Category: Development

Dr. Mike Ryan, Director of Emergencies, was responding to a question about public concern over governments deciding to acquire certain vaccines over others.  He warned against comparing national approaches in a competitive fashion, while calling for patience, tolerance and solidarity.  A race we must finish together  “I don’t think we should be seeing this as a game of winners and… Read More

The huge vaccine reservoir means that COVAX, a 190-country international initiative that seeks to ensure all countries have equal access to coronavirus vaccines, can plan to start delivering the shots in the first quarter of 2021. COVAX has agreements in place to access nearly 2 billion doses of several promising #COVID19 vaccine candidates, and has laid the groundwork for further… Read More

Speaking during a virtual press briefing, ECOSOC President Munir Akram also outlined objectives for the coming year, including plans for a facility to support infrastructure investment in developing countries, and forums to examine issues critical to recovery and achieving sustainable development.  Mr. Akram, who is Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UN, stressed that COVID-19 vaccines must be viewed as “a global public… Read More

“This is the best deal in town. No question. This will pay itself off within 36 hours, once we get international travel and trade mobility moving again”, said Dr. Bruce Aylward, Senior Advisor to the WHO Director General and lead for the coalition, known as ACT Accelerator. ACT Accelerator, or the “Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator” in full, is the… Read More

It’s come about through an alliance of the world’s largest youth movements and organizations, together with the UN World Health Organization (WHO) and the UN Foundation. The “Global Youth Mobilization for Generation Disrupted” is being led by the so-called ‘Big 6’ youth organizations (Young Men’s Christian Association, YMCA; World Young Women’s Christian Association, YWCA; World Organization of the Scout Movement;… Read More

As the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic, the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) announced the next phase of its Supplies Partnership to secure essential contraception and maternal health medicines for millions of women and adolescent girls over the next decade.  “The global community must act now with commitments to support women and girls”, stressed UNFPA Executive Director Dr. Natalia Kanem.… Read More

In a new report, released on Monday, the two agencies also warned that an alarming number of health care facilities do not have access to effective hand hygiene and are unable to segregate waste safely.  “Working in a health care facility without water, sanitation and hygiene is akin to sending nurses and doctors to work without personal protective equipment”, said Tedros… Read More

“For Universal Health Coverage Day, let us commit to ending this crisis and build a safer and healthier future by investing in health systems that protect us all — now”, declared the UN chief, adding that: “This year’s pandemic has shown us that no one is safe until everyone is safe.” In his message on the Day, marked annually on… Read More

This week the United Kingdom began rollout of a vaccine developed by pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and BioNTech, and more nations are expected to follow suit very soon.  “To have safe and effective vaccines against a virus that was completely unknown to us only a year ago is an astounding scientific achievement”, Tedros said, speaking during his regular briefing from Geneva. … Read More

The 2019 Global Health Estimates, released on Wednesday, “clearly highlight” the need for increased attention on preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases, as well as tackling injuries, according to WHO.  “These new estimates are another reminder that we need to rapidly step up prevention, diagnosis and treatment of non-communicable diseases,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO… Read More