Development Health Advice 

Amidst surging COVID numbers, WHO chief urges: ‘take heart and take action’

Every death is someone’s parent, partner, child, or friend, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, head of the World Health Organiztion (WHO), told the briefing. He noted that exactly a year ago, fewer than 1,500 cases of COVID-19 had been reported. ‘Take heart, take hope’  Vaccines have given the world hope, which, according to the WHO chief is why “every life we lose now is… Read More
Development Health Advice 

Sri Lanka: ‘Forced’ cremation of COVID victims’ bodies must stop – UN rights experts

In a joint appeal, Special Rapporteurs Ahmed Shaheed, Fernand de Varennes, Clément Nyaletsossi Voule and Tlaleng Mofokeng, said that the practice ran contrary to the beliefs of Muslims and other minorities. It ran the risk of increasing prejudice, intolerance and violence, they said in a statement, insisting that no medical or scientific evidence indicated that burying the deceased increased the risk of spreading communicable diseases… Read More

Almost 2 billion people depend on health care facilities without basic water services – WHO, UNICEF

Lack of water puts health care workers and patients at higher risk of COVID-19 infection Around 1.8 billion people are at heightened risk of COVID-19 and other diseases because they use or work in health care facilities without basic water services, warn WHO and UNICEF.  “Working in a health care facility without water, sanitation and hygiene is akin to sending… Read More
Health Advice Lifestyle 

Emergency Committee on COVID-19 advises on variants, vaccines

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to constitute a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), according to the WHO Emergency Committee (EC) on COVID-19. The EC met virtually yesterday (14 January) at the request of WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to review the emerging variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and to consider the potential use of vaccination… Read More
Health Advice Lifestyle 

WHO Guidelines for establishing a poison centre

Poisoning is a significant global public health problem. WHO estimates that, in 2016, unintentional poisoning caused 106 683 deaths and the loss of 6.3 million years of healthy life (disability-adjusted life years). In many countries, poisoning is one of the main causes of emergency attendance at hospitals. Poisoning is a time-dependent emergency and, like infectious diseases, may require a specialist… Read More
Health Advice Lifestyle 

COVAX Announces new agreement, plans for first deliveries

COVAX announced the signing of an advance purchase agreement for up to 40 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine; rollout to commence with successful execution of supply agreements. Additionally, COVAX announced that, pending WHO emergency use listings, nearly 150 million doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford candidate are anticipated to be available in Q1 2021, via existing agreements with the Serum Institute… Read More
Development Health Advice 

Healthier world means ‘safer America’ Tedros stresses, as UN-led vaccine initiative announces deal for 40 million doses 

Commenting on the deal at the regular end-of-week press conference in Geneva, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said pending emergency authorization, close to 150 million doses of the AstraZeneca/Oxford vaccine should also be available for COVAX to distribute, up to the end of March.  February delivery date  “Together, these announcements mean COVAX could begin delivering doses in February, provided we can finalize a supply… Read More
Development Health Advice 

Pandemic will not end for anyone, ‘until it ends for everyone’ 

“The virus can still travel from the vastly unvaccinated massive population of the Global South to the Global North, including in its increasingly mutating forms”, Obiora Okafor, UN Special Rapporteur on human rights and international solidarity, said in a statement.  He explained that with mutations constantly evolving, only inoculating rich countries would likely “complicate or delay” the eradication of the… Read More
Development Health Advice 

Fauci announces US intention to resume major role in global health

Addressing the WHO’s Executive Board Meeting, Dr. Anthony Fauci, Chief Medical Adviser to the new US President, said that Mr. Biden intended to issue a directive within hours so that the country can become part of the COVAX platform to advance multilateral efforts to distribute coronavirus vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics.  Speaking one year ago “to the day” since the United… Read More
Health Advice Lifestyle 

Neglected tropical diseases: WHO to formally launch new road map for next decade

The World Health Organization (WHO) will formally launch its new road map for neglected tropical diseases on 28 January 2021. Registration is open for the virtual launch which comprises a 2-hour programme with the participation of Heads of State, Ministers of Health of several countries, WHO Director-General and Regional Directors and partner organizations.  ‘Ending the neglect to attain the Sustainable… Read More
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