WHO calls on countries and partners to "Unite to End Tuberculosis"
For World TB Day, WHO is calling on countries and partners to unite to end tuberculosis. (Source: WHO news)
Source: WHO news - March 22, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: research [subject], health research, tuberculosis [subject], tb, tuberculosis [subject], tb, universal health coverage [subject], universal health care, universal access, South-East Asia Region [region], Statement [doctype], Viet Nam [country] Source Type: news
WHO supports Cabo Verde in managing Zika virus
Responding to a request from the Ministry of Health in Cabo Verde, WHO is sending a team to Cabo Verde, with joint participation of experts from WHO AFRO and the Institut Pasteur, Dakar. Although the number of cases of Zika in Cabo Verde is declining, the Minister of Health announced on 15 March the first case of microcephaly. Investigations are underway to determine if this case of microcephaly is linked to Cabo Verde’s outbreak of Zika virus. Among the 7 490 suspected cases of Zika virus reported between 21 October 2015 and 6 March 2016, 165 involve pregnant women, from which 44 women have already delivered without an...
Source: WHO news - March 18, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: zika, zika Source Type: news
WHO statement on end of Ebola flare-up in Sierra Leone
WHO joins the government of Sierra Leone in marking the end of the recent flare-up of Ebola virus disease in the country. As of today, 17 March, 42 days have passed, two incubation cycles of the virus, since the last person confirmed to have Ebola virus disease in the country tested negative for a second time. (Source: WHO news)
Source: WHO news - March 17, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: ebola [subject], ebola haemhorragic fever, ebola virus, ebola fever, ebola virus disease, ebola [subject], ebola haemhorragic fever, ebola virus, ebola fever, ebola virus disease, ebola [subject], ebola haemhorragic fever, ebola virus, ebola fever, ebola Source Type: news
An estimated 12.6 million deaths each year are attributable to unhealthy environments
WHO is calling on governments to rate movies that portray tobacco use in a bid to prevent children and adolescents from starting to smoke cigarettes and use other forms of tobacco. (Source: WHO news)
Source: WHO news - March 15, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: drinking water [subject], drinking water quality, environmental health [subject], healthy environments, environment, environmental pollution, pollution, environmental health [subject], healthy environments, environment, environmental pollution, pollution, Source Type: news
Joint statement on Syria
In the past few weeks, we are seeing signs of momentum, fragile glimmers of hope in Syria. Fewer bombs are falling; humanitarian access has opened up in some places; negotiators from all sides are preparing to come together and talk. As humanitarians, we welcome progress where it means real change. We use our collective voice to call on all parties, local and international, for this anniversary to be the last one and for the political talks to bring real peace and an end to the suffering in Syria. (Source: WHO news)
Source: WHO news - March 11, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: emergencies [subject], emergency preparedness, crises, emergency preparedness, Eastern Mediterranean Region [region], Statement [doctype], Syrian Arab Republic [country] Source Type: news
WHO and experts prioritize vaccines, diagnostics and innovative vector control tools for Zika R&D
After a three-day consultation on Zika research and development, international experts, convened by WHO, have agreed on top priorities to advance R&D for Zika medical products. (Source: WHO news)
Source: WHO news - March 9, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: neurology [subject], neurological disorders, brain disorders, spinal disorders, research [subject], health research, research [subject], health research, vaccines [subject], vaccine, vaccine safety, vaccine quality, vaccines [subject], vaccine, vaccine sa Source Type: news
WHO Director-General addresses media after Zika Emergency Committee
8 March 2016 -- In her statement to the media, Dr Margaret Chan reviewed the substantial new clinical and epidemiological research issued since the Committee’s first meeting on 1 February. This research has strengthened the association between Zika infection and the occurrence of fetal malformations and neurological disorders. As she also noted, the geographical distribution of the virus is wider, the risk group is broader, and the modes of transmission now include sexual intercourse as well as mosquito bites. (Source: WHO news)
Source: WHO news - March 8, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: child development [subject], child growth, neurology [subject], neurological disorders, brain disorders, spinal disorders, zika, Region of the Americas [region] Source Type: news
WHO statement on the 2nd meeting of IHR Emergency Committee on Zika virus and observed increase in neurological disorders and neonatal malformations
The 2nd meeting of IHR Emergency Committee was convened by WHO Director-General regarding clusters of microcephaly cases and other neurological disorders in some areas affected by Zika virus. Based on the advice of the Emergency Committee, the Director-General declared the continuation of the Public Health Emergency of International Concern. (Source: WHO news)
Source: WHO news - March 8, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: emergencies [subject], emergency preparedness, crises, emergency preparedness, neurology [subject], neurological disorders, brain disorders, spinal disorders, zika, zika, zika, Statement [doctype] Source Type: news
UN Secretary-General appoints High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth
WHO welcomes the United Nations Secretary-General’s appointment of a High-Level Commission on Health Employment and Economic Growth, and looks forward to coordinating the Commission’s work together with the International Labour Organization and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
The Commission will be chaired jointly by President Francois Hollande of France and President Jacob Zuma of South Africa, with WHO, ILO and OECD acting as co-vice chairs. It will start its work later this month and deliver its recommendations to the Secretary-General in September 2016. (Source: WHO news)
Source: WHO news - March 2, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: health systems [subject], health workforce [subject], human resources for health, health workers, healthcare workers, health care workers, labour [subject], delivery, normal delivery, normal labour, childbirth, universal health coverage [subject], univers Source Type: news
Statement on the 8th IHR Emergency Committee meeting regarding the international spread of poliovirus
The eighth meeting of the Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) regarding the international spread of poliovirus was convened via teleconference by the Director-General on 12 February 2016. As with the seventh meeting, the Emergency Committee reviewed the data on circulating wild poliovirus as well as circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPV). The latter is particularly important as cVDPVs reflect serious gaps in immunity to poliovirus due to weaknesses in routine immunization coverage in otherwise polio-free countries. In addition, it is essential to stop type 2 cVDPVs in adva...
