Good morning, good afternoon and good evening.
More than a year ago, I declared a public health emergency of international concern over the spread of mpox in Africa, on the advice of an Emergency Committee convened under the International Health Regulations.
Since then, the Emergency Committee has met every three months to evaluate the outbreak.
Yesterday, they met again and advised me that in their view, the situation no longer represents an international health emergency. I have accepted that advice.
This decision is based on sustained declines in cases and deaths in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and in other affected countries including Burundi, Sierra Leone, and Uganda.
We also have a better understanding of the drivers of transmission, the risk factors for severity, and the most affected countries have developed a sustained response capacity.
Of course, lifting the emergency declaration does not mean the threat is over, nor that our response will stop, and we note the Africa CDC’s decision yesterday that mpox remains a continental emergency.
The possibility of continued flare-ups and new outbreaks remains, requiring adequate surveillance and response capacity.
Ongoing efforts are needed to protect the most vulnerable groups, particularly young children and people living with HIV.
WHO, Africa CDC and other partners have maintained a coordinated emergency response, supporting countries to reduce transmission, address stigma, and expand access to testing, care and vaccination.
Nearly six million vaccines have been pledged, more than three million doses have been delivered to 12 countries, and just under one million doses have been administered.
So, we have made much progress, but we still face significant challenges:
Mpox clades continue to circulate;
Surveillance and access to diagnostics remains patchy;
Response capacities are under strain from limited funding;
And community engagement requires sustained investment and local partner coordination.
WHO and our partners are working to mitigate these risks and sustain support to countries.
However, financial resources are still very much needed to support this work.
Standing recommendations for mpox have been extended for another year, until August 2026, to support Member States worldwide.
I have also extended Emergency Use Listing for mpox vaccines and diagnostics.
To say more, I’m honoured to welcome the Chair of the Emergency Committee, Professor Dimie Ogoina from the Niger Delta University in Nigeria.
Professor Ogoina, you have the floor.
[PROF OGOINA ADDRESSED THE MEDIA]
Thank you so much Professor Ogoina, for your leadership of the Emergency Committee over the past year, and for your ongoing commitment to the fight against mpox in Africa. Thank you so much.
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Of course, mpox is only one of many health threats in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Yesterday, the government of the DRC declared an outbreak of Ebola virus disease in the central province of Kasai.
So far, 28 suspected cases and 16 deaths have been reported, including four health workers.
WHO already has staff on the ground in Kasai, with more on the way. We’re joining rapid response teams to trace contacts and find cases, we’re collecting and testing samples, and we’re providing technical expertise in surveillance, infection prevention and control, treatment, risk communication and more.
WHO has also delivered personal protective equipment, laboratory equipment, medical supplies and a mobile laboratory.
We had previously prepositioned 2000 doses of Ebola vaccine in Kinshasa, which we are releasing to vaccinate contacts and health workers.
This is the 16th outbreak of Ebola in the DRC, and the government has rich experience from those previous outbreaks.
I thank the government for its leadership in responding to this outbreak, and for its transparency in rapidly declaring the outbreak and sharing the viral sequence.
To fund the response, WHO has released US$ 500 000 from our Contingency Fund for Emergencies, and we appeal to donors to support the response.
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Now to Gaza.
Over the past week, parts of Gaza have come under heavy bombardment, as part of Israel’s military incursion.
If this continues, it could lead to an even worse humanitarian disaster, endangering water and sanitation facilities for nearly 1 million people, many of whom are already facing extreme food deprivation.
As you know, famine was declared in parts of Gaza two weeks ago.
Since the conflict began in October 2023, at least 370 people have died from malnutrition in Gaza, including more than 300 just in the past two months.
And where hunger goes, disease follows.
Lack of food and clean water and cramped living conditions are leaving people with weakened immune systems exposed to more disease.
In the past month, more than 100 cases of Guillain-Barré Syndrome have been reported, with 11 deaths – a syndrome that can occur after other infection and lead to paralysis.
WHO is doing the best we can to alleviate suffering, and evacuate those who need urgent medical care outside Gaza.
Since October 2023, WHO has supported the evacuation of over 7640 patients, including 5300 children, and 2660 companions.
But there are still more than 15 000 patients in Gaza who need urgent specialized care, including 3800 children.
More than 700 people have died while waiting for medical evacuation, including almost 140 children.
However, the urgent problem we face is that too few countries are willing to receive them.
We call for countries to open their arms to these critically ill patients.
We call on Israel to allow people to be treated in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, where hospitals closer to home can take many patients.
Above all, we call on the Government of Israel to end this inhumane war. If it will not, I call on its allies to use their influence to stop it.
The most intolerable part of this man-made disaster is that it could be stopped right now.
People are starving to death while the food that could save them sits on trucks a short distance away.
And for what? The starvation of the people of Gaza will not make Israel safer, nor will it facilitate the release of the hostages.
This is a catastrophe that Israel could have prevented, and could stop at any time.
Starvation of civilians as a method of war is a war crime that can never be tolerated: doing so in one conflict risks legitimizing its use in future conflicts.
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While the wars in Gaza and Ukraine continue to make headlines, the war in Sudan continues to be the war the world forgot.
Like Gaza, Sudan is also facing a hunger crisis, with famine conditions confirmed in parts of the country.
This year alone, over 770 000 children are expected to suffer from severe acute malnutrition.
WHO is supporting 142 centres that have treated more than 20 000 severely malnourished children so far this year.
At the same time, the country is facing a severe cholera outbreak, which has spread to all 18 states, with more than 105 000 cases and 2600 deaths.
In August, WHO supported vaccination campaigns that reached 3.5 million people, and we will soon launch another campaign targeting almost 2 million people in Darfur.
Since November 2023, over 17 million people have been reached with oral cholera vaccines.
The situation is especially severe in the region of North Darfur, where the city of El Fasher has been under siege for more than 500 days.
More than 260 000 people need urgent health assistance;
35 health facilities have been destroyed;
There are 5000 suspected cholera cases and 98 deaths;
130 000 children are suffering from malnutrition;
And survivors of sexual and gender-based violence need urgent care, including mental health support.
UN humanitarian aid, including WHO supplies, hasn’t reached the city in over a year.
We call for the immediate opening of safe, unimpeded humanitarian access to El Fasher to meet the mounting health needs and save lives.
We call on the RSF to lift the siege, and we call on all parties to the conflict to end the war.
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Finally, today WHO is releasing the latest editions of the WHO Model Lists of Essential Medicines and Essential Medicines for Children.
These lists are among WHO’s most important products, used in over 150 countries to shape public sector procurement, the supply of medicines, health insurance and reimbursement schemes.
The updated lists include new treatments for various types of cancer, and for diabetes with associated conditions such as obesity.
Medicines for cystic fibrosis, psoriasis, haemophilia and blood-related disorders are among the other additions.
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And finally, today is the last press conference for WHO’s Director of Communications, our friend and colleague Gabriella Stern, who is retiring after more than six years at WHO.
Gabby has led WHO’s communications through an incredible period in the organization’s history, including the COVID-19 pandemic.
She has done so with incredible dedication, energy, insight, empathy and experience.
Gabby, thank you so much for everything you have done, and for who you are. Thank you for your outstanding commitment and contribution to WHO, and more importantly, to the people we serve.
We will all miss you, and we wish you every success for the next chapter of your life and career.
Christian, back to you.