WHO: Number of people over 60 years set to double by 2050; major societal changes required
With advances in medicine helping more people to live longer lives, the number of people over the age of 60 is expected to double by 2050 and will require radical societal change, according to a new report released by the WHO for the International Day of Older Persons (1 October).
“Today, most people, even in the poorest countries, are living longer lives,” says Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of WHO. “But this is not enough. We need to ensure these extra years are healthy, meaningful and dignified. Achieving this will not just be good for older people, it will be good for society as a whole.” (Source: WHO news)
Source: WHO news - September 30, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Tags: ageing [subject], elderly, older people, geriatric, life expectancy [subject] Source Type: news
Treat all people living with HIV, offer antiretrovirals as additional prevention choice for people at "substantial" risk
Anyone infected with HIV should begin antiretroviral treatment as soon after diagnosis as possible, WHO announced Wednesday. With its "treat-all" recommendation, WHO removes all limitations on eligibility for antiretroviral therapy (ART) among people living with HIV; all populations and age groups are now eligible for treatment. The expanded use of antiretroviral treatment is supported by recent findings from clinical trials confirming that early use of ART keeps people living with HIV alive, healthier and reduces the risk of transmitting the virus to partners. (Source: WHO news)
Source: WHO news - September 30, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Tags: antiretroviral therapy [subject], art, arv, antiretrovirals, antiretroviral, arv regimen, hiv drugs, hiv treatment, hiv/aids [subject], hiv, hiv infections, aids, Press release [doctype] Source Type: news
New partnership to help countries close gaps in primary health care
Underscoring the urgent need to transform how essential health care is delivered in low- and middle-income countries, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, World Bank Group and World Health Organization today are launching a new partnership to support countries in improving the performance of primary health care. Primary health care is the pillar of health systems and is central to preventing epidemics like Ebola; improving women’s and children’s health; controlling major infectious diseases, such as HIV and TB; and managing the rising burden of non-communicable diseases, such as heart disease and cancer. The new partn...
Source: WHO news - September 26, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Tags: health systems [subject], primary health care [subject], Press release [doctype] Source Type: news
WHO Removes Nigeria from Polio-Endemic List
WHO announced today that polio is no longer endemic in Nigeria. This is the first time that Nigeria has interrupted transmission of wild poliovirus, bringing the country and the African region closer than ever to being certified polio-free.
The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), the public-private partnership leading the effort to eradicate polio, called this a 'historic achievement' in global health. Nigeria has not reported a case of wild poliovirus since 24 July 2014, and all laboratory data have confirmed a full 12 months have passed without any new cases. (Source: WHO news)
Source: WHO news - September 25, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Tags: child health [subject], children's health, children, young child, child, mortality [subject], death, death rate, adult mortality, child mortality, neonate mortality, fatal outcome, mortality [subject], death, death rate, adult mortality, child mortality, Source Type: news
WHO welcomes appointment of Chair-elect of Gavi Board Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
WHO welcomes the appointment of the Chair-elect of the Board of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. She will take up the position of Chair from January 2016. Dr Okonjo-Iweala is a renowned development economist and former Nigerian Finance Minister. She brings more than 33 years of development and financial expertise to the Gavi Board at a critical period for immunization in developing countries. (Source: WHO news)
Source: WHO news - September 22, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Tags: immunization [subject], vaccination, immunization [subject], vaccination, vaccines [subject], vaccine, vaccine safety, vaccine quality, vaccines [subject], vaccine, vaccine safety, vaccine quality, Statement [doctype] Source Type: news
WHO/UNICEF report: Malaria MDG target achieved amid sharp drop in cases and mortality, but 3 billion people remain at risk
Malaria death rates have plunged by 60% since 2000, translating into 6.2 million lives saved, the vast majority of them children, according to a joint WHO-UNICEF report released today. The report – “Achieving the malaria MDG target” – shows that the malaria MDG target to “have halted and begun to reverse the incidence” of malaria by 2015, has been met “convincingly”, with new malaria cases dropping by 37% in 15 years. (Source: WHO news)
Source: WHO news - September 17, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Tags: malaria [subject], malaria [subject] Source Type: news
Child mortality rates plunge by more than half since 1990 but global MDG target missed by wide margin
Child mortality rates have plummeted to less than half of what they were in 1990, according to a new report released today. Under-five deaths have dropped from 12.7 million per year in 1990 to 5.9 million in 2015. This is the first year the figure has gone below the 6 million mark. New estimates in “Levels and trends in child mortality report 2015,” released by UNICEF, WHO, the World Bank Group, and the Population Division of UNDESA, indicate that although the global progress has been substantial, 16 000 children under 5 still die every day. And the 53% drop in under-five mortality is not enough to meet the Millennium...
Source: WHO news - September 9, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Tags: child health [subject], children's health, children, young child, child, child health [subject], children's health, children, young child, child, mortality [subject], death, death rate, adult mortality, child mortality, neonate mortality, fatal outcome, m Source Type: news
WHO statement on the tenth meeting of the IHR Emergency Committee regarding MERS
The tenth meeting of the Emergency Committee (EC) convened by the Director-General under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR 2005) regarding the Middle East respiratory syndrome 1 was held by teleconference on 2 September 2015, from 1300 to 1620 Central European Summer Time (UTC +2). During the meeting the WHO Secretariat provided an update to the Committee on epidemiological and scientific developments, including recent cases and transmission patterns in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. The Secretariat also provided current risk assessments with regard to these events, a...
