor progress toward UHC.
Achieving the UHC goal by 2030 is central to realizing the human right to health. With five years remaining on the SDG agenda, urgent action is now needed to drive progress. The report underscores the critical role of political commitment in every country and community, and calls for action in six core areas:
This edition of the UHC Global Monitoring Report 2025 reflects the first round of UHC tracking to incorporate revised SDG indicators for health service coverage (SDG 3.8.1) and financial hardship (SDG 3.8.2), introduced in 2025. Using the revised indicators, and reproduction of the full time series, the report has presented global and regional trends in service coverage from 2000 to 2023, based on time series data for 195 countries or territories, and global and regional trends in financial hardship from 2000 to 2022, based on primary country time series for 168 countries. More about monitoring universal health coverage.
The Report is presented at the UHC High-Level Forum, jointly hosted by the Government of Japan, the World Bank Group, and WHO, in Tokyo, Japan. The Forum will also mark the official launch of the UHC Knowledge Hub in Tokyo, established by WHO and the World Bank Group with the support of the Government of Japan. The Hub offers capacity strengthening programmes for Ministries of Health and Finance to support health financing reforms. More about the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) High-level Forum 2025.
WHO, the World Bank Group, UHC2030 and the Joint Learning Network for Universal Health Coverage will organize a technical webinar “Tracking Universal Health Coverage: 2025 Global Monitoring Report” on 8 December 2025, at 8:00–9:30am EST | 14:00–15:30 CET. You can join the webinar through this link. (Passcode: .W1MJT=@r3)
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Health service delivery framework for prevention and management of obesity
WHO launches a new Health Service Delivery Framework for Prevention and Management of Obesity, as a health system-focused component of the WHO Acceleration Plan to Stop Obesity.
The new framework promotes expanded access to obesity prevention and management services for all age groups across the life course. It guides the integration and organization of obesity prevention and management services through the health system and community as critical components of universal health coverage. The framework is based on the principles of primary health care, follows a chronic care approach, and is supported by the integration of obesity prevention and management into existing service delivery frameworks across the health care system, including communities and homes. It also supports the planning of required resources for the scaling up and sustainability of services.
The global burden of obesity constitutes a major public health challenge that undermines social and economic development throughout the world. Current service delivery models that intervene only when obesity-related comorbidities appear must be replaced with models that recognize obesity as a chronic disease and can both take adequate care of those already living with obesity and contribute to the prevention of new or progressing cases.
At the 75th World Health Assembly in 2022, Member States adopted new recommendations for the prevention and management of obesity and endorsed the WHO Acceleration Plan to Stop Obesity. The plan is designed to stimulate and support multisector country-level action across the globe.
The framework is part of a more comprehensive package to build capacity in health systems for delivering services to prevent and manage obesity, including training for frontline health workers and primary care physicians. The package also includes the WHO Universal Health Coverage compendium and the WHO Academy Course and Advanced Training for health care providers. The framework is also interlinked with additional interventions proposed in the priority package of the WHO Acceleration plan to Stop Obesity.
The framework was developed by the Nutrition and Food Safety Department in collaboration with the Integrated Health Services Department, Clinical Services and Systems Unit and the WHO European Regional Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Disease.
","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"601f8bb3-a191-40ec-8b22-4f99ae2703c7","LastModified":"2024-06-14T08:11:45Z","PublicationDate":"2024-06-14T07:54:11Z","Title":"Zimbabwe becomes the sixth country in Africa to reach WHO maturity level 3 in regulation of medicines","Description":"","DateCreated":"2024-06-14T08:11:45Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"zimbabwe-becomes-the-sixth-country-in-africa-to-reach-who-maturity-level-3-in-regulation-of-medicines","ItemDefaultUrl":"/14-06-2024-zimbabwe-becomes-the-sixth-country-in-africa-to-reach-who-maturity-level-3-in-regulation-of-medicines","PublicationDateAndTime":"2024-06-14T08:00:00Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaTitle":"Zimbabwe becomes the sixth country in Africa to reach WHO maturity level 3 in regulation of medicines","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"OpenGraphDescription":"Following formal assessment by WHO, Zimbabwe has achieved maturity level 3 (ML 3) in WHO\u2019s classification of regulatory authorities for regulation of medicines. The WHO assessment of regulatory authorities is based on the Global Benchmarking Tool, which checks regulatory functions against a set of more than 260 indicators beginning with ML1 describing the existence of some elements of a regulatory system. ","Subtitle":"","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaDescription":"Following formal assessment by WHO, Zimbabwe has achieved maturity level 3 (ML 3) in WHO\u2019s classification of regulatory authorities for regulation of medicines. The WHO assessment of regulatory authorities is based on the Global Benchmarking Tool, which checks regulatory functions against a set of more than 260 indicators beginning with ML1 describing the existence of some elements of a regulatory system. ","OtherRelated":"","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"Zimbabwe becomes the sixth country in Africa to reach WHO maturity level 3 in regulation of medicines","Location":"","Highlight":"","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"AllowComments":true,"Summary":"","Content":"Following formal assessment by WHO, Zimbabwe has achieved maturity level 3 (ML 3) in WHO’s classification of regulatory authorities for regulation of medicines.
The WHO assessment of regulatory authorities is based on the Global Benchmarking Tool, which checks regulatory functions against a set of more than 260 indicators beginning with ML1 describing the existence of some elements of a regulatory system. Maturity level 3 confirms a stable, well-functioning and integrated regulatory system is in place. The highest level, maturity level 4, is achieved by a regulatory system operating at an advanced level of performance and with continuous improvement.
The benchmarking of the National Regulatory System of Zimbabwe, represented by the Medicines Control Authority of Zimbabwe (MCAZ) and other relevant regulatory institutions of Zimbabwe, was first conducted in 2021 and finalized in May 2024 in close collaboration with the WHO Regional Office for Africa.
“This is an important step forward by Zimbabwe, which reflects commitment to strengthening health systems and regulatory frameworks to increase access to quality medicines and medical supplies, and to help accelerate progress towards universal health coverage,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
WHO’S global benchmarking is part of the WHO programme for regulatory system strengthening and covers core regulatory functions such as product authorization, testing of products, market surveillance and the ability to detect adverse events to establish their level of maturity and functionality. Regulatory authorities that reach maturity levels 3 and 4 are considered eligible for inclusion among WHO-listed Authorities, after additional evaluation of their performance.
“This represents a significant milestone for Zimbabwe, as MCAZ has reached the level of a regulatory system operating as a stable, well-functioning and integrated regulatory system for medicine regulation,” said Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for Access to Medicines and Health Products. “This achievement is the result of investment by the Government of Zimbabwe in the strengthening of its regulatory system and will also contribute to future operationalization of the African Medicine Agency (AMA).”
Regulation of medical products is extremely important for all health systems and for access to quality vaccines, medicines and other health products. Apart from ensuring the quality, safety and efficacy of medical products, regulatory authorities that function well also perform critical functions such as efficient authorization of products and drug safety monitoring.
","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"0ed0f1ba-b7a1-48c1-ab12-a26906fc5f94","LastModified":"2021-09-10T13:01:17Z","PublicationDate":"2021-09-08T12:28:00Z","Title":"The Global Laboratory Leadership Programme Releases its New Learning Package","Description":"","DateCreated":"2021-09-08T12:28:01Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"the-global-laboratory-leadership-programme-(gllp)-moves-into-its-next-phase-with-the-release-of-its-learning-package","ItemDefaultUrl":"/08-09-2021-the-global-laboratory-leadership-programme-(gllp)-moves-into-its-next-phase-with-the-release-of-its-learning-package","PublicationDateAndTime":"2021-09-08T19:00:00Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaTitle":"The Global Laboratory Leadership Programme Releases its New Learning Package","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"OpenGraphDescription":"The Global Laboratory Leadership Programme (GLLP) is a unique workforce development initiative with the goal to foster and mentor current and emerging laboratory leaders to build, strengthen, and sustain national laboratory systems. The initiative is led by six international Partners (the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the World Health Organization (WHO)) committed to their mission to provide laboratory professionals with the tools necessary to develop their laboratory leadership competencies and advance effective national laboratory systems for improved health security using a One Health approach. In March 2019 the Partners published the first product, the Laboratory Leadership Competency Framework, which outlined the\u00a0essential competencies needed for laboratory leaders to build sustainable national laboratory systems that improve disease detection, control and prevention efforts in health systems around the world. Now, in the pivotal next stage of the programmes' development, the Partners have released the GLLP Learning Package - a suite of tools, information and resources to\u00a0plan, develop, implement and evaluate a laboratory leadership programme in any region, country, or educational institution in the world. The GLLP Learning Package, hosted on the WHO Health Security Learning Platform (HSLP), includes a GLLP Planning and Implementation Guide,\u00a0Mentorship\u202fGuide\u202fand virtual and in-person course materials\u202fincluding\u202fPowerPoint presentations, and instructor and participant guides. Access to the full set of course materials will initially be restricted, as the Partners continue to refine the Learning Package based on feedback, before releasing for public use. Upon motivated request, access to the modules can be granted to organizations planning to use the GLLP materials for a training/learning activity. For more information on such requests, please contact the programme developers at gllp@who.intView the available components of the GLLP Learning Package here on the HSLP\u202f\u00a0","Subtitle":"","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaDescription":"The Global Laboratory Leadership Programme (GLLP) is a unique workforce development initiative with the goal to foster and mentor current and emerging laboratory leaders to build, strengthen, and sustain national laboratory systems. The initiative is led by six international Partners (the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the World Health Organization (WHO)) committed to their mission to provide laboratory professionals with the tools necessary to develop their laboratory leadership competencies and advance effective national laboratory systems for improved health security using a One Health approach. In March 2019 the Partners published the first product, the Laboratory Leadership Competency Framework, which outlined the\u00a0essential competencies needed for laboratory leaders to build sustainable national laboratory systems that improve disease detection, control and prevention efforts in health systems around the world. Now, in the pivotal next stage of the programmes' development, the Partners have released the GLLP Learning Package - a suite of tools, information and resources to\u00a0plan, develop, implement and evaluate a laboratory leadership programme in any region, country, or educational institution in the world. The GLLP Learning Package, hosted on the WHO Health Security Learning Platform (HSLP), includes a GLLP Planning and Implementation Guide,\u00a0Mentorship\u202fGuide\u202fand virtual and in-person course materials\u202fincluding\u202fPowerPoint presentations, and instructor and participant guides. Access to the full set of course materials will initially be restricted, as the Partners continue to refine the Learning Package based on feedback, before releasing for public use. Upon motivated request, access to the modules can be granted to organizations planning to use the GLLP materials for a training/learning activity. For more information on such requests, please contact the programme developers at gllp@who.intView the available components of the GLLP Learning Package here on the HSLP\u202f\u00a0","OtherRelated":"","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"The Global Laboratory Leadership Programme Releases its New Learning Package","Location":"","Highlight":"
Frequently Asked Questions about the GLLP
Public Health Laboratory Strengthening
","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"AllowComments":true,"Summary":"The Global Laboratory Leadership Programme (GLLP) is a unique workforce development initiative with the goal to foster and mentor current and emerging laboratory leaders to build, strengthen, and sustain national laboratory systems. Following the publication of the GLLP competency framework in 2019, the six international partners developing the programme have now released the GLLP Learning Package on the WHO Health Security Learning Platform.","Content":"The Global Laboratory Leadership Programme (GLLP) is a unique workforce development initiative with the goal to foster and mentor current and emerging laboratory leaders to build, strengthen, and sustain national laboratory systems.
The initiative is led by six international Partners (the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and the World Health Organization (WHO)) committed to their mission to provide laboratory professionals with the tools necessary to develop their laboratory leadership competencies and advance effective national laboratory systems for improved health security using a One Health approach.
In March 2019 the Partners published the first product, the Laboratory Leadership Competency Framework, which outlined the essential competencies needed for laboratory leaders to build sustainable national laboratory systems that improve disease detection, control and prevention efforts in health systems around the world. Now, in the pivotal next stage of the programme's development, the Partners have released the GLLP Learning Package - a suite of tools, information and resources to plan, develop, implement and evaluate a laboratory leadership programme in any region, country, or educational institution in the world.
The GLLP Learning Package, hosted on the WHO Health Security Learning Platform (HSLP), includes a GLLP Planning and Implementation Guide, Mentorship\u202fGuide\u202fand virtual and in-person course materials\u202fincluding\u202fPowerPoint presentations, and instructor and participant guides. The materials are organized into four primary sections - Introduction, Laboratory Management, Laboratory Leadership and Laboratory Systems - with more than 200 contact hours worth of content. The\u202fprogramme is flexible in length, format,\u202fand content\u202fand may be adapted to meet country-specific workforce needs. More than 140 contributors from the Human Health, Animal Health and Environmental Health sectors participated in the development, revision or review of the Package.
Access to the full set of course materials will initially be restricted, as the Partners continue to refine the Learning Package based on feedback, before releasing for public use. Upon motivated request, access to the modules can be granted to organizations planning to use the GLLP materials for a training/learning activity. For more information on such requests, please contact the programme developers at gllp@who.int
The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a new report “Health system strengthening interventions to improve the health of displaced and migrant populations in the context of climate change,” the seventh in the Global Evidence Review on Health and Migration (GEHM) series. This landmark publication draws attention to the growing intersection of climate change, migration, and health, calling for urgent action to ensure health systems are prepared to meet the health needs of climate-affected migrant and displaced populations.
Launched during the Global Conference on Climate and Health in Brasília, an official pre-COP30 event co-hosted by the Government of Brazil, WHO, and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the report offers a timely, evidence-based contribution to support policy-makers at this critical intersection.
Climate change as a risk multiplier
Climate change drives displacement, worsens vulnerabilities, and places immense pressure on health systems. In 2023 alone, more than 20 million people were internally displaced by sudden-onset weather events. By 2050, over 216 million people could be forced to move within their countries due to climate-related impacts. As a risk multiplier, climate change intensifies extreme weather events, environmental degradation and disasters. It exacerbates food insecurity, facilitates the spread of vector-borne diseases and places additional strain on health systems, particularly in low-resource settings. Health systems must be prepared not only to respond to emergencies but to address the evolving, long-term health needs of migrant and displaced populations.
“Climate change is reshaping the drivers of migration and displacement, with serious consequences for health. To respond effectively, health systems must adapt, ensuring that migrant and displaced populations are not an afterthought, but integral to health system planning, delivery and resilience,” said Dr Santino Severoni, Director of Health and Migration at WHO.
Global evidence: promising practices and persistent gaps
The report synthesizes evidence from 95 health system interventions implemented across all WHO regions, illustrating how governments, humanitarian actors and communities are responding to the health impacts of climate-related migration and displacement. Most interventions focused on service delivery, including emergency medical care, water and sanitation (WASH), and mental health services in climate-affected settings. However, long-term, anticipatory strategies remain scarce. Only six documented interventions included measures to mitigate climate change itself. Meanwhile, essential system components like health financing, data systems, and integration of displaced populations into national health plans are often overlooked.
“Climate-resilient health systems must also be migrant-inclusive. That means moving beyond reactive responses to deliver long-term, equitable care, and ensuring that climate-affected migrant and displaced communities are reflected in health policies, systems and services,” said Dr Maria Neira, Director of the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Migration at WHO.
The way forward: key policy considerations
“To protect health in the face of climate change and mobility, we must design health systems that are both resilient and inclusive. That means embedding migrant and displaced populations in every stage of health policy, from planning to implementation,” added Dr Jeremy Farrar, Assistant Director-General of WHO’s Division of Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Care.
The report outlines key policy considerations to strengthen health systems that are both inclusive of the health needs of migrant and displaced populations, as well as those of host communities, and are resilient in the face of climate change. These include:
The seventh report of the GEHM series was developed by WHO Health and Migration, in collaboration with WHO Environment, Climate Change and Health. The GEHM series provides policy-makers with evidence-based insights and policy considerations to address the health needs of refugees and migrants.
Gravely concerned by the humanitarian and health situation facing approximately 200 people, including health workers and up to 30 children, abducted from Israel by Hamas and other armed groups on 7 October 2023, the World Health Organization today reiterated its call for the immediate release of all the hostages, along with urgent access to each of them and delivery of medical care.
The call was made by WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus following discussions today with an Israeli non-governmental organization, the Hostages and Missing Families Forum, that represents families of the abducted people.
“We met today with families of people abducted from southern Israel on 7 October and heard firsthand the tragedy, trauma and suffering they are facing,” said Dr Tedros. “There is an urgent need for the captors of the hostages to provide signs of life, proof of provision of health care and the immediate release, on humanitarian and health grounds, of all those abducted.”
“Many of the hostages, including children, women and the elderly, have pre-existing health conditions requiring urgent and sustained care and treatment. The mental health trauma that the abducted, and the families, are facing is acute and psychosocial support is of great importance.”
Dr Tedros said the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) should be granted immediate access to the hostages to understand their health status. WHO stands ready to provide the ICRC, which is mandated to provide support to hostages in conflict situations, with any health support for the hostages, Dr Tedros added.
“I thank the families for sharing their heartbreaking stories. I committed, on behalf of WHO, to do all we can to support the health and humanitarian needs of those being held captive. All civilians who are suffering in this conflict must be protected.”
Dr Tedros added: “We will do everything in our power as WHO to protect and promote the health of all people as that is the mission of our Organization: to care for each and everybody’s health no matter the conditions and circumstances. We call on WHO Member States, humanitarian partners, all other relevant parties, and the public at large to put the health of people first and foremost in their minds and take immediate action to end the ongoing suffering.”
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After a 3-year study of trends and future projections, the WHO Strategic Advisory Group on Malaria Eradication (SAGme) has released a detailed report of its findings and recommendations. The report builds and expands on an executive summary published in August 2019.
\nEstablished in 2016 at the request of the former WHO Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan, SAGme was tasked with analysing future scenarios for malaria, including the feasibility of eradication. Its members commissioned analyses and consulted widely with\nmalaria and global health experts throughout their tenure.
\nIn the new report, SAGme reaffirms the WHO vision of a world free of malaria – a goal enshrined in World Health Assembly resolutions dating back to 1955. There is a consensus that eradicating malaria would result in millions of lives saved and generate\na substantial return on investment.
\n“Ridding the world of a parasite that overwhelmingly affects the poor and vulnerable would be a remarkable step towards global health equity and improved economic conditions in the poorest parts of the world,” says the 13-member group of eminent\npublic health leaders. “The SAGme unequivocally supports this goal.”
\nHowever, members of the advisory body recognize that the goal of eradication is still far from reach. “Even with our most optimistic scenarios and projections, we face an unavoidable fact: using current tools, we will still have 11 million cases\nof malaria in Africa in 2050,” they conclude.
\n\"WHO continues to unequivocally support the goal of malaria eradication. To achieve this vision, we must deliver on our promises: to increase domestic and international investments in health; reduce malaria in the highest-burden countries; achieve universal health coverage; ensure no child dies from a preventable disease; and leave no one behind in pursuit of health and development goals because they were born poor. By delivering on these promises and investing in the development of transformative new tools, the world can achieve the health-related Sustainable Development Goals and eradicate malaria.\"
\nWHO Director General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
\nKey findings
\nSAGme considered a broad set of factors that underpin malaria: biological, technical, financial, socio-economic, political, and environmental. Its members reviewed trends in poverty and population growth, mobility, agricultural development, climate change,\nand urbanization.
\nThe group also analyzed likely threats to malaria eradication, including health emergencies, and concluded that while epidemics may cause short-term setbacks, malaria eradication could still be achieved. They examined the impact of global governance mechanisms,\nhealth system readiness, community engagement, and other disease eradication efforts.
\nAfter reviewing the findings of numerous analyses and debating the conclusions, SAGme identified 6 areas that would shore up a successful malaria eradication effort.
\nLaying a foundation
\nSAGme members recognize that the world is currently off track to meet critical 2025 targets of the global malaria strategy\n – reductions of at least 75% in malaria morbidity and mortality compared to 2015 levels. They note that achieving the targets of the global strategy must be the first step in a “pragmatic, strategic and humanitarian approach”\ntoward the longer-term goal of eradication.\n
\nNational ownership of malaria elimination efforts, they say, is essential. “Countries must move under their own direction while being supported and encouraged by WHO and partners to progress as quickly as possible towards elimination and, eventually,\neradication.”
\n
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Every year, WHO recognizes individuals or organizations in each of the six WHO Regions for their accomplishments in the area of tobacco control. This recognition takes the form of Director-General Special Recognition Awards and World No Tobacco Day Awards.
\nDirector-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 – 6 April 2021
Watch the video on Director-Generals media briefing on COVID-19 – 6 April 2021
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","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"AllowComments":true,"Summary":"For World Health Day, 7 April 2021, WHO is issuing five calls for urgent action to improve health for all people.","Content":"
COVID-19 has unfairly impacted some people more harshly than others, exacerbating existing inequities in health and welfare within and between countries. For World Health Day, 7 April 2021, WHO is therefore issuing five calls for urgent action to improve health for all people.
Within countries, illness and death from COVID-19 have been higher among groups who face discrimination, poverty, social exclusion, and adverse daily living and working conditions - including humanitarian crises. The pandemic is estimated to have driven\r\n between 119 and 124 million more people into extreme poverty last year. And there is convincing evidence that it has widened gender gaps in employment, with women exiting the labour force in greater numbers than men over the past 12 months.
These inequities in people’s living conditions, health services, and access to power, money and resources are long-standing. The result: under-5 mortality rates among children from the poorest households are double that of children from the richest\r\n households. Life expectancy for people in low-income countries is 16 years lower than for people in high-income countries. For example, 9 out of 10 deaths globally from cervical cancer occur in low- and middle-income countries.
But as countries continue to fight the pandemic, a unique opportunity emerges to build back better for a fairer, healthier world by implementing existing commitments, resolutions, and agreements while also making new and bold commitments.
\"The COVID-19 pandemic has thrived amid the inequalities in our societies and the gaps in our health systems,\" says Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “It is vital for all governments to invest in strengthening their health services\r\n and to remove the barriers that prevent so many people from using them, so more people have the chance to live healthy lives.”
WHO is therefore issuing five calls for action:
Safe and effective vaccines have been developed and approved at record speed. The challenge now is to ensure that they are available to everyone who needs them. Key here will be additional support to COVAX, the vaccine pillar in the ACT-Accelerator, which\r\n hopes to have reached 100 countries and economies in the coming days.
But vaccines alone will not overcome COVID-19. Commodities such as medical oxygen and personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as reliable diagnostic tests and medicines are also vital. So are strong mechanisms to fairly distribute all these products\r\n within national borders. The ACT-Accelerator aims to establish testing and treatments for hundreds of millions of people in low and middle-income countries who would otherwise miss out. But it still requires USD22.1 billion to deliver these vital\r\n tools where they are so desperately needed.
At least half of the world’s population still lacks access to essential health services; more than 800 million people spend at least 10% of their household income on health care, and out of pocket expenses drive almost 100 million people into poverty\r\n each year.
As countries move forward post-COVID-19, it will be vital to avoid cuts in public spending on health and other social sectors. Such cuts are likely to increase hardship among already disadvantaged groups, weaken health system performance, increase health\r\n risks, add to fiscal pressure in the future and undermine development gains.
Instead, governments should meet WHO’s recommended target of spending an additional 1% of GDP on primary health care (PHC). Evidence reveals that PHC-oriented health systems have consistently produced better health outcomes, enhanced equity,\r\n and improved efficiency. Scaling up PHC interventions across low- and middle-income countries could save 60 million lives and increase average life expectancy by 3.7 years by 2030.
Governments must also reduce the global shortfall of 18 million health workers needed to achieve universal health coverage (UHC) by 2030. This includes creating at least 10 million additional full-time jobs globally and strengthening gender equality efforts.\r\n Women deliver most of the world’s health and social care, representing up to 70% of all health and care workers, but they are denied equal opportunities to lead it. Key solutions include equal pay to reduce the gender pay gap and recognizing\r\n unpaid health care work by women.
In many countries, the socio-economic impacts of COVID-19, through loss of jobs, increases in poverty, disruptions to education, and threats to nutrition, have exceeded the public health impact of the virus. Some countries have already put in place expanded\r\n social protection schemes to mitigate these negative impacts of wider social hardship and started a dialogue on how to continue providing support to the communities and people in the future. But many face challenges in finding the resources for concrete\r\n action. It will be vital to ensure that these precious investments have the biggest impact on those in greatest need, and that disadvantaged communities are engaged in planning and implementing programmes.
City leaders have often been powerful champions for improving health - for example, by improving transport systems and water and sanitation facilities. But too often, the lack of basic social services for some communities traps them in a spiral of sickness\r\n and insecurity. Access to healthy housing, in safe neighbourhoods, with adequate educational and recreational amenities, is key to achieving health for all.
Meanwhile, 80 per cent of the world's population living in extreme poverty are in rural areas. Today, 8 out of 10 people who lack basic drinking water services live in rural areas, as do 7 out of 10 people who lack basic sanitation services. It will be\r\n important to intensify efforts to reach rural communities with health and other basic social services (including water and sanitation). These communities also urgently need increased economic investment in sustainable livelihoods and better access\r\n to digital technologies.
Increasing the availability of timely, high-quality data that is disaggregated by sex, wealth, education, ethnicity, race, gender and place of residence is key to working out where inequities exist, and addressing them. Health inequality monitoring should\r\n be an integral part of all national health information systems.
A recent WHO global assessment shows that only 51% of countries have included data disaggregation in their published national health statistics reports. The health status of these diverse groups is often masked when national averages are used. Moreover,\r\n it is often those who are made vulnerable, poor or discriminated against, who are the most likely to be missing from the data entirely.
\"Now is the time to invest in health as a motor of development,\" said Dr Tedros. “We do not need to choose between improving public health, building sustainable societies, ensuring food security and adequate nutrition, tacking climate change and\r\n having thriving local economies. All these vital outcomes go hand in hand.”
","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"834424b8-5f0d-4ed8-91f5-4516af5c515f","LastModified":"2023-07-25T10:06:06Z","PublicationDate":"2023-07-19T14:07:14Z","Title":"Medical Product Alert N\u00b05/2023: Substandard (contaminated) syrup medicines","Description":"","DateCreated":"2023-07-19T14:07:15Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"medical-product-alert-n-5-2023--substandard-(contaminated)-syrup-medicines","ItemDefaultUrl":"/19-07-2023-medical-product-alert-n-5-2023--substandard-(contaminated)-syrup-medicines","PublicationDateAndTime":"2023-07-19T13:42:16Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaTitle":"Medical Product Alert N\u00b05/2023: Substandard (contaminated) syrup medicines","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"OpenGraphDescription":"\u00a0Alert SummaryThis WHO Medical Product Alert refers to a batch of substandard (contaminated) NATURCOLD Syrup identified in Cameroon and first reported to WHO on 13 March 2023. All reasonable precautions have been taken by WHO to verify the information contained in this alert and this may be updated as more information becomes available.The stated active ingredients of NATURCOLD syrup are listed as paracetamol, phenylephrine hydrochloride & chlorpheniramine maleate. The combination of these three ingredients are used to relieve symptoms associated with the common cold, flu, and allergic rhinitis.Samples of the NATURCOLD syrup from Cameroon were made available to WHO on 27 June 2023 and analysed in a WHO contracted and prequalified laboratory. The analysis found that the product contained unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol as contaminants. Diethylene glycol was detected in samples of NATURCOLD as much as 28.6%. The acceptable limit for Diethylene Glycol is no more than 0.10%.The stated marketer of the affected product is listed on the product packaging as FRAKEN INTERNATIONAL (England). The United Kingdom national regulatory authority, the MHRA, has confirmed that no such manufacturer exists in the UK. Enquires are still underway to determine the origin of the product. Therefore, the stated manufacturer has not provided guarantees to WHO on the safety and quality of these products.The product referenced in this Alert may have marketing authorizations in other countries or regions. It may also have been distributed through informal markets to neighboring countries.Please refer to the Annex of this Alert for full details of the affected products.WHO has previously published four Alerts on other contaminated liquid dosage medicines. Please see Medical Product Alert N\u00b06/2022, Medical Product Alert N\u00b07/2022, Medical Product Alert N\u00b01/2023 and Medical Product Alert N\u00b04/2023.RisksDiethylene glycol and ethylene glycol are toxic to humans when consumed and can prove fatal The substandard products referenced in this Alert are unsafe and their use, especially in children, may result in serious injury or death. Toxic effects can include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, inability to pass urine, headache, altered mental state and acute kidney injury which may lead to death.Advice to regulatory authorities and the publicIf you have the affected product, WHO recommends that you do not use it. If you, or someone you know, has or may have used the affected product, or suffered an adverse reaction or unexpected side-effect after use, you are advised to seek immediate medical advice from a healthcare professional. WHO requests increased surveillance and diligence within the supply chains of countries and regions likely to be\u00a0affected by these products. Increased surveillance of the informal/unregulated market is also advised. National\u00a0regulatory authorities/health authorities are advised to immediately notify WHO if these substandard products are\u00a0discovered in their respective country.Manufacturers of liquid dosage forms, especially syrups that contain excipients including propylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, sorbitol, and/or glycerin/glycerol, are urged to test for the presence of contaminants such as ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol before use in medicines.Healthcare professionals should report any suspicious cases of adverse events linked to the use of contaminated medicines to the National Regulatory Authorities/National Pharmacovigilance Centre. If you have any information about the manufacture or supply of these products, please contact WHO via rapidalert@who.int.\u00a0Please see Annex for details of the substandard product referenced in Alert N\u00b05/2023.\u00a0WHO Global Surveillance and Monitoring System\u00a0 \u00a0for Substandard and Falsified Medical ProductsFor more information, please visit our websiteEmail: rapidalert@who.int \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0","Subtitle":"Substandard (contaminated) syrup medicines identified in WHO Region of Africa","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaDescription":"\u00a0Alert SummaryThis WHO Medical Product Alert refers to a batch of substandard (contaminated) NATURCOLD Syrup identified in Cameroon and first reported to WHO on 13 March 2023. All reasonable precautions have been taken by WHO to verify the information contained in this alert and this may be updated as more information becomes available.The stated active ingredients of NATURCOLD syrup are listed as paracetamol, phenylephrine hydrochloride & chlorpheniramine maleate. The combination of these three ingredients are used to relieve symptoms associated with the common cold, flu, and allergic rhinitis.Samples of the NATURCOLD syrup from Cameroon were made available to WHO on 27 June 2023 and analysed in a WHO contracted and prequalified laboratory. The analysis found that the product contained unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol as contaminants. Diethylene glycol was detected in samples of NATURCOLD as much as 28.6%. The acceptable limit for Diethylene Glycol is no more than 0.10%.The stated marketer of the affected product is listed on the product packaging as FRAKEN INTERNATIONAL (England). The United Kingdom national regulatory authority, the MHRA, has confirmed that no such manufacturer exists in the UK. Enquires are still underway to determine the origin of the product. Therefore, the stated manufacturer has not provided guarantees to WHO on the safety and quality of these products.The product referenced in this Alert may have marketing authorizations in other countries or regions. It may also have been distributed through informal markets to neighboring countries.Please refer to the Annex of this Alert for full details of the affected products.WHO has previously published four Alerts on other contaminated liquid dosage medicines. Please see Medical Product Alert N\u00b06/2022, Medical Product Alert N\u00b07/2022, Medical Product Alert N\u00b01/2023 and Medical Product Alert N\u00b04/2023.RisksDiethylene glycol and ethylene glycol are toxic to humans when consumed and can prove fatal The substandard products referenced in this Alert are unsafe and their use, especially in children, may result in serious injury or death. Toxic effects can include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, inability to pass urine, headache, altered mental state and acute kidney injury which may lead to death.Advice to regulatory authorities and the publicIf you have the affected product, WHO recommends that you do not use it. If you, or someone you know, has or may have used the affected product, or suffered an adverse reaction or unexpected side-effect after use, you are advised to seek immediate medical advice from a healthcare professional. WHO requests increased surveillance and diligence within the supply chains of countries and regions likely to be\u00a0affected by these products. Increased surveillance of the informal/unregulated market is also advised. National\u00a0regulatory authorities/health authorities are advised to immediately notify WHO if these substandard products are\u00a0discovered in their respective country.Manufacturers of liquid dosage forms, especially syrups that contain excipients including propylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, sorbitol, and/or glycerin/glycerol, are urged to test for the presence of contaminants such as ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol before use in medicines.Healthcare professionals should report any suspicious cases of adverse events linked to the use of contaminated medicines to the National Regulatory Authorities/National Pharmacovigilance Centre. If you have any information about the manufacture or supply of these products, please contact WHO via rapidalert@who.int.\u00a0Please see Annex for details of the substandard product referenced in Alert N\u00b05/2023.\u00a0WHO Global Surveillance and Monitoring System\u00a0 \u00a0for Substandard and Falsified Medical ProductsFor more information, please visit our websiteEmail: rapidalert@who.int \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0","OtherRelated":"","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"Medical Product Alert N\u00b05/2023: Substandard (contaminated) syrup medicines","Location":"Geneva","Highlight":"
Medical Product Alert N°5/2023: Substandard (contaminated) syrup medicines
","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"AllowComments":true,"Summary":"This WHO Medical Product Alert refers to a batch of substandard (contaminated) NATURCOLD Syrup identified in Cameroon and first reported to WHO on 13 March 2023. All reasonable precautions have been taken by WHO to verify the information contained in this alert and this may be updated as more information becomes available.","Content":"
Alert Summary
This WHO Medical Product Alert refers to a batch of substandard (contaminated) NATURCOLD Syrup identified in Cameroon and first reported to WHO on 13 March 2023. All reasonable precautions have been taken by WHO to verify the information contained in this alert and this may be updated as more information becomes available.
