Category: Development

Agency chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told journalists that WHO’s Advisory Committee on Vaccine Safety has been reviewing available data on the vaccine and will meet with the European Medicines Agency (EMA) on Tuesday. Germany, France Italy and Spain have become the latest countries to temporarily halt use of the shot, following reports of blood clots in people who received the… Read More

The development comes after several European countries suspended the rollout of the jab as a precaution. “As of 9 March, there have been over 268 million doses of vaccine delivered since the start of the pandemic, and based on data reported – that’s data reported to WHO by national governments – no causes of death have been found or been… Read More

According to new estimates from the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and Avenir Health, this has led to around 1.4 million unintended pregnancies.   These latest figures come as many countries, particularly high-income nations, show early signs of steeply declining birth rates.   Together, the findings demonstrate how the pandemic has severely impacted women’s control over their own reproductive health, and undermined family planning.  Contraceptives out… Read More

“So many lives have been lost”, said António Guterres, with “economies upended and societies left reeling.  The most vulnerable have suffered the most. Those left behind are being left even further behind.” We all want the #COVID19 pandemic to end so that we can get back to the things we love, and together we have the power to end it faster. I miss… Read More

“The number of children who are hungry, isolated, abused, anxious, living in poverty and forced into marriage has increased. At the same time, their access to education, socialization and essential services including health, nutrition and protection has decreased”, Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director, said.  “The signs that children will bear the scars of the pandemic for years to come are… Read More

Dr. Roopa Dhatt, Executive Director of Women in Global Health, and two scientists who have developed COVID-19 vaccines – Professor Sarah Gilbert of Oxford University and Dr. Özlem Türeci of German company BioNTech, one of the vaccine pioneers – were guest speakers at the bi-weekly briefing by the World Health Organization (WHO) held on Monday, International Women’s Day.  WHO chief… Read More

“COVID-19 is a dynamic and fluid situation,” says Lieutenant Matilda Mattu Moiwo. “You can’t predict everything that will occur in advance.”  Lt. Moiwo is a staff officer of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces. Her military training serves her well in the fight against COVID-19.  As the National Emergency Medical Services Referral Coordinator in the capital city of Freetown,… Read More

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), was speaking at the end of a historic week which saw COVAX deliver more than 20 million vaccine doses to 20 countries.  To deliver on #VaccinEquity, we need to urgently ramp up production through:-connecting #COVID19 vaccine producers with companies who have excess capacity to fill & finish-bilateral technology transfers-coordinated technology… Read More

Based on new research, it said on Thursday that more than 330 million youngsters have been stuck at home for at least nine months, since the virus spread uncontrollably this time last year.   We must emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic with a better approach to child and adolescent mental health, and that starts by giving the issue the attention it deserves.… Read More

The World Health Organization’s (WHO) report, launched ahead of World Hearing Day 2021 on Wednesday, says that in less than 30 years, nearly 2.5 billion people globally face the threat of hearing loss – at least 700 million of whom will require ear and hearing care as well as other rehabilitation services, unless action is taken.  That figure would mark… Read More