Source: WHO news - March 1, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: emergencies [subject], emergency preparedness, crises, emergency preparedness, international health regulations [subject], ihr, international health regulations [subject], ihr, poliomyelitis [subject], polio, poliovirus, polio encephalitis, travel [subjec Source Type: news
WHO outlines ways to prevent and mitigate childhood hearing loss
Nearly 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. “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 hav...
Source: WHO news - March 1, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: deafness [subject], hearing impairment, hearing loss, deaf, deafness [subject], hearing impairment, hearing loss, deaf, deafness [subject], hearing impairment, hearing loss, deaf, Note for media [doctype] Source Type: news
WHO statement on the first meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR 2005) Emergency Committee on Zika virus and observed increase in neurological disorders and neonatal malformations
The first meeting of the Emergency Committee (EC) convened by the Director-General under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR 2005) regarding clusters of microcephaly cases and other neurological disorders in some areas affected by Zika virus was held by teleconference on 1 February 2016, from 13:10 to 16:55 Central European Time. The WHO Secretariat briefed the Committee on the clusters of microcephaly and Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) that have been temporally associated with Zika virus transmission in some settings. The Committee was provided with additional data on the current understanding of the histor...
Source: WHO news - February 1, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: diagnostics [subject], diagnostic procedures, diagnostics, diagnostic imaging, international health regulations [subject], ihr, research [subject], health research, zika, Brazil [country], Region of the Americas [region], Statement [doctype] Source Type: news
WHO Director-General summarizes the outcome of the Emergency Committee regarding clusters of microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome
I convened an Emergency Committee, under the International Health Regulations, to gather advice on the severity of the health threat associated with the continuing spread of Zika virus disease in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Committee met today by teleconference. In assessing the level of threat, the 18 experts and advisers looked in particular at the strong association, in time and place, between infection with the Zika virus and a rise in detected cases of congenital malformations and neurological complications. (Source: WHO news)
Source: WHO news - February 1, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: communicable disease [subject], infectious diseases, disease outbreaks [subject], outbreak, outbreaks, epidemics, pandemic, disease control, emergencies [subject], emergency preparedness, crises, emergency preparedness, emergencies [subject], emergency pr Source Type: news
Films showing smoking scenes should be rated to protect children from tobacco addiction
WHO is calling on governments to rate movies that portray tobacco use in a bid to prevent children and adolescents from starting to smoke cigarettes and use other forms of tobacco. Movies showing use of tobacco products have enticed millions of young people worldwide to start smoking, according to the new WHO "Smoke-free movies: from evidence to action", the third edition since its launch in 2009. (Source: WHO news)
Source: WHO news - February 1, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: tobacco [subject], tobacco use, smoking, passive smoking, cigarettes, tobacco [subject], tobacco use, smoking, passive smoking, cigarettes, tobacco [subject], tobacco use, smoking, passive smoking, cigarettes, tobacco [subject], tobacco use, smoking, pass Source Type: news
WHO to convene an International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on Zika virus and observed increase in neurological disorders and neonatal malformations
WHO Director-General, Margaret Chan, will convene an International Health Regulations Emergency Committee on Zika virus and observed increase in neurological disorders and neonatal malformations. The Committee will meet on Monday 1 February in Geneva to ascertain whether the outbreak constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. (Source: WHO news)
Source: WHO news - January 28, 2016 Category: Global & Universal Tags: child development [subject], child growth, emergencies [subject], emergency preparedness, crises, emergency preparedness, neglected tropical disease [subject], tropical disease [subject], vaccines [subject], vaccine, vaccine safety, vaccine quality Source Type: news