The stated active ingredients of NATURCOLD syrup are listed as paracetamol, phenylephrine hydrochloride & chlorpheniramine maleate. The combination of these three ingredients are used to relieve symptoms associated with the common cold, flu, and allergic rhinitis.
Samples of the NATURCOLD syrup from Cameroon were made available to WHO on 27 June 2023 and analysed in a WHO contracted and prequalified laboratory. The analysis found that the product contained unacceptable amounts of diethylene glycol as contaminants. Diethylene glycol was detected in samples of NATURCOLD as much as 28.6%. The acceptable limit for Diethylene Glycol is no more than 0.10%.
The stated marketer of the affected product is listed on the product packaging as FRAKEN INTERNATIONAL (England). The United Kingdom national regulatory authority, the MHRA, has confirmed that no such manufacturer exists in the UK. Enquires are still underway to determine the origin of the product. Therefore, the stated manufacturer has not provided guarantees to WHO on the safety and quality of these products.
The product referenced in this Alert may have marketing authorizations in other countries or regions. It may also have been distributed through informal markets to neighboring countries.
Please refer to the Annex of this Alert for full details of the affected products.
WHO has previously published four Alerts on other contaminated liquid dosage medicines. Please see
Medical Product Alert N°6/2022, Medical Product Alert N°7/2022, Medical Product Alert N°1/2023 and Medical Product Alert N°4/2023.
Diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol are toxic to humans when consumed and can prove fatal
The substandard products referenced in this Alert are unsafe and their use, especially in children, may result in serious injury or death. Toxic effects can include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhoea, inability to pass urine, headache, altered mental state and acute kidney injury which may lead to death.
If you have the affected product, WHO recommends that you do not use it. If you, or someone you know, has or may have used the affected product, or suffered an adverse reaction or unexpected side-effect after use, you are advised to seek immediate medical advice from a healthcare professional.
WHO requests increased surveillance and diligence within the supply chains of countries and regions likely to be affected by these products. Increased surveillance of the informal/unregulated market is also advised. National regulatory authorities/health authorities are advised to immediately notify WHO if these substandard products are discovered in their respective country.
Manufacturers of liquid dosage forms, especially syrups that contain excipients including propylene glycol, polyethylene glycol, sorbitol, and/or glycerin/glycerol, are urged to test for the presence of contaminants such as ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol before use in medicines.
Healthcare professionals should report any suspicious cases of adverse events linked to the use of contaminated medicines to the National Regulatory Authorities/National Pharmacovigilance Centre.
If you have any information about the manufacture or supply of these products, please contact WHO via rapidalert@who.int.
Please see Annex for details of the substandard product referenced in Alert N°5/2023.
WHO Global Surveillance and Monitoring System
for Substandard and Falsified Medical Products
For more information, please visit our website
Email: rapidalert@who.int
","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"e49f9b45-644a-4bea-b723-fa61fdb315d2","LastModified":"2024-02-09T15:45:49Z","PublicationDate":"2024-02-09T11:34:25Z","Title":"Digital payments to health workers boost retention, motivation, and impact","Description":"","DateCreated":"2024-02-09T11:34:26Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"digital-payments-to-health-workers-boost-retention--motivation--and-impact","ItemDefaultUrl":"/09-02-2024-digital-payments-to-health-workers-boost-retention--motivation--and-impact","PublicationDateAndTime":"2024-02-09T23:00:00Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaTitle":"Digital payments to health workers boost retention, motivation, and impact","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"OpenGraphDescription":"WHO has been leading among international organizations in moving away from the unwieldy, less-secure practice of disbursing salaries in cash. Over the past few years, the Organization launched its Digital Finance Team and joined the Better Than Cash Alliance, an 80-member United Nations partnership with a mandate to develop the digitization of payments and expand financial inclusion \u2013 activities that support the UN Sustainable Development Goals.\r\n\r\nSince it was established in 2020, WHO\u2019s Digital Finance Team has designed and implemented digital payment solutions in 24 countries in Africa, including, last year, in Benin, Botswana, Madagascar, Rwanda, Togo and Zimbabwe.","Subtitle":"","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaDescription":"WHO has been leading among international organizations in moving away from the unwieldy, less-secure practice of disbursing salaries in cash. Over the past few years, the Organization launched its Digital Finance Team and joined the Better Than Cash Alliance, an 80-member United Nations partnership with a mandate to develop the digitization of payments and expand financial inclusion \u2013 activities that support the UN Sustainable Development Goals.\r\n\r\nSince it was established in 2020, WHO\u2019s Digital Finance Team has designed and implemented digital payment solutions in 24 countries in Africa, including, last year, in Benin, Botswana, Madagascar, Rwanda, Togo and Zimbabwe.","OtherRelated":"","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"Digital payments to health workers boost retention, motivation, and impact","Location":"","Highlight":"
Read more on flexible funds for a strong, agile and independent WHO
Global Initiative on Digital Health
Mobile cash in polio response: three things to know
Health innovation by paying polio workers through mobile money instead of cash
","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"AllowComments":true,"Summary":"","Content":"
![\"\"](\"https://cdn.who.int/media/images/default-source/funding/mobilewallet_drc_exr.jpg?sfvrsn=5e15cc16_3\")
An immunization worker gets set up to receive her wages on her mobile wallet in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Credit: WHO
Campaigns in Africa to stop polio and other diseases have a more stable, better-motivated workforce thanks to WHO’s collaboration with countries and partners to pay frontline health workers through their mobile phones instead of in cash.
“Over 80 percent of workers are saying they prefer the digital payments,” said Ahmed Hamani Djibo, head of WHO’s Digital Finance Team.
WHO has been leading among international organizations in moving away from the unwieldy, less-secure practice of disbursing salaries in cash. Over the past few years, the Organization launched its Digital Finance Team and joined the Better Than Cash Alliance, an 80-member United Nations partnership with a mandate to develop the digitization of payments and expand financial inclusion – activities that support the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Since it was established in 2020, WHO’s Digital Finance Team has designed and implemented digital payment solutions in 24 countries in Africa, including, last year, in Benin, Botswana, Madagascar, Rwanda, Togo and Zimbabwe.
“WHO has successfully digitized payments for more than two million health workers across Africa,” said Tidhar Wald, Managing Director, a.i., at the Better Than Cash Alliance. “With these inspiring results, WHO is taking a clear leadership role in accelerating the digital transformation in the provision of health outcomes globally.”
![\"\"](\"https://cdn.who.int/media/images/default-source/funding/polio_drc_exr.jpg?sfvrsn=7851534b_3\")
A polio immunization team on the job in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Credit: WHO
Workers surveyed in Côte d’Ivoire, Liberia and Tanzania said they appreciated the security of not carrying cash, the convenience of no longer having to travel to a disbursement site to receive their wages, and above all, the speed of payment – as short as half an hour after finishing work compared to waits of weeks or even months.
The surveys, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, linked timely compensation to better morale and worker retention.
“There is really a big difference in speed,” said Jean-Luc, a health worker interviewed in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) at the end of a polio immunization campaign. “We finished the campaign mop-up yesterday and received a text notification the next evening. I’m going to pay my child’s school fees. Now we can relax.”
Digital payments also save time and money for health campaign organizers, including the burden and expense of transporting large sums of cash and completing documentation.
“When you have 300 to 500 volunteers to pay, doing accounts and signing receipts takes a lot of time,” said Saïdi, a polio team leader in DRC.
WHO first used the new digital payments in polio immunization campaigns in Côte d’Ivoire. Although outbreaks of vaccine-derived polio were on the rise, vaccination campaigns were having trouble getting off the ground. In the first quarter of 2020, almost half the polio campaigns in WHO’s African Region were postponed, saw workers drop out, or suffered other detrimental effects stemming from delays in cash disbursements.
As WHO and partners worked to develop the nuts-and-bolts aspects of a digital payment ecosystem (registering workers into a database, verifying their profiles with the mobile network operator and more) the benefits of a cashless approach became more apparent.
\"There is substantial evidence that digitizing payments can support people, especially women, to gain access to financial services and increase control over their earnings,” said Maria May, Senior Program Officer, Inclusive Financial Systems, at the Gates Foundation. “Over the past four years, the World Health Organization has utilized the growing presence of mobile money across Africa to ensure that the courageous frontline vaccinators in polio outbreak campaigns are paid completely, quickly, and securely.”
Alain Labrique, director of WHO’s Department of Digital Health and Innovation, said that “digital payments are one of the key pillars of Digital Health Public Infrastructure currently strongly encouraged within WHO’s guidance to member-states on Digital Transformation.” WHO views digital payments as a foundation for many more digital development activities, together with Data Exchange and Digital ID Infrastructure. He added “we are delighted to work with partners in the digital space and add our voice to this celebration of WHO's joining the Better Than Cash Alliance”.
","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"f5e47289-e0e0-4fc2-a7dc-9114971e6971","LastModified":"2020-10-01T15:34:56Z","PublicationDate":"2020-01-28T14:38:15Z","Title":"Marshall Islanders triumph against lymphatic filariasis","Description":"","DateCreated":"2020-01-28T14:38:15Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"marshall-islanders-triumph-against-lymphatic-filariasis","ItemDefaultUrl":"/30-03-2017-marshall-islanders-triumph-against-lymphatic-filariasis","PublicationDateAndTime":"2017-03-30T00:00:00Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"MetaTitle":"","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":1,"OpenGraphDescription":"The World Health Organization (WHO) today acknowledged the Republic of the Marshall Islands in eliminating lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem.The country is the latest to join six others in WHO's Western Pacific Region \u2013 Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, Niue, the Republic of Korea and Vanuatu \u2013 already validated for eliminating the disease.In 2016, WHO validated the Maldives and Sri Lanka \u2013 both from the South East-Asia Region \u2013 for having achieved elimination.The success in the Marshall Islands comes as another needed example that elimination as a public health problem can be achieved \u2013 an important message for the 66 countries still working towards this goal. Read the full story ","Subtitle":"","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":1,"MetaDescription":"The World Health Organization (WHO) today acknowledged the Republic of the Marshall Islands in eliminating lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem.The country is the latest to join six others in WHO's Western Pacific Region \u2013 Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, Niue, the Republic of Korea and Vanuatu \u2013 already validated for eliminating the disease.In 2016, WHO validated the Maldives and Sri Lanka \u2013 both from the South East-Asia Region \u2013 for having achieved elimination.The success in the Marshall Islands comes as another needed example that elimination as a public health problem can be achieved \u2013 an important message for the 66 countries still working towards this goal. Read the full story ","OtherRelated":"","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":3,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":1,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":1,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":1,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"Marshall Islanders triumph against lymphatic filariasis","Location":"Manila | Geneva","Highlight":"","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":3,"AllowComments":false,"Summary":"The World Health Organization (WHO) today acknowledged the Republic of the Marshall Islands in eliminating lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem.","Content":"The World Health Organization (WHO) today acknowledged the Republic of the Marshall Islands in eliminating lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem.
The country is the latest to join six others in WHO's Western Pacific Region – Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, Niue, the Republic of Korea and Vanuatu – already validated for eliminating the disease.
In 2016, WHO validated the Maldives and Sri Lanka – both from the South East-Asia Region – for having achieved elimination.
The success in the Marshall Islands comes as another needed example that elimination as a public health problem can be achieved – an important message for the 66 countries still working towards this goal.
","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"09f9dd79-bee3-41d9-aeab-e2534b0a63d3","LastModified":"2024-11-25T13:13:04Z","PublicationDate":"2024-11-25T13:13:04Z","Title":"Responsible use of the life sciences takes centre stage in WHO Regional Office for Africa webinar","Description":"","DateCreated":"2024-11-25T13:13:04Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"responsible-use-of-the-life-sciences-takes-centre-stage-in-who-regional-office-for-africa-webinar","ItemDefaultUrl":"/25-11-2024-responsible-use-of-the-life-sciences-takes-centre-stage-in-who-regional-office-for-africa-webinar","PublicationDateAndTime":"2024-11-25T13:09:47Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaTitle":"Responsible use of the life sciences takes centre stage in WHO Regional Office for Africa webinar","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"OpenGraphDescription":"On 29 October 2024, a two-hour webinar was held on the Global guidance framework for the responsible use of the life sciences: mitigating biorisks and governing dual-use research (the framework), released in 2022, this is a comprehensive global guidance document aims to inform the development of national frameworks and approaches for mitigating biorisks and governing dual-use research, while harnessing the power of life sciences for global health. The webinar was held to facilitate and support the document\u2019s operationalization in the WHO African Region.The webinar was conducted in English, with simultaneous interpretation in French made available to maximize the participation from countries with different speaking languages and exchanges.This webinar provided a platform for interested parties in the WHO African Region to: gain knowledge and increase their awareness about the framework and how it fits into existing strategies and initiatives in the Region; hear from country experiences and lessons learned through the piloting of the framework, taking into consideration country\u2019s context, priorities and needs; earn about the Regional Office\u2019s activities in supporting and promoting the operationalization of the framework; and discuss and exchange experiences in the areas of responsible use of life sciences and governance of dual-use research to build a network and engage in intra-regional learning opportunities.A total of 72 participants working in the life sciences joined the webinar from Member States across diverse disciplines and sectors, WHO regional and country offices and regional partners and entities. The Assistant Regional Director of the WHO Regional Office for Africa, Dr Lindiwe Makubalo, provided the welcoming remarks, conveying the high level of commitment at the highest level of the Regional Office and demonstrating the importance of the topic in the Region. Dr Makubalo offered insights into the opportunities on the African continent for governing dual-use research and mitigating biorisks, while emphasizing the reasoning behind the need to ensure life science research is conducted in a safe manner. Dr Constance Assohou - Luty, Team Lead for Research at the WHO Regional Office for Africa, facilitated the webinar sessions during which series of presentations were delivered. First, the Emerging Technologies, Research Prioritization and Support unit of WHO headquarters\u2019 Science Division, represented by Dr Anna Laura Ross, Dr Emmanuelle Tuerlings and Dr Soatiana Rajatonirina, spoke on the key elements and considerations of the framework, the different activities conducted to support its operationalization and the development of accompanying tools to facilitate the uptake of the framework. This included the online implementation and monitoring tool and the online training course on responsible use of the life sciences and dual-use research. Next, Dr Turyatunga Emmanuel, Office of the Prime Minister; Dr Andrew Bakainaga, Country Advisor, WHO Country Office Uganda; and Dr Andrew Nasawotebb, Laboratory Focal Person at the Ministry of Health Uganda, presented Uganda\u2019s experiences from piloting the framework. This was followed by a presentation from Dr Samuel Ujewe, a Senior Ethics Advisor from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) on key insights and perspectives in contextualizing the framework within African socio-cultural realities, and lastly, Dr Jaures Noumedem, the Biosafety and Biosecurity Technical Officer at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), on Africa CDC\u2019s experiences and observations of responsible use of the life sciences in the continent.These series of presentations were followed by a plenary session chaired by the Assistant Regional Director of the WHO African Region during which participants were encouraged to share their experiences, exchange ideas and pose questions. Overall, the webinar generated key interest from the participants, who emphasized the importance of investment in this area of work, and especially In dual-use governance in the African Region through the congregation of stakeholders. Others remarked on the strong political will needed to ensure the governance of the life sciences at country level, the importance of harmonizing efforts between WHO and Africa CDC and the need for effective monitoring tools. Final thoughts from the group included a call for expanded implementation of the framework in countries within the African Region and the need to make WHO focal points available to facilitate and communicate needs for support.At the conclusion of the discussion, several next steps were agreed upon to support the interested countries and stakeholders in their initiation of the framework\u2019s implementation. First, WHO focal point contact information will be shared. Then, two documents will be shared with the network of partners in order to share insights and provide important context for future work: the final report from the piloting of the framework in Uganda and the Global guidance framework for the responsible use of the life sciences: mitigating biorisks and governing dual-use research in the WHO African Region. Participants were also encouraged to subscribe to the responsible sciences and emerging technologies newsletter to receive regular updates on these areas directly in their inbox if they are interested.\r\n\r\n","Subtitle":"","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaDescription":"On 29 October 2024, a two-hour webinar was held on the Global guidance framework for the responsible use of the life sciences: mitigating biorisks and governing dual-use research (the framework), released in 2022, this is a comprehensive global guidance document aims to inform the development of national frameworks and approaches for mitigating biorisks and governing dual-use research, while harnessing the power of life sciences for global health. The webinar was held to facilitate and support the document\u2019s operationalization in the WHO African Region.The webinar was conducted in English, with simultaneous interpretation in French made available to maximize the participation from countries with different speaking languages and exchanges.This webinar provided a platform for interested parties in the WHO African Region to: gain knowledge and increase their awareness about the framework and how it fits into existing strategies and initiatives in the Region; hear from country experiences and lessons learned through the piloting of the framework, taking into consideration country\u2019s context, priorities and needs; earn about the Regional Office\u2019s activities in supporting and promoting the operationalization of the framework; and discuss and exchange experiences in the areas of responsible use of life sciences and governance of dual-use research to build a network and engage in intra-regional learning opportunities.A total of 72 participants working in the life sciences joined the webinar from Member States across diverse disciplines and sectors, WHO regional and country offices and regional partners and entities. The Assistant Regional Director of the WHO Regional Office for Africa, Dr Lindiwe Makubalo, provided the welcoming remarks, conveying the high level of commitment at the highest level of the Regional Office and demonstrating the importance of the topic in the Region. Dr Makubalo offered insights into the opportunities on the African continent for governing dual-use research and mitigating biorisks, while emphasizing the reasoning behind the need to ensure life science research is conducted in a safe manner. Dr Constance Assohou - Luty, Team Lead for Research at the WHO Regional Office for Africa, facilitated the webinar sessions during which series of presentations were delivered. First, the Emerging Technologies, Research Prioritization and Support unit of WHO headquarters\u2019 Science Division, represented by Dr Anna Laura Ross, Dr Emmanuelle Tuerlings and Dr Soatiana Rajatonirina, spoke on the key elements and considerations of the framework, the different activities conducted to support its operationalization and the development of accompanying tools to facilitate the uptake of the framework. This included the online implementation and monitoring tool and the online training course on responsible use of the life sciences and dual-use research. Next, Dr Turyatunga Emmanuel, Office of the Prime Minister; Dr Andrew Bakainaga, Country Advisor, WHO Country Office Uganda; and Dr Andrew Nasawotebb, Laboratory Focal Person at the Ministry of Health Uganda, presented Uganda\u2019s experiences from piloting the framework. This was followed by a presentation from Dr Samuel Ujewe, a Senior Ethics Advisor from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) on key insights and perspectives in contextualizing the framework within African socio-cultural realities, and lastly, Dr Jaures Noumedem, the Biosafety and Biosecurity Technical Officer at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), on Africa CDC\u2019s experiences and observations of responsible use of the life sciences in the continent.These series of presentations were followed by a plenary session chaired by the Assistant Regional Director of the WHO African Region during which participants were encouraged to share their experiences, exchange ideas and pose questions. Overall, the webinar generated key interest from the participants, who emphasized the importance of investment in this area of work, and especially In dual-use governance in the African Region through the congregation of stakeholders. Others remarked on the strong political will needed to ensure the governance of the life sciences at country level, the importance of harmonizing efforts between WHO and Africa CDC and the need for effective monitoring tools. Final thoughts from the group included a call for expanded implementation of the framework in countries within the African Region and the need to make WHO focal points available to facilitate and communicate needs for support.At the conclusion of the discussion, several next steps were agreed upon to support the interested countries and stakeholders in their initiation of the framework\u2019s implementation. First, WHO focal point contact information will be shared. Then, two documents will be shared with the network of partners in order to share insights and provide important context for future work: the final report from the piloting of the framework in Uganda and the Global guidance framework for the responsible use of the life sciences: mitigating biorisks and governing dual-use research in the WHO African Region. Participants were also encouraged to subscribe to the responsible sciences and emerging technologies newsletter to receive regular updates on these areas directly in their inbox if they are interested.\r\n\r\n","OtherRelated":"","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"Responsible use of the life sciences takes centre stage in WHO Regional Office for Africa webinar","Location":"","Highlight":"","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"AllowComments":true,"Summary":"On 29 October 2024, a two-hour webinar was held on the Global guidance framework for the responsible use of the life sciences: mitigating biorisks and governing dual-use research (the framework), released in 2022, this is a comprehensive global guidance document aims to inform the development of national frameworks and approaches for mitigating biorisks and governing dual-use research, while harnessing the power of life sciences for global health. The webinar was held to facilitate and support the document\u2019s operationalization in the WHO African Region.","Content":"On 29 October 2024, a two-hour webinar was held on the Global guidance framework for the responsible use of the life sciences: mitigating biorisks and governing dual-use research (the framework), released in 2022, this is a comprehensive global guidance document aims to inform the development of national frameworks and approaches for mitigating biorisks and governing dual-use research, while harnessing the power of life sciences for global health. The webinar was held to facilitate and support the document’s operationalization in the WHO African Region.
The webinar was conducted in English, with simultaneous interpretation in French made available to maximize the participation from countries with different speaking languages and exchanges.
This webinar provided a platform for interested parties in the WHO African Region to:
A total of 72 participants working in the life sciences joined the webinar from Member States across diverse disciplines and sectors, WHO regional and country offices and regional partners and entities.
The Assistant Regional Director of the WHO Regional Office for Africa, Dr Lindiwe Makubalo, provided the welcoming remarks, conveying the high level of commitment at the highest level of the Regional Office and demonstrating the importance of the topic in the Region. Dr Makubalo offered insights into the opportunities on the African continent for governing dual-use research and mitigating biorisks, while emphasizing the reasoning behind the need to ensure life science research is conducted in a safe manner.
Dr Constance Assohou - Luty, Team Lead for Research at the WHO Regional Office for Africa, facilitated the webinar sessions during which series of presentations were delivered. First, the Emerging Technologies, Research Prioritization and Support unit of WHO headquarters’ Science Division, represented by Dr Anna Laura Ross, Dr Emmanuelle Tuerlings and Dr Soatiana Rajatonirina, spoke on the key elements and considerations of the framework, the different activities conducted to support its operationalization and the development of accompanying tools to facilitate the uptake of the framework. This included the online implementation and monitoring tool and the online training course on responsible use of the life sciences and dual-use research.
Next, Dr Turyatunga Emmanuel, Office of the Prime Minister; Dr Andrew Bakainaga, Country Advisor, WHO Country Office Uganda; and Dr Andrew Nasawotebb, Laboratory Focal Person at the Ministry of Health Uganda, presented Uganda’s experiences from piloting the framework.
This was followed by a presentation from Dr Samuel Ujewe, a Senior Ethics Advisor from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) on key insights and perspectives in contextualizing the framework within African socio-cultural realities, and lastly, Dr Jaures Noumedem, the Biosafety and Biosecurity Technical Officer at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), on Africa CDC’s experiences and observations of responsible use of the life sciences in the continent.
These series of presentations were followed by a plenary session chaired by the Assistant Regional Director of the WHO African Region during which participants were encouraged to share their experiences, exchange ideas and pose questions. Overall, the webinar generated key interest from the participants, who emphasized the importance of investment in this area of work, and especially In dual-use governance in the African Region through the congregation of stakeholders.
Others remarked on the strong political will needed to ensure the governance of the life sciences at country level, the importance of harmonizing efforts between WHO and Africa CDC and the need for effective monitoring tools. Final thoughts from the group included a call for expanded implementation of the framework in countries within the African Region and the need to make WHO focal points available to facilitate and communicate needs for support.
At the conclusion of the discussion, several next steps were agreed upon to support the interested countries and stakeholders in their initiation of the framework’s implementation. First, WHO focal point contact information will be shared. Then, two documents will be shared with the network of partners in order to share insights and provide important context for future work: the final report from the piloting of the framework in Uganda and the Global guidance framework for the responsible use of the life sciences: mitigating biorisks and governing dual-use research in the WHO African Region. Participants were also encouraged to subscribe to the responsible sciences and emerging technologies newsletter to receive regular updates on these areas directly in their inbox if they are interested.
A new technical brief published today by the World Health Organization (WHO), Improving the Lives of People with Epilepsy, sets out the actions required to deliver an integrated approach to epilepsy care and treatment, which better meets the multifaceted needs of people with epilepsy.
Epilepsy affects over 50 million people across the world. It ranks fifth among all neurological causes for disability-adjusted life years (DALYs). Worldwide, an estimated 125 000 deaths each year are related to the disorder. Epilepsy also has wider physical and mental health implications. Roughly half of all people with epilepsy also have other physical or mental health conditions, which are associated with poorer health outcomes and increased health-care needs.
Across the world, people with epilepsy continue to be the targets of stigma, discrimination, and human rights violations. As a result, they frequently face barriers to education and employment and are effectively prevented from full participation in social and community life.
“Given epilepsy has significant personal, health, economic and social inclusion consequences for people living with the disorder and for their families and communities, the response should not be anything less than integrated, comprehensive and engaging all of society,” said Dévora Kestel, WHO Director for Mental Health and Substance Use.
Treatment gap for epilepsy
Many people with epilepsy do not receive the necessary treatment to control their seizures and the treatment gap exceeds 75% in most low-income countries and 50% in most middle-income countries. This gap results from a combination of lack of capacity in health-care systems, inequitable distribution of resources, the low priority accorded to epilepsy care and people not seeking diagnosis or treatment due to lack of awareness and stigmatization.
Yet, epilepsy is highly treatable – over 70% of those who have the disorder could live seizure free if they had access to appropriate antiseizure treatment, which can cost as little as US$5 a year.
Integrating epilepsy in primary health care
To ensure people with epilepsy get the diagnoses, care and treatment they need, the new brief sets out the case for tackling the burden of epilepsy through better integration in primary health care systems.
It outlines concrete actions, grouped under the 11 dedicated levers first introduced by the Operational framework for primary health care to address the treatment gap, strengthen services and promote a person-based, human rights approach that meets the multifaceted needs of people with epilepsy.
In summary, the brief highlights the importance of:
The epilepsy technical brief is intended for use by a broad range of stakeholders. Governments, policymakers, and programme managers in Ministries of health, social protection, education, human rights and other sectors at national and local levels can implement the proposed actions to restructure and strengthen their approach and services.
The levers and corresponding actions along with the linked resources will also be useful in guiding planning and programming by civil society groups, professional associations, academic institutions, organizations of people with epilepsy and their families and carers, and development partners.
","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"e35f0c4d-d02a-421f-9547-3c2edc344882","LastModified":"2020-07-13T12:43:39Z","PublicationDate":"2020-07-10T10:40:17Z","Title":"Study estimates more than one million Indians died from snakebite envenoming over past two decades","Description":"","DateCreated":"2020-07-10T10:40:17Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"study-estimates-more-than-one-million-indians-died-from-snakebite-envenoming-over-past-two-decades","ItemDefaultUrl":"/10-07-2020-study-estimates-more-than-one-million-indians-died-from-snakebite-envenoming-over-past-two-decades","PublicationDateAndTime":"2020-07-10T13:00:00Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaTitle":"Study estimates more than one million Indians died from snakebite envenoming over past two decades","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"OpenGraphDescription":"\u00a0India is among the countries most dramatically affected by snakebite and accounts for almost half the total number of annual deaths in the world. Authors of the article entitled \u2018Trends in snakebite mortality in India from 2000 to 2019 in a nationally representative mortality study\u2019\n analysed 2,833 snakebite deaths from 611,483 verbal autopsies from an earlier study1 and conducted a systematic literature review from 2000-2019 covering 87,590 snake bites.The authors estimated that India had 1.2 million snakebite deaths (representing an average of 58,000 per year) from 2000 to 2019 with nearly half of the victims aged 30-69 and over a quarter being children under 15.People living in densely populated low altitude agricultural areas in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh (which includes Telangana, a recently defined state), Rajasthan and Gujarat, suffered 70% of\n deaths during the period 2001-2014, particularly during the rainy season when encounters between snakes and humans are more frequent at home and outdoors.Russell\u2019s viper (Daboia russelii) (Figure 1), kraits (Bungarus species) and cobras (Naja species; Figure 2) are among the most important biting snake species in India, yet other often unidentified species also represent\n a threat.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Left: Russel's Viper (Photo:David Williams):\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Right: Speckled Cobra in a field near an agricultural worker. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0(Photo: Ben Owens)The World Health Organization (WHO) has set the target of reducing by half the number of deaths due to snakebite envenoming by 2030 and India\u2019s efforts to prevent and control this disease will largely influence this global target.\u00a0\u201cSince deaths are restricted mainly to lower altitude, intensely agricultural areas, during a single season of each year, this should make the annual epidemics easier to manage. India\u2019s tremendous snakebite burden is staring us in the face and we need to act now\u201d\n said Romulus Whitaker of the Centre for Herpetology/Madras Crocodile Bank. \u201cTargeting these areas with education about simple methods, such as \u2018snake-safe\u2019 harvest practices, wearing rubber boots and gloves and using rechargeable torches (or mobile phone flashlights) could reduce the risk of snakebites.\u201dNeed for more nationwide epidemiological studies in snakebite endemic countriesAdditional nationally representative studies together with increasing mapping resolution and multi-sourced data granularity, including both hospital-based mortality and morbidity data including those collected at the community level, are needed for\n more targeted and effective public health interventions in other snakebite endemic countries.The authors also noted that the Government of India\u2019s official declaration of snakebite deaths in public hospitals during the period 2003 to 2015 was only 15,500, one tenth of the 154,000 snakebite deaths detected during this same period by\n the MDS from public and private hospitals.\u201cOur study directly quantified and identified the populations most affected by fatal snakebites in India. We showed that the overall lifetime risk of being killed by snakebite is about 1 in 250, but in some areas, the lifetime risk reaches 1 in 100\u201d\n said Prabhat Jha, Director of the Centre for Global Health Research at the University of Toronto, Canada. \u201cOngoing direct measurement of mortality at local levels is key to achieving WHO\u2019s global roadmap.\u201dTo repair this gross under-reporting, the authors recommend that the Government of India designate and enforce snakebite as a \u2018Notifiable Disease\u2019 within the Integrated Disease Surveillance Program. Accurate snakebite data are essential\n if the Government of India\u2019s strategies to reduce snakebite deaths are to succeed.\u00a0\u00a0--------------------------------------1Snakebite Mortality in India: A Nationally Representative Mortality Survey published in PLoS in 2011 and based on\n the Indian Million Death Study estimated 46,000 annual deaths caused by snakebite in India.\u00a0","Subtitle":"","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaDescription":"\u00a0India is among the countries most dramatically affected by snakebite and accounts for almost half the total number of annual deaths in the world. Authors of the article entitled \u2018Trends in snakebite mortality in India from 2000 to 2019 in a nationally representative mortality study\u2019\n analysed 2,833 snakebite deaths from 611,483 verbal autopsies from an earlier study1 and conducted a systematic literature review from 2000-2019 covering 87,590 snake bites.The authors estimated that India had 1.2 million snakebite deaths (representing an average of 58,000 per year) from 2000 to 2019 with nearly half of the victims aged 30-69 and over a quarter being children under 15.People living in densely populated low altitude agricultural areas in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh (which includes Telangana, a recently defined state), Rajasthan and Gujarat, suffered 70% of\n deaths during the period 2001-2014, particularly during the rainy season when encounters between snakes and humans are more frequent at home and outdoors.Russell\u2019s viper (Daboia russelii) (Figure 1), kraits (Bungarus species) and cobras (Naja species; Figure 2) are among the most important biting snake species in India, yet other often unidentified species also represent\n a threat.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Left: Russel's Viper (Photo:David Williams):\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Right: Speckled Cobra in a field near an agricultural worker. \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0(Photo: Ben Owens)The World Health Organization (WHO) has set the target of reducing by half the number of deaths due to snakebite envenoming by 2030 and India\u2019s efforts to prevent and control this disease will largely influence this global target.\u00a0\u201cSince deaths are restricted mainly to lower altitude, intensely agricultural areas, during a single season of each year, this should make the annual epidemics easier to manage. India\u2019s tremendous snakebite burden is staring us in the face and we need to act now\u201d\n said Romulus Whitaker of the Centre for Herpetology/Madras Crocodile Bank. \u201cTargeting these areas with education about simple methods, such as \u2018snake-safe\u2019 harvest practices, wearing rubber boots and gloves and using rechargeable torches (or mobile phone flashlights) could reduce the risk of snakebites.\u201dNeed for more nationwide epidemiological studies in snakebite endemic countriesAdditional nationally representative studies together with increasing mapping resolution and multi-sourced data granularity, including both hospital-based mortality and morbidity data including those collected at the community level, are needed for\n more targeted and effective public health interventions in other snakebite endemic countries.The authors also noted that the Government of India\u2019s official declaration of snakebite deaths in public hospitals during the period 2003 to 2015 was only 15,500, one tenth of the 154,000 snakebite deaths detected during this same period by\n the MDS from public and private hospitals.\u201cOur study directly quantified and identified the populations most affected by fatal snakebites in India. We showed that the overall lifetime risk of being killed by snakebite is about 1 in 250, but in some areas, the lifetime risk reaches 1 in 100\u201d\n said Prabhat Jha, Director of the Centre for Global Health Research at the University of Toronto, Canada. \u201cOngoing direct measurement of mortality at local levels is key to achieving WHO\u2019s global roadmap.\u201dTo repair this gross under-reporting, the authors recommend that the Government of India designate and enforce snakebite as a \u2018Notifiable Disease\u2019 within the Integrated Disease Surveillance Program. Accurate snakebite data are essential\n if the Government of India\u2019s strategies to reduce snakebite deaths are to succeed.\u00a0\u00a0--------------------------------------1Snakebite Mortality in India: A Nationally Representative Mortality Survey published in PLoS in 2011 and based on\n the Indian Million Death Study estimated 46,000 annual deaths caused by snakebite in India.\u00a0","OtherRelated":"","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"Study estimates more than one million Indians died from snakebite envenoming over past two decades","Location":"","Highlight":"","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":2,"AllowComments":true,"Summary":"","Content":"
India is among the countries most dramatically affected by snakebite and accounts for almost half the total number of annual deaths in the world. Authors of the article entitled ‘Trends in snakebite mortality in India from 2000 to 2019 in a nationally representative mortality study’\n analysed 2,833 snakebite deaths from 611,483 verbal autopsies from an earlier study1 and conducted a systematic literature review from 2000-2019 covering 87,590 snake bites.
