Strengthening the Coordination of Emergency Medical Teams
It’s now just over a month since a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Ecuador. Luis De La Fuente, co-coordinator of Ecuador’s Emergency Medical Team (EMT), paces as he talks on the phone, “We have 21 national teamss and 7 international teamss from Colombia, Germany, Spain, Peru and United States on the ground at the moment,″ he tells Ian Norton, who spearheads WHO’s EMT Initiative in Geneva. (Source: WHO Feature Stories)
Source: WHO Feature Stories - May 22, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: emergencies [subject], emergency preparedness, crises, emergency preparedness Source Type: news
Pesticide residues in food?
WHO Q&A on pesticide in food:What are the health risks associated with pesticide residues in food? (Source: WHO Feature Stories)
Source: WHO Feature Stories - May 16, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: cancer [subject], cervical cancer, cancer [subject], cervical cancer, food safety [subject], food poisoning, food safety [subject], food poisoning, pesticide [subject], insecticides, fungicides, pesticide [subject], insecticides, fungicides, risk assessme Source Type: news
Investing in trained midwives across Liberia
In Liberia, about 44% of women give birth at home without a skilled birth attendant, putting them at risk of dying if there are any complications. (Source: WHO Feature Stories)
Source: WHO Feature Stories - May 5, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: maternal health [subject], maternal mortality, maternal, antenatal care, mother, childbirth, maternal welfare, maternal health [subject], maternal mortality, maternal, antenatal care, mother, childbirth, maternal welfare, midwifery [subject], obstetric nu Source Type: news
Closing doors stops deadly surgical site infections in Uganda
WHO is working with Kisiizi Hospital to reduce the risk of life-threatening infections for patients who undergo surgery. (Source: WHO Feature Stories)
Source: WHO Feature Stories - May 4, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: infection control [subject], patient safety [subject], patient safety [subject], surgery [subject], surgical care, essential surgery, emergency surgery, surgery [subject], surgical care, essential surgery, emergency surgery, African Region [region], Featu Source Type: news
Uncovering health inequalities: A path towards leaving no one behind
Having a skilled health professional during childbirth can save the life of a woman and her child. But, in many parts of the world and within many countries, the presence of a health worker during childbirth is often a luxury. If a woman is poor, she is even more likely to deliver without support, putting herself and child at risk. In Indonesia, this is a familiar story for poor women. Twenty years ago, only 1 in 5 women in the poorest 20% of the population gave birth with support from a skilled attendant. (Source: WHO Feature Stories)
Source: WHO Feature Stories - April 29, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: breastfeeding [subject], colostrum, health equity [subject], health inequity, health care disparities, health equity [subject], health inequity, health care disparities, statistics [subject], data, health statistics, Feature [doctype], Indonesia [country] Source Type: news
El Niño affects more than 60 million people
El Niño 2015-2016 – a warming of the central to eastern tropical Pacific Ocean – is affecting more than 60 million people especially in eastern and southern Africa, the Horn of Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Asia-Pacific regions. WHO requires US$ 51 million to provide urgent healthcare. (Source: WHO Feature Stories)
Source: WHO Feature Stories - April 26, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: emergencies [subject], emergency preparedness, crises, emergency preparedness, tobacco [subject], tobacco use, smoking, passive smoking, cigarettes, tobacco [subject], tobacco use, smoking, passive smoking, cigarettes, violence [subject], violence prevent Source Type: news
Do all mosquitoes transmit malaria?
Online Q&A: Do all mosquitoes transmit malaria? Only certain species of mosquitoes of the Anophelesgenus—and only females of those species—can transmit malaria. (Source: WHO Feature Stories)
Source: WHO Feature Stories - April 19, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: communicable disease [subject], infectious diseases, infectious disease [subject], communicable diseases, malaria [subject], malaria [subject], tropical disease [subject], tropical disease [subject], Q & A [doctype] Source Type: news
Why should I donate blood?
WHO online Q&A: Why should I donate blood? (Source: WHO Feature Stories)
Source: WHO Feature Stories - April 18, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: blood safety [subject], safe blood, blood safety [subject], safe blood, blood transfusion [subject], blood transfusions, blood transfusion safety, Q & A [doctype] Source Type: news
To X-ray or not to X-ray?
In many parts of Africa protecting paediatric patients from radiation risks can be a challenge: often radiation guidelines are inadequate, training is unregulated, and procedures for maintenance are not always followed. A new WHO publication, “Communicating radiation risks in paediatric imaging”, is helping health care providers communicate known or potential radiation risks associated with radiation. (Source: WHO Feature Stories)
Source: WHO Feature Stories - April 14, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: ionizing radiation [subject], radiation, ionizing, uranium, radon, Feature [doctype] Source Type: news
Zika virus and complications: Questions and answers
The rise in the spread of Zika virus in Brazil has been accompanied by an unprecedented rise in microcephaly. Several countries, including Brazil, have also reported a steep increase in Guillain-Barré syndrome—a neurological disorder that could lead to paralysis and death. Based on a growing body of preliminary research, there is scientific consensus that Zika virus is a cause of microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome. (Source: WHO Feature Stories)
Source: WHO Feature Stories - April 14, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: zika, zika Source Type: news
What is dengue and how is it treated?
Online Q&A on dengue (Source: WHO Feature Stories)
Source: WHO Feature Stories - April 14, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: communicable disease [subject], infectious diseases, dengue [subject], dengue haemhorragic fever, dengue fever, dengue virus, dengue [subject], dengue haemhorragic fever, dengue fever, dengue virus, indigenous [subject], native people, indigenous people, Source Type: news
Austria: Measles in the spotlight
In Austria, where elimination of measles is tantalizingly close, a creative and innovative campaign seeks to encourage vaccination among unimmunized adults. (Source: WHO Feature Stories)
Source: WHO Feature Stories - April 7, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: immunization [subject], vaccination, immunization [subject], vaccination, immunization [subject], vaccination, measles [subject], measles [subject], Austria [country], European Region [region], Feature [doctype] Source Type: news
WHO Director-General visits Angola; urgent action needed to contain yellow fever outbreak
The Director-General of WHO, Dr Margaret Chan, arrived today in Angola’s capital Luanda for a two-day visit to assess the situation of the current outbreak of yellow fever virus. (Source: WHO Feature Stories)
Source: WHO Feature Stories - April 4, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: headache [subject], headache, migraine, chronic headache, vaccines [subject], vaccine, vaccine safety, vaccine quality, yellow fever [subject], yellow fever [subject], yellow fever [subject], African Region [region], Angola [country], Feature [doctype] Source Type: news
In Thailand, universal health care eases the impact of diabetes
Thailand adopted universal health coverage in 2002, meaning people with diabetes in Thailand have ready access to the medicines they need not only to survive, but to stave off complications. (Source: WHO Feature Stories)
Source: WHO Feature Stories - April 4, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: diabetes [subject], diabetes mellitus, hyperglycaemia, glucose intolerance, Feature [doctype], South-East Asia Region [region], Thailand [country] Source Type: news
Helping people with diabetes manage their health and lives in Brazil
WHO supports Brazil in helping people with diabetes manage their health and lives by helping health authorities implement programmes on prevention, diagnosis, early detection, and managing diabetes-related complications. (Source: WHO Feature Stories)
Source: WHO Feature Stories - April 4, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: diabetes [subject], diabetes mellitus, hyperglycaemia, glucose intolerance, diabetes [subject], diabetes mellitus, hyperglycaemia, glucose intolerance, diabetes [subject], diabetes mellitus, hyperglycaemia, glucose intolerance, diabetes [subject], diabete Source Type: news
