Avian flu reported in 108 countries across five continents, says UN health agency
In an update on the mutating virus - known as H5N1 – Dr. Madhur Dhingra from the Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO, said that...
It’s time to end physical punishment of kids once and for all, WHO says
Corporal punishment refers most frequently to hitting children but can refer to any punishments inflicted by parents, caregivers or teachers which are intended to...
At Rafah border crossing to Gaza, UN’s Guterres calls for immediate ceasefire
In a tradition that started when he served as the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to shine a light on Muslim communities in distress,...
Cyberattacks on healthcare: A global threat that can’t be ignored
According to a 2021 global survey, more than one-third of responding health institutions reported at least one ransomware attack in the preceding year, and...
Gaza: WHO chief hails ‘massive success’ of polio campaign amid tragic reality
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted that it had been “a massive success amidst a tragic daily reality of life” for more than two...
‘One Earth, One Health’: Yoga Day provides respite in a tumultuous world
This powerful message of International Yoga Day, observed annually on 21 June, reverberated through UN Headquarters in New York on Friday as hundreds gathered...
Thousands of Gaza patients waiting for urgent medical evacuation
On Monday, World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative Rik Peeperkorn told UN News about the desperate conditions he had seen at Al-Ahli before the attack,...
Antibiotic resistance surges globally, UN health agency warns
According to the agency’s latest surveillance report, antibiotic resistance rose in more than 40 per cent of the bacteria-drug combinations tracked between 2018 and...
UN upholds safety and efficacy of Gaza polio vaccine
Dire conditions brought on by the war have caused the disease to resurface after more than two decades. Last week, a case was confirmed...
Afghan quake aftermath: Children facing heightened risk from disease
The severe risk of disease outbreak comes after a 6.3-magnitude earthquake hit a remote eastern area of Afghanistan on 31 August near the Pakistan...
WHO guidance takes aim at ‘antibiotic pollution’ from manufacturing labs
The directive covers wastewater and solid waste management for manufacturing of antibiotics, and comes ahead of a High-Level Meeting on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) that...
WHO approves first mpox vaccine to boost access in Africa
The MVA-BN vaccine from the Danish pharmaceutical company Bavarian Nordic was prequalified by the WHO on Friday and has already been approved in Europe...
Gaza war continues to shut hundreds of thousands out of class
Almost 625,000 children in the enclave have already lost an entire school year following the 7 October 2023 terror attacks by Hamas and other...
AI-powered art puts ‘digital environmentalism’ on display at UN Headquarters
Abstract shapes in green, orange and white flow into and out of each other in an endless, never-repeating pattern, combined with ambient music that...
Iconic cartoon character Mafalda realizes her dream of being a UN interpreter
Mafalda, the inquisitive and sharp-witted creation of the late humorist Quino, also fulfilled a long-held dream on her birthday: “to learn languages to be...
What is the World Health Organization and why does it matter?
From laboratories to battlefields, the United Nations specialised health agency has been dedicated to the wellbeing of all people since 1948. It is guided...
WHO marks 20 years of its lifesaving tobacco control treaty
The agency is this week celebrating the 20th anniversary of the entry into force of its Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) –...
Gaza: Israeli strikes delay polio vaccine campaign in the north
“Humanitarian pauses are essential for its success, allowing partners to deliver vaccination supplies to health facilities, families to safely access vaccination sites, and mobile...
Health teams brave war conditions in Sudan to save newborn babies
Under shelling and gunfire, Esraa cradled her newborn son. As the war in Sudan broke out in April 2023, she was trying to reach...
Investing in clean air can saves lives and combat climate change
This year’s International Day for Clean air and Blue Skies, celebrated annually on 7 September, is focused on the theme ‘Invest in #CleanAirNow’ and...
Every hour, 100 people die of loneliness-related causes, UN health agency reports
Loneliness is linked to approximately 100 deaths every hour – more than 871,000 deaths annually. By contrast, strong social connections are associated with better...
UN General Assembly boosts global flight against illegal trade in cultural artifacts
Backed by more than 140 nations and adopted without a vote, the resolution recognised that addressing the unlawful trade in such items is vital...
Air pollution is on the rise – but not everywhere, says UN weather agency
“Air quality respects no boundaries,” said Lorenzo Labrador, Scientific Officer at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). “The smoke and the pollution that issues from...
Haiti: Education in jeopardy as gang violence continues
The continued surge in armed gang activity, particularly in the capital, Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas, has put immense pressure on local communities and their...