The authors estimated that India had 1.2 million snakebite deaths (representing an average of 58,000 per year) from 2000 to 2019 with nearly half of the victims aged 30-69 and over a quarter being children under 15.
People living in densely populated low altitude agricultural areas in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh (which includes Telangana, a recently defined state), Rajasthan and Gujarat, suffered 70% of\n deaths during the period 2001-2014, particularly during the rainy season when encounters between snakes and humans are more frequent at home and outdoors.
Russell’s viper (Daboia russelii) (Figure 1), kraits (Bungarus species) and cobras (Naja species; Figure 2) are among the most important biting snake species in India, yet other often unidentified species also represent\n a threat.
![\"\"](\"https://www.who.int/images/default-source/departments/ntd-library/snakebite/india-snakes-july2020-.png?sfvrsn=7ff79511_1\")
Left: Russel's Viper (Photo:David Williams): Right: Speckled Cobra in a field near an agricultural worker.
(Photo: Ben Owens)
The World Health Organization (WHO) has set the target of reducing by half the number of deaths due to snakebite envenoming by 2030 and India’s efforts to prevent and control this disease will largely influence this global target.
“Since deaths are restricted mainly to lower altitude, intensely agricultural areas, during a single season of each year, this should make the annual epidemics easier to manage. India’s tremendous snakebite burden is staring us in the face and we need to act now”\n said Romulus Whitaker of the Centre for Herpetology/Madras Crocodile Bank. “Targeting these areas with education about simple methods, such as ‘snake-safe’ harvest practices, wearing rubber boots and gloves and using rechargeable torches (or mobile phone flashlights) could reduce the risk of snakebites.”
Need for more nationwide epidemiological studies in snakebite endemic countries
Additional nationally representative studies together with increasing mapping resolution and multi-sourced data granularity, including both hospital-based mortality and morbidity data including those collected at the community level, are needed for\n more targeted and effective public health interventions in other snakebite endemic countries.
The authors also noted that the Government of India’s official declaration of snakebite deaths in public hospitals during the period 2003 to 2015 was only 15,500, one tenth of the 154,000 snakebite deaths detected during this same period by\n the MDS from public and private hospitals.
“Our study directly quantified and identified the populations most affected by fatal snakebites in India. We showed that the overall lifetime risk of being killed by snakebite is about 1 in 250, but in some areas, the lifetime risk reaches 1 in 100”\n said Prabhat Jha, Director of the Centre for Global Health Research at the University of Toronto, Canada. “Ongoing direct measurement of mortality at local levels is key to achieving WHO’s global roadmap.”
To repair this gross under-reporting, the authors recommend that the Government of India designate and enforce snakebite as a ‘Notifiable Disease’ within the Integrated Disease Surveillance Program. Accurate snakebite data are essential\n if the Government of India’s strategies to reduce snakebite deaths are to succeed.
--------------------------------------
1Snakebite Mortality in India: A Nationally Representative Mortality Survey published in PLoS in 2011 and based on\n the Indian Million Death Study estimated 46,000 annual deaths caused by snakebite in India.
","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"00aefdaf-e171-47e9-a808-30d13faf8bc1","LastModified":"2024-09-18T15:51:12Z","PublicationDate":"2024-09-18T07:59:40Z","Title":"FIFA and World Health Organization launch global concussion awareness campaign","Description":"","DateCreated":"2024-09-18T07:59:40Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"fifa-and-world-health-organization-launch-global-concussion-awareness-campaign","ItemDefaultUrl":"/18-09-2024-fifa-and-world-health-organization-launch-global-concussion-awareness-campaign","PublicationDateAndTime":"2024-09-18T06:00:00Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaTitle":"FIFA and World Health Organization launch global concussion awareness campaign","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"OpenGraphDescription":"In line with the Strategic Objectives for the Global Game: 2023\u20132027 and following on from the announcement at The IFAB AGM in March 2024, FIFA is launching Suspect and Protect: No Match is Worth the Risk, a concussion awareness campaign, in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO). The campaign aims to raise awareness of the fact that concussion is a traumatic brain injury and is a risk to every player on the pitch.","Subtitle":"","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaDescription":"In line with the Strategic Objectives for the Global Game: 2023\u20132027 and following on from the announcement at The IFAB AGM in March 2024, FIFA is launching Suspect and Protect: No Match is Worth the Risk, a concussion awareness campaign, in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO). The campaign aims to raise awareness of the fact that concussion is a traumatic brain injury and is a risk to every player on the pitch.","OtherRelated":"","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"FIFA and World Health Organization launch global concussion awareness campaign","Location":"","Highlight":"
The IFAB approves permanent concussion substitutes among several changes to the Laws of the Game
","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"AllowComments":true,"Summary":"","Content":"
In line with the Strategic Objectives for the Global Game: 2023–2027 and following on from the announcement at the IFAB AGM in March 2024, FIFA is launching Suspect and Protect: No Match is Worth the Risk, a concussion awareness campaign, in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO).
The campaign aims to raise awareness of the fact that concussion is a traumatic brain injury and is a risk to every player on the pitch. It has been endorsed by players, coaches and team doctors from around the world.
Developed through extensive consultation with FIFA Medical and WHO brain health experts, the Suspect and Protect campaign aims to increase sign and symptom recognition among players, coaches and medical staff, as well as the general public. The campaign highlights that symptoms may take up to 72 hours to appear and offers guidance on how to return to play safely following a suspected or confirmed concussion. These tailored resources are designed to empower national team stakeholders, professional clubs and leagues and grassroots and amateur communities.
Suspect and Protect will be delivered at a global level across FIFA channels, while toolkits are being distributed to the 211 FIFA Member Associations for delivery at a national, regional and local level.
“Concussion is a brain injury and should always be taken seriously. Playing football should be something enjoyed safely, by everyone, everywhere,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said. “By knowing the signs of concussion, by being aware of the risks, and by treating a concussion correctly, you can help to put player safety first.
“A big thank you to FIFA’s member associations for their efforts in launching with us and for following the advice provided by our colleagues at the World Health Organization.”
“Concussion is a public health issue of concern at all levels of football, and many other sports, requiring greater levels of awareness and action,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “That is why WHO is proud to team up with FIFA on the Suspect and Protect campaign to promote ways to protect the brains of footballers, young and old, around the world from the risks of concussion.”
The campaign is built upon three main action points for audiences within national teams, professional clubs and leagues and amateur and grassroots communities.
BE AWARE: Whether a player, coach, team doctor, parent or carer, it is important to understand that concussion is a traumatic brain injury and should always be taken seriously. Everyone should know the common signs of concussion as well as when to seek urgent medical advice.
SUSPECT: Anyone who sustains a direct or indirect impact to their head, face, neck or body, should be assessed for concussion symptoms. Symptoms may take up to 72 hours to present. They include headache or ‘pressure’ sensation, nausea or vomiting, problems with balance, dizziness or being unsteady on feet, distorted/blurry or double vision, sensitivity to light and/or noise, memory problems (difficulty recalling the traumatic event, and/or events before or after), feeling drowsy, confused or unable to focus, sleep problems.
PROTECT: Anyone presenting with one or more concussion symptoms should leave the pitch immediately. A doctor must be seen as soon as possible and within 24 hours. The symptoms of a concussion can change or evolve within the minutes, hours, days and even weeks after the traumatic event. Some symptoms require urgent medical attention. Players should follow medical guidance on return to play. No match is worth the risk.
Editor's notes
Suspect and Protect will be available through FIFA channels in Arabic, English, French, German, Portuguese (Brazilian) and Spanish and will be adapted by Member Associations in additional languages.
WHO's work on brain health: The WHO works with countries to promote optimal brain development and function, neurological health, and well-being across the life course. Key activities include strengthening policies, service delivery, health information systems, research and technology, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries; providing technical assistance to develop integrated and person-centred approaches to brain health that prioritize promotion, prevention, treatment, care, and rehabilitation; and promoting increased investment, inter-agency collaboration, and engagement across a range of sectors globally.
More about WHO's work on brain health","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"8dffc204-659a-4886-9656-ce216340227c","LastModified":"2020-10-01T15:30:02Z","PublicationDate":"2019-10-09T08:43:15Z","Title":"Celebrating one year without a reported human case of rabies in KwaZuluNatal, South Africa","Description":"","DateCreated":"2019-10-09T08:43:15Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"celebrating-one-year-without-a-reported-human-case-of-rabies-in-kwazulunatal-south-africa","ItemDefaultUrl":"/24-07-2011-celebrating-one-year-without-a-reported-human-case-of-rabies-in-kwazulunatal-south-africa","PublicationDateAndTime":"2011-07-24T13:00:00Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"MetaTitle":"Celebrating one year without a reported human case of rabies in KwaZuluNatal, South Africa","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"OpenGraphDescription":"Celebrating one year without a reported human case of rabies in KwaZuluNatal, South Africa","Subtitle":"Creating a \u201cone medicine\u201d paradigm shift in prevention of human rabies through control and eventual elimination of dog rabies","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"MetaDescription":"Celebrating one year without a reported human case of rabies in KwaZuluNatal, South Africa","OtherRelated":"","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"Celebrating one year without a reported human case of rabies in KwaZuluNatal, South Africa","Location":"Geneva","Highlight":"","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":3,"AllowComments":false,"Summary":"\n","Content":"
The KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa has been plagued by dog rabies for several decades. During 1983–2007, 79% of laboratory-confirmed human cases in South Africa occurred in this province. The province is home to an estimated 10.6 million people (21.3% of the South African population); it shares international borders with 3 countries and provincial borders with 2 separately administrated provinces. This, together with the wide distribution of dwellings in rural areas, creates unique challenges for rabies control and the establishment of a rabies-free area.
\nIn 2009, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, in cooperation with WHO, started a pilot programme to eliminate canine rabies in three candidate territories where the disease is endemic (the KwaZulu Natal province in South Africa, the south-eastern part of the United Republic of Tanzania and the Visayas archipelago in the Philippines).
\nThe programme aims to demonstrate that human rabies can be prevented through the control of rabies in dogs. This concept was also intended to support the “one medicine” paradigm shift in global approaches to public and veterinary health. Over the past three years, the project has progressively taken shape, as systems and logistics have been put in place and control campaigns started.
\nIn KwaZuluNatal, the project sought to bring sustainability to existing control measures in a region fraught with challenges in service delivery. Despite a slow start in terms of administration, the ongoing field and associated activities have proven so effective that we can now celebrate one year without a reported case of human rabies!
\nThe absence of reported human rabies cases over a 12-month period is highly significant for KwaZuluNatal and cause for celebration because:
\nThe five-year project aims to achieve elimination of human and dog rabies from KwaZuluNatal by 2014. However, other human fatalities may occur before the disease is finally eliminated from dogs in the province.
\nAlthough the financial support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation represents a relatively small percentage of actual expenditures to manage rabies in the province, the collective influence of the Gates Foundation’s name, and technical input from WHO and other international experts from leading institutions around the world who have visited the project, have boosted the project’s profile, brought sustainability and encouraged, motivated and influenced the direction and purpose of the efforts in KwaZuluNatal.
\nWe hope that this achievement will boost the efforts of all those involved to continue to strive for our ultimate goal – the complete and sustainable prevention of human dog-mediated rabies cases through dog rabies elimination – first in KwaZuluNatal, then in neighbouring provinces, and eventually in all countries neighbouring South Africa affected by rabies.
\n","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"03f43ba4-cf30-4736-973c-e1d2a4723e9e","LastModified":"2020-10-06T15:05:22Z","PublicationDate":"2019-12-17T08:01:21Z","Title":"Preparatory process reaches a breakthrough milestone on ICN2","Description":"","DateCreated":"2019-12-17T08:01:21Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"preparatory-process-reaches-a-breakthrough-milestone-on-icn2","ItemDefaultUrl":"/12-10-2014-preparatory-process-reaches-a-breakthrough-milestone-on-icn2","PublicationDateAndTime":"2014-10-12T10:04:00Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaTitle":"Preparatory process reaches a breakthrough milestone on ICN2","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"OpenGraphDescription":"Member States witnessed a breakthrough milestone on 12 October 2014 when they reached a consensus on key policy recommendations to tackle nutrition challenges during the next 10 years. As part of a preparatory process leading towards ICN2, Member States met through an Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) in Geneva 22-23 September 2014 and again in Rome 10-12 October 2014 to agree on a set of commitments to improve nutrition for present and future generations around the world.","Subtitle":"","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaDescription":"Member States witnessed a breakthrough milestone on 12 October 2014 when they reached a consensus on key policy recommendations to tackle nutrition challenges during the next 10 years. As part of a preparatory process leading towards ICN2, Member States met through an Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) in Geneva 22-23 September 2014 and again in Rome 10-12 October 2014 to agree on a set of commitments to improve nutrition for present and future generations around the world.","OtherRelated":"","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"Preparatory process reaches a breakthrough milestone on ICN2","Location":"Rome","Highlight":"","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"AllowComments":true,"Summary":"","Content":"
Member States witnessed a breakthrough milestone on 12 October\r\n 2014 when they reached a consensus on key policy recommendations to \r\ntackle nutrition challenges during the next 10 years.
As part of a preparatory process leading towards ICN2, Member \r\nStates met through an Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) in Geneva 22-23 \r\nSeptember 2014 and again in Rome 10-12 October 2014 to agree on a set of\r\n commitments to improve nutrition for present and future generations \r\naround the world.
Chaired by high-level officials from Austria, Ecuador, Egypt \r\nand the Czech Republic, governments reached consensus on 12 October 2014\r\n around a Political Declaration and Framework for Action, which commit \r\nMember States to address the multiple challenges of malnutrition and \r\noutline how they can achieve that during the next 10 years. The \r\nconsensus was reached on the final day of the preparatory process and \r\nwill be transmitted to Ministers of Agriculture, Health and Foreign \r\nAffairs for their consideration at the ICN2 itself, taking place 19-21 \r\nNovember 2014 in Rome.
The preparatory process leading towards ICN2 was jointly \r\norganized by FAO and WHO. FAO and WHO are both helping governments in \r\ntheir national efforts to address malnutrition, which currently affects \r\nmore than half the world’s population and represents the single biggest \r\ncontributor to child mortality. One of the major problems encountered \r\nin many countries is the lack of policy coherence across sectors -- \r\nranging from trade to agriculture and public health -- to ensure that \r\nall people have access to adequate, safe, diversified and nutrient-rich \r\nfood that contribute to healthy diets.
WHO’s Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan, addressed the OEWG through a video message.
FAO and WHO will continue their preparations to organize the ICN2 itself. The Conference is expected to unite stakeholders around a common nutrition agenda for the future that rests on the core-values of human rights, equality and sustainability, and that is based on concrete end-goals and targets.
Towards a dementia inclusive society. WHO toolkit for dementia-friendly initiatives (DFIs)
","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"AllowComments":true,"Summary":"\u201cTowards a dementia-inclusive society: WHO toolkit for dementia-friendly initiatives\u201d, launched today, is WHO\u2019s latest tool for establishing and scaling-up dementia-friendly initiatives globally. The toolkit helps countries raise public awareness and understanding of dementia to support people living with dementia to remain in, and be a significant part of, their communities. It assists people working in communities to plan, implement and evaluate dementia-friendly programmes or integrate dementia into other initiatives, such those relating to age-friendly environments and the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing.","Content":"
“Towards a dementia-inclusive society: WHO toolkit for dementia-friendly initiatives”, launched today, is WHO’s latest tool for establishing and scaling-up dementia-friendly initiatives globally. The toolkit helps countries raise public awareness and understanding of dementia to support people living with dementia to remain in, and be a significant part of, their communities. It assists people working in communities to plan, implement and evaluate dementia-friendly programmes or integrate dementia into other initiatives, such those relating to age-friendly environments and the UN Decade of Healthy Ageing.
The toolkit consists of a conceptual framework for creating a dementia-inclusive society and provides practical modules focusing on: starting a new initiative; integrating dementia into an existing initiative; scaling-up; and monitoring and evaluation. The modules can be used together or separately, and can be adapted to suit local needs and settings.
Dementia awareness and friendliness are one of the action areas included in the Global action plan on the public health response to dementia 2017-2025. A better understanding of dementia helps lead to communities where people with dementia can lead meaningful, safe and dignified lives.
","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"aceb8c90-d96b-436d-92fc-4dcaab567540","LastModified":"2020-10-13T12:31:13Z","PublicationDate":"2020-04-06T11:31:23Z","Title":"WHO statement on the third meeting of the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee regarding the international spread of wild poliovirus","Description":"","DateCreated":"2020-04-06T11:31:23Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"who-statement-on-the-third-meeting-of-the-international-health-regulations-emergency-committee-regarding-the-international-spread-of-wild-poliovirus","ItemDefaultUrl":"/14-11-2014-who-statement-on-the-third-meeting-of-the-international-health-regulations-emergency-committee-regarding-the-international-spread-of-wild-poliovirus","PublicationDateAndTime":"2014-11-14T07:00:00Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaTitle":"WHO statement on the third meeting of the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee regarding the international spread of wild poliovirus","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"OpenGraphDescription":"The third meeting of the Emergency Committee under the IHR (2005) regarding the international spread of wild poliovirus in 2014 was convened by the Director-General through electronic correspondence from 2 through 7 November 2014.1\u00a0The following IHR States Parties submitted an update on the implementation of the Temporary Recommendations since the Committee last met on 31 July 2014: Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Pakistan and the Syrian Arab Republic.The Committee noted that the international spread of wild poliovirus has continued since 31 July 2014, with at least 3 new exportations from Pakistan into neighbouring Afghanistan. There has been no other documented international spread of wild poliovirus since March 2014.The risk of new international spread from Pakistan was assessed to have increased substantively since 31 July 2014, as cases have escalated during the current high transmission season and there has been no significant improvement in the underlying factors that are driving transmission in the country. The risk of new international spread from the other 9 currently infected States appears to have declined, with only 2 of those States having reported new cases since 31 July: Somalia (1 case) and Afghanistan (7 cases, most of which were due to imported virus).The Committee remains concerned that implementation of the Temporary Recommendations is still incomplete, especially as immunization systems have continued to deteriorate in a number of the countries at greatest risk of new importations, particularly those affected by conflict. The Committee concluded that the countries identified at its 2nd meeting as \u2018States currently exporting wild poliovirus\u2019 or \u2018States infected with wild poliovirus but not currently exporting\u2019 had not met fully the criteria for removing the recommended measures for reducing the risk of international spread of wild poliovirus. These criteria require documentation of the full application of high quality eradication activities in all infected and high-risk areas of these countries and that at least 6 months have passed without an exportation or, in the case of non-exporting countries, detection of wild poliovirus transmission from any source.The Committee assessed that the event still constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and recommended the extension of the Temporary Recommendations for a further 3 months.Recognizing the escalating wild poliovirus transmission in Pakistan, with more reported cases than at any time in the past 14 years and ongoing cross-border exportation of the virus, the Committee provided the following additional advice to the Director-General for her consideration to reduce further the risk of international spread of wild poliovirus:Pakistan should restrict at the point of departure the international travel of any resident lacking documentation of appropriate polio vaccination. These recommendations apply to international travellers from all points of departure, irrespective of the means of conveyance (e.g. road, air, sea);Pakistan should note that the recommendation stated previously for urgent travel remains valid (i.e. those undertaking urgent travel who have not received appropriate polio vaccination must receive a dose of polio vaccine at least by the time of departure and be provided with appropriate documentation of that dose);in advance of the next meeting of the Committee, Pakistan should provide to the Director-General a report on the implementation by month of the Temporary Recommendations on international travel, including the number of residents whose travel was restricted and the number of travellers who were vaccinated and provided appropriate documentation at the point of departure.If the existing and additional Temporary Recommendations for the vaccination of travellers from Pakistan cannot be fully implemented by the time the Committee next meets, the Committee will consider additional measures such as entry screening to reduce the risk of international spread.The Director-General accepted the Committee\u2019s assessment and declared that the international spread of wild poliovirus continued to constitute a PHEIC. The Director-General endorsed the Committee\u2019s additional advice on reducing the risk of international spread from Pakistan. The Director-General thanked the Committee Members and Advisors for their advice, requested their reassessment of this situation within three months and issued the following Temporary Recommendations under the IHR (2005), effective 13 November 2014:States currently exporting wild poliovirusPakistan, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and the Syrian Arab Republic should:officially declare, if not already done, at the level of head of state or government, that the interruption of poliovirus transmission is a national public health emergency;ensure that all residents and long-term visitors (i.e. > 4 weeks) receive a dose of OPV or inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) between 4 weeks and 12 months prior to international travel;ensure that those undertaking urgent travel (i.e. within 4 weeks), who have not received a dose of OPV or IPV in the previous 4 weeks to 12 months, receive a dose of polio vaccine at least by the time of departure as this will still provide benefit, particularly for frequent travellers;ensure that such travellers are provided with an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis in the form specified in Annex 6 of the International Health Regulations (2005) to record their polio vaccination and serve as proof of vaccination;maintain these measures until the following criteria have been met: (i) at least 6 months have passed without new exportations and (ii) there is documentation of full application of high quality eradication activities in all infected and high risk areas; in the absence of such documentation these measures should be maintained until at least 12 months have passed without new exportations.Pakistan should in addition:restrict at the point of departure the international travel of any resident lacking documentation of appropriate polio vaccination. These recommendations apply to international travellers from all points of departure, irrespective of the means of conveyance (e.g. road, air, sea);note that the recommendation stated previously for urgent travel remains valid (i.e. those undertaking urgent travel who have not received appropriate polio vaccination must receive a dose of polio vaccine at least by the time of departure and be provided with appropriate documentation of that dose);in advance of the next meeting of the Committee, should provide to the Director-General a report on the implementation by month of the Temporary Recommendations on international travel, including the number of residents whose travel was restricted and the number of travellers who were vaccinated and provided appropriate documentation at the point of departure.States infected with wild poliovirus but not currently exportingAfghanistan, Ethiopia, Iraq, Israel, Nigeria and Somalia should:officially declare, if not already done, at the level of head of state or government, that the interruption of poliovirus transmission is a national public health emergency;encourage residents and long-term visitors to receive a dose of OPV or IPV 4 weeks to 12 months prior to international travel; those undertaking urgent travel (i.e. within 4 weeks) should be encouraged to receive a dose at least by the time of departure;ensure that travellers who receive such vaccination have access to an appropriate document to record their polio vaccination status;maintain these measures until the following criteria have been met: (i) at least 6 months have passed without the detection of wild poliovirus transmission in the country from any source, and (ii) there is documentation of full application of high quality eradication activities in all infected and high risk areas; in the absence of such documentation these measures should be maintained until at least 12 months without evidence of transmission.\u00a01\u00a0Emergency Committee Members and Advisors: list of names, affiliations and interestsThe same Members and Advisors were invited to both meetings of the Emergency Committee.\u00a0","Subtitle":"","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaDescription":"The third meeting of the Emergency Committee under the IHR (2005) regarding the international spread of wild poliovirus in 2014 was convened by the Director-General through electronic correspondence from 2 through 7 November 2014.1\u00a0The following IHR States Parties submitted an update on the implementation of the Temporary Recommendations since the Committee last met on 31 July 2014: Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Pakistan and the Syrian Arab Republic.The Committee noted that the international spread of wild poliovirus has continued since 31 July 2014, with at least 3 new exportations from Pakistan into neighbouring Afghanistan. There has been no other documented international spread of wild poliovirus since March 2014.The risk of new international spread from Pakistan was assessed to have increased substantively since 31 July 2014, as cases have escalated during the current high transmission season and there has been no significant improvement in the underlying factors that are driving transmission in the country. The risk of new international spread from the other 9 currently infected States appears to have declined, with only 2 of those States having reported new cases since 31 July: Somalia (1 case) and Afghanistan (7 cases, most of which were due to imported virus).The Committee remains concerned that implementation of the Temporary Recommendations is still incomplete, especially as immunization systems have continued to deteriorate in a number of the countries at greatest risk of new importations, particularly those affected by conflict. The Committee concluded that the countries identified at its 2nd meeting as \u2018States currently exporting wild poliovirus\u2019 or \u2018States infected with wild poliovirus but not currently exporting\u2019 had not met fully the criteria for removing the recommended measures for reducing the risk of international spread of wild poliovirus. These criteria require documentation of the full application of high quality eradication activities in all infected and high-risk areas of these countries and that at least 6 months have passed without an exportation or, in the case of non-exporting countries, detection of wild poliovirus transmission from any source.The Committee assessed that the event still constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and recommended the extension of the Temporary Recommendations for a further 3 months.Recognizing the escalating wild poliovirus transmission in Pakistan, with more reported cases than at any time in the past 14 years and ongoing cross-border exportation of the virus, the Committee provided the following additional advice to the Director-General for her consideration to reduce further the risk of international spread of wild poliovirus:Pakistan should restrict at the point of departure the international travel of any resident lacking documentation of appropriate polio vaccination. These recommendations apply to international travellers from all points of departure, irrespective of the means of conveyance (e.g. road, air, sea);Pakistan should note that the recommendation stated previously for urgent travel remains valid (i.e. those undertaking urgent travel who have not received appropriate polio vaccination must receive a dose of polio vaccine at least by the time of departure and be provided with appropriate documentation of that dose);in advance of the next meeting of the Committee, Pakistan should provide to the Director-General a report on the implementation by month of the Temporary Recommendations on international travel, including the number of residents whose travel was restricted and the number of travellers who were vaccinated and provided appropriate documentation at the point of departure.If the existing and additional Temporary Recommendations for the vaccination of travellers from Pakistan cannot be fully implemented by the time the Committee next meets, the Committee will consider additional measures such as entry screening to reduce the risk of international spread.The Director-General accepted the Committee\u2019s assessment and declared that the international spread of wild poliovirus continued to constitute a PHEIC. The Director-General endorsed the Committee\u2019s additional advice on reducing the risk of international spread from Pakistan. The Director-General thanked the Committee Members and Advisors for their advice, requested their reassessment of this situation within three months and issued the following Temporary Recommendations under the IHR (2005), effective 13 November 2014:States currently exporting wild poliovirusPakistan, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and the Syrian Arab Republic should:officially declare, if not already done, at the level of head of state or government, that the interruption of poliovirus transmission is a national public health emergency;ensure that all residents and long-term visitors (i.e. > 4 weeks) receive a dose of OPV or inactivated poliovirus vaccine (IPV) between 4 weeks and 12 months prior to international travel;ensure that those undertaking urgent travel (i.e. within 4 weeks), who have not received a dose of OPV or IPV in the previous 4 weeks to 12 months, receive a dose of polio vaccine at least by the time of departure as this will still provide benefit, particularly for frequent travellers;ensure that such travellers are provided with an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis in the form specified in Annex 6 of the International Health Regulations (2005) to record their polio vaccination and serve as proof of vaccination;maintain these measures until the following criteria have been met: (i) at least 6 months have passed without new exportations and (ii) there is documentation of full application of high quality eradication activities in all infected and high risk areas; in the absence of such documentation these measures should be maintained until at least 12 months have passed without new exportations.Pakistan should in addition:restrict at the point of departure the international travel of any resident lacking documentation of appropriate polio vaccination. These recommendations apply to international travellers from all points of departure, irrespective of the means of conveyance (e.g. road, air, sea);note that the recommendation stated previously for urgent travel remains valid (i.e. those undertaking urgent travel who have not received appropriate polio vaccination must receive a dose of polio vaccine at least by the time of departure and be provided with appropriate documentation of that dose);in advance of the next meeting of the Committee, should provide to the Director-General a report on the implementation by month of the Temporary Recommendations on international travel, including the number of residents whose travel was restricted and the number of travellers who were vaccinated and provided appropriate documentation at the point of departure.States infected with wild poliovirus but not currently exportingAfghanistan, Ethiopia, Iraq, Israel, Nigeria and Somalia should:officially declare, if not already done, at the level of head of state or government, that the interruption of poliovirus transmission is a national public health emergency;encourage residents and long-term visitors to receive a dose of OPV or IPV 4 weeks to 12 months prior to international travel; those undertaking urgent travel (i.e. within 4 weeks) should be encouraged to receive a dose at least by the time of departure;ensure that travellers who receive such vaccination have access to an appropriate document to record their polio vaccination status;maintain these measures until the following criteria have been met: (i) at least 6 months have passed without the detection of wild poliovirus transmission in the country from any source, and (ii) there is documentation of full application of high quality eradication activities in all infected and high risk areas; in the absence of such documentation these measures should be maintained until at least 12 months without evidence of transmission.\u00a01\u00a0Emergency Committee Members and Advisors: list of names, affiliations and interestsThe same Members and Advisors were invited to both meetings of the Emergency Committee.\u00a0","OtherRelated":"","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"WHO statement on the third meeting of the International Health Regulations Emergency Committee regarding the international spread of wild poliovirus","Location":"Geneva","Highlight":"","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"AllowComments":true,"Summary":"","Content":"
The third meeting of the Emergency Committee under the IHR (2005) regarding the international spread of wild poliovirus in 2014 was convened by the Director-General through electronic correspondence from 2 through 7 November 2014.1 The following IHR States Parties submitted an update on the implementation of the Temporary Recommendations since the Committee last met on 31 July 2014: Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, Pakistan and the Syrian Arab Republic.
The Committee noted that the international spread of wild poliovirus has continued since 31 July 2014, with at least 3 new exportations from Pakistan into neighbouring Afghanistan. There has been no other documented international spread of wild poliovirus since March 2014.
The risk of new international spread from Pakistan was assessed to have increased substantively since 31 July 2014, as cases have escalated during the current high transmission season and there has been no significant improvement in the underlying factors that are driving transmission in the country. The risk of new international spread from the other 9 currently infected States appears to have declined, with only 2 of those States having reported new cases since 31 July: Somalia (1 case) and Afghanistan (7 cases, most of which were due to imported virus).
The Committee remains concerned that implementation of the Temporary Recommendations is still incomplete, especially as immunization systems have continued to deteriorate in a number of the countries at greatest risk of new importations, particularly those affected by conflict. The Committee concluded that the countries identified at its 2nd meeting as ‘States currently exporting wild poliovirus’ or ‘States infected with wild poliovirus but not currently exporting’ had not met fully the criteria for removing the recommended measures for reducing the risk of international spread of wild poliovirus. These criteria require documentation of the full application of high quality eradication activities in all infected and high-risk areas of these countries and that at least 6 months have passed without an exportation or, in the case of non-exporting countries, detection of wild poliovirus transmission from any source.
The Committee assessed that the event still constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and recommended the extension of the Temporary Recommendations for a further 3 months.
Recognizing the escalating wild poliovirus transmission in Pakistan, with more reported cases than at any time in the past 14 years and ongoing cross-border exportation of the virus, the Committee provided the following additional advice to the Director-General for her consideration to reduce further the risk of international spread of wild poliovirus:
If the existing and additional Temporary Recommendations for the vaccination of travellers from Pakistan cannot be fully implemented by the time the Committee next meets, the Committee will consider additional measures such as entry screening to reduce the risk of international spread.