Source: WHO news - September 3, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Tags: coronavirus [subject], coronavirus infections, coronavirus [subject], coronavirus infections, Republic of Korea [country], Western Pacific Region [region] Source Type: news
Ebola transmission in Liberia over. Nation enters 90-day intensive surveillance period
Today, 3 September 2015, WHO declares Liberia free of Ebola virus transmission in the human population. Forty-two days have passed since the second negative test on 22 July 2015 of the last laboratory-confirmed case. Liberia now enters a 90-day period of heightened surveillance. Liberia’s ability to effectively respond to the outbreak of Ebola virus disease is due to intensified vigilance and rapid response by the government and multiple partners. Transmission had been declared over previously on 9 May 2015, but the disease re-emerged on 29 June and 6 additional cases were identified. (Source: WHO news)
Source: WHO news - September 3, 2015 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
World Hepatitis Summit harnesses global momentum to eliminate viral hepatitis
Participants at the first-ever World Hepatitis Summit will urge countries to develop national programmes that can ultimately eliminate viral hepatitis as a problem of public health concern. “We know how to prevent viral hepatitis, we have a safe and effective vaccine for hepatitis B, and we now have medicines that can cure people with hepatitis C and control hepatitis B infection,” said Dr Gottfried Hirnschall, Director of the WHO’s Global Hepatitis Programme. “Yet access to diagnosis and treatment is still lacking or inaccessible in many parts of the world. This summit is a wake-up call to build momentum to preve...
Source: WHO news - September 2, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Tags: hepatitis [subject], jaundice, hepatitis a, hepatitis b, hepatitis c, hepatitis e, hepatitis [subject], jaundice, hepatitis a, hepatitis b, hepatitis c, hepatitis e, hepatitis [subject], jaundice, hepatitis a, hepatitis b, hepatitis c, hepatitis e, hepati Source Type: news
Guinea ring vaccination trial extended to Sierra Leone to vaccinate contacts of new Ebola case
Detection of a new case of Ebola virus disease in Kambia, Sierra Leone, after the country had marked almost 3 weeks of zero cases has set in motion the first "ring vaccination" use of the experimental Ebola vaccine in Sierra Leone. The source of Ebola virus transmission is being investigated and all the people who may have been in contact with the infected person are being traced. (Source: WHO news)
Source: WHO news - August 31, 2015 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
WHO thanks health workers on World Humanitarian Day 2015
On this 12th World Humanitarian Day, 19 August, WHO is drawing the world’s attention to the contributions and sacrifices of health workers who respond to humanitarian crises. More than a decade since the first World Humanitarian Day, the demands on emergency responders are unprecedented, with 82.5 million people in 37 countries needing humanitarian assistance. The costs, too, are unprecedented, reaching an estimated US$20 billion. (Source: WHO news)
Source: WHO news - August 19, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Tags: emergencies [subject], emergency preparedness, crises, emergency preparedness, Statement [doctype] Source Type: news
Vaccine hesitancy: A growing challenge for immunization programmes
People who delay or refuse vaccines for themselves or their children are presenting a growing challenge for countries seeking to close the immunization gap. Globally, 1 in 5 children still do not receive routine life-saving immunizations, and an estimated 1.5 million children still die each year of diseases that could be prevented by vaccines that already exist, according to WHO. In a special issue of the journal Vaccine, guest-edited by WHO and published today, experts review the role of vaccine hesitancy in limiting vaccine coverage and explore strategies to address it. Vaccine hesitancy refers to delay in acceptance or...
Source: WHO news - August 18, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Tags: immunization [subject], vaccination, vaccines [subject], vaccine, vaccine safety, vaccine quality, Press release [doctype] Source Type: news
Statement on the 6th IHR Emergency Committee meeting regarding the international spread of wild poliovirus
The sixth meeting of the Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) regarding the international spread of wild poliovirus was convened via teleconference by the Director-General on 4 August 2015. The following IHR States Parties submitted an update on the implementation of the Temporary Recommendations since the Committee last met on 24 April 2015: Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Committee noted that since the declaration that the international spread of polio constituted a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), strong progress has been made by countries toward interruptio...
Source: WHO news - August 17, 2015 Category: Global & Universal Tags: immunization [subject], vaccination, refugees [subject], displaced people, travel [subject], travel and health, air travel, Eastern Mediterranean Region [region], Statement [doctype] Source Type: news
Sierra Leone down to the last chain of Ebola virus transmission
Use of rapid response teams and strong community involvement in finding Ebola virus disease cases and contacts is yielding results in Sierra Leone. An epidemiological week has now passed with no new Ebola cases for the first time since the beginning of the outbreak. "This is very good news but we have to keep doing this intensive working with communities to identify potential new cases early and to rapidly stop any Ebola virus transmission," said Dr Anders Nordstrom, WHO Representative in Sierra Leone. (Source: WHO news)
Source: WHO news - August 17, 2015 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
