Ramped-up emergency preparedness, part of ‘changing the DNA’ of the UN’s health agency
New York, Mar 7 (IBNS): Better preparing itself to respond to emergency situations is just one of a sweeping range of changes the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Wednesday to further improve its role as the world’s leading authority on public health.
New French study shows baby diapers contain harmful chemicals
Toronto, Jan 31 (IBNS): A new French study, conducted by Anses, which is a French agency in charge of food, environmental, and occupation health and safety, published last week that diapers contain harmful substances including carcinogen, as classified by the World Health Organization (WHO), media reports said.
Crucial medical supplies airlifted to north-east Syria to meet ‘desperate need’
New York, Jan 24 (IBNS): In response to the growing health needs of people in north-east Syria, the World Health Organization (WHO) has airlifted urgent medical supplies to the region, for the second time this month.
First-ever World Braille Day underscores importance of written language for human rights
New York, Jan 4 (IBNS): To raise awareness of the importance of Braille for approximately 1.3 billion people living with some form of distance or near vision impairment, on Friday the United Nations is observing the first official World Braille Day.
‘Repeated attacks’ could close down key hospital in eastern Libya, says WHO
New York, Dec 28 (IBNS): The World Health Organization (WHO) has strongly condemned an armed attack in Al Jala Hospital in Libya’s second-largest city of Benghazi, which took place on Tuesday, warning that further assaults could shutter the key facility.
Road injuries leading cause of death for the young, despite safety gains: UN report
New York, Dec 8 (IBNS): Latest statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO reveal that 1.35 million people die on the roads each year, while road traffic injuries are now the leading cause of death among young people, according to new statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO).
UN-led tobacco control advocates denounce ‘increasingly vicious’ industry interference
New York, Oct 5 (IBNS): Tobacco giants are adopting new ways and “disguises” to push their products, noxious both for people and the environment, and interfere with government efforts to regulate the sale and use of tobacco, the head of the Secretariat of the WHO FCTC, the United Nations-led tobacco control treaty, has told UN News.
New York, May 19 (IBNS): An emergency meeting of United Nations health experts said on Friday that the Ebola outbreak in north-west Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) – where cases of the deadly disease have been confirmed in an urban area – does not yet meet the criteria to be deemed a “public health emergency of international concern.”
Dangers persist for nearly a million Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh: WHO
New York, May 9 (IBNS): Renewed efforts are underway in Bangladesh to protect nearly one million Myanmar refugees from cholera, amid a warning from the UN health agency on Tuesday that “we’re not out of the woods yet”.
‘Bad’ fats targeted in new global health guidelines
New York, May 5 (IBNS): People everywhere need to cut down on their consumption of artery-clogging fatty foods, the World Health Organization (WHO) is urging, in a new report released on Friday.
UN’s advice for hospitals: Help mothers breastfeed to give babies best possible start in life
New York, Apr 12 (IBNS): Breastfeeding within the first hour of birth protects newborns from infections and saves lives, United Nations agencies said at the roll-out of their 10-step guidance to help new mothers and hospital workers embrace this practical advice and give children the best possible start in life.
WHO says 500 patients showed symptoms of chemical attack in Syria
New York, Apr 11 (IBNS): World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday said it is deeply alarmed by reports of the suspected use of toxic chemicals in Syrian city of Douma and said 500 patients showed chemical attack symptoms.
Dhaka, Mar 29 (IBNS): With a grossly underfunded health sector grappling to meet the needs of 1.3 million Rohingyas in Bangladesh’s Cox’s Bazar, the World Health Organization has appealed to the international community to contribute generously to enable appropriate and timely health services to this highly vulnerable population, now facing grave risks to their lives and health in view of the coming rainy season.
Over 700 000 people vaccinated against cholera in Cox’s Bazar
Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh Oct 20 (IBNS): More than 700 000 people over the age of one year have been administered oral cholera vaccine in the first phase of a campaign here to protect the newly arrived Rohingya population and their host communities against the deadly diarrheal disease.
UN invited to monitor and assist fresh evacuation efforts under way in war-ravaged Aleppo
New York, Dec 16 (Just Earth News): The United Nations was on Thursday invited to monitor and assist in the renewed effort to evacuate sick and wounded civilians and opposition fighters from the remaining rebel-held areas of Syria’s war-ravaged city of Aleppo, a senior UN humanitarian envoy announced on Thursday.