World Health Organization

World Antibiotic Awareness Week

11 November 2016 – This year World Antibiotic Awareness Week will be held from 14 to 20 November 2016. The campaign aims to increase awareness of global antibiotic resistance and to encourage best practices among the general public, health workers, policy-makers and the agriculture sector to avoid the further emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance.

Measles vaccination
Nigeria
Pregnancy
Kyrgyzstan

Hundreds of children die of measles every day

Husband and wife wait to assure no adverse reactions occur from vaccinations for their infant daughter in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

WHO/Q Mattingly

10 November 2016 – Despite a 79% worldwide decrease in measles deaths between 2000 and 2015, nearly 400 children still die from the disease every day. Mass measles vaccination campaigns and a global increase in routine measles vaccination coverage saved an estimated 20.3 million young lives between 2000 and 2015. But progress has been uneven.

More on measles vaccination

Measles vaccination campaign in Nigeria's Borno State

WHO team carrying out measles vaccination campaign at internally displaced people’s camp in Nigeria

WHO/P Ajello

9 November 2016 – WHO and health partners helped vaccinate more than 10 000 children against measles in 2 days in internally displaced persons (IDP) camps in the conflict-affected Borno State. Since 6 June 2016, health clinics in IDP camps in Borno State have seen increasing numbers of measles cases. From early September until late October, WHO received reports of 744 suspected cases of measles, and 2 deaths.

More on measles vaccination in Borno State

Pregnant women must be able to access the right care at the right time

Health physician examining a pregnant woman in Cuba

WHO

7 November 2016 – Last year, an estimated 303 000 women died from pregnancy-related causes, 2.7 million babies died during the first 28 days of life and 2.6 million babies were stillborn. Quality health care during pregnancy and childbirth can prevent many of these deaths. WHO has issued a new series of recommendations to improve quality of antenatal care in order to reduce the risk of stillbirths and pregnancy complications and give women a positive pregnancy experience.

More on antenatal care recommendations

Kyrgyzstan certified to be malaria-free

Kyrgyzstan malaria-free certification graphic

4 November 2016 – Today, Kyrgyzstan received the official WHO certification of malaria elimination. Countries that maintain zero locally-acquired malaria cases for at least 3 consecutive years are eligible to apply for this certification on a voluntary-basis. Globally, a total of 32 countries and territories have received the certification.

More on malaria in Kyrgyzstan

Outbreaks and emergencies

Emergencies » Haiti hurricane » Nigeria crisis » South Sudan crisis » Yellow fever » Zika virus and complications »

Election of Director-General

A close-up of the Director-General's seat in the WHO Executive Boardroom.

WHO/N. Bojgaard

The process to elect the next WHO Director-General is underway.

Highlights

Monitoring Visualization Tool for the Global Action Plan for Pneumonia and Diarrhoea
This tool presents data on 24 key indicators related to the protection, prevention and treatment of diarrhoea and pneumonia in children under five years of age and two indicators on mortality due to the two diseases. The tool also enables access to country-specific profiles to see the progress made by 136 low- and middle-income countries in averting childhood diarrhoea and pneumonia deaths.

e-Learning Course on Health Financing Policy for universal health coverage (UHC)
November 2016 – This is a foundational course, targeting participants of various levels of experience and expertise. It is for free and available to anyone interested. Subjects covered include revenue raising, pooling revenues, purchasing, and benefit package design.

WHO condemns reported attacks using ambulances as weapons targeting civilians in Tikrit and Samarra, Iraq
November 2016 – WHO received reports of suicide bombers driving ambulances, killing more than 20 people and injuring dozens more at a checkpoint in Tikrit and a car park in Samarra. The reported use of medical vehicles as weapons threatens the ability to deliver health care and urgent medical services.

African leaders recognize importance of preventing and managing health emergencies on One Health Day
November 2016 – On the inaugural One Health Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling attention to the importance of using the One Health approach in order to more successfully prevent and manage public health emergencies and threats. One Health is an approach to designing health systems and services in ways that account for the link between human, animal and environmental health.

What we do

Dr Chan, WHO Director-General, visits Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India, three of the four countries where indigenous transmission of wild poliovirus has not yet been interrupted.

WHO

Health emergencies programme

WHO Health Emergencies Programme delivers rapid, predictable, and comprehensive support to countries and communities as they prepare for, face or recover from emergencies caused by any type of hazard to human health, whether disease outbreaks, natural or man-made disasters or conflicts.

Zika virus and complications

After a spike in cases of microcephaly and Guillain-Barré syndrome associated with Zika virus, WHO declared a public health emergency.

Commentaries

What’s good for the planet is good for health

"The devastating consequences of air pollution affect both the climate and health. They are seen everywhere from smog-encircled mega-cities to village dwellings filled with smoke from indoor cooking."

Dr. Margaret Chan, Director-General of WHO
El Houssaine Louardi, Minister of Health, Morocco
Hakima El Haite, Minister of the Environment, Morocco