Latest news

Madagascar plague: preventing regional spread

WHO/E. Musa

2 November 2017 – More than 1800 suspected, probable, or confirmed plague cases were reported in Madagascar from August to late October 2017, resulting in 127 deaths. WHO has moved quickly in response to this unusually severe outbreak by supporting the Government of Madagascar, while at the same time working with nearby countries and territories to prevent regional spread.

• Feature story

• Leadership
• Hepatitis
• Nigeria
• Tuberculosis

WHO meeting concludes with commitment to delivering results in countries

WHO

2 November 2017 – This week more than 260 of the WHO’s leaders from headquarters, regional and country offices gathered in Geneva to discuss how to transform WHO into an organization that is better able to deliver meaningful improvements in health to the world’s people. It was first time that WHO’s new Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has had the opportunity to meet face-to-face with all senior leadership in the same room.

• Statement

Close to 3 million people access hepatitis C cure

WHO/PAHO/H. Ruiz

31 October 2017 – On the eve of the World Hepatitis Summit in Brazil, WHO reports increasing global momentum in the response to viral hepatitis. A record 3 million people were able to obtain treatment for hepatitis C over the past two years, and 2.8 million more people embarked on lifelong treatment for hepatitis B in 2016. The Summit aims to encourage more countries to take decisive action to tackle hepatitis, which still causes more than 1.3 million deaths every year and affects more than 325 million people.

• Press release

Tackling malaria and polio in north-eastern Nigeria

WHO/P. Utomi Ekpei

31 October 2017 – In Nigeria’s Borno State, malaria is currently claiming more lives than all other diseases combined. Children under the age of 5 are particularly vulnerable. WHO recently launched a special campaign in this state aimed at rapidly reducing the malaria burden among young children and, at the same time, protecting them against polio.

• Photo story
• Interview with Dr Pedro Alonso, Director of the WHO Global Malaria Programme

Greater political commitment to end tuberculosis needed

WHO

30 October 2017 – Global efforts to combat tuberculosis (TB) have saved an estimated 53 million lives since 2000 and reduced the TB mortality rate by 37%, according to the Global TB Report 2017, released by WHO today. Despite these achievements, the latest picture is grim. TB remains the top infectious killer in 2016. TB is also the main cause of deaths related to antimicrobial resistance and the leading killer of people with HIV. Progress in most countries is stalling and is not fast enough to reach global targets or close persistent gaps in TB care and prevention.

• Press release

Highlights

• WHO helps Kenya guard against Marburg Virus Disease
  November 2017 – WHO is helping the Kenyan Ministry of Health guard against the spread of Marburg Virus Disease from neighbouring Uganda. Health authorities are strengthening preparedness measures in Trans Nzoia and West Pokot counties along the border with Uganda, where an outbreak was officially declared on 19 October.

• Global Nutrition Summit 2017: Milan
  November 2017 – Building upon the spirit and outcomes of the L'Aquila Food Security Initiative, the Milan Expo 2015, the 2nd International Conference on Nutrition (ICN2) and the G7 Summit in Taormina, the Nutrition for Growth Stakeholder Group will organize a day-long, high-level summit on nutrition and food for a healthier future which is co-facilitated and co-hosted by the Italian G7 Presidency, the City of Milan and Ministry of Health: the Milan Global Nutrition Summit.

• Video: The eHealth journey in Latvia
  October 2017 – The Ministry of Health of Latvia has created a national programme of electronic health (eHealth). As part of an ambitious, long-term national health reform agenda, the eHealth programme has been a key element of ensuring that Latvian people receive the right care in the right place and at the right time.

• Using digital technology to strengthen public health services in Africa
  October 2017 – With Africa currently undergoing a digital revolution, WHO and the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) signed a Cooperation Agreement, on using digital services to save lives and improve people’s health.