The Director-General accepted the Committee’s assessment and declared that the international spread of wild poliovirus continued to constitute a PHEIC. The Director-General endorsed the Committee’s additional advice on reducing the risk of international spread from Pakistan. The Director-General thanked the Committee Members and Advisors for their advice, requested their reassessment of this situation within three months and issued the following Temporary Recommendations under the IHR (2005), effective 13 November 2014:
Pakistan, Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and the Syrian Arab Republic should:
Pakistan should in addition:
Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Iraq, Israel, Nigeria and Somalia should:
","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"39ae098e-84d9-45c3-9d44-22166b8a76f9","LastModified":"2023-04-14T11:18:34Z","PublicationDate":"2023-04-13T12:04:03Z","Title":"Join the global effort to enhance access to medicines and other health technologies: the 2nd World Local Production Forum to be held in the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 2023","Description":"","DateCreated":"2023-04-13T12:04:03Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"join-the-global-effort-to-enhance-access-to-health-technologies--second-world-local-production-forum-to-be-held-in-the-kingdom-of-the-netherlands-in-2023","ItemDefaultUrl":"/13-04-2023-join-the-global-effort-to-enhance-access-to-health-technologies--second-world-local-production-forum-to-be-held-in-the-kingdom-of-the-netherlands-in-2023","PublicationDateAndTime":"2023-04-13T22:00:00Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":1,"MetaTitle":"Join the global effort to enhance access to medicines and other health technologies: the 2nd World Local Production Forum to be held in the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 2023","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":1,"OpenGraphDescription":"In response\r\nto the request from Member States, WHO launched the\u00a0World\r\nLocal Production Forum:\u00a0Enhancing access to medicines and other health\r\ntechnologies (WLPF)\u00a0initiative in 2021, a regular global platform to\r\nfoster discussions and partnerships in strengthening sustainable quality local\r\nproduction and technology transfer to improve access to quality, safe and\r\neffective health products and technologies, and to safeguard global, regional,\r\nand national health security, including during health emergencies. The\u00a0Local\r\nProduction and Assistance Unit\u00a0is serving as the\r\nSecretariat of the WLPF.The first\u202fWLPF\u202fwas held virtually in June 2021 with the\r\nparticipation of high-level delegates from over 100 Member States. The 2nd\r\nWLPF will take place in the Kingdom of the Netherlands,\u00a0from 6 to 8 November 2023.The Kingdom of the Netherlands is the hosting country for the 2nd WLPF, and the forum will be held in the World Forum The Hague. The focus of this forum is to leverage regional and global partnerships for local production and technology transfer for timely and equitable access worldwide. The forum will explore collective strategies and actions to enhance impact on access and global health\r\nsecurity. The 2nd\r\nWLPF is expected to invite high level participation from diverse\r\nsectors, such as government, international organizations, finance institutions,\r\nprivate sector, civil societies, and academia, and it will allow a broad number\r\nof virtual participants to attend from all over the world.\u00a0Join the global community in fostering\r\npartnerships, collaborations, and synergies at the second World Local\r\nProduction Forum in The Hague, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, from 6 to 8\r\nNovember 2023.\u00a0More information on the organization and the agenda will be provided in due course.Any queries, please contact to the\r\nWLPF Secretariat: Dr. Jicui Dong, Unit Head of the\u00a0Local Production and Assistance Unit, email:\u00a0dongj@who.int\u00a0and in copy\u00a0localproduction@who.int\u00a0\u00a0Local Production and Assistance UnitRegulatory and Prequalification Department\u00a0Access to Medicines and Health Products DivisionWHO-HQ","Subtitle":"","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":1,"MetaDescription":"In response\r\nto the request from Member States, WHO launched the\u00a0World\r\nLocal Production Forum:\u00a0Enhancing access to medicines and other health\r\ntechnologies (WLPF)\u00a0initiative in 2021, a regular global platform to\r\nfoster discussions and partnerships in strengthening sustainable quality local\r\nproduction and technology transfer to improve access to quality, safe and\r\neffective health products and technologies, and to safeguard global, regional,\r\nand national health security, including during health emergencies. The\u00a0Local\r\nProduction and Assistance Unit\u00a0is serving as the\r\nSecretariat of the WLPF.The first\u202fWLPF\u202fwas held virtually in June 2021 with the\r\nparticipation of high-level delegates from over 100 Member States. The 2nd\r\nWLPF will take place in the Kingdom of the Netherlands,\u00a0from 6 to 8 November 2023.The Kingdom of the Netherlands is the hosting country for the 2nd WLPF, and the forum will be held in the World Forum The Hague. The focus of this forum is to leverage regional and global partnerships for local production and technology transfer for timely and equitable access worldwide. The forum will explore collective strategies and actions to enhance impact on access and global health\r\nsecurity. The 2nd\r\nWLPF is expected to invite high level participation from diverse\r\nsectors, such as government, international organizations, finance institutions,\r\nprivate sector, civil societies, and academia, and it will allow a broad number\r\nof virtual participants to attend from all over the world.\u00a0Join the global community in fostering\r\npartnerships, collaborations, and synergies at the second World Local\r\nProduction Forum in The Hague, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, from 6 to 8\r\nNovember 2023.\u00a0More information on the organization and the agenda will be provided in due course.Any queries, please contact to the\r\nWLPF Secretariat: Dr. Jicui Dong, Unit Head of the\u00a0Local Production and Assistance Unit, email:\u00a0dongj@who.int\u00a0and in copy\u00a0localproduction@who.int\u00a0\u00a0Local Production and Assistance UnitRegulatory and Prequalification Department\u00a0Access to Medicines and Health Products DivisionWHO-HQ","OtherRelated":"World Local Production Forum ","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":1,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"Join the global effort to enhance access to medicines and other health technologies: the 2nd World Local Production Forum to be held in the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 2023","Location":"","Highlight":"","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"AllowComments":true,"Summary":"(WHO announces the Second World Local Production Forum to be Held in The Netherlands in 2023)","Content":"
In response\r\nto the request from Member States, WHO launched the World\r\nLocal Production Forum: Enhancing access to medicines and other health\r\ntechnologies (WLPF) initiative in 2021, a regular global platform to\r\nfoster discussions and partnerships in strengthening sustainable quality local\r\nproduction and technology transfer to improve access to quality, safe and\r\neffective health products and technologies, and to safeguard global, regional,\r\nand national health security, including during health emergencies. The Local\r\nProduction and Assistance Unit is serving as the\r\nSecretariat of the WLPF.
The first\u202fWLPF\u202fwas held virtually in June 2021 with the\r\nparticipation of high-level delegates from over 100 Member States. The 2nd\r\nWLPF will take place in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, from 6 to 8 November 2023.The Kingdom of the Netherlands is the hosting country for the 2nd WLPF, and the forum will be held in the World Forum The Hague. The focus of this forum is to leverage regional and global partnerships for local production and technology transfer for timely and equitable access worldwide. The forum will explore collective strategies and actions to enhance impact on access and global health\r\nsecurity.
The 2nd\r\nWLPF is expected to invite high level participation from diverse\r\nsectors, such as government, international organizations, finance institutions,\r\nprivate sector, civil societies, and academia, and it will allow a broad number\r\nof virtual participants to attend from all over the world.
Join the global community in fostering\r\npartnerships, collaborations, and synergies at the second World Local\r\nProduction Forum in The Hague, the Kingdom of the Netherlands, from 6 to 8\r\nNovember 2023.
Any queries, please contact to the\r\nWLPF Secretariat: Dr. Jicui Dong, Unit Head of the Local Production and Assistance Unit, e
The WHO Director-General has the pleasure of transmitting the Report of the twelfth meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) Emergency Committee regarding the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, held on Friday, 8 July 2022, from\r\n 12:00 to 15:30 CEST.
The WHO Director-General concurs with the advice offered by the Committee regarding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and determines that the event continues to constitute a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC).
The WHO Director-General considered the advice provided by the Committee regarding the proposed Temporary Recommendations. The set of Temporary Recommendations issued by the WHO Director-General is presented at the end of this statement.
The WHO Director-General is taking the opportunity to express his sincere gratitude to the Chair, and Members of the Committee, as well as to its Advisors.
===
Proceedings of the meeting
On behalf of the WHO Director-General, the Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, Dr Michael J. Ryan, welcomed Members and Advisors of the Emergency Committee, all of whom were convened by videoconference.
Dr Ryan expressed concern regarding the current global COVID-19 epidemiological situation. Cases of COVID-19 reported to WHO had increased by 30% in the last two weeks, largely driven by Omicron BA.4, BA.5 and other descendent lineages and the lifting\r\n of public health and social measures (PHSM). This increase in cases was translating into pressure on health systems in a number of WHO regions. Dr Ryan highlighted additional challenges to the ongoing COVID-19 response: recent changes in testing policies\r\n that hinder the detection of cases and the monitoring of virus evolution; inequities in access to testing, sequencing, vaccines and therapeutics, including new antivirals; waning of natural and vaccine-derived protection; and the global burden of\r\n Post COVID-19 condition.
The Ethics Officer from the Department of Compliance, Risk Management, and Ethics briefed Members and Advisers on their roles and responsibilities. Members and Advisors were also reminded of their duty of confidentiality as to the meeting discussions\r\n and the work of the Committee, as well as their individual responsibility to disclose to WHO, in a timely manner, any interests of a personal, professional, financial, intellectual or commercial nature that may give rise to a perceived or direct conflict\r\n of interest. Each Member and Advisor who was present was surveyed. No conflicts of interest were identified.
The Representative of the Office of Legal Counsel briefed the Members and Advisors on their roles and responsibilities and the mandate of the Emergency Committee under the relevant articles of the IHR.
The meeting was handed over to the Chair of the Emergency Committee regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, Professor Didier Houssin. The Chair introduced the objectives of the meeting: to provide views to the WHO Director-General on whether the COVID-19 pandemic\r\n continues to constitute a PHEIC, and to review temporary recommendations to States Parties.
The WHO Secretariat presented a global overview of current status of the COVID-19 pandemic, and highlighted a number of challenges to the ongoing response. The presentation focused on: the global COVID-19 epidemiological situation; the evolution of the\r\n virus and the impact of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern; an update on international travel-related measures; the current status of COVID-19 vaccination and progress towards WHO vaccination targets; and the 2022 WHO Strategic preparedness, readiness\r\n and response plan.
Deliberative session
The Committee discussed the following issues: the impact of SARS-CoV-2 virus evolution on the public health response and capacities of health services; progress towards increasing COVID-19 vaccination coverage; changes in testing and surveillance strategies;\r\n societal and political risk perception and community engagement; equity and access to countermeasures, vaccines and therapeutics; and maintaining political engagement while balancing the need to respond to other public health priorities and emergencies.\r\n The Committee discussed that SARS-CoV-2 virus had not yet established its ecological niche and that the implications of a pandemic caused by a novel respiratory virus may not be fully understood. Consequently, given the current shape and unpredictable\r\n dynamics of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Committee emphasized the need to reduce the transmission of SARS-CoV-2 virus. This requires the responsible, consistent, and continued use of individual-level protective measures, to the benefit of communities\r\n as a whole; as well as the continued adjustments of community-wide PHSM, to overcome the “all or nothing” binary approaches.
The Committee expressed concern as to the ongoing changes observed in States Parties with respect to steep reductions in testing, resulting in reduced coverage and quality of surveillance as fewer cases are being detected and reported to WHO; and fewer\r\n genomic sequences being submitted to open access platforms – resulting in a lack of representativeness of genomic sequences from all WHO regions. This impedes assessments of currently circulating and emerging variants of the virus, including\r\n the generation and analysis of phenotypic data. The above is translating into the increasing inability to interpret trends in transmission, and consequently to properly inform the adjustments of PHSM.
The epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 virus infection remains unpredictable as the virus continues to evolve, through sustained transmission in the human population and in domestic, farmed, and wild animals in which the virus was newly introduced.
The Committee noted that both the trajectory of viral evolution and the characteristics of emerging variants of the virus remain uncertain and unpredictable, and, in the absence of the adoption of PHSM aiming at reducing transmission, the resulting selective\r\n pressure on the virus increases the probability of new, fitter variants emerging, with different degrees of virulence, transmissibility, and immune escape potential.
For these reasons, the Committee highlighted the need for all States Parties to continue to apply PHSM proportionate to their epidemiological situation, stressing the continued use of effective, individual-level protective measures to reduce transmission.\r\n The Committee acknowledged the ongoing challenges faced by States Parties in adjusting and implementing PHSM. The Committee acknowledged WHO’s advice to States Parties to regularly assess the epidemiological situation at sub-national levels\r\n and adjust PHSM proportionately. PHSM should be adjusted based on estimates of disease prevalence and population protection from infection and vaccination, as well as the capacities of the local health system (already challenged, inter alia, by staff\r\n shortages due to COVID-19 related burn-out).
The Committee highlighted the need to improve surveillance, by broadening and developing an array of approaches and tools aiming at achieving global situational population- based and geographic representativeness. These include, but are not limited to,\r\n the integration of self-testing results and sentinel surveillance approaches into national and global surveillance schemes, and aggregate sampling strategies with Nucleic Acid Amplification Test-based tools and detailed deep genome sequence probing.\r\n Novel surveillance approaches would enhance better assessment of trends in epidemiology of infection, disease, and viral evolution, as well as trends in health system capacity, and support agility and timely adjustments of PHSM. The Committee acknowledged\r\n the need to expedite integration of COVID-19 surveillance into routine systems, for instance by integrating COVID-19 surveillance with the surveillance of other respiratory pathogens; and recognized the potential value of supplementing surveillance\r\n with wastewater surveillance. In addition, access to timely and accurate testing, with linkage to clinical care and therapeutics, needs to be maintained.
The Committee recognised the continued work of WHO and partners in increasing vaccination coverage in all six WHO regions, with focus in achieving the highest possible vaccination coverage among persons at highest risk of severe disease outcomes and among\r\n persons at highest risk of exposure; as well as assessing and addressing barriers to vaccine uptake. However, given the persistent vaccine inequities, the Committee reinforced the need for ensuring that the highest priority groups are vaccinated\r\n in every country, with a primary series and booster dose, in accordance with WHO global vaccination strategy and the updated WHO SAGE Roadmap for prioritizing uses of COVID-19 vaccines. The Committee expressed concern over the lack of data shared with WHO on vaccination coverage in the high priority groups for 30% of the countries. The Committee\r\n acknowledged the disruption the pandemic continues to have on routine immunization activities, which is resulting in outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases in areas of low coverage.
The Committee highlighted that immediate efforts are warranted to promote access for Low and Middle Income Countries to therapeutics that reduce disease severity in both ambulant and hospitalised patients. The Committee warned that the lack of equitable\r\n access that occurred with vaccines should not be repeated with therapeutics. The Committee also highlighted the continued need for further research and development for COVID-19 in the areas of epidemiology and variants, diagnostics, clinical care\r\n including care for Post COVID-19 condition, and additional COVID-19 vaccines.
Given the general public’s perception that the pandemic may be over, the Committee also highlighted the ongoing challenges in communicating, particularly to communities that continue to experience high levels of transmission, that the mitigation\r\n of the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, in the immediate and longer terms, depends on the use of PHSM. The Committee emphasised the importance of using learning from the last two and a half years to nuance the implementation of PHSM in individual\r\n communities. The Committee acknowledged that any risk communication and community engagement effort should hinge on consistent and synchronized political will, policies, and a concert of community influencers to shift the course of risk perception.\r\n
Status of the Public Health Emergency of International Concern
The Committee recognized an overall decoupling of incident cases from severe disease, deaths, and pressure on health systems in the context of increased population immunity.
However, the Committee unanimously agreed that the COVID-19 pandemic still meets the criteria of an extraordinary event that continues to adversely impact the health of the world’s population, and that the emergence and international spread of new\r\n SARS-CoV-2 variants may present an even greater health impact.
The Committee explicitly indicated the following reasons underpinning their advice to the WHO Director-General as to the event continuing to constitute a PHEIC.
Firstly, the recent increase in the growth rate of cases in many States Parties in different WHO regions.
Secondly, the continuing and substantial evolution of SARS-CoV-2 virus, which, while inherent to all viruses, is expected to continue in an unpredictable manner. Yet the ability to assess the impact of variants on transmission, disease characteristics,\r\n or countermeasures, including diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines, is becoming increasingly difficult as a result of the inadequacy of current surveillance, including the reductions in testing and genomic sequencing. Additionally, there are uncertainties\r\n surrounding the level of readiness of already overburdened health systems, across all WHO regions, to respond to future COVID-19 pandemic waves.
Thirdly, public health and health planning tools to reduce transmission and disease burden (including hospitalisations and admissions to intensive care units of severe cases, and the impact of post COVID-19 condition) are not being implemented in proportion\r\n to local transmission levels or health system capacities.
Finally, there are inadequacies in risk communication and community engagement related to the need for the implementation or adjustment of PHSM, as well as a disconnect in the perception of risk posed by COVID-19 between scientific communities, political\r\n leaders and the general public.
For these reasons, continued coordination of the international response is necessary to reconsider approaches allowing for the accurate and reliable monitoring of the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic and triggering of adjustments to PHSM. Coordination\r\n is also still necessary to intensify and sustain development and research efforts related to effective and equitably available countermeasures and to develop further risk communication and community engagement approaches.
The Committee considered the Temporary Recommendations proposed by the WHO Secretariat and provided its advice.
===
Temporary Recommendations issued by the WHO Director-General to all States Parties
\r\n
The Clinical Research Information Service (CRiS) of the Republic of Korea has become the latest registry to join the list of Primary Registries in the WHO Registry Network. This means that CRiS conforms to WHO registry criteria and that registering trials with CRiS satisfies the trial registration policies of many medical journals.
","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"3e5ea895-96d5-4ead-ad41-ba27ee2b271b","LastModified":"2020-10-13T10:41:48Z","PublicationDate":"2020-02-04T08:31:15Z","Title":"Thiamine deficient infant formula","Description":"","DateCreated":"2020-02-04T08:31:15Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"thiamine-deficient-infant-formula","ItemDefaultUrl":"/21-11-2003-thiamine-deficient-infant-formula","PublicationDateAndTime":"2003-11-21T20:00:00Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaTitle":"Thiamine deficient infant formula","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"OpenGraphDescription":"The World Health Organization is informing its Member States of\n the health risk associated with Remedia brand soya based infant \nformula. Paediatricians, paediatric nurses and mid-wives should be \nadvised to inform parents of infants on non-dairy formula of the \npotential risk for thiamine (vitamin B-1) deficiency in this product.WHO has been informed by the Israeli government of a recently \ndiscovered outbreak of thiamine deficiency in Israel affecting 15 \ninfants, including two deaths. The affected infants present a variety of\n cardiac and neurological symptoms. Thiamine is an essential vitamin, \nbut severe thiamine deficiency, known as beriberi, is almost unknown in \ndeveloped countries.This outbreak has been associated with the consumption of a \nnon-dairy soya based infant formula (Remedia Super Soya 1). The product \nis made for export in Herford, Germany by the Humana company. Analysis \nof the Remedia soya based infant formula product indicated that thiamine\n was \"undetectable\" in the three samples tested. Another Remedia soya \nbased product for older infants (Super Soya Junior) was also shown to be\n deficient in thiamine.The cases thus far identified are aged between two and ten \nmonths. Initial symptoms have included restlessness, vomiting, \ndiarrhoea, apathy, convulsions and coma. This is a only preliminary \nassessment since data are still being collected from all hospitals. \nThese findings will be updated as soon as the data collection and \nanalyses have been completed. The Israeli Ministry of Health has advised\n that parents of infants who were fed this infant formula during the \npast two months should report to their physicians and that such infants \nshould be given a two week supplementary oral dose of thiamine. It is \nimportant to emphasize that thiamine deficiency responds well to \ntreatment by vitamin supplementation with products available in all \ncountries.For more information, please contact at WHO: Dr Gerald Moy, Scientist, Food Safety unit, tel. +41 22 791 3698, e-mail moyg@who.int,\n or Gregory Hartl, Communication Adviser, Sustainable Development and \nHealthy Environment, tel. +41 22 791 4458, mobile +41 79 203 6715, \ne-mail hartlg@who.int.","Subtitle":"","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaDescription":"The World Health Organization is informing its Member States of\n the health risk associated with Remedia brand soya based infant \nformula. Paediatricians, paediatric nurses and mid-wives should be \nadvised to inform parents of infants on non-dairy formula of the \npotential risk for thiamine (vitamin B-1) deficiency in this product.WHO has been informed by the Israeli government of a recently \ndiscovered outbreak of thiamine deficiency in Israel affecting 15 \ninfants, including two deaths. The affected infants present a variety of\n cardiac and neurological symptoms. Thiamine is an essential vitamin, \nbut severe thiamine deficiency, known as beriberi, is almost unknown in \ndeveloped countries.This outbreak has been associated with the consumption of a \nnon-dairy soya based infant formula (Remedia Super Soya 1). The product \nis made for export in Herford, Germany by the Humana company. Analysis \nof the Remedia soya based infant formula product indicated that thiamine\n was \"undetectable\" in the three samples tested. Another Remedia soya \nbased product for older infants (Super Soya Junior) was also shown to be\n deficient in thiamine.The cases thus far identified are aged between two and ten \nmonths. Initial symptoms have included restlessness, vomiting, \ndiarrhoea, apathy, convulsions and coma. This is a only preliminary \nassessment since data are still being collected from all hospitals. \nThese findings will be updated as soon as the data collection and \nanalyses have been completed. The Israeli Ministry of Health has advised\n that parents of infants who were fed this infant formula during the \npast two months should report to their physicians and that such infants \nshould be given a two week supplementary oral dose of thiamine. It is \nimportant to emphasize that thiamine deficiency responds well to \ntreatment by vitamin supplementation with products available in all \ncountries.For more information, please contact at WHO: Dr Gerald Moy, Scientist, Food Safety unit, tel. +41 22 791 3698, e-mail moyg@who.int,\n or Gregory Hartl, Communication Adviser, Sustainable Development and \nHealthy Environment, tel. +41 22 791 4458, mobile +41 79 203 6715, \ne-mail hartlg@who.int.","OtherRelated":"","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"Thiamine deficient infant formula","Location":"Geneva","Highlight":"Food Safety","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"AllowComments":true,"Summary":"","Content":"
The World Health Organization is informing its Member States of\n the health risk associated with Remedia brand soya based infant \nformula. Paediatricians, paediatric nurses and mid-wives should be \nadvised to inform parents of infants on non-dairy formula of the \npotential risk for thiamine (vitamin B-1) deficiency in this product.
WHO has been informed by the Israeli government of a recently \ndiscovered outbreak of thiamine deficiency in Israel affecting 15 \ninfants, including two deaths. The affected infants present a variety of\n cardiac and neurological symptoms. Thiamine is an essential vitamin, \nbut severe thiamine deficiency, known as beriberi, is almost unknown in \ndeveloped countries.
This outbreak has been associated with the consumption of a \nnon-dairy soya based infant formula (Remedia Super Soya 1). The product \nis made for export in Herford, Germany by the Humana company. Analysis \nof the Remedia soya based infant formula product indicated that thiamine\n was \"undetectable\" in the three samples tested. Another Remedia soya \nbased product for older infants (Super Soya Junior) was also shown to be\n deficient in thiamine.
The cases thus far identified are aged between two and ten \nmonths. Initial symptoms have included restlessness, vomiting, \ndiarrhoea, apathy, convulsions and coma. This is a only preliminary \nassessment since data are still being collected from all hospitals. \nThese findings will be updated as soon as the data collection and \nanalyses have been completed. The Israeli Ministry of Health has advised\n that parents of infants who were fed this infant formula during the \npast two months should report to their physicians and that such infants \nshould be given a two week supplementary oral dose of thiamine. It is \nimportant to emphasize that thiamine deficiency responds well to \ntreatment by vitamin supplementation with products available in all \ncountries.
WHO announces 3rd global Infodemic Manager training
EPI-WIN: WHO Information Network for Epidemics
![\"\"](\"https://www.who.int/images/default-source/departments/epi-win/5th_im_conference_booklet_cover.png?Status=Master&sfvrsn=13d35911_5\")
\r\n
WHO is delighted to announce that its 5th infodemic management conference will be held between 2 - 11 November 2021. This conference will bring together global experts over 4 sessions for discussions about approaches to quantify the impact\r\n of the infodemic on public health, and the effectiveness of measures to mitigate the infodemic.\r\n
![\"\"](\"https://www.who.int/images/default-source/departments/epi-win/5th-im-conference-thumbnail1.tmb-300v.png?Status=Master&Culture=en&sfvrsn=8fa2e449_1\")
The infodemic is leading to confusion and risk-taking behaviours that can be harmful to health, as well as to mistrust in health authorities and public health responses. WHO is developing tools to provide an evidence-based response to the infodemic, enabling\r\n prioritisation of health response activities. The focus of this conference will be metrics and indicators for measuring the burden of the infodemic and the impact of related interventions.\r\n
While previous conferences have expanded our understanding of infodemic drivers and social listening approaches, there is a need for more rigorous and standardized approaches to measuring impact. The aim of this technical conference is to develop a work plan to foster implementation of the work stream\r\n 1 of the WHO public health research agenda for managing infodemics – the metrics and indicators for measuring the burden of the infodemic and related interventions. A multidisciplinary team of scientists and public health decision-makers will work together to determine a path of how\r\n to measure the burden of disease due to the infodemic associated with the information mix people access and associated drivers for people’s action over time, and to develop new ways to characterise information exposure and health outcomes.
Significant progress has been made in many areas of infodemic response since the start of the pandemic, and this conference continues to build the tools and expertise needed to move towards a more coordinated and evidence-based approach to managing the\r\n infodemic.
Conference discussions will be structured over the following session areas:
It is expected that the conference will produce a conceptual causal map on the main pathways on the wider effects of the infodemic. Its outputs are also expected to include a list of principles, actions, study designs and metrics, as well as established\r\n collaborations for moving forward. These outcomes will continue to respond to the WHO public health research agenda for managing infodemics and priorities identified at previous conferences.
Sign up to the Infodemic Management newsletter to keep up to date with the progress of these discussions by clicking here.
","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"00b9f415-5fd0-41df-b89d-bf98c5a4eb89","LastModified":"2022-05-30T19:31:12Z","PublicationDate":"2022-05-30T19:27:04Z","Title":"Sleeping sickness elimination progresses in 2021 despite COVID-19","Description":"","DateCreated":"2022-05-30T19:31:12Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"sleeping-sickness-elimination-progresses-in-2021-despite-covid-19","ItemDefaultUrl":"/30-05-2022-sleeping-sickness-elimination-progresses-in-2021-despite-covid-19","PublicationDateAndTime":"2022-05-30T13:34:00Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaTitle":"Sleeping sickness elimination progresses in 2021 despite COVID-19","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"OpenGraphDescription":"Progress towards the worldwide elimination of transmission of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), otherwise known as sleeping sickness, is maintained, after coronavirus disease (COVID-19)-related disruptions threatened the development of control activities.","Subtitle":"","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaDescription":"Progress towards the worldwide elimination of transmission of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), otherwise known as sleeping sickness, is maintained, after coronavirus disease (COVID-19)-related disruptions threatened the development of control activities.","OtherRelated":"","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":1,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":1,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"Sleeping sickness elimination progresses in 2021 despite COVID-19","Location":"Geneva","Highlight":"
Progress towards the worldwide elimination of transmission of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), otherwise known as sleeping sickness, is maintained, after coronavirus disease (COVID-19)-related disruptions threatened the development of control activities.
HAT has two principal forms: gambiense and rhodesiense.
In 2021, the gambiense form was reported in 11 endemic countries, and a total of 750 cases were declared to the World Health Organization (WHO), with verification of a few cases pending. This figure is higher than the data reported in 2020, when 565 cases were declared.
This increase is in all likelihood due to increased case-finding activity, as systems get progressively back to normal after restrictions provoked by the COVID-19 pandemic. Of these cases, 57% were reported in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is also worth highlighting the increase in the number of cases reported in Angola. These amount to 23% of the total, and occur in the context of intensified active screening in areas not covered during previous years.
As for the rhodesiense form of HAT, there were 55 reported cases originating in four countries, with almost 90% of cases occurring in Malawi. This overall figure shows a significant decrease with respect to 2020 data, when 98 cases were reported.
The total number of cases, therefore, for both forms of the disease, was 805 in 2021.
Although this is a slight increase on 2020 figures, the general trend continues and cases remain below 1000, the symbolic threshold achieved for the first time in 2018.
That is in stark contrast to the year 2000, when 26 550 confirmed cases were reported to WHO. Sustained efforts by national control programmes since then and an array of committed stakeholders, working under WHO coordination, have led to a sharp reduction in disease incidence.
The elimination of gambiense HAT as a public health problem has already been validated in four endemic countries (Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Togo and Uganda), and rhodesiense HAT elimination has been validated in one endemic country (Rwanda).
Elimination of transmission of gambiense HAT (zero cases) by 2030 is a key target of WHO’s new NTD road map. Achieving this goal will require the continued commitment of disease\u2010endemic countries, partners and donors, as well as effective coordination of efforts. The development of improved and innovative tools will help to ensure the sustainability of disease-control approaches.
The longstanding public–private partnership between WHO and anti-HAT medicine manufacturers Sanofi and Bayer HealthCare has been instrumental in achieving important milestones to date and will be ever more so as work continues to achieve the 2030 target.
","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"a039e66e-78db-46f2-ade2-9c0b92ce5914","LastModified":"2024-08-23T17:27:14Z","PublicationDate":"2018-06-02T02:20:17Z","Title":"Ebola vaccine efficacy trial ready to launch in Guinea","Description":"","DateCreated":"2018-06-02T02:20:17Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"ebola-vaccine-efficacy-trial-ready-to-launch-in-guinea","ItemDefaultUrl":"/05-03-2015-ebola-vaccine-efficacy-trial-ready-to-launch-in-guinea","PublicationDateAndTime":"2015-03-05T00:00:00Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":1,"MetaTitle":"Ebola vaccine efficacy trial ready to launch in Guinea","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":1,"OpenGraphDescription":"Based on promising data from initial clinical trials in late 2014, WHO with the Health Ministry of Guinea, M\u00e9decins Sans Fronti\u00e8res (MSF), Epicentre and The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), 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. ","Subtitle":"","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":1,"MetaDescription":"Based on promising data from initial clinical trials in late 2014, WHO with the Health Ministry of Guinea, M\u00e9decins Sans Fronti\u00e8res (MSF), Epicentre and The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), 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. ","OtherRelated":"","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":3,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":1,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":1,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":1,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"Ebola vaccine efficacy trial ready to launch in Guinea","Location":"GENEVA","Highlight":"","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":3,"AllowComments":false,"Summary":"","Content":"Based on promising data from initial clinical trials in late 2014, WHO with the Health Ministry of Guinea, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), Epicentre and The Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), 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.
\r\n\r\n“We have worked hard to reach this point,” said WHO Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan. “There has been massive mobilization on the part of the affected countries and all partners to accelerate the development and availability of proven interventions. If a vaccine is found effective, it will be the first preventive tool against Ebola in history.”
\r\n\r\nVaccination will take place in areas of Basse Guinée, the region that currently has the highest number of cases in the country. The trial strategy adopted will be “ring vaccination”, based on the approach used to eradicate smallpox in the 1970s. This involves the identification of a newly diagnosed Ebola case – the “index case” – and the tracing of all his/her contacts. The contacts are vaccinated if they give their consent.
\r\n\r\n“The Ebola epidemic shows signs of receding but we cannot let down our guard until we reach zero cases,” said Assistant Director-General Marie-Paule Kieny, who leads the Ebola Research and Development effort at WHO. “An effective vaccine to control current flare-ups could be the game-changer to finally end this epidemic and an insurance policy for any future ones.”
\r\n\r\nThe objectives of the trial are two-fold: to assess if the vaccine protects the contacts who were vaccinated and if vaccinating the contacts will create a buffer - or ring of protected individuals - around the index case to prevent further spread of the infection. Vaccination will also be proposed to frontline workers in the area where the trial will take place.
\r\n\r\nCanadian governmental institutions are supporting the trial through the provision of critical training and support to the African research teams conducting the trial, in addition to scientific advice.
\r\n\r\nIn the last six months WHO has convened a series of emergency consultations with scientists, ethicists, regulators and policy makers to identify potential preventive and therapeutic products to help stem the epidemic. Canada’s VSV and GSK cAd3 vaccines quickly emerged as promising tools due to prior successful studies on non-human primates.
\r\n\r\n“For more than a year we have been racing around the clock to stop the epidemic from spreading further,” explains Bertrand Draguez, Medical Director at MSF.
\r\n\r\n“We need to ensure that we continue our efforts to identify infection cases and follow up on their contacts, and in parallel keep promoting R&D for treatments, diagnostics and vaccines. This epidemic remains unpredictable. We don’t know when it will end, and that’s why it remains crucial for us to keep focusing our efforts on developing a vaccine capable of protecting the population in this epidemic and any future ones. Frontline workers and the contacts of infected patients will be enrolled, if they consent, in the vaccine study.”
\r\n\r\n“Participation of the community in the study areas in Guinea is vital to enable the successful assessment of this vaccine,” stresses John-Arne Røttingen, NIPH, and chair of the study steering group. “The study process has ensured the inclusion of Guinean investigators since its inception, and is a response to a request from Guinean authorities.”
\r\n\r\nSince September 2014, the two most advanced Ebola vaccines have been evaluated in about 15 countries in Africa, Europe and North America. The testing timelines were considerably accelerated through the simultaneous organization of multiple trials and emergency procedures to expedite data sharing and analysis between the investigators and manufacturers. The VSV-EBOV vaccine was selected for the planned trial based on a framework of parameters developed by the WHO Scientific and Technical Advisory Committee on Ebola Experimental interventions (STAC-EE). Criteria included acceptable safety profile, induction of appropriate immune responses, including neutralizing antibodies, and the timely availability of sufficient supplies of vaccine doses.
\r\n\r\nFurther measures were taken to accelerate the testing process by organizing multi-country emergency assessments, joint ethical and regulatory reviews of trial protocols and clearing of regulatory hurdles. For the Guinea trial, the Guinea National Regulatory Authority with support from Health Canada jointly reviewed the trial protocol.
\r\n\r\nWHO, UNICEF, US Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and GAVI (the Global Vaccine Alliance) are collaborating with the affected countries to develop plans and strategies for large-scale introduction, should this be needed. The vaccines’ manufacturers have assured that enough vaccine will be available in the coming months. Financial resources are in place to procure and make vaccines available to the Ebola affected countries. Million of doses will be funded by GAVI, whose Executive Board approved a US$ 300 million funding envelope in December 2014. There are also U$ 90 million earmarked to support the deployment of the vaccine(s).
\r\n\r\nThe vaccines: VSV-EBOV was developed by the Public Health Agency of Canada. The vaccine was licenced to NewLink Genetics, and on November 24, 2014, NewLink Genetics and Merck announced their collaboration on the vaccine. GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) developed the cAd3-ZEBOV vaccine in collaboration with the United States National Institutes for Health.
\r\n\r\nRing vaccination was selected, with a design allowing part of the rings (contacts of the newly diagnosed Ebola case) to be vaccinated immediately after the case is detected, while other rings will be vaccinated 3 weeks later (delayed ring). This design allows for all contacts to be vaccinated by the end of the study, albeit with a short delay for some of them, rather than the standard alternative to use a placebo.
\r\n\r\nThe trial design was developed by an international group of experts from Canada, France, Guinea, Norway, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States, and WHO. The group included Professor Donald Henderson, who led the WHO smallpox eradication effort.
\r\n\r\nThe partners: The Guinea Ebola vaccine trial is a coordinated effort among numerous international partners. The regulatory sponsor of the study is the World Health Organization (WHO): implemented by the Ministry of Health of Guinea, Médecins sans Frontières (MSF), EPICENTRE, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and WHO. The trial is funded by MSF; the Research Council of Norway through Norway’s Institute of Public Health; the Canadian government through the Public Health Agency of Canada, Canadian Institutes of Health Research, International Development Research Centre and Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development; and WHO, with support from the Wellcome Trust, United Kingdom.
