Category: Development

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) was briefing journalists in Geneva, a year on from the first ever recorded COVID-19 death. Today, there are more than 1.93 million dead, and nearly 90 million confirmed cases. Limiting #COVID19 transmission limits the chance of dangerous new variants from developing. We need to:-Keep physical distance as much as possible-Keep… Read More

“And we also have the right of first refusal on an additional one billion doses”, World Health Organization (WHO) head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus,  updated journalists in a regular media briefing.  Level playing field  He highlighted however, that of the 42 countries already rolling out the various COVID-19 vaccines which have been cleared for use, 36 are in high income nations.  “There’s… Read More

“We were prepared for a challenging start to 2021 and it has been just that”, Dr. Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, said on Thursday during a virtual press briefing from Copenhagen.  Although new tools against the disease are now available, including several vaccines, and knowledge about the virus has increased, “we remain in the grip of COVID-19”, he… Read More

Throughout the year, the maritime transport industry has managed stay afloat, allowing food, medicine and other essential goods to be transported across the world, to stock the shelves even during the strictest lockdowns. However, many seafarers were forced to stay at sea for several months longer than planned, sometimes for over a year: as 2020 comes to a close, the… Read More

In his first regular media briefing of the new year, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, told journalists that WHO was also “picking up and analyzing hundreds of potential signals every week”, concerning other life-threatening illnesses.   But he made clear the pandemic remains “a major public health crisis”, while assuring that WHO is “working day… Read More

“The children born today enter a world far different than even a year ago, and a New Year brings a new opportunity to reimagine it”, UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said.  Sorting logistics  As always, the Pacific island nation of Fiji will welcome the first baby of the new year and the United States the last one.  Over half of… Read More

Regulatory experts convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) from around the world and UN agency’s own teams reviewed the data on the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine and found on Thursday that it met WHO’s must-have criteria for safety and efficacy – with its benefits offsetting any potential risks.  “This is a very positive step towards ensuring global access to COVID-19 vaccines,”… Read More

“I am not completely recovered, and my body is still weak. I have swollen feet and, if I walk for more than 10 minutes, I will find myself sweating, and out of breath. Despite this, I went back to work”. The words of Hasna Gul, a UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) worker in Pakistan, who caught a severe case of COVID-19… Read More

Praising the kindness shown by people around the world, the tireless efforts of frontline workers, the scientists who have developed vaccines in record time, and the countries making new advances to save the planet from climate catastrophe, Secretary-General António Guterres expressed his wish for a year of healing.   2020 has been a year of trials, tragedies and tears. But a New Year lies ahead. And with it, we see rays of hope. Working together in unity and solidarity, we… Read More

“The next pandemic may be more severe”, said Dr. Mike Ryan, head of the WHO Emergencies Program, adding that we need “get our act together”, because we live on a fragile planet, and in an increasingly complex society. “Let’s honour those we’ve lost by getting better at what we do”. Let’s honour those we’ve lost by getting better at what… Read More