World Health Organization (WHO) / Press Release

Source: World Health Organization (WHO) | Jan 22, 2021

Coronavirus: COVAX announces new agreement, plans for first deliveries

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

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…

Source: World Health Organization (WHO) | Jan 15, 2021

Emergency Committee on COVID-19 advises on variants, vaccines

The committee urged WHO to develop a standardized system for naming new variants that avoids geographical markers, an area WHO has already begun work on

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…

Source: World Health Organization (WHO) | Nov 30, 2020

WHO calls for reinvigorated action to fight malaria

Global malaria gains threatened by access gaps, COVID-19 and funding shortfalls

The World Health Organization (WHO) is calling on countries and global health partners to step up the fight against malaria, a preventable and treatable disease that continues to claim hundreds of thousands of lives each year. A better targeting of interventions, new tools and increased funding are needed to change…

Source: World Health Organization (WHO) | Nov 18, 2020

11th Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared over

The outbreak took place in communities scattered across dense rain forests as well as crowded urban areas, creating logistical challenges

Today marks the end of the 11th Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), nearly six months after the first cases were reported in Equateur Province. The outbreak took place in communities scattered across dense rain forests as well as crowded urban areas, creating logistical challenges. These…

Source: World Health Organization (WHO) | Oct 24, 2020

Coronavirus: How polio personnel are pivoting against COVID-19

On World Polio Day, we recognize the immense contributions of polio workers to COVID-19 response and acknowledge the major challenges ahead

World Polio Day, on 24 October, is when the world comes together to celebrate the determination that has brought us 99% of the way to ending polio, and reflect on the heights we must scale to defeat the disease completely. This year, Africa was declared free of wild poliovirus, a…

Source: World Health Organization (WHO) | Oct 05, 2020

COVID-19 disrupting mental health services in most countries, WHO survey finds

World Mental Health Day on 10 October to highlight urgent need to increase investment in chronically underfunded sector

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted or halted critical mental health services in 93% of countries worldwide while the demand for mental health is increasing, according to a new WHO survey. The survey of 130 countries provides the first global data showing the devastating impact of COVID-19 on access to mental…

Source: World Health Organization (WHO) | Oct 01, 2020

World leaders, celebrities to join WHO’s Big Event for Mental Health on 10 October

Close to 1 billion people are living with a mental disorder, 3 million people die every year from the harmful use of alcohol and one person dies every 40 seconds by suicide

On 10 October, World Mental Health Day, world leaders and internationally-recognized celebrities and mental health advocates will come together for the World Health Organization’s Big Event for Mental Health. WHO’s first-ever online advocacy event for mental health will focus on the urgent need to address the world’s chronic under-investment in mental health ̶ a problem…

Source: World Health Organization (WHO) | Sep 28, 2020

Coronavirus: Global partnership to make available 120 million affordable, quality COVID-19 rapid tests for low- and middle-income countries

The Global Fund commits an initial US$50 million to enable countries to purchase the new tests

A full access package includes WHO policy guidance on the use of antigen-based rapid diagnostic tests, manufacturer volume guarantees for low and middle-income countries, catalytic funding to assist governments to deploy the tests and an initial US$50 million procurement fund; several rapid, point-of-care antigen tests are being assessed by WHO for…

Source: World Health Organization (WHO) | Sep 25, 2020

Coronavirus: US$35 billion price tag to end the acute phase of the pandemic

Partners lay out investment needed to speed up access to COVID-19 diagnostics, vaccines and treatments

The ACT-Accelerator is the only global initiative offering a solution to speed up the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. Launched on 24 April 2020, it combines public and private sector expertise and institutions from around the world to accelerate the development, regulatory approval, scale-up, delivery and equitable allocation of COVID-19 tests,…

Source: World Health Organization (WHO) | Sep 23, 2020

COVID-19 pandemic: countries urged to take stronger action to stop spread of harmful information

WHO and partners urged countries to engage and listen to their communities as they develop their national action plans

The World Health Organization (WHO) together with the UN, specialised agencies and partners today called on countries to develop and implement action plans to promote the timely dissemination of science-based information and prevent the spread of false information while respecting freedom of expression. WHO, the UN, UNICEF, UNAIDS, the UN…

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