Under the theme End Inequalities. End AIDS. End Pandemics, Abdulla Shahid underscored a connection between COVID-19 and HIV/AIDS, pointing out that both exacerbate inequalities and impact people, “particularly in terms of access to treatment and health services”. Moreover, COVID and the HIV epidemic not only impact the health of individuals, but together have also “impacted households, communities, and the development… Read More

Despite some improvement in people’s tolerance to the disease in the more than 40 years since the AIDS epidemic began, a survey of 55,000 people in 50 countries found that only one in two people knew that HIV cannot be transmitted by sharing a bathroom.  “It is shocking that, 40 years into the HIV and AIDS epidemic, myths and misconceptions are still so widespread,” said Chidi King,… Read More

In a statement on Tuesday, the World Health Organization Director-General said that it was “deeply concerning” that Botswana and South Africa, where the new variant was first identified, were “being penalized by others for doing the right thing”.  Dozens of countries have imposed travel bans on the southern African nations since the mutation was discovered at the end of last week.  Threat still… Read More

In an urgent call to action ahead of World AIDS Day on 1 December, the agency focused on ending the disease as a public health threat by 2030, said that if transformative measures are not taken, the world will stay trapped in the COVID-19 crisis and remain dangerously unprepared for all future pandemics. Infection every 2 minutes In a new… Read More

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, was addressing the start of a special three-day meeting of the organisation’s governing body in Geneva on Monday, amidst a global alert over the new strain, arguing that greater international cooperation is essential to preserve “hard won gains” against the virus. The World Health Assembly meeting was convened to decide on the issue of a so-called “pandemic… Read More

According to the latest forecast by the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the same amount was lost in 2020, making it one of the sectors hit hardest by the health crisis. Despite recent improvements, the report warned that demand for travel could be further affected by “uneven vaccination rates around the world and new COVID-19 strains which had prompted new travel… Read More

The experts of the UN health agency said researchers in South Africa and around the world are currently conducting studies to better understand the aspects of Omicron, but as of right now, it is not clear whether it is more transmissible compared to other variants, including Delta. “The number of people testing positive has risen in areas of South Africa… Read More

It has become increasingly apparent that, for some time, some individuals and organizations are intent on spreading false information online. During the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, claims that certain drugs or remedies are miracle cures, or that the pandemic is a hoax, have circulated on social media platforms. Whilst there are those who are sharing these articles, videos and images… Read More

The wide use of antibiotics and other antimicrobials has led to growing resistance to their effectiveness.   It is estimated that each year, 700,000 people die from AMR-related causes and FAO Chief Veterinary Officer Keith Sumption said that if no actions are taken, the annual tally could soar to some 10 million by 2050.   HIV drug resistance  The warning comes as the World Health Organization’s (WHO) latest HIV Drug Resistance Report revealed that in 2020,… Read More

In its weekly epidemiological update, the UN health agency noted that infections in Europe had increased by almost twice the global average.  Vaccine review for kids  In a related development, WHO said that is it continuing to review emerging evidence on the need for and timing of vaccinating children with COVID-19 vaccines that have received Emergency Use Listing (EUL).  To date, the agency has issued EULs for eight COVID-19… Read More