“This week, we’ll probably pass the two billion doses – if we have not already passed it…in terms of number of doses of these vaccines, these new COVID vaccines that have actually been developed. And these have been distributed now in over 212 countries,” said Dr Bruce Aylward, Head of the Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A) Hub. Dr. Aylward,… Read More

The plan seeks to scale-up supplies of vaccines, tests and treatments, thus reducing the “equity gap” in developing countries, the leaders of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank Group (WBG), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) said in a joint statement.  Vaccine access key  They warned that unless governments act now, continued waves… Read More

According to the UN health agency, the finding that smokers were more likely to develop severe disease with COVID-19 compared to non-smokers, triggered millions of people to want to quit tobacco. But without adequate support, quitting can be incredibly challenging. On World No Tobacco Day 2021, the agency reminded that the nicotine found in tobacco is highly addictive and creates… Read More

In closing comments to the WHO’s annual week-long high-level assembly, Tedros said that a potential international treaty will be discussed in a special session of WHO members in November. Although COVID cases and deaths are declining globally, Tedros insisted that the “way out” was through “tailored and consistent” public health measures in combination with equitable vaccination. Vaccination call The WHO… Read More

Speaking during his latest briefing from Geneva, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus pushed for more developers to support the COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP), the voluntary platform for sharing scientific knowledge, data and intellectual property.   “We’re holding the door open for pharmaceutical companies that have become household names, although too few households have benefited from the life-saving tools they have developed”,… Read More

Participating in the Global Solutions Summit 2021, the UN chief stressed the need to defeat the virus through doubling the number of doses produced and ensuring their fair distribution among countries.  We are in an unprecedented crisis that requires unprecedented action. Collaboration between countries, communities, public & private sectors is key. By working together, we can vaccinate the world, end… Read More

“This is indeed much more than a health crisis. It’s a social crisis and an economic crisis, with dramatic long-term consequences for livelihoods, businesses, and for economies”, he said to a virtual roundtable event – part of the UN’s global campaign, #OnlyTogether – hosted jointly with the IKEA Foundation and Purpose – the social mobilisation organization which partners with the Department… Read More

Water Under Fire Volume 3, highlights that children’s access to water has been threatened in nearly every conflict-related emergency where UNICEF is responding. The report focuses on nine countries where violence and conflict are prevalent, and the impact the attacks have on children. Some 48 million people are estimated to need safe water and sanitation services in the follocountries (Central… Read More

In a video message to the World Health Assembly, the decision-making body of UN agency WHO, Mr. Guterres warned against the dangers of “a two-speed global response”, a concern he has frequently expressed.  #COVID19 cannot be seen in isolation from fundamental problems with our health systems: inequality, underfunding, complacency, neglect. With the right primary health care systems, we will recover… Read More