","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"45c8df74-6168-440a-80dc-aad91856a7bf","LastModified":"2021-04-06T09:06:03Z","PublicationDate":"2019-04-24T13:22:29Z","Title":"To grow up healthy, children need to sit less and play more","Description":"","DateCreated":"2019-04-24T13:22:29Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"to-grow-up-healthy-children-need-to-sit-less-and-play-more","ItemDefaultUrl":"/24-04-2019-to-grow-up-healthy-children-need-to-sit-less-and-play-more","PublicationDateAndTime":"2019-04-24T13:30:00Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"MetaTitle":"To grow up healthy, children need to sit less and play more","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"OpenGraphDescription":"Children under five must spend less time sitting watching screens, or restrained in prams and seats, get better quality sleep and have more time for active play if they are to grow up healthy, according to new guidelines issued by the World Health Organization (WHO).","Subtitle":"New WHO guidelines on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep for children under 5 years of age","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"MetaDescription":"Children under five must spend less time sitting watching screens, or restrained in prams and seats, get better quality sleep and have more time for active play if they are to grow up healthy, according to new guidelines issued by the World Health Organization (WHO).","OtherRelated":"","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"To grow up healthy, children need to sit less and play more","Location":"Geneva","Highlight":"Children under five must spend less time sitting watching screens, or restrained in prams and seats, get better quality sleep and have more time for active play if they are to grow up healthy, according to new guidelines issued by the World Health Organization (WHO).
“Achieving health for all means doing what is best for health right from the beginning of people’s lives,” says WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Early childhood is a period of rapid development and a time when family lifestyle patterns can be adapted to boost health gains.”
The new guidelines on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep for children under 5 years of age were developed by a WHO panel of experts. They assessed the effects on young children of inadequate sleep, and time spent sitting watching screens or restrained in chairs and prams. They also reviewed evidence around the benefits of increased activity levels.
“Improving physical activity, reducing sedentary time and ensuring quality sleep in young children will improve their physical, mental health and wellbeing, and help prevent childhood obesity and associated diseases later in life,” says Dr Fiona Bull, programme manager for surveillance and population-based prevention of noncommunicable diseases, at WHO.
Failure to meet current physical activity recommendations is responsible for more than 5 million deaths globally each year across all age groups. Currently, over 23% of adults and 80% of adolescents are not sufficiently physically active. If healthy physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep habits are established early in life, this helps shape habits through childhood, adolescence and into adulthood.
“What we really need to do is bring back play for children,” says Dr Juana Willumsen, WHO focal point for childhood obesity and physical activity. “This is about making the shift from sedentary time to playtime, while protecting sleep. “
The pattern of overall 24-hour activity is key: replacing prolonged restrained or sedentary screen time with more active play, while making sure young children get enough good-quality sleep. Quality sedentary time spent in interactive non-screen-based activities with a caregiver, such as reading, storytelling, singing and puzzles, is very important for child development.
The important interactions between physical activity, sedentary behaviour and adequate sleep time, and their impact on physical and mental health and wellbeing, were recognized by the Commission on Ending Childhood Obesity, which called for clear guidance on physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep in young children.
Applying the recommendations in these guidelines during the first five years of life will contribute to children’s motor and cognitive development and lifelong health.
Infants (less than 1 year) should:
\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n
Children 1-2 years of age should:
Children 3-4 years of age should:
More information:
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative announced today that \r\nleading experts deem an unprecedented tactical shift essential in the \r\ncampaign to free the world of polio. Immunization campaigns will be \r\nrevised in 93 countries where polio transmission has already been \r\nstopped in order to commit more resources to the remaining seven \r\npolio-endemic countries, and six countries considered at high risk of \r\nreinfection.
The shift comes in response to the changing epidemiology of \r\nthe disease, with polio more geographically contained than ever. Only \r\nseven countries remain endemic: India, Nigeria, Pakistan, Egypt, \r\nAfghanistan, Niger, and Somalia (listed from highest to lowest burden of\r\n disease). Virtually all the world’s polio cases (99 per cent) are \r\nconcentrated in just three countries: India, Nigeria and Pakistan.
Throughout the remainder of 2003 and during 2004, the \r\neradication campaigns will focus only on the seven endemic countries, \r\nalong with six other countries considered at high risk of polio \r\nreinfection – Angola, Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, \r\nEthiopia, Nepal, and the Sudan.
In 2003, there will be 51 polio immunization campaigns in the \r\n13 target countries. Additional campaigns will only be conducted as an \r\nemergency response to importations. By comparison, 93 countries held 266\r\n campaigns in 2002. This shift in tactics will accelerate the \r\naccomplishment of global eradication by focusing on the endemic areas \r\nwhile protecting the substantial investments that have been made in \r\nthese areas which are now polio-free.
The shift was announced by the core partners of the Global \r\nPolio Eradication Initiative, spearheaded by the World Health \r\nOrganization (WHO), Rotary International, the US Centers for Disease \r\nControl and Prevention (CDC), and The United Nations Children’s Fund \r\n(UNICEF).
The new tactic will shift 297 million additional doses of oral\r\n polio vaccine into the tightened geographic target zone, along with US$\r\n 35 million in additional resources in 2003.
“Until we stop transmission of the poliovirus in the seven \r\nremaining infected countries, children everywhere will remain at risk of\r\n contracting this disease,” said Dr Gro Harlem Brundtland, \r\nDirector-General of WHO. “Concentrating our resources on these strategic\r\n countries is crucial to root out and extinguish the remaining \r\nreservoirs of wild poliovirus.”
The tactical shift was finalized and adopted on 12 May 2003 by\r\n the Technical Consultative Group on the Global Eradication of \r\nPoliomyelitis (TCG), following its deliberations on 24-25 April in \r\nGeneva. This independent, technical body meets annually to provide \r\nstrategic oversight to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.
Even within the endemic countries, polio has been restricted \r\nto highly concentrated areas. In India, for example, the disease is \r\ncontained primarily to areas of the north, but these pockets of disease \r\nhave proven to be extremely dangerous. Following a cut-back in the \r\nnumber of polio immunization campaigns in India last year, the pockets \r\nof transmission in northern India caused the largest outbreak in recent \r\nhistory, a six-fold increase in new cases, and the re-establishment of \r\ntransmission in previously polio-free parts of the country.
\"The disease can be imported into countries that are \r\npolio-free by persons infected in polio-endemic countries,\" said Dr \r\nWalter Orenstein, Director, National Immunization Program, US Centers \r\nfor Disease Control and Prevention, and chairman of the global TCG. Dr \r\nOrenstein noted that genetic sequencing confirmed that a recent case of \r\npolio in Lebanon had been imported from India. \"That is why stopping \r\ntransmission in the reservoir countries and intensifying surveillance in\r\n non-endemic countries is so critical. This focused approach is \r\nprecisely the type of action needed to stop polio once and for all.\"
Protecting the investment that has been made by the \r\ninternational community and particularly polio-free areas will require \r\neven stronger surveillance, combined with a global emergency response \r\ncapacity.
“Basically we’re tightening the noose,” said Carol Bellamy, \r\nExecutive Director of UNICEF. “Unfortunately, the funding needed to \r\nfinish the job is extremely tight, too.” Ms Bellamy said that at the end\r\n of 2002, an additional US$ 275 million were needed to finish the job by\r\n 2005, with US$ 33 million urgently required for 2003 alone. “We need \r\nthat money to make sure this new tactic is fully implemented, and we \r\nneed it now,” Ms Bellamy emphasized.
To help narrow the funding gap through 2005, Rotary \r\nInternational launched a second major global fundraising drive among its\r\n membership, aiming to raise US$ 80 million by June 2003, for activities\r\n over the next three years. This is in addition to the US$ 500 million \r\nand countless volunteer hours Rotary members have committed to polio \r\neradication since 1985. “The past successes of this initiative have been\r\n led by a unique sense of hope,” said Bill Sergeant, Rotary \r\nInternational. “The future successes will be led by the positive \r\npartnerships that have been forged since the initiative began.”
If successful, polio will be the first disease to be \r\neradicated in the 21st century, and only the second after smallpox in \r\n1979. Public health experts point to the dire circumstances if the \r\neradication initiative falters now. Failure to eradicate polio would \r\nresult in the resources invested being wasted, including over US$ 2 \r\nbillion and the work of 20 million volunteers worldwide, international \r\nconfidence in future global public health initiatives being compromised,\r\n and the number of annual polio cases drastically increasing.
Further information about the Global Polio Eradication Initiative:
For further information, please contact : Melissa \r\nCorkum, WHO/Geneva, tel. +41 22 791 2765, corkumm@who.int; Oliver \r\nRosenbauer, WHO/Geneva, tel. +41 22 791 3832, rosenbauero@who.int; \r\nVivian Fiore, Rotary Int’l/Chicago, tel. +1 847 866 3234, \r\nfiorev@rotaryintl.org; Steve Stewart, CDC/Atlanta, tel. +1 404 639 8327,\r\n znc4@cdc.gov; Mohammad Jalloh, UNICEF/New York, (1-212) 326-7516, \r\nmjalloh@unicef.org.
","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"e8ff7717-d310-49e2-b466-a20a91eb02d7","LastModified":"2025-01-21T12:27:18Z","PublicationDate":"2018-06-02T02:17:39Z","Title":"Up to 650 000 people die of respiratory diseases linked to seasonal flu each year","Description":"","DateCreated":"2018-06-02T02:17:39Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"up-to-650-000-people-die-of-respiratory-diseases-linked-to-seasonal-flu-each-year","ItemDefaultUrl":"/13-12-2017-up-to-650-000-people-die-of-respiratory-diseases-linked-to-seasonal-flu-each-year","PublicationDateAndTime":"2017-12-13T12:00:00Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"MetaTitle":"Up to 650 000 people die of respiratory diseases linked to seasonal flu each year","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"OpenGraphDescription":"Up to 650 000 deaths annually are associated with respiratory diseases from seasonal influenza, according to new estimates by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US-CDC), WHO and global health partners.","Subtitle":"","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"MetaDescription":"Up to 650 000 deaths annually are associated with respiratory diseases from seasonal influenza, according to new estimates by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US-CDC), WHO and global health partners.","OtherRelated":"","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"Up to 650 000 people die of respiratory diseases linked to seasonal flu each year","Location":"GENEVA","Highlight":"","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"AllowComments":false,"Summary":"","Content":"
This marks an increase on the previous global estimate of 250 000 – 500 000, which dates from over ten years ago and covered all influenza-related deaths, including cardiovascular disease or diabetes. The new figures of 290 000 – 650 000 deaths are based on more recent data from a larger, more diverse group of countries, including lower middle income countries, and exclude deaths from non-respiratory diseases.\r\n
“These figures indicate the high burden of influenza and its substantial social and economic cost to the world,” said Dr Peter Salama, Executive Director of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme. “They highlight the importance of influenza prevention for seasonal epidemics, as well as preparedness for pandemics.”\r\n
The estimates take into account findings from recent influenza respiratory mortality studies, including a study conducted by the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US-CDC), published in The Lancet on Thursday (14 December).\r\n
According to US-CDC, most deaths occur among people aged over 75 years, and in the world’s poorest regions. Sub-Saharan Africa accounts for the world’s greatest flu mortality risk, followed closely by the Eastern Mediterranean and Southeast Asia.\r\n
“All countries, rich and poor, large and small, must work together to control influenza outbreaks before the arrival of the next pandemic. This includes building capacity to detect and respond to outbreaks, and strengthening health systems to improve the health of the most vulnerable and those most at risk,” said Dr Salama.\r\n
Nearly all deaths among children under five with influenza-related lower respiratory tract infections occur in developing countries, but the effects of seasonal influenza epidemics on the world’s poorest are not fully known.\r\n
WHO is working with partners to assess the global influenza burden of disease by providing guidance and expertise to Member States to measure the influenza disease burden and its economic consequences. \r\n
Further surveillance and laboratory studies of other diseases such as cardiovascular disease, which can be influenza-related, are expected to yield substantially higher estimates over the next few years.\r\n
WHO encourages countries to prioritize influenza prevention and produce national estimates to inform prevention policies. Annual influenza vaccination is recommended to prevent disease and complications from influenza infection. Vaccination is especially important for people at higher risk of serious influenza complications and death, and for health workers. \r\n
Seasonal influenza is an acute viral infection that spreads easily from person to person and circulates worldwide. Most people recover within a week without requiring medical attention. Common respiratory diseases related to seasonal influenza that can cause death include pneumonia and bronchitis.\r\n
WHO’s Influenza Burden of Disease Working Group comprises experts from the All India Institute of Medical Science, the National University of Singapore, the South African National Institute of Communicable Diseases, US CDC, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala and the University of Edinburgh.\r\n
","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"f64e92b3-8c1c-454e-b8be-a44a3553e538","LastModified":"2026-05-15T14:48:30Z","PublicationDate":"2026-05-11T14:18:14Z","Title":"Learner spotlight: Vivian\u2019s path to rights based mental health advocacy","Description":"","DateCreated":"2026-05-11T14:18:14Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"learner-spotlight--vivian-s-path-to-rights-based-mental-health-advocacy","ItemDefaultUrl":"/11-05-2026-learner-spotlight--vivian-s-path-to-rights-based-mental-health-advocacy","PublicationDateAndTime":"2026-05-11T14:15:41Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaTitle":"Learner spotlight: Vivian\u2019s path to rights based mental health advocacy","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"OpenGraphDescription":"For Vivian Anyango Aola, mental health is deeply personal. Growing up she witnessed people around her struggling with emotional distress without access to support, understanding or solutions. Those early experiences laid the foundations for her work today as a mental health advocate at St. Daniel Comboni mission in Nairobi, Kenya.\u201cMental health is about feelings \u2013 something we all experience every day,\u201d Vivian explains. \u201cEnsuring people are supported in those feelings is what drives my work.\u201d \u00a0Creating safe spaces and challenging stigmaIn her role, Vivian works closely with people living with mental health conditions and psychosocial, intellectual and cognitive disabilities. Through dialogue, listening and shared learning, she helps create safe spaces where people feel seen, heard and respected. However, stigma and discrimination remain significant barriers.\u201cWitnessing stigma only strengthens my resolve to fight for inclusion, acceptance and equal treatment for all,\u201d she says. Vivian enrolled in the WHO\u00a0\u2018QualityRights in Mental Health\u2019\u00a0online, self-paced course available on the WHO Academy learning platform to strengthen her knowledge and advocacy skills. The six-module course provides the foundation for challenging stigma and discrimination\u00a0and for promoting person-centred, rights-based approaches in mental health.\u201cThe course gave me a new perspective,\u201d she says. \u201cIt showed me how to support people in ways that respect autonomy and promote recovery, rather than focusing only on treatment.\u201dThe importance of language and cultureSince its launch, more than 141 000 people have enrolled in the course globally, and it is now available in 17 languages on the learning platform \u2013 the highest number of languages of any WHO course. For Vivian, accessibility is key to transforming mental health systems. \u201cLanguage is a bridge between professionals and communities,\u201d she explains. \u201cWhen mental health resources are available in local languages, they reduce misunderstanding, build trust and encourage people to seek help. It also empowers health workers to deliver care in ways that are culturally sensitive and relevant.\u201dIn a global evaluation of the course, which analysed data from over 3000 learners, attitudes toward people with mental health conditions improved by 22.78% overall after completing the course, with even greater shifts in low- and middle-income countries (29.18%) compared to high-income countries (20.58%)[1].\u201cThe course equips participants with the essential knowledge and skills to transform mental health into a more rights-based, inclusive and recovery-oriented system,\u201d explains Vivian. \u201cIt reinforces that change is possible. When people understand rights, dignity and recovery, the entire system can begin to shift.\u201dMental Health, Brain Health and Substance Use[1]\u00a0Breaking stigma, discrimination and promoting rights: global evaluation of the World Health Organization QualityRights e-training on mental health, recovery and community inclusion\u00a0","Subtitle":"","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaDescription":"For Vivian Anyango Aola, mental health is deeply personal. Growing up she witnessed people around her struggling with emotional distress without access to support, understanding or solutions. Those early experiences laid the foundations for her work today as a mental health advocate at St. Daniel Comboni mission in Nairobi, Kenya.\u201cMental health is about feelings \u2013 something we all experience every day,\u201d Vivian explains. \u201cEnsuring people are supported in those feelings is what drives my work.\u201d \u00a0Creating safe spaces and challenging stigmaIn her role, Vivian works closely with people living with mental health conditions and psychosocial, intellectual and cognitive disabilities. Through dialogue, listening and shared learning, she helps create safe spaces where people feel seen, heard and respected. However, stigma and discrimination remain significant barriers.\u201cWitnessing stigma only strengthens my resolve to fight for inclusion, acceptance and equal treatment for all,\u201d she says. Vivian enrolled in the WHO\u00a0\u2018QualityRights in Mental Health\u2019\u00a0online, self-paced course available on the WHO Academy learning platform to strengthen her knowledge and advocacy skills. The six-module course provides the foundation for challenging stigma and discrimination\u00a0and for promoting person-centred, rights-based approaches in mental health.\u201cThe course gave me a new perspective,\u201d she says. \u201cIt showed me how to support people in ways that respect autonomy and promote recovery, rather than focusing only on treatment.\u201dThe importance of language and cultureSince its launch, more than 141 000 people have enrolled in the course globally, and it is now available in 17 languages on the learning platform \u2013 the highest number of languages of any WHO course. For Vivian, accessibility is key to transforming mental health systems. \u201cLanguage is a bridge between professionals and communities,\u201d she explains. \u201cWhen mental health resources are available in local languages, they reduce misunderstanding, build trust and encourage people to seek help. It also empowers health workers to deliver care in ways that are culturally sensitive and relevant.\u201dIn a global evaluation of the course, which analysed data from over 3000 learners, attitudes toward people with mental health conditions improved by 22.78% overall after completing the course, with even greater shifts in low- and middle-income countries (29.18%) compared to high-income countries (20.58%)[1].\u201cThe course equips participants with the essential knowledge and skills to transform mental health into a more rights-based, inclusive and recovery-oriented system,\u201d explains Vivian. \u201cIt reinforces that change is possible. When people understand rights, dignity and recovery, the entire system can begin to shift.\u201dMental Health, Brain Health and Substance Use[1]\u00a0Breaking stigma, discrimination and promoting rights: global evaluation of the World Health Organization QualityRights e-training on mental health, recovery and community inclusion\u00a0","OtherRelated":"","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"Learner spotlight: Vivian\u2019s path to rights based mental health advocacy","Location":"","Highlight":"","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"AllowComments":true,"Summary":"Vivian enrolled in the WHO \u2018QualityRights in Mental Health\u2019 online, self-paced course available on the WHO Academy learning platform to strengthen her knowledge and advocacy skills. The six-module course provides the foundation for challenging stigma and discrimination and for promoting person-centred, rights-based approaches in mental health.","Content":"For Vivian Anyango Aola, mental health is deeply personal. Growing up she witnessed people around her struggling with emotional distress without access to support, understanding or solutions. Those early experiences laid the foundations for her work today as a mental health advocate at St. Daniel Comboni mission in Nairobi, Kenya.
“Mental health is about feelings – something we all experience every day,” Vivian explains. “Ensuring people are supported in those feelings is what drives my work.” ![\"\"](\"https://cdn.who.int/media/images/default-source/headquarters/teams/who-academy-(acd)/img-20250810-wa0035.jpg?sfvrsn=e037b30e_3\" "\\"IMG-20250810-WA0035\\"")
Creating safe spaces and challenging stigma
In her role, Vivian works closely with people living with mental health conditions and psychosocial, intellectual and cognitive disabilities. Through dialogue, listening and shared learning, she helps create safe spaces where people feel seen, heard and respected. However, stigma and discrimination remain significant barriers.
“Witnessing stigma only strengthens my resolve to fight for inclusion, acceptance and equal treatment for all,” she says.
Vivian enrolled in the WHO ‘QualityRights in Mental Health’ online, self-paced course available on the WHO Academy learning platform to strengthen her knowledge and advocacy skills. The six-module course provides the foundation for challenging stigma and discrimination and for promoting person-centred, rights-based approaches in mental health.
“The course gave me a new perspective,” she says. “It showed me how to support people in ways that respect autonomy and promote recovery, rather than focusing only on treatment.”
The importance of language and culture
Since its launch, more than 141 000 people have enrolled in the course globally, and it is now available in 17 languages on the learning platform – the highest number of languages of any WHO course.
For Vivian, accessibility is key to transforming mental health systems. “Language is a bridge between professionals and communities,” she explains. “When mental health resources are available in local languages, they reduce misunderstanding, build trust and encourage people to seek help. It also empowers health workers to deliver care in ways that are culturally sensitive and relevant.”
In a global evaluation of the course, which analysed data from over 3000 learners, attitudes toward people with mental health conditions improved by 22.78% overall after completing the course, with even greater shifts in low- and middle-income countries (29.18%) compared to high-income countries (20.58%)[1].
“The course equips participants with the essential knowledge and skills to transform mental health into a more rights-based, inclusive and recovery-oriented system,” explains Vivian. “It reinforces that change is possible. When people understand rights, dignity and recovery, the entire system can begin to shift.”
Mental Health, Brain Health and Substance Use
","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"18484e34-516f-4e01-9319-214a75cabafe","LastModified":"2020-02-19T08:07:54Z","PublicationDate":"2018-06-02T02:08:56Z","Title":"The Director-General of the World Health Organization welcomes the appointment of Henrietta H Fore as Executive Director of UNICEF","Description":"","DateCreated":"2018-06-02T02:08:56Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"the-director-general-of-the-world-health-organization-welcomes-the-appointment-of-henrietta-h-fore-as-executive-director-of-unicef","ItemDefaultUrl":"/23-12-2017-the-director-general-of-the-world-health-organization-welcomes-the-appointment-of-henrietta-h-fore-as-executive-director-of-unicef","PublicationDateAndTime":"2017-12-23T00:00:00Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"MetaTitle":"","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"OpenGraphDescription":"\u201cUNICEF is a critical partner in our effort to improve the world\u2019s health, particularly in the drive to protect its most vulnerable women and children,\u201d said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.","Subtitle":"","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"MetaDescription":"\u201cUNICEF is a critical partner in our effort to improve the world\u2019s health, particularly in the drive to protect its most vulnerable women and children,\u201d said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.","OtherRelated":"","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"The Director-General of the World Health Organization welcomes the appointment of Henrietta H Fore as Executive Director of UNICEF","Location":"","Highlight":"","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":0,"AllowComments":false,"Summary":"","Content":"
“UNICEF is a critical partner in our effort to improve the world’s health, particularly in the drive to protect its most vulnerable women and children,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
\n\n“I very much look forward to work with Ms Fore towards reaching the agenda 2030 goals. At the same time, I wish to extend my own deepest thanks to my friend and colleague Tony Lake for his exceptional commitment and leadership.”\n
\n\nWHO and UNICEF work together at a variety of levels - from collaborations on global reports on maternal and child health issues to on-the-ground partnerships to improve children’s health, such as immunization against deadly diseases like polio and measles. The two organizations have recently, for example, cooperated on massive campaigns to protect children from cholera, in Bangladesh and Yemen.\n
\n\n“Ms Fore has an impressive array of experience and expertise. She will be a great asset to the international health and development community,” added Dr Tedros.
\nIn a massive health relief effort underway in the flood-affected parts of Pakistan, nearly six million people have been treated for health conditions since the floods began in late July; but there are urgent needs to prevent further health crises or food insecurity caused by large-scale damage to crops and agricultural land.
\n\"Increasing cases of communicable diseases, like diarrhoea and malaria, fears about children being malnourished, the massive disruption to healthcare, crop systems and rising food insecurity are the main health threats facing Pakistan's flood-affected people,\" says Dr Guido Sabatinelli, WHO's Representative to Pakistan.
\nSome 20 million people have been affected by the floods, including eight million needing direct life-saving assistance. The health response to date has been delivered by multiple healthcare providers including the Pakistani Ministry of Health, United Nations agencies, and international and national humanitarian organizations. The response to date includes:
\nPakistan's health challenges and the humanitarian response plan have been mapped out in the Pakistan floods emergency response plan launched on 17 September 2010. The plan seeks US$ 200 million to fund 94 health sector projects run by WHO and Health Cluster partners.
\n\"The objective of WHO and our health partners in Pakistan is to reduce avoidable death and illness through a range of life-saving interventions for all people - men, women and children,\" says Dr Eric Laroche, WHO's Assistant Director-General for Health Action in Crises, who is today on a mission in northern Pakistan with senior representatives from UNICEF and the World Food Programme. \"While concentrating on the ongoing crisis, we are also in parallel working to rebuild a devastated health system and respond to the major life-threatening health risks, such as acute diarrhoea, acute respiratory infections, malaria, measles, and maternal and neo-natal illness and death.\"
\nTo increase the response to needs in the region, humanitarian partners working in the health, water and sanitation and food sectors have devised a joint \"Inter-Cluster Survival Strategy\" due to the inter-related factors that affect the health of millions. Poor sanitation and hygiene increases the risks of water-borne diseases, while inadequate supplies of food increases the risk of malnutrition.
\n\"Before the floods, about 80% of all health expenditure was from out-of-pocket payment and two-thirds of consultations occurred in private health facilities mainly in urban areas,\" says Dr Naeema Al-Gasseer, WHO's Assistant Regional Director of its Eastern Mediterranean office.\" This points to a major gap at the best of times for poor people in rural areas of the country, which has only worsened due to this disaster. Millions of people are now either exposed to or already facing serious negative health consequences and insufficient access to health services.\"
\nKey activities to be funded by the US$ 200 million health plan will include opening more health outposts and service delivery points, restoring access to basic health care, treating injuries and chronic conditions, controlling disease outbreaks, supporting referral to secondary health services of patients suffering life-threatening conditions and needing emergency obstetric and newborn care, and supplying medicines.
\n","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"4ed3caa6-8592-4d58-803c-4d08eb993bb9","LastModified":"2023-10-19T15:18:41Z","PublicationDate":"2023-10-12T19:07:35Z","Title":"France's new Global Health Strategy","Description":"","DateCreated":"2023-10-12T19:07:36Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"france-s-new-global-health-strategy","ItemDefaultUrl":"/12-10-2023-france-s-new-global-health-strategy","PublicationDateAndTime":"2023-10-12T22:00:00Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaTitle":"France's new Global Health Strategy","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"OpenGraphDescription":"France has released its Global Health Strategy for 2023-2027, in Lyon today, in the presence of three French Ministers, the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Health and Prevention, the Minister of Higher Education and Research, and WHO\u2019s Director-General.As a lead player for shaping global health policies, France has called on national and international stakeholders to support building a new global health architecture towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in particular SDG3, focused on ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all, at all ages.The new Health Strategy aims to help reduce health inequalities and strengthen the One Health approach to better prevent and prepare for future global health emergencies. It urges the global community to address the health consequences of climate change and the environmental impact on health systems.To underscore WHO\u2019s and France strong collaboration and in recognition of France\u2019s pivotal global health role, Dr Tedros travelled to France to join the launch event. \u201cFrance was a founding member of WHO in 1948 and has been a strong friend to WHO throughout the 75 years since then,\u201d said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. \u201cAs one of the world\u2019s largest economies, France has a critical role to play in global health, and the new Global Health Strategy will enhance that role. It aligns well with WHO\u2019s priorities to promote, provide, protect, empower and perform for health.\u201dFrance shares key health priorities with WHO, adopting a crosscutting approach and prioritizing universal health coverage (UHC) as part of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. France also provides support for transformative initiatives at WHO such as the WHO\u00a0Academy and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) which the Ministers visited today.Dr Tedros addressed the audiences at the Academy and IARC together with Ms Catherine Colonna, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Mr Aur\u00e9lien Rousseau, Minister of Health and Prevention, and Ms Sylvie Retailleau, Minister of Higher Education and Research.\"The World Health Organization, whose 74th anniversary we are celebrating today, must continue to play a central and driving role,\u201d said Ms Catherine Colonna, the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs.\u00a0\u201cFrance will continue to support the WHO and its ambitious governance and financing reforms.\"\"France is also committed alongside the WHO Academy through several partnership with universities, research institutes, and public health institutions,\" remarked Sylvie Retailleau, Minister of Higher Education and Research. \"Our goal is to enrich the learners' experience through a diversified training portfolio within the Academy.\"\"The launch of this Global Health Strategy is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the WHO. The Organization plays a central role in global health, and we must continue to support it,\" said\u00a0Mr Aur\u00e9lien Rousseau, Minister of Health and Prevention. \"This is why, I am announcing today, France is keen to host, in the first quarter of 2024, in partnership with the WHO, the first international financing conference for the fight against meningitis.\"The 2023-2027 French Strategy for Global Health is the fruit of collaboration involving a wide range of French actors: public agencies, civil society organizations, higher education and research organizations, scientific institutions, foundations, organizations of human, animal and environmental health specialists, local government bodies and the private sector. They will all be represented within a monitoring committee to track the Strategy\u2019s implementation and progress.From left to right: Minister of Health and Prevention\u00a0H.E. Aur\u00e9lien Rousseau, WHO\u2019s Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus,\u00a0Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs\u00a0H.E. Catherine Colonna, and\u00a0Minister of Higher Education and Research,\u00a0H.E. Sylvie Retailleau.","Subtitle":"","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaDescription":"France has released its Global Health Strategy for 2023-2027, in Lyon today, in the presence of three French Ministers, the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Health and Prevention, the Minister of Higher Education and Research, and WHO\u2019s Director-General.As a lead player for shaping global health policies, France has called on national and international stakeholders to support building a new global health architecture towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in particular SDG3, focused on ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all, at all ages.The new Health Strategy aims to help reduce health inequalities and strengthen the One Health approach to better prevent and prepare for future global health emergencies. It urges the global community to address the health consequences of climate change and the environmental impact on health systems.To underscore WHO\u2019s and France strong collaboration and in recognition of France\u2019s pivotal global health role, Dr Tedros travelled to France to join the launch event. \u201cFrance was a founding member of WHO in 1948 and has been a strong friend to WHO throughout the 75 years since then,\u201d said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. \u201cAs one of the world\u2019s largest economies, France has a critical role to play in global health, and the new Global Health Strategy will enhance that role. It aligns well with WHO\u2019s priorities to promote, provide, protect, empower and perform for health.\u201dFrance shares key health priorities with WHO, adopting a crosscutting approach and prioritizing universal health coverage (UHC) as part of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. France also provides support for transformative initiatives at WHO such as the WHO\u00a0Academy and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) which the Ministers visited today.Dr Tedros addressed the audiences at the Academy and IARC together with Ms Catherine Colonna, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Mr Aur\u00e9lien Rousseau, Minister of Health and Prevention, and Ms Sylvie Retailleau, Minister of Higher Education and Research.\"The World Health Organization, whose 74th anniversary we are celebrating today, must continue to play a central and driving role,\u201d said Ms Catherine Colonna, the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs.\u00a0\u201cFrance will continue to support the WHO and its ambitious governance and financing reforms.\"\"France is also committed alongside the WHO Academy through several partnership with universities, research institutes, and public health institutions,\" remarked Sylvie Retailleau, Minister of Higher Education and Research. \"Our goal is to enrich the learners' experience through a diversified training portfolio within the Academy.\"\"The launch of this Global Health Strategy is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the WHO. The Organization plays a central role in global health, and we must continue to support it,\" said\u00a0Mr Aur\u00e9lien Rousseau, Minister of Health and Prevention. \"This is why, I am announcing today, France is keen to host, in the first quarter of 2024, in partnership with the WHO, the first international financing conference for the fight against meningitis.\"The 2023-2027 French Strategy for Global Health is the fruit of collaboration involving a wide range of French actors: public agencies, civil society organizations, higher education and research organizations, scientific institutions, foundations, organizations of human, animal and environmental health specialists, local government bodies and the private sector. They will all be represented within a monitoring committee to track the Strategy\u2019s implementation and progress.From left to right: Minister of Health and Prevention\u00a0H.E. Aur\u00e9lien Rousseau, WHO\u2019s Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus,\u00a0Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs\u00a0H.E. Catherine Colonna, and\u00a0Minister of Higher Education and Research,\u00a0H.E. Sylvie Retailleau.","OtherRelated":"","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"France's new Global Health Strategy","Location":"","Highlight":"
The International Agency for Research against Cancer
WHO and France, Partners in Health
WHO's contributors
","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"AllowComments":true,"Summary":"","Content":"
France has released its Global Health Strategy for 2023-2027, in Lyon today, in the presence of three French Ministers, the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Health and Prevention, the Minister of Higher Education and Research, and WHO’s Director-General.
As a lead player for shaping global health policies, France has called on national and international stakeholders to support building a new global health architecture towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and in particular SDG3, focused on ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all, at all ages.
The new Health Strategy aims to help reduce health inequalities and strengthen the One Health approach to better prevent and prepare for future global health emergencies. It urges the global community to address the health consequences of climate change and the environmental impact on health systems.
To underscore WHO’s and France strong collaboration and in recognition of France’s pivotal global health role, Dr Tedros travelled to France to join the launch event.
“France was a founding member of WHO in 1948 and has been a strong friend to WHO throughout the 75 years since then,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “As one of the world’s largest economies, France has a critical role to play in global health, and the new Global Health Strategy will enhance that role. It aligns well with WHO’s priorities to promote, provide, protect, empower and perform for health.”
France shares key health priorities with WHO, adopting a crosscutting approach and prioritizing universal health coverage (UHC) as part of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda. France also provides support for transformative initiatives at WHO such as the WHO Academy and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) which the Ministers visited today.
Dr Tedros addressed the audiences at the Academy and IARC together with Ms Catherine Colonna, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Mr Aurélien Rousseau, Minister of Health and Prevention, and Ms Sylvie Retailleau, Minister of Higher Education and Research.
