“Millions of women globally had limited or no access to maternal and new-born healthcare, some 14 million women lost access to contraception, and specialized services for victims of gender-based violence became inaccessible, when they were needed most”, said Dr. Tlaleng Mofokeng. The Special Rapporteur pointed out that lockdowns, movement restrictions and diversion of funds due to COVID-19 have “jeopardized access… Read More

That’s the equivalent of four children every day, UNICEF spokesperson James Elder said. Urging all parties to the conflict to stop the fighting, he added that “Yemen is the most difficult place in the world to be a child. And, incredulously, it is getting worse.”   ‘World’s worst’ humanitarian crisis  Yemen’s humanitarian crisis continues to be “the world’s worst” according to Mr. Elder, who said that… Read More

Mr. Drogba, from Côte d’Ivoire, will promote WHO’s top tips on how physical activity can lead to a healthier and happier life, and also highlight the value of sports, particularly for youth.  The Ivorian striker is best known internationally for his long and record-setting career at Chelsea Football Club, and for having been named African Footballer of the Year in 2006, and 2009. He is the all-time top scorer and former captain of the Ivory Coast national team.   He also has a long… Read More

The vaccination campaign will begin on 8 November, and will be the first in over three years to reach all children in Afghanistan.  This includes more than three million children in parts of the country who have previously remained inaccessible to inoculation campaigns against the infectious disease, which can cause paralysis and death.  UNICEF and @WHO welcome the decision by the Taliban leadership supporting the resumption of house-to-house… Read More

World Food Day is not only a reminder of the importance of what we eat to everyone on the planet, but also “a call to action to achieve food security around the world”, the UN chief said in his message marking the day on Friday. Commemorated annually on 15 October, Secretary-General António Guterres pointed out that currently, almost 40 per… Read More

Where opportunities do exist, older adults or people with disabilities may simply not have access to them.   To improve this situation, the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for better and fairer opportunities for physical activity to improve overall health.   In a new advocacy brief, Fair Play: Building a strong physical activity system for more active people, the agency asks decision-makers across the health, sport, education and transport sectors, to promote the benefits more.  For WHO Deputy… Read More

New data from the UN health agency highlighted how years of global progress in tackling the preventable disease had been “reversed” since the pandemic overwhelmed health care systems in 2020, preventing vulnerable people from seeking help.  Lockdowns had also stymied many people’s access to essential health care services, WHO’s 2021 Global TB report insisted, before issuing the additional warning that… Read More

The proposed members of the WHO Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO) were selected for their expertise in areas such as epidemiology, animal health, clinical medicine, virology and genomics.   WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced the news during his regular briefing from Geneva.  “SAGO will advise WHO on the development of a global framework to… Read More

Agency chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus reported that the death toll from the disease is now at its lowest level in almost a year.  “Reaching 40% needs a whole of government and whole of society approach, which depends on political and civil society leadership. We are working with leaders to support the prioritization and planning that is needed to make 40%… Read More

This Wednesday, the UN World Health Organization’s (WHO) Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, recognized her world-changing legacy with a special award.    In 1951, while Ms. Lacks sought treatment, researchers took biopsies from her body without her knowledge or consent, and her cells became the first “immortal” cell line, now known as the “HeLa cells”.   ‘Reckoning’ with injustice  Shockingly, as WHO points out, the global scientific community once hid her race and her real story, a historical wrong that Wednesday’s recognition hopes… Read More