Tag: Health News

An increase in measles cases in January and February 2022 is a worrying sign of a heightened risk for the spread of vaccine-preventable diseases and could trigger larger outbreaks, particularly of measles affecting millions of children in 2022, warn WHO and UNICEF. Pandemic-related disruptions, increasing inequalities in access to vaccines, and the diversion of resources from routine immunization are leaving… Read More

Formula milk companies are paying social media platforms and influencers to gain direct access to pregnant women and mothers at some of the most vulnerable moments in their lives. The global formula milk industry, valued at some US$ 55 billion, is targeting new mothers with personalized social media content that is often not recognizable as advertising. A new World Health… Read More

New estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO) show that the full death toll associated directly or indirectly with the COVID-19 pandemic (described as “excess mortality”) between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2021 was approximately 14.9 million (range 13.3 million to 16.6 million).   “These sobering data not only point to the impact of the pandemic but also to the… Read More

The COVID-19 pandemic and other recent large disease outbreaks have highlighted the extent to which health care settings can contribute to the spread of infections, harming patients, health workers and visitors, if insufficient attention is paid to infection prevention and control (IPC). But a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that where good hand hygiene and other… Read More

On this World Health Day (April 7, 2022), WHO is issuing an urgent call for accelerated action by leaders and all people to preserve and protect health and mitigate the climate crisis as part of an “Our planet, our health” campaign marking the organization’s founding day, which falls at a time of heightened conflict and fragility. In issuing its call-to-action,… Read More

A grim milestone has been crossed today in the war in Ukraine – more than 100 attacks on health care verified by WHO since the start of the war on 24 February. The attacks so far have claimed 73 lives and injured 51. Of the current total of 103 attacks, 89 have impacted health facilities and 13 have impacted transport,… Read More

WHO welcomes the establishment of a new Heads of State and Government Group to accelerate progress towards the SDG target for noncommunicable diseases  ̶ a one-third reduction in “premature” deaths from diseases like diabetes, cancer, heart and lung disease and the promotion of mental health and well-being. The decision was taken at the inaugural International Strategic Dialogue on Noncommunicable Diseases… Read More

The U.N. General Assembly passed a resolution welcoming the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qatar football championship and hailed the promotion of the tournament as a public health benchmark for other nations hosting future mega sporting events. By the terms of the resolution (document A/76/L.48), which was passed on 8 April, the 193-member Assembly also expressed its support for the launch… Read More

More than 1000 film makers from over 110 countries have submitted short films for the 3rd edition of the WHO Health for All Film Festival (HAFF), on themes ranging from the trauma of war to living with COVID-19. Some 70 films have been chosen for the shortlist, which will be reviewed by international actors and development leaders, before the announcement… Read More

On World TB Day, WHO calls for an urgent investment of resources, support, care and information into the fight against tuberculosis (TB). Although 66 million lives have been saved since 2000, the COVID-19 pandemic has reversed those gains. For the first time in over a decade, TB deaths increased in 2020. Ongoing conflicts across Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle… Read More