\"The World Health Organization, whose 74th anniversary we are celebrating today, must continue to play a central and driving role,” said Ms Catherine Colonna, the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs. “France will continue to support the WHO and its ambitious governance and financing reforms.\"
\"France is also committed alongside the WHO Academy through several partnership with universities, research institutes, and public health institutions,\" remarked Sylvie Retailleau, Minister of Higher Education and Research. \"Our goal is to enrich the learners' experience through a diversified training portfolio within the Academy.\"
\"The launch of this Global Health Strategy is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the WHO. The Organization plays a central role in global health, and we must continue to support it,\" said Mr Aurélien Rousseau, Minister of Health and Prevention. \"This is why, I am announcing today, France is keen to host, in the first quarter of 2024, in partnership with the WHO, the first international financing conference for the fight against meningitis.\"
The 2023-2027 French Strategy for Global Health is the fruit of collaboration involving a wide range of French actors: public agencies, civil society organizations, higher education and research organizations, scientific institutions, foundations, organizations of human, animal and environmental health specialists, local government bodies and the private sector. They will all be represented within a monitoring committee to track the Strategy’s implementation and progress.
![\"\"](\"https://cdn.who.int/media/images/default-source/funding/who-and-france.jpg?sfvrsn=96c5d4f_5\")
From left to right: Minister of Health and Prevention H.E. Aurélien Rousseau, WHO’s Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs H.E. Catherine Colonna, and Minister of Higher Education and Research, H.E. Sylvie Retailleau.
Six formerly endemic countries recognized for eliminating the disease as public health problem
Data recently published by the World Health Organization (WHO) show that more than 556 million people worldwide were treated for lymphatic filariasis in 2015, compared with 538 million in 2014.
“Through national elimination programmes we targeted nearly 698 million people for treatment last year” said Dr Gautam Biswas, Coordinator of the Preventive Chemotherapy and Transmission Control unit of WHO’s Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases. “As of early September 2015, just above 556 million were treated, which represents coverage of more than 79% of the targeted population. Although this is a great achievement, we know much more is needed to reach WHO’s 2020 Roadmap targets”.
Elimination of lymphatic filariasis is possible by stopping the spread of the infection.
WHO recommends annual treatment of all eligible populations in endemic areas with a single dose of two medicines: albendazole (400 mg) together with either ivermectin (150–200 µg/kg) or diethylcarbamazine citrate1 (6 mg/kg). Their effect reduces the density of microfilariae in the blood and prevents the spread of parasites to mosquitoes.
Large-scale treatment, or “preventive chemotherapy”, conducted annually for at least 5 years can interrupt transmission. Implementation of this strategy has reduced numbers of infections in the community; in 18 countries levels are so low that preventive chemotherapy can be stopped. By implementing surveillance and providing care to affected patients, six of these countries2 have demonstrated the elimination of the disease as a public health problem3.
By conducting transmission assessment surveys, national programmes can now determine whether to stop large-scale treatments. The survey results in 2015 revised down the population at risk of lymphatic filariasis in many areas where interventions occurred several times: the global number of people requiring treatment reduced from 1.4 billion in 2011 to 946 million in 2015.\r\n
Preventive chemotherapy is still required in 54 countries but has not been delivered to all endemic areas as of the end of 2015. Enhanced strategies are called for in about 29 countries to achieve the elimination targets and stop treatment by 2020.
““Achieving elimination as a public health problem is not an end in itself” said Dr Jonathan King, scientist and focal point for lymphatic filariasis elimination at WHO’s Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases. “Continued surveillance is crucial as is the integration of morbidity management and disability prevention activities into public health systems as part of continued care to alleviate the suffering of people affected by this disease”.
Surgery can alleviate hydrocele (scrotal swelling) associated with the infection. Clinical severity and progression of the disease, including acute inflammatory episodes, can be reduced and prevented with simple hygiene measures, skin care, exercise and elevation of affected limbs. People with lymphoedema must have access to continuing care throughout their lives, both to manage the disease and to prevent its progression to more advanced stages.
Since 2000, a cumulative total of 6.2 billion treatments has been delivered to affected populations. The establishment that year of the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF) has resulted in the prevention or cure of more than 97 million cases of lymphatic filariasis. This achievement is projected in turn to avert more than US$ 100 billion in economic losses of those who have benefitted from these treatments worldwide.\r\n
To achieve the WHO Roadmap targets for 2020, access to a minimum package of care must be assured for every person with associated chronic manifestations of lymphatic filariasis in all areas where the disease is present. The aim is to alleviate suffering and promote improvement in the quality of life of those affected.\r\n
Lymphatic filariasis is a parasitic disease that can result in an altered lymphatic system. Manifestation of the disease after infection takes time and can cause the abnormal enlargement of body parts leading to severe disability and social stigmatization. The parasites are transmitted by four main types of mosquitoes: Aedes, Anopheles, Culex and Mansonia.
-----------------------------------------------\r\n1DEC fortified salt for household use has been used as a public health tool in China and other countries against bancroftian and brugian filariasis as it can reduce infection levels below elimination thresholds. It is also one of the WHO-recommended strategies against lymphatic filariasis.
2Cambodia, Cook Islands, Maldives, Niue, Sri Lanka and Vanuatu.
3A process of validation is used to formally confirm elimination as a public health problem. Countries wishing to be recognized for their success can make a request to WHO for such acknowledgement along with submission of a dossier.\r\n
","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"cf58751e-b868-4fa0-83b3-0a74d2ee0911","LastModified":"2024-07-22T09:08:46Z","PublicationDate":"2024-07-22T07:44:02Z","Title":"WHO updates guidelines to enhance access to HIV post-exposure prophylaxis","Description":"","DateCreated":"2024-07-22T07:44:02Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"who-updates-guidelines-to-enhance-access-to-hiv-post-exposure-prophylaxis","ItemDefaultUrl":"/22-07-2024-who-updates-guidelines-to-enhance-access-to-hiv-post-exposure-prophylaxis","PublicationDateAndTime":"2024-07-22T04:00:00Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaTitle":"WHO updates guidelines to enhance access to HIV post-exposure prophylaxis","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"OpenGraphDescription":"WHO has launched updated guidelines aimed at expanding access to HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), a critical intervention in reducing new infections. WHO's new guidelines prioritize broader access to PEP, including community-based delivery and task sharing to mitigate barriers such as stigma and to ensure timely access post-exposure.","Subtitle":"","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaDescription":"WHO has launched updated guidelines aimed at expanding access to HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), a critical intervention in reducing new infections. WHO's new guidelines prioritize broader access to PEP, including community-based delivery and task sharing to mitigate barriers such as stigma and to ensure timely access post-exposure.","OtherRelated":"","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"WHO updates guidelines to enhance access to HIV post-exposure prophylaxis","Location":"","Highlight":"
Guidelines for HIV post-exposure prophylaxis
","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"AllowComments":true,"Summary":"WHO has launched updated guidelines aimed at expanding access to HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), a critical intervention in reducing new infections. WHO's new guidelines prioritize broader access to PEP, including community-based delivery and task sharing to mitigate barriers such as stigma and to ensure timely access post-exposure.","Content":"WHO has launched updated guidelines aimed at expanding access to HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), a critical intervention in reducing new infections.
Despite significant advancements in HIV treatment and testing, the global community continues to face persistently high rates of new HIV infections. Achieving epidemic control remains elusive, necessitating a renewed focus on preventive measures such as PEP. WHO's new guidelines prioritize broader access to PEP, including community-based delivery and task sharing to mitigate barriers such as stigma and to ensure timely access post-exposure.
PEP involves the administration of antiretroviral medications to individuals at risk of HIV infection after potential exposure. We know that the most crucial factor in preventing HIV infection using PEP is starting PEP as soon as possible after exposure, ideally within 24 hours and no later than 72 hours.
There are two new recommendations in the updated PEP guidelines:
New recommendation: HIV PEP should be delivered in community settings (strong recommendation, very low certainty of evidence). A key innovation in the updated guidelines are recommendations for community-based delivery and task sharing for PEP. Evidence supports the feasibility and effectiveness of providing PEP in community settings such as pharmacies, police stations and online platforms. This approach not only enhances accessibility, reducing the time between exposure and starting PEP, but also reduces stigma associated with seeking HIV prevention services. |
New recommendation: Task sharing should be employed to dispense, distribute, provide and monitor PEP (strong recommendation, very low-certainty evidence). Task sharing, involving non-specialist health workers like pharmacists and community health workers, has also proven effective in expanding access to PEP. This strategy reduces the burden on specialized healthcare providers and enhances equity in access across diverse populations. |
The updated guidelines are set to empower healthcare providers and communities worldwide to strengthen their efforts in preventing new HIV infections through timely and accessible PEP.
","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"c0f1e96a-8570-43a6-bb45-781bd139776c","LastModified":"2024-06-24T14:43:45Z","PublicationDate":"2020-10-09T13:20:33Z","Title":"Launch of Ethics and Vector-borne Diseases: WHO Guidance","Description":"","DateCreated":"2020-10-09T13:20:33Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"launch-of-ethics-vector-borne-diseases-who-guidance","ItemDefaultUrl":"/08-10-2020-launch-of-ethics-vector-borne-diseases-who-guidance","PublicationDateAndTime":"2020-10-08T22:00:00Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaTitle":"Launch of Ethics and Vector-borne Diseases: WHO Guidance","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"OpenGraphDescription":"On Wednesday 14 October, WHO will launch new guidance: Ethics & vector-borne diseases. The guidance document is a culmination of more than three years of work and will be a valuable new tool to support global efforts to prevent and control vector-borne diseases (VBDs).\r\n\r\n","Subtitle":"","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaDescription":"On Wednesday 14 October, WHO will launch new guidance: Ethics & vector-borne diseases. The guidance document is a culmination of more than three years of work and will be a valuable new tool to support global efforts to prevent and control vector-borne diseases (VBDs).\r\n\r\n","OtherRelated":"","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"Source":"WHO","OpenGraphTitle":"Launch of Ethics and Vector-borne Diseases: WHO Guidance","Location":"","Highlight":"On Wednesday 14 October, WHO will launch new guidance: Ethics & vector-borne diseases. The guidance document is a culmination of more than three years of work and will be a valuable new tool to support global efforts to prevent and control vector-borne diseases (VBDs).
VBDs are a major contributor to global morbidity and mortality and have a disproportionate impact on the world’s poorest populations. However, despite the growing burden and threat of VBDs to individuals, families and societies, the significant ethical issues raised by VBDs have received only limited attention. Recognizing this gap, WHO developed this guidance to help programs and staff working in VBD prevention and control identify and respond to the core ethical issues at stake.
The guidance was developed by an international group of experts in vector control, infectious disease ethics, maternal and child health, ecology and climate change, research and vaccine development, and public health communication. It examines a broad range of ethical considerations related to VBD prevention and control, including the social and environmental determinants of health; vector control methods, including emerging technologies; screening, surveillance and research; vaccine campaigns and mass drug administration. Grounded in a multidisciplinary framework, the guidance emphasizes the critical role of community engagement in designing and implementing an appropriate, sustainable public health response.
In addition to the ethics guidance document, WHO will also release its position statement, Evaluation of genetically modified mosquitoes for the control of vector-borne diseases. The event will be hosted by WHO Chief Scientist, Soumya Swaminathan and feature the following speakers:
Hospitals in eight cities around the globe have successfully demonstrated that the use of a simple surgical checklist, developed by WHO, during major operations can lower the incidence of surgery-related deaths and complications by one third.
The studies were undertaken in hospitals in each of the six WHO regions. Analysis shows that the rate of major complications following surgery fell from 11% in the baseline period to 7% after introduction of the checklist, a reduction of one third. Inpatient deaths following major operations fell by more than 40% (from 1.5% to 0.8%).
\"The concept of using a brief but comprehensive checklist is surprisingly new to us in surgery. Not everyone on the operating teams were happy to try it. But the results were unprecedented. And the teams became strong supporters,\" said Dr Atul Gawande, main author of the study and team leader for the development of the WHO surgical safety checklist.
Data was collected from 7688 patients – 3733 before and 3955 after the checklist was introduced.
The study was carried out in hospitals in both high and lower income settings—in Ifakara (Tanzania), Manila (Philippines), New Delhi (India), Amman (Jordan), Seattle (United States of America), Toronto (Canada), London (United Kingdom) and Auckland (New Zealand). The reductions in complications proved to be of equal magnitude in high and lower income sites in the study.
“These findings have implications beyond surgery, suggesting that checklists could increase the safety and reliability of care in numerous medical fields,” Dr Gawande said. “The checklists must be short, extremely simple, and carefully tested in the real world. But in specialties ranging from cardiac care to paediatric care, they could become as essential in daily medicine as the stethoscope.\"
The safe surgery checklist, which was launched by WHO as a recommended guideline for safe practice last year, has since gained global recognition by operating theatre staff, including surgeons and anaesthetists.
It requires only a few minutes to complete at three critical points during operative care – before anaesthesia is administered, before skin incision and before the patient leaves the operating room. It is intended to ensure the safe delivery of anaesthesia, appropriate prophylaxis against infection, effective teamwork by the operating room staff and other essential practices in perioperative care.
\"The immediate response to the checklist has been remarkable, and the studies undertaken in the pilot hospitals are significant. They will make a major contribution towards our goal of having 2500 hospitals around the world using the safe surgery checklist by the end of this year,\" said Sir Liam Donaldson, Chair of the WHO World Alliance for Patient Safety and Chief Medical Officer for England.
The results of the study are published on the web site of the New England Journal of Medicine. The material will appear in the the journal's printed issue on 29 January 2009.
","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"3f560824-391c-49f3-a438-5d6052a62197","LastModified":"2025-03-10T04:06:55Z","PublicationDate":"2021-04-28T15:28:43Z","Title":"COVID-19 vaccination financing and budgeting Q&A","Description":"","DateCreated":"2021-04-28T15:28:44Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"covid-19-vaccination-financing-and-budgeting-q-a","ItemDefaultUrl":"/27-04-2021-covid-19-vaccination-financing-and-budgeting-q-a","PublicationDateAndTime":"2021-04-27T22:00:00Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaTitle":"COVID-19 vaccination financing and budgeting Q&A","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"OpenGraphDescription":"This Q&A provides a basic introduction into the possible financing and budgeting arrangements around COVID-19 vaccination roll-out. ","Subtitle":"","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaDescription":"This Q&A provides a basic introduction into the possible financing and budgeting arrangements around COVID-19 vaccination roll-out. ","OtherRelated":"","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"COVID-19 vaccination financing and budgeting Q&A","Location":"","Highlight":"","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"AllowComments":true,"Summary":"This Q&A provides a basic introduction into the possible financing and budgeting arrangements around COVID-19 vaccination roll-out.","Content":"
(1) https://iccwbo.org/publication/the-economic-case-for-global-vaccinations/
(2) https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/10665337553
(3) Check the CIA website for confirmation of your countries fiscal year: https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/about/archives/2021/field/fiscal-year/
(4) https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241549745
","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"53e2e85e-0477-401a-9a85-2d23824aaf67","LastModified":"2024-12-18T07:07:22Z","PublicationDate":"2021-01-06T17:47:00Z","Title":"Online public hearing to help inform the scope of the WHO guideline on health policy and system support to optimize community based health worker programmes","Description":"","DateCreated":"2021-01-06T17:47:01Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"pico-form","ItemDefaultUrl":"/12-07-2016-pico-form","PublicationDateAndTime":"2016-07-12T16:41:00Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaTitle":"Online public hearing to help inform the scope of the WHO guideline on health policy and system support to optimize community based health worker programmes","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"OpenGraphDescription":"\u00a0BackgroundIn the last few years, there has been growing interest and attention in the potential of various types of community health workers (CHWs) in reducing inequities in access to essential health services, particularly in under-served or excluded, vulnerable populations. The WHO Global Strategy on HRH: Workforce 2030 encourages countries to adopt a diverse, sustainable skills mix, harnessing the potential of community-based and mid-level health workers in inter-professional primary care teams.Several systematic reviews and other studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of various types of CHWs in delivering a range of preventive, promotive and curative services related to reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health,\u00a0i,ii,iii\u00a0infectious diseases,\u00a0iv\u00a0non-communicable diseases,v,vi\u00a0and neglected tropical diseases.vii\u00a0In parallel, other systematic reviews have identified the most effective policy approaches for a successful integration of health workers in health systems: these include, among others, providing CHWs with predictable financial and non-financial incentives, frequent supervision, continuous training, embedment of CHWs in health systems, with clear roles and communication channels for CHWs.viii,ix,x,xi\u00a0There is also significant evidence through systematic reviews and economic evaluations that delivering essential health services through CHWs may represent a cost-effective approach in some contexts.xii,xiiiRationaleThe support for community health workers and their integration into the health system, however, remain uneven across and within countries. This is hindering the full realization of their potential contribution to the implementation of health policies based on primary health care.Although they should be considered as an integral part of the health system, CHW programmes are often fraught with challenges, including: poor planning; unclear roles and education pathways; multiple competing actors with little coordination; fragmented, disease-specific training; donor-driven management and funding; tenuous linkage with the health system; poor coordination, supervision, quality control and support; and under-recognition of CHWs\u2019 contribution. These challenges can contribute to wastage of both human capital and financial resources: many well-intentioned and performing CHW initiatives fail to be properly integrated in health systems, and remain pilot projects or small scale initiatives that are excessively reliant on donor funding.Existing WHO guidelines encourage the delegation of certain tasks relating to prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care, for example for HIV, and a range of reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health services. However, successful implementation of these recommendations requires an evidence-based model for educating, deploying, remunerating and managing CHWs to optimize their performance and contribution to the health system across various health service areas.Scope of the guidelines and objective of the consultationWHO therefore decided to develop a guideline to assist national governments, as well as national and international partners, to improve the design, implementation, performance and evaluation of CHW programmes, contributing to the attainment of universal health coverage and the health SDG targets.WHO guidelines are based on a rigorous and impartial process to assess the evidence to respond to priority policy questions. Defining the scope of the guideline therefore entailed identifying the most relevant and significant policy issues, and translating them into research questions \u2013 structured according to the Population, Intervention, Control, Outcome (PICO) framework . Evidence then was collected and synthesized through systematic reviews to answer the research questions identified. Through a 2016 consultation, WHO asked stakeholders to assist in the identification of policy issues and research questions to define the scope of the guideline. The consultation was open to everyone, and inputs were accepted until August 2016. Consolidated / collective submissions were highly encouraged.The primary target audience for this guideline is policy-makers, planners and managers responsible for health workforce policy and planning at national and local levels that rely on CHWs for the delivery of health services. Secondary target audiences include development partners, funding agencies, global health initiatives, donor contractors, NGOs and activists who fund, support, implement, and/ or advocate for the greater and more efficient involvement of CHWs in the delivery of health services.Secondary target audiences include development partners, funding agencies, global health initiatives, donor contractors, NGOs and activists who fund, support, implement, and/ or advocate for the greater and more efficient involvement of CHWs in the delivery of health services.How your inputs were usedThe Guideline Development Group (GDG), which included health workforce and CHW experts from the academia and research community, as well as end-users of the guidelines from government and other constituencies, finalized the scope of the guidelines and prioritized and refined the key questions in the PICO format. The results of this online consultation were consolidated by the WHO Secretariat and presented to the first meeting of the Guideline Development Group to inform its proceedings and deliberations.Referencesi\u00a0Gilmore B, McAuliffe E. Effectiveness of community health workers delivering preventive interventions for maternal and child health in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review. BMC Public Health. 2013;13(1):847. PubMed PMID: doi:10.1186/1471-2458-13-847iiGlenton C, Scheel IB, Lewin S, Swingler GH. Can lay health workers increase the uptake of childhood immunisation? Systematic review and typology. Tropical Medicine & International Health. 2011;16(9):1044-53iiiLewin S, Munabi-Babigumira S, Glenton C, Daniels K, Bosch-Capblanch X, van Wyk BE, et al. Lay health workers in primary and community health care for maternal and child health and the management of infectious diseases. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2010;3ivMwai GW, Mburu G, Torpey K, Frost P, Ford N, Seeley J. Role and outcomes of community health workers in HIV care in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review. J Int AIDS Soc. 2013 Sep 10;16:18586vvan Ginneken N, Tharyan P, Lewin S, Rao GN, Meera S, Pian J, et al. Non-specialist health worker interventions for the care of mental, neurological and substance-abuse disorders in low- and middle-income countries. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2013;11viRaphael JL, Rueda A, Lion KC, Giordano TP. The role of lay health workers in pediatric chronic disease: a systematic review. Acad Pediatr. 2013 Sep-Oct;13(5):408-20viiVouking MZ, Takougang I, Mbam LM, Mbuagbaw L, Tadenfok CN, Tamo CV The contribution of community health workers to the control of Buruli ulcer in the Ngoantet area, Cameroon. Pan Afr Med J. 2013 Oct 22;16:63viiiGlobal Health Workforce Alliance (2010). Global Experience of Community Health Workers for Delivery of Health Related Millennium Development Goals - A Systematic Review, Country Case Studies, and Recommendations for Integration into National Health Systems. Geneva, Switzerland.\u00a0 https://www.who.int/teams/health-workforce/community\u00a0Accessed 10 March 2016ixPerry H, Zulliger R. How effective are community health workers? An overview of current evidence with recommendations for strengthening community health worker programs to accelerate progress in achieving the health-related Millennium Development Goals. 2012.xKok MC, Kane S, Tulloch O et al How does context influence performance of community health workers in low- and middle-income countries? Evidence from the literature. Health Res Policy Syst. 2015;13:13xiKok MC, Dieleman M, Taegtmeyer M, Broerse JE, Kane SS, Ormel H, Tijm MM, de Koning KA Which intervention design factors influence performance of community health workers in low- and middle-income countries? A systematic review. Health Policy Plan. 2015 Nov;30(9):1207-27xiiMcPake B, Edoka I, Witter S, Kielmann K, Taegtmeyer M, Dieleman M, Vaughan K, Gama E, Kok M, Datiko D, Otiso L, Ahmed R, Squires N, Suraratdecha C, Cometto G.\u00a0Cost-effectiveness of community-based practitioner programmes in Ethiopia, Indonesia and Kenya.. Bull World Health Organ. 2015 Sep 1;93(9):631-639\u00a0xiiiVaughan K, Kok MC, Witter S, Dieleman M\u00a0Costs and cost-effectiveness of community health workers: evidence from a literature review.\u00a0Hum Resour Health. 2015 Sep 1;13:71xivTulenko K et al. Community health workers for universal health-care coverage: from fragmentation to synergy Bulletin of the World Health Organization 2013;91:847-852\u00a0","Subtitle":"","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":1,"MetaDescription":"\u00a0BackgroundIn the last few years, there has been growing interest and attention in the potential of various types of community health workers (CHWs) in reducing inequities in access to essential health services, particularly in under-served or excluded, vulnerable populations. The WHO Global Strategy on HRH: Workforce 2030 encourages countries to adopt a diverse, sustainable skills mix, harnessing the potential of community-based and mid-level health workers in inter-professional primary care teams.Several systematic reviews and other studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of various types of CHWs in delivering a range of preventive, promotive and curative services related to reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health,\u00a0i,ii,iii\u00a0infectious diseases,\u00a0iv\u00a0non-communicable diseases,v,vi\u00a0and neglected tropical diseases.vii\u00a0In parallel, other systematic reviews have identified the most effective policy approaches for a successful integration of health workers in health systems: these include, among others, providing CHWs with predictable financial and non-financial incentives, frequent supervision, continuous training, embedment of CHWs in health systems, with clear roles and communication channels for CHWs.viii,ix,x,xi\u00a0There is also significant evidence through systematic reviews and economic evaluations that delivering essential health services through CHWs may represent a cost-effective approach in some contexts.xii,xiiiRationaleThe support for community health workers and their integration into the health system, however, remain uneven across and within countries. This is hindering the full realization of their potential contribution to the implementation of health policies based on primary health care.Although they should be considered as an integral part of the health system, CHW programmes are often fraught with challenges, including: poor planning; unclear roles and education pathways; multiple competing actors with little coordination; fragmented, disease-specific training; donor-driven management and funding; tenuous linkage with the health system; poor coordination, supervision, quality control and support; and under-recognition of CHWs\u2019 contribution. These challenges can contribute to wastage of both human capital and financial resources: many well-intentioned and performing CHW initiatives fail to be properly integrated in health systems, and remain pilot projects or small scale initiatives that are excessively reliant on donor funding.Existing WHO guidelines encourage the delegation of certain tasks relating to prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care, for example for HIV, and a range of reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health services. However, successful implementation of these recommendations requires an evidence-based model for educating, deploying, remunerating and managing CHWs to optimize their performance and contribution to the health system across various health service areas.Scope of the guidelines and objective of the consultationWHO therefore decided to develop a guideline to assist national governments, as well as national and international partners, to improve the design, implementation, performance and evaluation of CHW programmes, contributing to the attainment of universal health coverage and the health SDG targets.WHO guidelines are based on a rigorous and impartial process to assess the evidence to respond to priority policy questions. Defining the scope of the guideline therefore entailed identifying the most relevant and significant policy issues, and translating them into research questions \u2013 structured according to the Population, Intervention, Control, Outcome (PICO) framework . Evidence then was collected and synthesized through systematic reviews to answer the research questions identified. Through a 2016 consultation, WHO asked stakeholders to assist in the identification of policy issues and research questions to define the scope of the guideline. The consultation was open to everyone, and inputs were accepted until August 2016. Consolidated / collective submissions were highly encouraged.The primary target audience for this guideline is policy-makers, planners and managers responsible for health workforce policy and planning at national and local levels that rely on CHWs for the delivery of health services. Secondary target audiences include development partners, funding agencies, global health initiatives, donor contractors, NGOs and activists who fund, support, implement, and/ or advocate for the greater and more efficient involvement of CHWs in the delivery of health services.Secondary target audiences include development partners, funding agencies, global health initiatives, donor contractors, NGOs and activists who fund, support, implement, and/ or advocate for the greater and more efficient involvement of CHWs in the delivery of health services.How your inputs were usedThe Guideline Development Group (GDG), which included health workforce and CHW experts from the academia and research community, as well as end-users of the guidelines from government and other constituencies, finalized the scope of the guidelines and prioritized and refined the key questions in the PICO format. The results of this online consultation were consolidated by the WHO Secretariat and presented to the first meeting of the Guideline Development Group to inform its proceedings and deliberations.Referencesi\u00a0Gilmore B, McAuliffe E. Effectiveness of community health workers delivering preventive interventions for maternal and child health in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review. BMC Public Health. 2013;13(1):847. PubMed PMID: doi:10.1186/1471-2458-13-847iiGlenton C, Scheel IB, Lewin S, Swingler GH. Can lay health workers increase the uptake of childhood immunisation? Systematic review and typology. Tropical Medicine & International Health. 2011;16(9):1044-53iiiLewin S, Munabi-Babigumira S, Glenton C, Daniels K, Bosch-Capblanch X, van Wyk BE, et al. Lay health workers in primary and community health care for maternal and child health and the management of infectious diseases. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2010;3ivMwai GW, Mburu G, Torpey K, Frost P, Ford N, Seeley J. Role and outcomes of community health workers in HIV care in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review. J Int AIDS Soc. 2013 Sep 10;16:18586vvan Ginneken N, Tharyan P, Lewin S, Rao GN, Meera S, Pian J, et al. Non-specialist health worker interventions for the care of mental, neurological and substance-abuse disorders in low- and middle-income countries. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2013;11viRaphael JL, Rueda A, Lion KC, Giordano TP. The role of lay health workers in pediatric chronic disease: a systematic review. Acad Pediatr. 2013 Sep-Oct;13(5):408-20viiVouking MZ, Takougang I, Mbam LM, Mbuagbaw L, Tadenfok CN, Tamo CV The contribution of community health workers to the control of Buruli ulcer in the Ngoantet area, Cameroon. Pan Afr Med J. 2013 Oct 22;16:63viiiGlobal Health Workforce Alliance (2010). Global Experience of Community Health Workers for Delivery of Health Related Millennium Development Goals - A Systematic Review, Country Case Studies, and Recommendations for Integration into National Health Systems. Geneva, Switzerland.\u00a0 https://www.who.int/teams/health-workforce/community\u00a0Accessed 10 March 2016ixPerry H, Zulliger R. How effective are community health workers? An overview of current evidence with recommendations for strengthening community health worker programs to accelerate progress in achieving the health-related Millennium Development Goals. 2012.xKok MC, Kane S, Tulloch O et al How does context influence performance of community health workers in low- and middle-income countries? Evidence from the literature. Health Res Policy Syst. 2015;13:13xiKok MC, Dieleman M, Taegtmeyer M, Broerse JE, Kane SS, Ormel H, Tijm MM, de Koning KA Which intervention design factors influence performance of community health workers in low- and middle-income countries? A systematic review. Health Policy Plan. 2015 Nov;30(9):1207-27xiiMcPake B, Edoka I, Witter S, Kielmann K, Taegtmeyer M, Dieleman M, Vaughan K, Gama E, Kok M, Datiko D, Otiso L, Ahmed R, Squires N, Suraratdecha C, Cometto G.\u00a0Cost-effectiveness of community-based practitioner programmes in Ethiopia, Indonesia and Kenya.. Bull World Health Organ. 2015 Sep 1;93(9):631-639\u00a0xiiiVaughan K, Kok MC, Witter S, Dieleman M\u00a0Costs and cost-effectiveness of community health workers: evidence from a literature review.\u00a0Hum Resour Health. 2015 Sep 1;13:71xivTulenko K et al. Community health workers for universal health-care coverage: from fragmentation to synergy Bulletin of the World Health Organization 2013;91:847-852\u00a0","OtherRelated":"","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":1,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":1,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"Online public hearing to help inform the scope of the WHO guideline on health policy and system support to optimize community based health worker programmes","Location":"","Highlight":"","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":1,"AllowComments":true,"Summary":"","Content":"
In the last few years, there has been growing interest and attention in the potential of various types of community health workers (CHWs) in reducing inequities in access to essential health services, particularly in under-served or excluded, vulnerable populations. The WHO Global Strategy on HRH: Workforce 2030 encourages countries to adopt a diverse, sustainable skills mix, harnessing the potential of community-based and mid-level health workers in inter-professional primary care teams.
Several systematic reviews and other studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of various types of CHWs in delivering a range of preventive, promotive and curative services related to reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health, i,ii,iii infectious diseases, iv non-communicable diseases,v,vi and neglected tropical diseases.vii In parallel, other systematic reviews have identified the most effective policy approaches for a successful integration of health workers in health systems: these include, among others, providing CHWs with predictable financial and non-financial incentives, frequent supervision, continuous training, embedment of CHWs in health systems, with clear roles and communication channels for CHWs.viii,ix,x,xi There is also significant evidence through systematic reviews and economic evaluations that delivering essential health services through CHWs may represent a cost-effective approach in some contexts.xii,xiii
The support for community health workers and their integration into the health system, however, remain uneven across and within countries. This is hindering the full realization of their potential contribution to the implementation of health policies based on primary health care.
Although they should be considered as an integral part of the health system, CHW programmes are often fraught with challenges, including: poor planning; unclear roles and education pathways; multiple competing actors with little coordination; fragmented, disease-specific training; donor-driven management and funding; tenuous linkage with the health system; poor coordination, supervision, quality control and support; and under-recognition of CHWs’ contribution. These challenges can contribute to wastage of both human capital and financial resources: many well-intentioned and performing CHW initiatives fail to be properly integrated in health systems, and remain pilot projects or small scale initiatives that are excessively reliant on donor funding.
Existing WHO guidelines encourage the delegation of certain tasks relating to prevention, diagnosis, treatment and care, for example for HIV, and a range of reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health services. However, successful implementation of these recommendations requires an evidence-based model for educating, deploying, remunerating and managing CHWs to optimize their performance and contribution to the health system across various health service areas.
WHO therefore decided to develop a guideline to assist national governments, as well as national and international partners, to improve the design, implementation, performance and evaluation of CHW programmes, contributing to the attainment of universal health coverage and the health SDG targets.
WHO guidelines are based on a rigorous and impartial process to assess the evidence to respond to priority policy questions. Defining the scope of the guideline therefore entailed identifying the most relevant and significant policy issues, and translating them into research questions – structured according to the Population, Intervention, Control, Outcome (PICO) framework . Evidence then was collected and synthesized through systematic reviews to answer the research questions identified. Through a 2016 consultation, WHO asked stakeholders to assist in the identification of policy issues and research questions to define the scope of the guideline. The consultation was open to everyone, and inputs were accepted until August 2016. Consolidated / collective submissions were highly encouraged.
The primary target audience for this guideline is policy-makers, planners and managers responsible for health workforce policy and planning at national and local levels that rely on CHWs for the delivery of health services. Secondary target audiences include development partners, funding agencies, global health initiatives, donor contractors, NGOs and activists who fund, support, implement, and/ or advocate for the greater and more efficient involvement of CHWs in the delivery of health services.
Secondary target audiences include development partners, funding agencies, global health initiatives, donor contractors, NGOs and activists who fund, support, implement, and/ or advocate for the greater and more efficient involvement of CHWs in the delivery of health services.
