Five billion people globally remain unprotected from harmful trans fat, a new status report from WHO has found, increasing their risk of heart disease and death. Since WHO first called for the global elimination of industrially produced trans fat in 2018 – with an elimination target set for 2023 – population coverage of best-practice policies has increased almost six-fold. Forty-three… Read More

WHO is launching its 2023 health emergency appeal today for US$ 2.54 billion to provide assistance to millions of people around the world facing health emergencies. The number of people in need of humanitarian relief has increased by almost a quarter compared to 2022, to a record 339 million. Currently, WHO is responding to an unprecedented number of intersecting health… Read More

The WHO Executive Board, currently holding its 152nd meeting in Geneva, has appointed Dr. Jarbas Barbosa da Silva Jr. as Regional Director for the Americas effective 1 February 2023. A national of Brazil, Dr. Barbosa da Silva Jr. was elected as Director of the Pan American Health Organization, which is also WHO’s Regional Office for the Americas, by PAHO Member… Read More

The World Health Organization (WHO) today updated its list of medicines that should be stockpiled for radiological and nuclear emergencies, along with policy advice for their appropriate management. These stockpiles include medicines that either prevent or reduce exposure to radiation, or treat injuries once exposure has occurred. “In radiation emergencies, people may be exposed to radiation at doses ranging from… Read More

Today, on World Neglected Tropical Disease (NTD) Day, WHO releases a new progress report, entitled “Global report on neglected tropical diseases 2023” highlighting the progress and challenges in delivering NTD care worldwide, against a backdrop of COVID-19-related disruptions. NTDs continue to disproportionately affect the poorest members of the global community, primarily in areas where water safety, sanitation and access to health… Read More

The WHO Director-General has the pleasure of transmitting the Report of the fourteenth meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) Emergency Committee regarding the coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) pandemic, held on Friday 27 January 2023, from 14:00 to 17:00 CET. The WHO Director-General concurs with the advice offered by the Committee regarding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and determines that… Read More

The World Health Organization (WHO) hosted the inaugural meeting of the WHO Youth Council from 27 to 30 January in Geneva, bringing together representatives from 22 diverse youth organizations from health and non-health backgrounds.  The WHO Youth Council is a dynamic network aimed at amplifying the voices and experiences of young people and leveraging their expertise, energy, and ideas to promote… Read More