World Health Organisation

World Health Day 2023: Here's a look at govt healthcare schemes for all

From the Universal Immunisation Programme to the setting up of National tele-mental health centers, here is a look at some of the initiatives undertaken by the government of India to ensure health for

World Health Day 2023: Know about the day promoting 'health for all'

The idea behind the day is to garner the attention of policymakers and officials to push for a greater allocation of resources towards the health and well-being of the people, says WHO

World Tuberculosis Day 2023: Its historical significance, symptoms, cure

The theme of 2023 World Tuberculosis Day is 'Yes! We can end TB!'

India eighth most polluted country in the world; Lahore most polluted city

Bhiwadi, located on the outskirts of Delhi, was ranked among the two most polluted cities in the world. Delhi followed it closely behind

H3N2 influenza: Symptoms, spread, prevention, what do experts say?

Common symptoms of seasonal influenza include a sudden fever, a cough (usually dry), a headache, muscle and joint pain, a sore throat, and a runny nose

Women's Day: Achieve access for women to digital innovations, says WHO

On International Women's Day, WHO is calling for action in the South-East Asia Region and across the world to ensure every woman and girl, everywhere has timely and equitable access to innovations

Need equitable access to digital innovations for women, girls: WHO

On the eve of International Women's Day on Tuesday, the WHO called for intensified action in Southeast Asia and the rest of the world to ensure that every woman and girl has equitable access to digital innovations that can support health and well-being. For both women and men, digital innovations and technologies hold immense potential to increase access to essential health services and improve health and well-being, said Poonam Khetrapal Singh, World Health Organisation's Regional Director for South-East Asia. However, gender inequality constrains the ability of women and girls to benefit, compounding existing inequities in health outcomes, she said. An estimated 61 per cent of women in the Asia Pacific use the internet, compared to 75 per cent of men. Women are about 12 per cent less likely to own mobile phones than men, and among those who don't own mobile phones, women outnumber men by 39 per cent, Singh said in a statement. Women are under-represented in technology sector jobs

Urgent and accelerated efforts needed for universal eye coverage: WHO

The World Health Organisation on Tuesday called for accelerated action to provide quality, affordable, integrated and people-cantered comprehensive eye care for everyone, addressing the increasing disproportionate burden of vision impairment and blindness in the WHO South-East Asia Region. Nearly 30 per cent of the 2.2 billion people living with vision impairment or blindness globally are in the WHO South-East Asia Region, it said. Addressing a high-level meeting of member countries on 'Integrated People-Centred Eye Care' in Hyderabad, Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, said, "This huge burden is unacceptable as nearly half the global vision impairment could have been prevented or are yet to be addressed." Young children and older people are most vulnerable, while women, rural populations and ethnic minority groups are more likely to have vision impairment and less likely to access care, she said. The increased prevalence of vision impairment and blindness in the region

WHO urges cross-border humanitarian aid delivery between Turkey, Syria

Turkey has suffered cataclysmic casualties, Kluge underlined, with more than 31,000 deaths and 100,000 people injured due to the earthquakes

No immediate Covid-19 outbreak threat from China, says WHO Europe director

The director of the World Health Organisation's Europe office said Tuesday that the agency sees no immediate threat" for the European region from a COVID-19 outbreak in China, but more information is needed. China is battling a nationwide outbreak of the coronavirus after abruptly easing restrictions. Hans Kluge said that, based on the information WHO had received from china, there was no threat, but more detailed and regular information was required from China to monitor the evolving situation. We cannot be complacent, he added. Several countries have imposed COVID-19 testing requirements on Chinese travellers. Australia and Canada require travellers from China to take a COVID-19 test prior to boarding their flight. Other countries including the U.S., India, Japan, South Korea and several European nations have announced tougher COVID-19 measures on travellers from China amid concerns over a lack of data on infections in China and fears that new variants may emerge. China has thr

Companies protest WHO guidelines to increase taxes on soft drinks

Higher global taxes on carbonated drinks have not led to decline in consumption, say firms

WHO worried about surge of Covid cases in China amid lack of information

The head of the World Health Organisation said on Wednesday the agency is concerned about the risk to life in China amid the coronavirus' explosive spread across the country and the lack of outbreak data from the Chinese government. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the agency recently met with Chinese officials to underline the importance of sharing more details about COVID-19 issues including hospitalisation rates and genetic sequences, even as the pandemic continues to recede globally since it began in late 2019. Data remains essential for WHO to carry out regular, rapid and robust risk assessments of the global situation, Tedros said at a press briefing. Tedros said he understood why numerous countries have recently taken measures against travellers coming from China, saying it's understandable that some countries are taking steps to prevent their citizens given the void of information about COVID-19. WHO emergencies chief Dr. Michael Ryan said the testing ..

Patchy recovery: How 2022 swung from despair to hope to caution

Even as it grappled with new viruses, the human race hit another milestone

Hyderabad-based drug major Hetero prices Paxlovid generic at $60 per course

Generic version of Pfizer's Covid antiviral treatment would be exported for $70

As Covid-19 cases fall, Indians drag feet to get their booster shots

Less than 30,000 booster doses daily in December, vaccine coverage flat for two months

WHO "very concerned" about reports of severe COVID in China

The head of the World Health Organisation said the agency is very concerned about rising reports of severe coronavirus disease across China after the country largely abandoned its zero COVID policy, warning that its lagging vaccination rate could result in large numbers of vulnerable people getting infected. At a press briefing on Wednesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the UN agency needs more information on COVID-19 severity in China, particularly regarding hospital and intensive care unit admissions, in order to make a comprehensive risk assessment of the situation on the ground. WHO is very concerned over the evolving situation in China with increasing reports of severe disease, Tedros said. He added that while COVID deaths have dropped more than 90% since their global peak, there were still too many uncertainties about the virus to conclude that the pandemic is over. Some scientists have warned that the unchecked spread of COVID-19 in China could spur th

WHO stands by action of issuing alert against Maiden Pharma cough syrup

Asserts that testing done in labs in Ghana and Switzerland confirmed excess levels of contaminated syrups that are "dangerous and should not be in any medicine, ever"

India sees most number of cervical cancer cases, deaths in Asia: Lancet

Lancet report titled, "Global estimates of incidence and mortality of cervical cancer in 2020: a baseline analysis of the WHO Global Cervical Cancer Elimination Initiative," highlights glaring reality

WHO chief asks China to share data for identifying origins of Covid-19

World Health Organization (WHO) head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday called on China to share the requested data concerning Covid-19 in a bid to understand the origins of the virus

Covid burden falls in Africa but vigilance crucial in year-end season: WHO

Although the level of COVID-19 infections across the African continent is at its lowest since the start of the pandemic two years ago, a recent four-week sustained increase calls for maintaining vigilance as the year-end holiday season sets in, the World Health Organization's Africa director has said. Despite the recent uptick, there is hope that Africa will be spared the challenges of the previous two years, when surging cases and deaths withered normal life and caused deep devastation. While the current trends keep the pandemic under control, we are carefully monitoring its evolution, said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa at an online media briefing Thursday. The investments made in the COVID-19 fight over the last three years were paying off, with the region better able to cope with the virus and its health emergency response systems bolstered, he said. We must remain vigilant, continue to increase vaccination coverage and be ready to adopt more stringent ..