The Guideline Development Group (GDG), which included health workforce and CHW experts from the academia and research community, as well as end-users of the guidelines from government and other constituencies, finalized the scope of the guidelines and prioritized and refined the key questions in the PICO format. The results of this online consultation were consolidated by the WHO Secretariat and presented to the first meeting of the Guideline Development Group to inform its proceedings and deliberations.
i Gilmore B, McAuliffe E. Effectiveness of community health workers delivering preventive interventions for maternal and child health in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review. BMC Public Health. 2013;13(1):847. PubMed PMID: doi:10.1186/1471-2458-13-847
iiGlenton C, Scheel IB, Lewin S, Swingler GH. Can lay health workers increase the uptake of childhood immunisation? Systematic review and typology. Tropical Medicine & International Health. 2011;16(9):1044-53
iiiLewin S, Munabi-Babigumira S, Glenton C, Daniels K, Bosch-Capblanch X, van Wyk BE, et al. Lay health workers in primary and community health care for maternal and child health and the management of infectious diseases. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2010;3
ivMwai GW, Mburu G, Torpey K, Frost P, Ford N, Seeley J. Role and outcomes of community health workers in HIV care in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review. J Int AIDS Soc. 2013 Sep 10;16:18586
vvan Ginneken N, Tharyan P, Lewin S, Rao GN, Meera S, Pian J, et al. Non-specialist health worker interventions for the care of mental, neurological and substance-abuse disorders in low- and middle-income countries. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2013;11
viRaphael JL, Rueda A, Lion KC, Giordano TP. The role of lay health workers in pediatric chronic disease: a systematic review. Acad Pediatr. 2013 Sep-Oct;13(5):408-20
viiVouking MZ, Takougang I, Mbam LM, Mbuagbaw L, Tadenfok CN, Tamo CV The contribution of community health workers to the control of Buruli ulcer in the Ngoantet area, Cameroon. Pan Afr Med J. 2013 Oct 22;16:63
viiiGlobal Health Workforce Alliance (2010). Global Experience of Community Health Workers for Delivery of Health Related Millennium Development Goals - A Systematic Review, Country Case Studies, and Recommendations for Integration into National Health Systems. Geneva, Switzerland. https://www.who.int/teams/health-workforce/community Accessed 10 March 2016
ixPerry H, Zulliger R. How effective are community health workers? An overview of current evidence with recommendations for strengthening community health worker programs to accelerate progress in achieving the health-related Millennium Development Goals. 2012.
xKok MC, Kane S, Tulloch O et al How does context influence performance of community health workers in low- and middle-income countries? Evidence from the literature. Health Res Policy Syst. 2015;13:13
xiKok MC, Dieleman M, Taegtmeyer M, Broerse JE, Kane SS, Ormel H, Tijm MM, de Koning KA Which intervention design factors influence performance of community health workers in low- and middle-income countries? A systematic review. Health Policy Plan. 2015 Nov;30(9):1207-27
xiiMcPake B, Edoka I, Witter S, Kielmann K, Taegtmeyer M, Dieleman M, Vaughan K, Gama E, Kok M, Datiko D, Otiso L, Ahmed R, Squires N, Suraratdecha C, Cometto G. Cost-effectiveness of community-based practitioner programmes in Ethiopia, Indonesia and Kenya.. Bull World Health Organ. 2015 Sep 1;93(9):631-639
xiiiVaughan K, Kok MC, Witter S, Dieleman M Costs and cost-effectiveness of community health workers: evidence from a literature review. Hum Resour Health. 2015 Sep 1;13:71
xivTulenko K et al. Community health workers for universal health-care coverage: from fragmentation to synergy Bulletin of the World Health Organization 2013;91:847-852
","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"69921c92-6292-4fec-af15-484afd59ab6f","LastModified":"2020-12-18T10:38:02Z","PublicationDate":"2020-11-27T00:55:02Z","Title":"Integrated primary health care-based service delivery in the Global Conference on Primary Health Care, Astana, Kazakhstan","Description":"","DateCreated":"2020-12-18T10:38:02Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"integrated-primary-health-care-based-service-delivery-in-the-global-conference-on-primary-health-care-astana-kazakhstan","ItemDefaultUrl":"/27-10-2017-integrated-primary-health-care-based-service-delivery-in-the-global-conference-on-primary-health-care-astana-kazakhstan","PublicationDateAndTime":"2017-10-27T13:00:00Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaTitle":"Integrated primary health care-based service delivery in the Global Conference on Primary Health Care, Astana, Kazakhstan","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"OpenGraphDescription":"The Global Conference on Primary Health Care took place in \r\nAstana, Kazakhstan, on 25\u201326 October 2018 and brought together \r\n2050 delegates from 147 countries. The conference was held at the \r\nPalace of Independence and was co-hosted by the Government of \r\nKazakhstan, WHO and UNICEF. The aim of the conference was to commemorate\r\n the 40th Anniversary of the Alma-Ata Declaration and to renew political\r\n commitment to placing primary health care (PHC) at the heart of \r\nachieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the Sustainable \r\nDevelopment Agenda.\r\nConference structureThe structure of the conference included plenary and parallel \r\nsessions on high-priority topics related to PHC and UHC. Heads of \r\nStates, Ministers of Health, Ministers of Finance, Ministers of \r\nEducation and representatives from international organizations, \r\ndevelopment partners, civil society, professional organizations and \r\nacademia attended the conference.Adoption of the Declaration of AstanaA high-level ministerial plenary explored the \r\nwhole-of-government approach to advancing primary health care. The \r\nsession, moderated by the Minister of Health of Kazakhstan, Dr Yelzhan \r\nBirtanov, included the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Bakytzhan \r\nSagintayev; WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus; United UNICEF \r\nExecutive Director, Henrietta Fore; the Prime Minister of Samoa, \r\nTuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi; the Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal, \r\nUpendra Yadav; and the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety,\r\n Dr Vytenis Andriukaitis.Today, instead of health for all, we have health for some. We all have a solemn responsibility to ensure that today\u2019s declaration on primary health care enables every person, everywhere to exercise their fundamental right to health.- Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-GeneralThe plenary looked at lessons learned over the past 40 years \r\nand sought to create a movement, with the Declaration of Astana as a \r\nstarting point, for the strengthening of primary health care as the \r\nfoundation of universal health coverage and to achieve the Sustainable \r\nDevelopment Goals.The Declaration of Astana was then adopted unanimously by Member States. It makes pledges in 4 key areas:make bold political choices for health across all sectors;build sustainable primary health care;empower individuals and communities;align stakeholder support to national policies, strategies and plans.Integrating primary health care-based service deliveryA ministerial parallel session, co-organized by Service \r\nDelivery and Safety department \u2013 WHO Headquarters, WHO European Centre \r\nfor Primary Health Care and UNICEF, explored how primary health care can\r\n effectively integrate the delivery of health services to ensure that \r\npopulations receive the right care, at the right time, in the right \r\nplace, in accordance with their needs and local context. It provided the\r\n audience with an understanding of integrated service delivery, and of \r\nthe role of primary care to ensure coordination with secondary and \r\ntertiary care, public health interventions and other sectors to better \r\nrespond to the needs of population\u2019s, (including those who are \r\nunderserved and marginalized) towards the achievement of UHC.In the session, the Minister of Health of Lithuania, Aurelijus Veryga,\r\n spoke of the reform of health services provision in the country. \r\nLithuania achieved the great step of moving from use of a hospital \r\ncentre to a multidisciplinary centre, based on family practitioners. It \r\nwas a very serious political decision. \u201cIt was big scepticism from both \r\nsides, patients and health professionals\u201d. After many years, in \r\nLithuania doctors are now more trusted than before by patients. This \r\nhappened because practitioners proved they can take care of patients. \r\n\u201cThis change has already happened in people and patients\u2019 minds\u201d. The Minister of Health of Ghana, Agyeman Manu, \r\nexplained the structure of primary health care in Ghana. The Ministry of\r\n Health first analysed what mechanisms are conducive to providing PHC \r\nservices. They have three levels of these services: community level, \r\nsub-district and district level. At the community level, they have two \r\nyears\u2019 training for community nurses, where the training tools are \r\nadaptable to their needs. Training and tools are provided for \r\nintegrating other services, for example, nurses at the community level \r\nprovide health education, health promotion, home visits and referrals. Cieko Ikeda, Senior Assistant from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare,\r\n spoke about a community-based integrated care system that has been \r\nestablished to address rapid ageing. \u201cIt is a people-centred system, \r\nwhich provides comprehensive care including health care, nursing care, \r\nprevention, housing and livelihood support.\u201d Through this system, Japan \r\nexpects that elderly people will be always in nurturing environments, \r\neven if they end up needing strong care in the long term.Mirella Minkman, Professor of Innovation, TIAS School for Business and Society,\r\n the Netherlands, stressed the importance of rethinking and reorganizing\r\n the system to put the person at the centre, with primary health care \r\nteams around them, \u201ccreating networks of care, where the traditional \r\nvertical governance will not work anymore\u201d.\r\n\r\nIt will demand new competences of professionals, and a more \r\nvalue driven approach into what it is called \u201cnetwork governance\u201d. \u201cWe \r\nhave to go further than projects and programmes, and we have to really \r\nintegrate it into the governance of the existing organizations\u201d.She explained that the critical issues for having successful integrated \r\nsystems are a combination of leadership, supervision on quality, \r\naccountability and funding allocation. Collaboration beyond health care \r\ndomain is key. \u201cIt is not only connecting doctors to nurses, integrated \r\nperspective means other actions and also other partners\u201d, she stated.Salman Rawaf, Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Public Health Education and Training (Imperial College),\r\n started his presentation highlighting the need of integrating public \r\nhealth in primary health care. \u201cPeople need promoting their health, they\r\n need to maintain their health, they need to live longer, they want to \r\nlive free of disease, and they want to live in society where everyone \r\nenjoys quality of health and quality of living. Primary care in an \r\nintegrating way, provides an opportunity to do so\u201d. He stated that the \r\nspirit of Alma Ata is there but many countries did not take public \r\nhealth and primary health care seriously. He stressed the importance of having primary health care embedded in \r\nintegrated-people centred health services. Primary health care must \r\nassess the total needs of the patient, not only looking at the person as\r\n \u201cpneumonia, as a disease, as a cough. Primary health care is about \r\nlooking at the whole person\u201d.He also spoke about looking at the health system in a bigger picture \r\nthan that of only basic needs. \u201cWe should move away from the vertical \r\nthinking about waiting for the people to become ill, from disease model \r\nto something much bigger. It is about really looking at the needs of \r\npopulation, communities, individuals, and then tailoring the services \r\naround the needs\u201d.\r\nEric de Roodenbeke, Chief Executive Officer, International Hospital Federation, Switzerland,\r\n spoke of the need to re-assign the image of hospitals as a place of \r\npopulation health and as a place that supports a primary health care \r\napproach. \u201cWe really need in the hospital to break the silos in between \r\nspecialities, it is about multi- mobility, which means people working \r\ntogether in a team, means hospitals organised by conditions and not \r\nanymore by organic diseases\u201d. He also stressed the importance of breaking the silos at external level,\r\n where hospital can do more to better support primary health care. \r\n\u201cHospitals are open door organizations in which all stakeholders in the \r\nhealth system should have a place and are welcome\u201d. It is important to avoid the mistake of dividing primary health care and\r\n hospital care. \u201cWe are now on track for integrated primary health care \r\nwhere contribution of each stakeholder can be better harnessed for \r\nbetter health of population\u201d.\r\nKawaldip Sehmi, CEO, International Alliance of Patients\u2019 Organizations,\r\n explained how important patients\u2019 ideas for the health system are. \r\n\u201cThey know the obstacles, bottlenecks, problems\u2026 use them, include them \r\nin your decision making and structure\u201d. Patient engagement should be at \r\nthe center of the system to be able to improve it. \u201cNo industry I can \r\nrecall where the consumer is ignored from the center\u201d, he stated. The Global Conference was a success, with 147 countries registered, 42 \r\nMinisters and 20 Deputy Ministers, and over 700 participants from Member\r\n States. Besides, 339 organizations participated, including UN agencies,\r\n NGOs, and other non-state actor organizations representing civil \r\nsociety, academia, young professionals, patients and health workforce.\u00a0\u00a0","Subtitle":"","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaDescription":"The Global Conference on Primary Health Care took place in \r\nAstana, Kazakhstan, on 25\u201326 October 2018 and brought together \r\n2050 delegates from 147 countries. The conference was held at the \r\nPalace of Independence and was co-hosted by the Government of \r\nKazakhstan, WHO and UNICEF. The aim of the conference was to commemorate\r\n the 40th Anniversary of the Alma-Ata Declaration and to renew political\r\n commitment to placing primary health care (PHC) at the heart of \r\nachieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the Sustainable \r\nDevelopment Agenda.\r\nConference structureThe structure of the conference included plenary and parallel \r\nsessions on high-priority topics related to PHC and UHC. Heads of \r\nStates, Ministers of Health, Ministers of Finance, Ministers of \r\nEducation and representatives from international organizations, \r\ndevelopment partners, civil society, professional organizations and \r\nacademia attended the conference.Adoption of the Declaration of AstanaA high-level ministerial plenary explored the \r\nwhole-of-government approach to advancing primary health care. The \r\nsession, moderated by the Minister of Health of Kazakhstan, Dr Yelzhan \r\nBirtanov, included the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Bakytzhan \r\nSagintayev; WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus; United UNICEF \r\nExecutive Director, Henrietta Fore; the Prime Minister of Samoa, \r\nTuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi; the Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal, \r\nUpendra Yadav; and the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety,\r\n Dr Vytenis Andriukaitis.Today, instead of health for all, we have health for some. We all have a solemn responsibility to ensure that today\u2019s declaration on primary health care enables every person, everywhere to exercise their fundamental right to health.- Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-GeneralThe plenary looked at lessons learned over the past 40 years \r\nand sought to create a movement, with the Declaration of Astana as a \r\nstarting point, for the strengthening of primary health care as the \r\nfoundation of universal health coverage and to achieve the Sustainable \r\nDevelopment Goals.The Declaration of Astana was then adopted unanimously by Member States. It makes pledges in 4 key areas:make bold political choices for health across all sectors;build sustainable primary health care;empower individuals and communities;align stakeholder support to national policies, strategies and plans.Integrating primary health care-based service deliveryA ministerial parallel session, co-organized by Service \r\nDelivery and Safety department \u2013 WHO Headquarters, WHO European Centre \r\nfor Primary Health Care and UNICEF, explored how primary health care can\r\n effectively integrate the delivery of health services to ensure that \r\npopulations receive the right care, at the right time, in the right \r\nplace, in accordance with their needs and local context. It provided the\r\n audience with an understanding of integrated service delivery, and of \r\nthe role of primary care to ensure coordination with secondary and \r\ntertiary care, public health interventions and other sectors to better \r\nrespond to the needs of population\u2019s, (including those who are \r\nunderserved and marginalized) towards the achievement of UHC.In the session, the Minister of Health of Lithuania, Aurelijus Veryga,\r\n spoke of the reform of health services provision in the country. \r\nLithuania achieved the great step of moving from use of a hospital \r\ncentre to a multidisciplinary centre, based on family practitioners. It \r\nwas a very serious political decision. \u201cIt was big scepticism from both \r\nsides, patients and health professionals\u201d. After many years, in \r\nLithuania doctors are now more trusted than before by patients. This \r\nhappened because practitioners proved they can take care of patients. \r\n\u201cThis change has already happened in people and patients\u2019 minds\u201d. The Minister of Health of Ghana, Agyeman Manu, \r\nexplained the structure of primary health care in Ghana. The Ministry of\r\n Health first analysed what mechanisms are conducive to providing PHC \r\nservices. They have three levels of these services: community level, \r\nsub-district and district level. At the community level, they have two \r\nyears\u2019 training for community nurses, where the training tools are \r\nadaptable to their needs. Training and tools are provided for \r\nintegrating other services, for example, nurses at the community level \r\nprovide health education, health promotion, home visits and referrals. Cieko Ikeda, Senior Assistant from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare,\r\n spoke about a community-based integrated care system that has been \r\nestablished to address rapid ageing. \u201cIt is a people-centred system, \r\nwhich provides comprehensive care including health care, nursing care, \r\nprevention, housing and livelihood support.\u201d Through this system, Japan \r\nexpects that elderly people will be always in nurturing environments, \r\neven if they end up needing strong care in the long term.Mirella Minkman, Professor of Innovation, TIAS School for Business and Society,\r\n the Netherlands, stressed the importance of rethinking and reorganizing\r\n the system to put the person at the centre, with primary health care \r\nteams around them, \u201ccreating networks of care, where the traditional \r\nvertical governance will not work anymore\u201d.\r\n\r\nIt will demand new competences of professionals, and a more \r\nvalue driven approach into what it is called \u201cnetwork governance\u201d. \u201cWe \r\nhave to go further than projects and programmes, and we have to really \r\nintegrate it into the governance of the existing organizations\u201d.She explained that the critical issues for having successful integrated \r\nsystems are a combination of leadership, supervision on quality, \r\naccountability and funding allocation. Collaboration beyond health care \r\ndomain is key. \u201cIt is not only connecting doctors to nurses, integrated \r\nperspective means other actions and also other partners\u201d, she stated.Salman Rawaf, Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Public Health Education and Training (Imperial College),\r\n started his presentation highlighting the need of integrating public \r\nhealth in primary health care. \u201cPeople need promoting their health, they\r\n need to maintain their health, they need to live longer, they want to \r\nlive free of disease, and they want to live in society where everyone \r\nenjoys quality of health and quality of living. Primary care in an \r\nintegrating way, provides an opportunity to do so\u201d. He stated that the \r\nspirit of Alma Ata is there but many countries did not take public \r\nhealth and primary health care seriously. He stressed the importance of having primary health care embedded in \r\nintegrated-people centred health services. Primary health care must \r\nassess the total needs of the patient, not only looking at the person as\r\n \u201cpneumonia, as a disease, as a cough. Primary health care is about \r\nlooking at the whole person\u201d.He also spoke about looking at the health system in a bigger picture \r\nthan that of only basic needs. \u201cWe should move away from the vertical \r\nthinking about waiting for the people to become ill, from disease model \r\nto something much bigger. It is about really looking at the needs of \r\npopulation, communities, individuals, and then tailoring the services \r\naround the needs\u201d.\r\nEric de Roodenbeke, Chief Executive Officer, International Hospital Federation, Switzerland,\r\n spoke of the need to re-assign the image of hospitals as a place of \r\npopulation health and as a place that supports a primary health care \r\napproach. \u201cWe really need in the hospital to break the silos in between \r\nspecialities, it is about multi- mobility, which means people working \r\ntogether in a team, means hospitals organised by conditions and not \r\nanymore by organic diseases\u201d. He also stressed the importance of breaking the silos at external level,\r\n where hospital can do more to better support primary health care. \r\n\u201cHospitals are open door organizations in which all stakeholders in the \r\nhealth system should have a place and are welcome\u201d. It is important to avoid the mistake of dividing primary health care and\r\n hospital care. \u201cWe are now on track for integrated primary health care \r\nwhere contribution of each stakeholder can be better harnessed for \r\nbetter health of population\u201d.\r\nKawaldip Sehmi, CEO, International Alliance of Patients\u2019 Organizations,\r\n explained how important patients\u2019 ideas for the health system are. \r\n\u201cThey know the obstacles, bottlenecks, problems\u2026 use them, include them \r\nin your decision making and structure\u201d. Patient engagement should be at \r\nthe center of the system to be able to improve it. \u201cNo industry I can \r\nrecall where the consumer is ignored from the center\u201d, he stated. The Global Conference was a success, with 147 countries registered, 42 \r\nMinisters and 20 Deputy Ministers, and over 700 participants from Member\r\n States. Besides, 339 organizations participated, including UN agencies,\r\n NGOs, and other non-state actor organizations representing civil \r\nsociety, academia, young professionals, patients and health workforce.\u00a0\u00a0","OtherRelated":"","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"Integrated primary health care-based service delivery in the Global Conference on Primary Health Care, Astana, Kazakhstan","Location":"Oman","Highlight":"","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"AllowComments":true,"Summary":"","Content":"
The Global Conference on Primary Health Care took place in \r\nAstana, Kazakhstan, on 25–26 October 2018 and brought together \r\n2050 delegates from 147 countries. The conference was held at the \r\nPalace of Independence and was co-hosted by the Government of \r\nKazakhstan, WHO and UNICEF. The aim of the conference was to commemorate\r\n the 40th Anniversary of the Alma-Ata Declaration and to renew political\r\n commitment to placing primary health care (PHC) at the heart of \r\nachieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the Sustainable \r\nDevelopment Agenda.\r\n
The structure of the conference included plenary and parallel \r\nsessions on high-priority topics related to PHC and UHC. Heads of \r\nStates, Ministers of Health, Ministers of Finance, Ministers of \r\nEducation and representatives from international organizations, \r\ndevelopment partners, civil society, professional organizations and \r\nacademia attended the conference.
A high-level ministerial plenary explored the \r\nwhole-of-government approach to advancing primary health care. The \r\nsession, moderated by the Minister of Health of Kazakhstan, Dr Yelzhan \r\nBirtanov, included the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan, Bakytzhan \r\nSagintayev; WHO Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus; United UNICEF \r\nExecutive Director, Henrietta Fore; the Prime Minister of Samoa, \r\nTuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi; the Deputy Prime Minister of Nepal, \r\nUpendra Yadav; and the European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety,\r\n Dr Vytenis Andriukaitis.
Today, instead of health for all, we have health for some. We all have a solemn responsibility to ensure that today’s declaration on primary health care enables every person, everywhere to exercise their fundamental right to health.
The plenary looked at lessons learned over the past 40 years \r\nand sought to create a movement, with the Declaration of Astana as a \r\nstarting point, for the strengthening of primary health care as the \r\nfoundation of universal health coverage and to achieve the Sustainable \r\nDevelopment Goals.
The Declaration of Astana was then adopted unanimously by Member States. It makes pledges in 4 key areas:
![\"\"](\"https://cdn.who.int/media/images/default-source/ihs/csy/ipchs-astana-2.jpg?sfvrsn=2e4ff825_7&Status=Master\")
A ministerial parallel session, co-organized by Service \r\nDelivery and Safety department – WHO Headquarters, WHO European Centre \r\nfor Primary Health Care and UNICEF, explored how primary health care can\r\n effectively integrate the delivery of health services to ensure that \r\npopulations receive the right care, at the right time, in the right \r\nplace, in accordance with their needs and local context. It provided the\r\n audience with an understanding of integrated service delivery, and of \r\nthe role of primary care to ensure coordination with secondary and \r\ntertiary care, public health interventions and other sectors to better \r\nrespond to the needs of population’s, (including those who are \r\nunderserved and marginalized) towards the achievement of UHC.
In the session, the Minister of Health of Lithuania, Aurelijus Veryga,\r\n spoke of the reform of health services provision in the country. \r\nLithuania achieved the great step of moving from use of a hospital \r\ncentre to a multidisciplinary centre, based on family practitioners. It \r\nwas a very serious political decision. “It was big scepticism from both \r\nsides, patients and health professionals”. After many years, in \r\nLithuania doctors are now more trusted than before by patients. This \r\nhappened because practitioners proved they can take care of patients. \r\n“This change has already happened in people and patients’ minds”.
The Minister of Health of Ghana, Agyeman Manu, \r\nexplained the structure of primary health care in Ghana. The Ministry of\r\n Health first analysed what mechanisms are conducive to providing PHC \r\nservices. They have three levels of these services: community level, \r\nsub-district and district level. At the community level, they have two \r\nyears’ training for community nurses, where the training tools are \r\nadaptable to their needs. Training and tools are provided for \r\nintegrating other services, for example, nurses at the community level \r\nprovide health education, health promotion, home visits and referrals.
Cieko Ikeda, Senior Assistant from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare,\r\n spoke about a community-based integrated care system that has been \r\nestablished to address rapid ageing. “It is a people-centred system, \r\nwhich provides comprehensive care including health care, nursing care, \r\nprevention, housing and livelihood support.” Through this system, Japan \r\nexpects that elderly people will be always in nurturing environments, \r\neven if they end up needing strong care in the long term.
Mirella Minkman, Professor of Innovation, TIAS School for Business and Society,\r\n the Netherlands, stressed the importance of rethinking and reorganizing\r\n the system to put the person at the centre, with primary health care \r\nteams around them, “creating networks of care, where the traditional \r\nvertical governance will not work anymore”.\r\n\r\n
![\"\"](\"https://cdn.who.int/media/images/default-source/ihs/csy/ipchs-astana-3.jpg?sfvrsn=fb8ebdaf_5&Status=Master\")
It will demand new competences of professionals, and a more \r\nvalue driven approach into what it is called “network governance”. “We \r\nhave to go further than projects and programmes, and we have to really \r\nintegrate it into the governance of the existing organizations”.
She explained that the critical issues for having successful integrated \r\nsystems are a combination of leadership, supervision on quality, \r\naccountability and funding allocation. Collaboration beyond health care \r\ndomain is key. “It is not only connecting doctors to nurses, integrated \r\nperspective means other actions and also other partners”, she stated.
Salman Rawaf, Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Public Health Education and Training (Imperial College),\r\n started his presentation highlighting the need of integrating public \r\nhealth in primary health care. “People need promoting their health, they\r\n need to maintain their health, they need to live longer, they want to \r\nlive free of disease, and they want to live in society where everyone \r\nenjoys quality of health and quality of living. Primary care in an \r\nintegrating way, provides an opportunity to do so”. He stated that the \r\nspirit of Alma Ata is there but many countries did not take public \r\nhealth and primary health care seriously.
He stressed the importance of having primary health care embedded in \r\nintegrated-people centred health services. Primary health care must \r\nassess the total needs of the patient, not only looking at the person as\r\n “pneumonia, as a disease, as a cough. Primary health care is about \r\nlooking at the whole person”.
He also spoke about looking at the health system in a bigger picture \r\nthan that of only basic needs. “We should move away from the vertical \r\nthinking about waiting for the people to become ill, from disease model \r\nto something much bigger. It is about really looking at the needs of \r\npopulation, communities, individuals, and then tailoring the services \r\naround the needs”.\r\n
Eric de Roodenbeke, Chief Executive Officer, International Hospital Federation, Switzerland,\r\n spoke of the need to re-assign the image of hospitals as a place of \r\npopulation health and as a place that supports a primary health care \r\napproach. “We really need in the hospital to break the silos in between \r\nspecialities, it is about multi- mobility, which means people working \r\ntogether in a team, means hospitals organised by conditions and not \r\nanymore by organic diseases”.
He also stressed the importance of breaking the silos at external level,\r\n where hospital can do more to better support primary health care. \r\n“Hospitals are open door organizations in which all stakeholders in the \r\nhealth system should have a place and are welcome”.
It is important to avoid the mistake of dividing primary health care and\r\n hospital care. “We are now on track for integrated primary health care \r\nwhere contribution of each stakeholder can be better harnessed for \r\nbetter health of population”.\r\n
Kawaldip Sehmi, CEO, International Alliance of Patients’ Organizations,\r\n explained how important patients’ ideas for the health system are. \r\n“They know the obstacles, bottlenecks, problems… use them, include them \r\nin your decision making and structure”. Patient engagement should be at \r\nthe center of the system to be able to improve it. “No industry I can \r\nrecall where the consumer is ignored from the center”, he stated.
The Global Conference was a success, with 147 countries registered, 42 \r\nMinisters and 20 Deputy Ministers, and over 700 participants from Member\r\n States. Besides, 339 organizations participated, including UN agencies,\r\n NGOs, and other non-state actor organizations representing civil \r\nsociety, academia, young professionals, patients and health workforce.
\r\n
","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":2,"AllowComments":true,"Summary":"","Content":"
The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, today met President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China in Beijing. They shared the latest information on the novel coronavirus 2019 (2019-nCoV) outbreak and reiterated their commitment to bring it under control.
\r\nDr Tedros was joined by WHO Regional Director Dr Takeshi Kasai and Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme Dr Mike Ryan, and also met State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi and Minister of Health Ma Xiaowei.
\r\nThe National Health Commission presented China’s strong public health capacities and resources to respond and manage respiratory disease outbreaks. The discussions focused on continued collaboration on containment measures in Wuhan, public health measures in other cities and provinces, conducting further studies on the severity and transmissibility of the virus, continuing to share data, and for China to share biological material with WHO. These measures will advance scientific understanding of the virus and contribute to the development of medical countermeasures such as vaccines and treatments.
\r\nThe two sides agreed that WHO will send international experts to visit China as soon as possible to work with Chinese counterparts on increasing understanding of the outbreak to guide global response efforts.
\r\n“Stopping the spread of this virus both in China and globally is WHO’s highest priority,” said Dr Tedros. “We appreciate the seriousness with which China is taking this outbreak, especially the commitment from top leadership, and the transparency they have demonstrated, including sharing data and genetic sequence of the virus. WHO is working closely with the government on measures to understand the virus and limit transmission. WHO will keep working side-by-side with China and all other countries to protect health and keep people safe.”
\r\nThe WHO mission comes as the number of people confirmed with the virus rose to over 4500 globally on 28 January, the greatest number being in China.
\r\nThe WHO delegation highly appreciated the actions China has implemented in response to the outbreak, its speed in identifying the virus and openness to sharing information with WHO and other countries.
\r\nMuch remains to be understood about 2019-nCoV. The source of the outbreak and the extent to which it has spread in China are not yet known. While the current understanding of the disease remains limited, most cases reported to date have been milder, with around 20% of those infected experiencing severe illness. Both WHO and China noted that the number of cases being reported, including those outside China, is deeply concerning. Better understanding of the transmissibility and severity of the virus is urgently required to guide other countries on appropriate response measures.
\r\nWHO is continually monitoring developments and the Director-General can reconvene the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee on very short notice as needed. Committee members are on stand-by and are informed regularly of developments.
\r\n\r\n
","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"6466d8d5-94f8-40d4-a240-bf3a0a813dc4","LastModified":"2024-02-07T13:20:57Z","PublicationDate":"2024-02-06T17:54:46Z","Title":"WHO reports outline responses to cyber-attacks on health care and the rise of disinformation in public health emergencies","Description":"","DateCreated":"2024-02-06T17:54:46Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"who-reports-outline-responses-to-cyber-attacks-on-health-care-and-the-rise-of-disinformation-in-public-health-emergencies","ItemDefaultUrl":"/06-02-2024-who-reports-outline-responses-to-cyber-attacks-on-health-care-and-the-rise-of-disinformation-in-public-health-emergencies","PublicationDateAndTime":"2024-02-06T17:53:50Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaTitle":"WHO reports outline responses to cyber-attacks on health care and the rise of disinformation in public health emergencies","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"OpenGraphDescription":"While digital tools have brought new opportunities to enhance health and well-being, they have also created new health security risks, such as cyber-attacks on health care and disinformation. ","Subtitle":"","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaDescription":"While digital tools have brought new opportunities to enhance health and well-being, they have also created new health security risks, such as cyber-attacks on health care and disinformation. ","OtherRelated":"","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"WHO reports outline responses to cyber-attacks on health care and the rise of disinformation in public health emergencies","Location":"","Highlight":"
Report: Examining the threat of cyber-attack on health care during the COVID-19 pandemic
Weekly Epidemiological Record 2024, vol. 99, 04
Questions and answers: Cyber-attacks on critical health infrastructure
Questions and answers: Disinformation and public health
","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"AllowComments":true,"Summary":"","Content":"While digital tools have brought new opportunities to enhance health and well-being, they have also created new health security risks, such as cyber-attacks on health care and disinformation. To provide a clearer understanding of these risks and to reduce their likelihood and severity, WHO produced two reports, in collaboration with INTERPOL, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the UN Office of Counter-terrorism, the UN International Computing Centre (UNICC), the UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute, and the CyberPeace Institute.
Published on 26 January 2024, the two reports identify ways to strengthen health security through operational solutions.
The first report, Examining the threat of cyber-attack on health care during the COVID-19 pandemic highlights the far-reaching real-life impacts of cyber-attacks on health care. During the COVID-19 pandemic, health information technology (IT) infrastructure was increasingly targeted by cyber-attacks, at times hindering hospitals from delivering timely care when it was needed most. To restore IT systems and retrieve stolen data, health care facilities paid substantial ransoms. These attacks prompted law enforcement agencies to issue warnings about the threat of cyber-attacks to the health sector.
“Cybercrime in all its forms is evolving and growing. The COVID-19 pandemic made this visible,” said Glen Prichard, Chief of Cybercrime and Anti-Money Laundering section at UNODC. “The report highlights how vulnerable patient safety is to cyberattacks, and how much work we all have ahead to secure lives.”
Health systems globally have turned to digital solutions to enhance the clinical quality and the cost-efficiency of their services. This has created digital dependence, which has advanced, sometimes without careful consideration of new risks and appropriate investment in cyber-security. Sensitive information held by health services, coupled with inadequate security, makes health care infrastructure a prime target for cyber-criminals.
“This report is a wake-up call,” said Sameer Chauhan, Director, UNICC. “As the primary provider of shared cybersecurity services to the UN system, UNICC stands on the frontlines protecting our UN family against sophisticated cyber-attacks. We welcome WHO's suggestion for Member States to bolster cybersecurity in the health care sector by leveraging shared cybersecurity capabilities, similar to UNICC's shared threat intelligence and cybersecurity resources for the UN system. We stand ready and eager to guide them in this regard.”
To address the growing digital risk to health care, it is important to enhance cyber-maturity. Cybersecurity maturity is an organization’s level of readiness to defend itself and its digital assets against cyber-attacks. This involves investing in people, processes and technology, including through cyber-awareness training and development of incident response plans to be rehearsed by staff in anticipation of a cyber-attack. It is critical to increase communication and collaboration with law enforcement agencies (e.g., police, INTERPOL), governmental agencies (e.g., cyber-security agency, public health institute, national agency for the safety of medicines and health products, nuclear safety agency), private sector and non-governmental organizations; these entities can provide alerts and warnings about ongoing cyber-attacks.
The second report, Understanding disinformation in the context of public health emergencies: the case of COVID-19, reflects on different approaches to counter disinformation. Disinformation, unlike misinformation, is created with malicious intent to sow discord, disharmony, and mistrust in targets such as government agencies, scientific experts, public health agencies, private sector, and law enforcement. In other words, disinformation is a weaponization of information.
Understanding infectious disease disinformation history and its intersection with public health over time is crucial to formulate effective solutions to counter disinformation. The report examines different types of pandemic disinformation over time, and how perpetrators exploit the audience’s cognitive mechanism. As part of a broader and long-term ideological or political agenda, or for economic gain, some disinformation messages are professionally crafted and proliferated, requiring WHO and public health partners to be equipped with multi-faceted approaches to counter these threats.
The report proposes a range of tactics to counter disinformation:
The reports justify the critical need to build multisectoral alliances that can harness the benefits of new technologies for improved health and well-being while facing constantly emerging threats.
","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"c7412100-c7c8-427d-be53-a17f04d1c250","LastModified":"2022-12-12T16:12:59Z","PublicationDate":"2021-04-09T13:34:18Z","Title":"US$ 1.4 trillion lost every year to tobacco use - New tobacco tax manual shows ways to save lives, money and build back better after COVID-19","Description":"","DateCreated":"2021-04-08T16:05:56Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"1.4-trillion-lost-every-year-to-tobacco-use-new-tobacco-tax-manual-shows-ways-to-save-money-and-build-back-better-after-covid-19","ItemDefaultUrl":"/12-04-2021-1.4-trillion-lost-every-year-to-tobacco-use-new-tobacco-tax-manual-shows-ways-to-save-money-and-build-back-better-after-covid-19","PublicationDateAndTime":"2021-04-12T22:00:00Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaTitle":"US$ 1.4 trillion lost every year to tobacco use - New tobacco tax manual shows ways to save lives, money and build back better after COVID-19","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"OpenGraphDescription":"WHO\u2019s new technical manual on tobacco tax policy and administration shows countries ways to cut down on over US$1.4\u00a0trillion in health expenditures and lost productivity due to tobacco use worldwide.\r\nImproved tobacco taxation policies can also be a key component of building back better after COVID-19, where countries need additional resources to respond and to finance health system recovery.\r\n\u201cWe launched this new manual to provide updated, clear, and practical guidance for policymakers, finance officials, tax authorities, customs officials and others involved in tobacco tax policy to create and implement the strongest tobacco taxation\r\n policies for their specific countries,\u201d said Jeremias N. Paul Jr, Unit Head for the Fiscal Policies for Health team in the Health Promotion Department at WHO.\r\n\u201cWe hope this document sheds light on the significant advantages to raising tobacco taxation. The data and insights provided here should be an eye opener for policymakers worldwide,\u201d he said.\r\nThe \u2018best buy\u2019 highlighted in the manual not only saves money, but saves lives. The human and economic costs of tobacco are on the rise -\u00a08 million people died because of tobacco last year.Only 14% of the world has enough tax on tobaccoIn 2018 only 38 countries, covering 14% of the global population had sufficiently high tobacco taxes - which means taxing at least 75% of the price of these health-harming products.\u00a0By implementing proven policies like tobacco taxes, the costs created\r\n by the tobacco industry to local communities and nations can be avoidable. \u00a0It is a win for population health, revenue and for development and equity.\r\nRaising tobacco taxes is SMARTTobacco taxes\u00a0Save lives,\u00a0Mobilize resources,\u00a0Address health inequities,\u00a0Reduce health system burdens and costs, and\u00a0Target noncommunicable risk factors for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).\u00a0","Subtitle":"","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaDescription":"WHO\u2019s new technical manual on tobacco tax policy and administration shows countries ways to cut down on over US$1.4\u00a0trillion in health expenditures and lost productivity due to tobacco use worldwide.\r\nImproved tobacco taxation policies can also be a key component of building back better after COVID-19, where countries need additional resources to respond and to finance health system recovery.\r\n\u201cWe launched this new manual to provide updated, clear, and practical guidance for policymakers, finance officials, tax authorities, customs officials and others involved in tobacco tax policy to create and implement the strongest tobacco taxation\r\n policies for their specific countries,\u201d said Jeremias N. Paul Jr, Unit Head for the Fiscal Policies for Health team in the Health Promotion Department at WHO.\r\n\u201cWe hope this document sheds light on the significant advantages to raising tobacco taxation. The data and insights provided here should be an eye opener for policymakers worldwide,\u201d he said.\r\nThe \u2018best buy\u2019 highlighted in the manual not only saves money, but saves lives. The human and economic costs of tobacco are on the rise -\u00a08 million people died because of tobacco last year.Only 14% of the world has enough tax on tobaccoIn 2018 only 38 countries, covering 14% of the global population had sufficiently high tobacco taxes - which means taxing at least 75% of the price of these health-harming products.\u00a0By implementing proven policies like tobacco taxes, the costs created\r\n by the tobacco industry to local communities and nations can be avoidable. \u00a0It is a win for population health, revenue and for development and equity.\r\nRaising tobacco taxes is SMARTTobacco taxes\u00a0Save lives,\u00a0Mobilize resources,\u00a0Address health inequities,\u00a0Reduce health system burdens and costs, and\u00a0Target noncommunicable risk factors for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).\u00a0","OtherRelated":"","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"US$ 1.4 trillion lost every year to tobacco use - New tobacco tax manual shows ways to save lives, money and build back better after COVID-19","Location":"","Highlight":"
Related link:
WHO technical manual on tobacco tax policy and administration
","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"AllowComments":true,"Summary":"","Content":"WHO’s new technical manual on tobacco tax policy and administration shows countries ways to cut down on over US$1.4 trillion in health expenditures and lost productivity due to tobacco use worldwide.\r\n
Improved tobacco taxation policies can also be a key component of building back better after COVID-19, where countries need additional resources to respond and to finance health system recovery.\r\n
“We launched this new manual to provide updated, clear, and practical guidance for policymakers, finance officials, tax authorities, customs officials and others involved in tobacco tax policy to create and implement the strongest tobacco taxation\r\n policies for their specific countries,” said Jeremias N. Paul Jr, Unit Head for the Fiscal Policies for Health team in the Health Promotion Department at WHO.\r\n
“We hope this document sheds light on the significant advantages to raising tobacco taxation. The data and insights provided here should be an eye opener for policymakers worldwide,” he said.\r\n
The ‘best buy’ highlighted in the manual not only saves money, but saves lives. The human and economic costs of tobacco are on the rise - 8 million people died because of tobacco last year.
In 2018 only 38 countries, covering 14% of the global population had sufficiently high tobacco taxes - which means taxing at least 75% of the price of these health-harming products. By implementing proven policies like tobacco taxes, the costs created\r\n by the tobacco industry to local communities and nations can be avoidable. It is a win for population health, revenue and for development and equity.\r\n
Tobacco taxes Save lives, Mobilize resources, Address health inequities, Reduce health system burdens and costs, and Target noncommunicable risk factors for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"973b18a0-3be8-41ba-a988-195d6f9c5823","LastModified":"2024-09-23T06:16:41Z","PublicationDate":"2018-06-02T02:12:46Z","Title":"WHO outlines ways to prevent and mitigate childhood hearing loss","Description":"","DateCreated":"2018-06-02T02:12:47Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"who-outlines-ways-to-prevent-and-mitigate-childhood-hearing-loss","ItemDefaultUrl":"/01-03-2016-who-outlines-ways-to-prevent-and-mitigate-childhood-hearing-loss","PublicationDateAndTime":"2016-03-01T00:00:00Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":1,"MetaTitle":"WHO outlines ways to prevent and mitigate childhood hearing loss","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":1,"OpenGraphDescription":"Nearly 32 million children across the world live with disabling hearing loss. A new WHO report, "Childhood hearing loss: act now, here\u2019s how", suggests that 60% of this can be prevented.","Subtitle":"","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":1,"MetaDescription":"Nearly 32 million children across the world live with disabling hearing loss. A new WHO report, "Childhood hearing loss: act now, here\u2019s how", suggests that 60% of this can be prevented.","OtherRelated":"","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":3,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":1,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":1,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":1,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"WHO outlines ways to prevent and mitigate childhood hearing loss","Location":"","Highlight":"
Fact sheet on deafness and hearing loss
Report: Childhood hearing loss: act now, here's how
pdf, 1.7Mb
Infographic- Childhood hearing loss: act now, here’s how
","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":3,"AllowComments":false,"Summary":"","Content":"\r\nNearly 32 million children across the world live with disabling hearing loss. A new WHO report, \"Childhood hearing loss: act now, here’s how\", suggests that 60% of this can be prevented. It also highlights that if hearing loss is detected early enough, and if children receive the care they need, they can reach their full potential. \r\n
\r\n\r\n“A child who struggles to hear may also struggle to learn to speak, underachieve at school and end up socially isolated,” says Dr Etienne Krug, Director of the WHO Department for Management of Noncommunicable Diseases, Disability, Violence and Injury Prevention. “But this doesn’t have to happen. We have a range of tools to help prevent, detect and treat childhood hearing loss.”
\r\n\r\nThere are many causes of childhood hearing loss. It is estimated that 40% is attributable to genetic causes; 31% to infections such as measles, mumps, rubella and meningitis; and 17% to complications at birth, including prematurity, low birth weight and neonatal jaundice. In addition, an estimated 4% results from expectant mothers and new-borns unknowingly using medicines that are harmful to hearing.
\r\n\r\nTo prevent childhood hearing loss, immunizing children against diseases and regulating certain medicines and noise levels are vital.
\r\n\r\nEarly identification of those children with hearing loss helps to trigger the needed interventions, such as the provision of hearing devices and other communication therapies.
\r\n\r\nHearing screening programmes for infants, and pre-school and school-based children, alongside hearing care training for health professionals, can dramatically improve the lives of children. Such programmes ensure that those in need of specialized care receive the interventions they need to be able to communicate, receive education and gain employment later in life.
\r\n\r\nRaising public awareness about ear and hearing care is another key strategy for reducing hearing loss and associated stigma around the use of hearing devices. Strengthening organizations of people with hearing loss and their families can contribute greatly to this effort.
\r\n\r\nThe WHO report includes case studies from Cambodia, Canada, Thailand, Uganda, United Kingdom, Viet Nam and the United States which showcase the impact that programmes in these and other countries are having on the lives of children across the world. In settings where public health interventions, such as immunization programmes, are functioning optimally, much of childhood hearing loss is avoided. In others, early detection and treatment are key.
\r\n\r\nWHO collates data and information on hearing loss to demonstrate its prevalence, causes and impact as well as opportunities for prevention and management; assists countries to develop and implement strategies for hearing care that are integrated into the primary health-care system; and provides technical resources and guidance for planning, implementation and human resource development.
\r\n\r\nWorld Hearing Day is an annual advocacy event held on 3 March. It aims to raise awareness and promote ear and hearing care across the world. The theme for World Hearing Day 2016 is Childhood hearing loss; act now, here’s how!
\r\n\r\n
\r\nMisinformation about vaccines is as contagious and dangerous as the diseases it helps to spread. The World Health Organization (WHO) welcomes Pinterest’s leadership in protecting public health by only providing evidence-based information about vaccines to its users. We hope to see other social media platforms around the world following Pinterest’s lead.
Misinformation about vaccination has spread far and fast on social media platforms in many different countries, including during critical vaccination campaigns like those for polio in Pakistan or yellow fever in South America.
\nSocial media platforms are the way many people get their information and they will likely be major sources of information for the next generations of parents. We see this as a critical issue and one that needs our collective effort to protect people’s health and lives.
\n
\nThe truth is, vaccines work. Smallpox has been eradicated thanks to vaccines, and vaccines have brought us to the brink of eradicating polio. Rates of many other diseases including measles have been dramatically reduced thanks to the life-saving power of vaccines.
Vaccines are one of the most powerful innovations in the history of public health, and one of the best investments in a healthier, safer world. WHO estimates that vaccines save at least 2 million lives every year. Countless more children avoid debilitating diseases, prolonged hospital stays and time out of school.
At the same time, a social media response - while absolutely necessary - is just one part of a comprehensive approach to ensuring broad trust in vaccination; this also requires substantive efforts by governments in building health systems that are worthy of that trust and respond to parents’ needs and concerns.
Ultimately, there is no health for all without vaccines for all. I look forward to seeing the private sector more fully embracing the #healthforall mission and making life-saving health information more readily available to their users. And I call upon them to do more to filter out misinformation and inaccuracies that prevent people from achieving health and well-being. #VaccinesWork
\n","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"AllowComments":true,"Summary":"Governments this week examined in detail more than a third of over 300 proposed amendments to the WHO International Health Regulations 2005 (IHR).","Content":"
Governments this week examined in detail more than a third of over 300 proposed amendments to the WHO International Health Regulations 2005 (IHR). In this third round of intensive discussions, taking place under the aegis of the Working Group on Amendments to the IHR (WGIHR), the 196 State Parties to the IHR – which include WHO’s 194 Member States[i] - examined proposed amendments to the articles related to public health response, core capacities for surveillance and response, collaboration and assistance, as well as the six newly proposed articles and one new Annex.
The IHR were originally adopted to set out agreed approaches and obligations for countries to prepare for, and respond to, disease outbreaks and other acute public health events with risk of international spread. The original International Sanitary Regulations were revised three times – in 1969 (when they became International Health Regulations), in 1981, and in 2005. The third edition (2005) has been amended twice – in 2014 and 2022. The newest proposed amendments come in response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We made excellent progress this week, covering more than a third of the proposed amendments, and considered critical areas such as core capacities for surveillance and response, and collaboration and assistance. Three new articles on compliance and implementation were also discussed, as well as new articles related to the public health response, such a proposal for finance mechanisms, access to health products, technologies and know-how during public health response,” said Dr Ashley Bloomfield, former Director-General of Health, New Zealand and Co-Chair of the IHR Working Group.
“COVID showed the world how vulnerable we all are and what needed fixing in the global public health architecture if we are to be better prepared for the next big event and the tone of the discussions during this week’s meeting clearly shows that everyone wants to ensure that this process is successful.”
Throughout the four-day meeting from 17-20 April, the 196 State Parties to the IHR stressed the importance of thoroughly considering the proposed amendments on their merits of filling critical gaps in the implementation of the IHR, while being mindful of the critical importance of the principles of equity, sovereignty, and solidarity.
Fellow IHR Working Group Co-Chair, Dr Abdullah M. Assiri, Deputy Minister of Health, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, said governments were committed to strengthening the IHR for the benefit of every country and every citizen.
“Countries are in the driving seat of this process as they need to implement the IHR, deliver on the obligations, and make the key decisions needed to respond to public health threats. Together, this week, we have seen how their positive tone and constructive work has allowed us to move work substantially forward,” said Dr Assiri.
In the lead-up to the meeting, an independent and diverse team of experts prepared a technical assessment of the proposed amendments to assist countries in their negotiations.
It is expected that the WGIHR will meet again three times in 2023 – in July, October and December – to discuss and agree on amendments and present a package of proposed amendments to the World Health Assembly in May 2024.
In parallel with the IHR amendments process, governments are also negotiating the drafting of a WHO instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, also referred to as a pandemic accord. Governments will meet again from 12-16 June 2023 to consider the zero draft of the accord as a basis for a first draft as the basis for negotiation. The WGIHR supported the proposal from the fifth meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body for the drafting of the WHO pandemic instrument (INB5) to hold a joint plenary meeting of the two bodies.
WHO Member States issued the International Sanitary Regulations in 1951, the precursor to the IHR, which came into being in 2005. The IHR are an instrument of international law that is legally-binding on 196 State Parties, including the 194 WHO Member States.
[i] Liechtenstein and the Holy See are State Parties to the IHR but not Member States of WHO
","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"a62e3341-a846-4b06-bdc2-22ae46855ad7","LastModified":"2025-01-14T06:39:25Z","PublicationDate":"2022-05-24T20:27:27Z","Title":"Seventy-fifth World Health Assembly \u2013 Daily update: 24 May 2022","Description":"","DateCreated":"2022-05-24T20:27:27Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"daily-update---24-may-2022","ItemDefaultUrl":"/24-05-2022-daily-update---24-may-2022","PublicationDateAndTime":"2022-05-24T11:01:00Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaTitle":"Seventy-fifth World Health Assembly \u2013 Daily update: 24 May 2022","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"OpenGraphDescription":"New sustainable financing model Following the re-election of Dr Tedros Adhanhom Ghebreysus as WHO Director-General, delegates at the World Health Assembly agreed a landmark decision on sustainable financing for WHO, adopting a series of recommendations from a Sustainable Financing Working Group made up of WHO Member States.The recommendations aim to make WHO\u2019s funding more predictable and flexible, and less dependent on voluntary contributions. Amongst the recommendations is a request to the Secretariat to develop budget proposals for an increase in assessed contributions (membership dues) to 50% of WHO\u2019s core budget by 2030. In the last budget cycle, assessed contributions made up only 16% of the approved Programme Budget.Other recommendations include that the Secretariat explores the feasibility of a replenishment mechanism to further broaden WHO's financing base and the establishment of a Member States task group on strengthening WHO budgetary, programmatic and financing governance to analyze challenges in governance for transparency, efficiency, accountability and compliance.Related links Sustainable financing of WHO: report of the Working Group (Document A75/9)\u00a0Working toward a sustainably financed WHO \u00a0Programme Budget revision approved Delegates had previously approved a revised Programme Budget for WHO for the work of the biennium 2022-2023. The revision approved today reflects the rapidly changing health situation of the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, amongst other issues. The revised Programme Budget incorporates learnings and recommendations from a number of internal and external reviews, notably on the Secretariat\u2019s response to COVID-19.The total estimated budget increase for the biennium 2022\u20132023 is US$ 604.4 million (a 13% increase over the earlier budget presented), bringing the total budget for WHO\u2019s work for 2022-2023 to US$ 4.968 billion. The previously approved 2020-2021 Programme Budget amounted to US$ 3.769 billion). Delegates also agreed to extend the current Global Programme of Work to 2025, in light of the findings contained in WHO\u2019s Results Framework as well as the report presented by the Secretariat on operational efficiencies. The extension is designed to help WHO support countries\u2019 efforts to address disruptions to health services linked to the pandemic, recover from the pandemic and renew efforts to achieve the triple billion and Sustainable Development Goal targets .This extension brings alignment between WHO\u2019s strategic planning cycle and that of the wider United Nations family.Related linksProposed revision to the Programme Budget 2022\u20132023 (Document A75/6)\u00a0Reporting on operational efficiencies (Document A75/7)Programme budget 2022\u20132023: revisionExtending the Thirteenth General Programme of Work, 2019\u20132023 (Dcoument A75/8)WHO Programme Budget web portal\u00a0How WHO is funded\u00a0\u00a0Working group on international health regulations (IHR) amendmentsDelegates welcomed the final report of the Working Group on strengthening WHO preparedness and response to health emergencies which, among other things, proposed a process for taking forward potential amendments to the IHR (2005). They agreed to continue the group, with a revised mandate and name (the \u201cWorking Group on IHR amendments\u201d (WGIHR)) to work exclusively on consideration of proposed IHR amendments. Member States also requested the Director-General to convene an IHR Review Committee to make technical recommendations on the proposed amendments that may be submitted. The Working Group will propose a package of targeted amendments for consideration by the Seventy-seventh Health Assembly.Related links Strengthening WHO preparedness for and response to health emergencies Report by the Director-General (Document A75/17)","Subtitle":"","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaDescription":"New sustainable financing model Following the re-election of Dr Tedros Adhanhom Ghebreysus as WHO Director-General, delegates at the World Health Assembly agreed a landmark decision on sustainable financing for WHO, adopting a series of recommendations from a Sustainable Financing Working Group made up of WHO Member States.The recommendations aim to make WHO\u2019s funding more predictable and flexible, and less dependent on voluntary contributions. Amongst the recommendations is a request to the Secretariat to develop budget proposals for an increase in assessed contributions (membership dues) to 50% of WHO\u2019s core budget by 2030. In the last budget cycle, assessed contributions made up only 16% of the approved Programme Budget.Other recommendations include that the Secretariat explores the feasibility of a replenishment mechanism to further broaden WHO's financing base and the establishment of a Member States task group on strengthening WHO budgetary, programmatic and financing governance to analyze challenges in governance for transparency, efficiency, accountability and compliance.Related links Sustainable financing of WHO: report of the Working Group (Document A75/9)\u00a0Working toward a sustainably financed WHO \u00a0Programme Budget revision approved Delegates had previously approved a revised Programme Budget for WHO for the work of the biennium 2022-2023. The revision approved today reflects the rapidly changing health situation of the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, amongst other issues. The revised Programme Budget incorporates learnings and recommendations from a number of internal and external reviews, notably on the Secretariat\u2019s response to COVID-19.The total estimated budget increase for the biennium 2022\u20132023 is US$ 604.4 million (a 13% increase over the earlier budget presented), bringing the total budget for WHO\u2019s work for 2022-2023 to US$ 4.968 billion. The previously approved 2020-2021 Programme Budget amounted to US$ 3.769 billion). Delegates also agreed to extend the current Global Programme of Work to 2025, in light of the findings contained in WHO\u2019s Results Framework as well as the report presented by the Secretariat on operational efficiencies. The extension is designed to help WHO support countries\u2019 efforts to address disruptions to health services linked to the pandemic, recover from the pandemic and renew efforts to achieve the triple billion and Sustainable Development Goal targets .This extension brings alignment between WHO\u2019s strategic planning cycle and that of the wider United Nations family.Related linksProposed revision to the Programme Budget 2022\u20132023 (Document A75/6)\u00a0Reporting on operational efficiencies (Document A75/7)Programme budget 2022\u20132023: revisionExtending the Thirteenth General Programme of Work, 2019\u20132023 (Dcoument A75/8)WHO Programme Budget web portal\u00a0How WHO is funded\u00a0\u00a0Working group on international health regulations (IHR) amendmentsDelegates welcomed the final report of the Working Group on strengthening WHO preparedness and response to health emergencies which, among other things, proposed a process for taking forward potential amendments to the IHR (2005). They agreed to continue the group, with a revised mandate and name (the \u201cWorking Group on IHR amendments\u201d (WGIHR)) to work exclusively on consideration of proposed IHR amendments. Member States also requested the Director-General to convene an IHR Review Committee to make technical recommendations on the proposed amendments that may be submitted. The Working Group will propose a package of targeted amendments for consideration by the Seventy-seventh Health Assembly.Related links Strengthening WHO preparedness for and response to health emergencies Report by the Director-General (Document A75/17)","OtherRelated":"","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"Seventy-fifth World Health Assembly \u2013 Daily update: 24 May 2022","Location":"","Highlight":"","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"AllowComments":true,"Summary":"","Content":"
Following the re-election of Dr Tedros Adhanhom Ghebreysus as WHO Director-General, delegates at the World Health Assembly agreed a landmark decision on sustainable financing for WHO, adopting a series of recommendations from a Sustainable Financing Working Group made up of WHO Member States.
The recommendations aim to make WHO’s funding more predictable and flexible, and less dependent on voluntary contributions. Amongst the recommendations is a request to the Secretariat to develop budget proposals for an increase in assessed contributions (membership dues) to 50% of WHO’s core budget by 2030. In the last budget cycle, assessed contributions made up only 16% of the approved Programme Budget.
Other recommendations include that the Secretariat explores the feasibility of a replenishment mechanism to further broaden WHO's financing base and the establishment of a Member States task group on strengthening WHO budgetary, programmatic and financing governance to analyze challenges in governance for transparency, efficiency, accountability and compliance.
Sustainable financing of WHO: report of the Working Group (Document A75/9)
Working toward a sustainably financed WHO
Delegates had previously approved a revised Programme Budget for WHO for the work of the biennium 2022-2023. The revision approved today reflects the rapidly changing health situation of the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic, amongst other issues. The revised Programme Budget incorporates learnings and recommendations from a number of internal and external reviews, notably on the Secretariat’s response to COVID-19.
The total estimated budget increase for the biennium 2022–2023 is US$ 604.4 million (a 13% increase over the earlier budget presented), bringing the total budget for WHO’s work for 2022-2023 to US$ 4.968 billion. The previously approved 2020-2021 Programme Budget amounted to US$ 3.769 billion).
Delegates also agreed to extend the current Global Programme of Work to 2025, in light of the findings contained in WHO’s Results Framework as well as the report presented by the Secretariat on operational efficiencies. The extension is designed to help WHO support countries’ efforts to address disruptions to health services linked to the pandemic, recover from the pandemic and renew efforts to achieve the triple billion and Sustainable Development Goal targets .
This extension brings alignment between WHO’s strategic planning cycle and that of the wider United Nations family.
Related links
Proposed revision to the Programme Budget 2022–2023 (Document A75/6)
WHO Programme Budget web portal
Delegates welcomed the final report of the Working Group on strengthening WHO preparedness and response to health emergencies which, among other things, proposed a process for taking forward potential amendments to the IHR (2005). They agreed to continue the group, with a revised mandate and name (the “Working Group on IHR amendments” (WGIHR)) to work exclusively on consideration of proposed IHR amendments. Member States also requested the Director-General to convene an IHR Review Committee to make technical recommendations on the proposed amendments that may be submitted. The Working Group will propose a package of targeted amendments for consideration by the Seventy-seventh Health Assembly.
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)
","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"WHO announces the development of new guidance on offering long acting injectable cabotegravir as HIV prevention for people at substantial risk for HIV infection","Location":"","Highlight":"","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"AllowComments":true,"Summary":"WHO has made available the membership of the Guidelines Development Group (GDG) for the development of WHO \" Guidance on offering long acting injectable cabotegravir as HIV prevention for people at substantial risk for HIV infection.\"","Content":"WHO has made available the membership of the Guidelines Development Group (GDG) for the development of WHO \" Guidance on offering long acting injectable cabotegravir as HIV prevention for people at substantial risk for HIV infection.\"
The group will meet virtually from 9 – 10 March 2022 to review evidence on this new option of offering long-acting injectable antiretroviral prevention product, in a timely manner and as requested by countries, implementers and communities, particularly\r\n in low- and middle-income countries. This guidance will focus on individual and public health benefits.
In line with WHO policy on conflict of interest, members of the public and interested organizations can access the biographies of the GDG members and inform WHO of their views about them. All comments should be sent by email to hiv-aids@who.int by 23 February 2022.
","Author":"","SourceName":null,"SourceSite":null,"Provider":"OpenAccessDataProvider"},{"Id":"4c8cce47-58df-4169-ab1f-092d68661b31","LastModified":"2022-12-14T09:29:47Z","PublicationDate":"2022-12-14T09:22:32Z","Title":"Football and flu","Description":"","DateCreated":"2022-12-14T09:29:47Z","IncludeInSitemap":true,"SystemSourceKey":null,"UrlName":"football-and-flu","ItemDefaultUrl":"/14-12-2022-football-and-flu","PublicationDateAndTime":"2022-12-14T09:24:00Z","DocumentNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaTitle":"Football and flu","MultimediaNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"CommentaryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"OpenGraphDescription":"As millions are enraptured watching the FIFA World Cup \u2013 in person or on TV \u2013 you may be at higher risk of getting flu and spreading it. Make sure you know how to protect yourself and others.Before the World Cup was even established, influenza was taking its toll on football players, managers and spectators alike. In 1918, the \u201cSpanish Flu\u201d influenza pandemic infected around 500 million people and forced society to implement widespread measures, clamping down on large gatherings of people including sports events like football matches. More than a century later, as many as a billion people\u2014football players or not\u2014still get seasonal influenza every year, and it can still cause severe illness or even death.What are the symptoms? They can include fever, cough (usually dry), headache, muscle and joint pain, sore throat and a runny nose. The cough can be severe and can last 2 or more weeks. Most people recover within a week without requiring medical attention. If one of the professional footballers at the World Cup gets flu this month, they will be advised to drink plenty of water and rest. They probably won\u2019t be able to play, but they are unlikely to get severely ill.But for some of those watching the football, getting influenza poses a much more serious threat of hospitalization or even death. People at high risk of influenza complications include:pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy;elderly individuals (aged more than 65 years);individuals with chronic medical conditions;health-care workers; andchildren aged between 6 months to 5 years.WHO recommends everyone in these groups get an annual vaccination. The WHO Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS) \u2013 a network of National Influenza Centres and WHO Collaborating Centres around the world \u2013 continuously monitors the influenza viruses circulating in humans and updates the composition of influenza vaccines twice a year. So you can rest assured that the vaccine is\u00a0 effective and up-to-date.Even if you are not in a high-risk group you can choose to get vaccinated. If you are watching the football this month \u2013 in person alongside hundreds or thousands of other people, or on TV with family and friends \u2013 you may be at higher risk of getting flu or transmitting it to others. This is because, as with COVID-19, influenza thrives on the \u2018three Cs\u2019: closed spaces, crowded places, and close contact.Influenza can spread quickly between people when an infected person coughs or sneezes, dispersing droplets of the virus into the air. It can be also spread by hands contaminated by the virus.You can help protect yourself and others by taking personal precautionary measures like:regularly washing (and properly drying) your hands;wearing a mask;avoiding touching your eyes, nose or mouth;covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, using tissues and disposing of them correctly;self-isolating if you feel unwell, are feverish and have other symptoms; andavoid close contact with sick people.So, enjoy the football, stay safe, and see you in 2023.For more information read WHO\u2019s seasonal influenza fact sheet: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/influenza-(seasonal)","Subtitle":"","FactFileNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"MetaDescription":"As millions are enraptured watching the FIFA World Cup \u2013 in person or on TV \u2013 you may be at higher risk of getting flu and spreading it. Make sure you know how to protect yourself and others.Before the World Cup was even established, influenza was taking its toll on football players, managers and spectators alike. In 1918, the \u201cSpanish Flu\u201d influenza pandemic infected around 500 million people and forced society to implement widespread measures, clamping down on large gatherings of people including sports events like football matches. More than a century later, as many as a billion people\u2014football players or not\u2014still get seasonal influenza every year, and it can still cause severe illness or even death.What are the symptoms? They can include fever, cough (usually dry), headache, muscle and joint pain, sore throat and a runny nose. The cough can be severe and can last 2 or more weeks. Most people recover within a week without requiring medical attention. If one of the professional footballers at the World Cup gets flu this month, they will be advised to drink plenty of water and rest. They probably won\u2019t be able to play, but they are unlikely to get severely ill.But for some of those watching the football, getting influenza poses a much more serious threat of hospitalization or even death. People at high risk of influenza complications include:pregnant women at any stage of pregnancy;elderly individuals (aged more than 65 years);individuals with chronic medical conditions;health-care workers; andchildren aged between 6 months to 5 years.WHO recommends everyone in these groups get an annual vaccination. The WHO Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS) \u2013 a network of National Influenza Centres and WHO Collaborating Centres around the world \u2013 continuously monitors the influenza viruses circulating in humans and updates the composition of influenza vaccines twice a year. So you can rest assured that the vaccine is\u00a0 effective and up-to-date.Even if you are not in a high-risk group you can choose to get vaccinated. If you are watching the football this month \u2013 in person alongside hundreds or thousands of other people, or on TV with family and friends \u2013 you may be at higher risk of getting flu or transmitting it to others. This is because, as with COVID-19, influenza thrives on the \u2018three Cs\u2019: closed spaces, crowded places, and close contact.Influenza can spread quickly between people when an infected person coughs or sneezes, dispersing droplets of the virus into the air. It can be also spread by hands contaminated by the virus.You can help protect yourself and others by taking personal precautionary measures like:regularly washing (and properly drying) your hands;wearing a mask;avoiding touching your eyes, nose or mouth;covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, using tissues and disposing of them correctly;self-isolating if you feel unwell, are feverish and have other symptoms; andavoid close contact with sick people.So, enjoy the football, stay safe, and see you in 2023.For more information read WHO\u2019s seasonal influenza fact sheet: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/influenza-(seasonal)","OtherRelated":"","FeatureStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"EventNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"FactSheetNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"PhotoStoryNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"Source":"","OpenGraphTitle":"Football and flu","Location":"","Highlight":"","NewsNumberOfAdditionalItems":null,"AllowComments":true,"Summary":"As millions are enraptured watching the FIFA World Cup \u2013 in person or on TV \u2013 you may be at higher risk of getting flu and spreading it. Make sure you know how to protect yourself and others.","Content":"As millions are enraptured watching the FIFA World Cup – in person or on TV – you may be at higher risk of getting flu and spreading it. Make sure you know how to protect yourself and others.
Before the World Cup was even established, influenza was taking its toll on football players, managers and spectators alike. In 1918, the “Spanish Flu” influenza pandemic infected around 500 million people and forced society to implement widespread measures, clamping down on large gatherings of people including sports events like football matches.
More than a century later, as many as a billion people—football players or not—still get seasonal influenza every year, and it can still cause severe illness or even death.
What are the symptoms? They can include fever, cough (usually dry), headache, muscle and joint pain, sore throat and a runny nose. The cough can be severe and can last 2 or more weeks. Most people recover within a week without requiring medical attention. If one of the professional footballers at the World Cup gets flu this month, they will be advised to drink plenty of water and rest. They probably won’t be able to play, but they are unlikely to get severely ill.
But for some of those watching the football, getting influenza poses a much more serious threat of hospitalization or even death. People at high risk of influenza complications include:
WHO recommends everyone in these groups get an annual vaccination. The WHO Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS) – a network of National Influenza Centres and WHO Collaborating Centres around the world – continuously monitors the influenza viruses circulating in humans and updates the composition of influenza vaccines twice a year. So you can rest assured that the vaccine is effective and up-to-date.
Even if you are not in a high-risk group you can choose to get vaccinated. If you are watching the football this month – in person alongside hundreds or thousands of other people, or on TV with family and friends – you may be at higher risk of getting flu or transmitting it to others. This is because, as with COVID-19, influenza thrives on the ‘three Cs’: closed spaces, crowded places, and close contact.
Influenza can spread quickly between people when an infected person coughs or sneezes, dispersing droplets of the virus into the air. It can be also spread by hands contaminated by the virus.
You can help protect yourself and others by taking personal precautionary measures like:
So, enjoy the football, stay safe, and see you in 2023.
For more information read WHO’s seasonal influenza fact sheet: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/influenza-(seasonal)
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