World Health Organization

Chinese health officials lash out at WHO, defend Covid-19 virus search

Chinese health officials defended their search for the source of the COVID-19 virus and lashed out Saturday at the World Health Organisation after its leader said Beijing should have shared genetic information earlier. The WHO comments were offensive and disrespectful," said the director of the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shen Hongbing. He accused the WHO of attempting to smear China and said it should avoid helping others "politicize COVID-19. The global health body's director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said March 17 that newly disclosed genetic material gathered in Wuhan in central China, where the first cases were detected in late 2019, should have been shared three years ago. As a responsible country and as scientists, we have always actively shared research results with scientists from around the world, Shen said at a news conference. The origins of COVID-19 are still debated and the focus of bitter political dispute. Many scientists believe it

Lack of Wuhan data disclosure by China is simply inexcusable: WHO

The World Health Organisation has slammed China once again, saying the country should have shared viral samples from Wuhan which was the epicentre of the pandemic, immediately, and not 3 years later

Rajasthan Right to Health Act: The provisions and why doctors protested

The Right to Health Bill passed by the Rajasthan Assembly gives residents the right to free consultation, drugs, diagnostics and emergency care at all public hospitals

WHO calls for urgent efforts to bridge gaps accentuated by Covid-19

On the eve of World Health Day, WHO on Thursday called for concerted and urgent efforts to bridge gaps accentuated by the COVID-19 pandemic and achieving health for all through universal health coverage. WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh said the world health body is fully committed to achieving health for all through universal health coverage (UHC) and facilitating access to essential health services for all without financial hardship. On the World Health Day, the World Health Organisation (WHO) celebrates 75 years of improving public health and well-being globally. For decades, and even before the 1978 Declaration of Alma-Ata, leaders and policy makers from across the region have recognised the critical role that access for all to quality, affordable and comprehensive primary health care (PHC) can play in achieving UHC and therefore, health for all, she said. This has been well reflected in the region's renewed and decade-long push to achieve UHC

One in six people globally are affected by infertility, says WHO report

An estimated one in six people globally are affected by infertility, according to a new report from the World Health Organization published on Tuesday. The global health body noted that around 17.5 per cent of the adult population experience infertility, showing the urgent need to increase access to affordable, high-quality fertility care for those in need. The new estimates show limited variation in the prevalence of infertility between regions. The rates are comparable for high-, middle- and low-income countries, indicating that this is a major health challenge globally. Lifetime prevalence was 17.8 per cent in high-income countries and 16.5 per cent in low- and middle-income countries. WHO said. "The report reveals an important truth: infertility does not discriminate," said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General at WHO. "The sheer proportion of people affected show the need to widen access to fertility care and ensure this issue is no longer sidelined in health research

Healthy kids, adolescents may no longer need Covid shots, says WHO

Older people and higher-risk groups - including those with underlying conditions - should get Covid boosters between six and 12 months after their last injections

WHO's group of experts on immunisation updates Covid vaccination guidance

The guidance newly considers the cost-effectiveness of Covid-19 vaccination for those at lower risk like healthy children and adolescents compared to other health interventions

WHO rebukes Chinese officials of withholding data on Coronavirus' origin

The World Health Organisation rebuked Chinese officials for withholding scientific research that may reveal the origin of the coronavirus, The New York Times reported

Covid could settle down this year, may pose similar threat to flu: WHO

"I think we're coming to that point where we can look at Covid-19 in the same way we look at seasonal influenza," WHO emergencies director Michael Ryan told a press conference

The complex health challenge of AMR and the need for One Health Approach

Often referred as a silent pandemic, AMR is one of the top 10 global health threats facing humanity according to WHO

World off-track to cut 30% sodium intake to achieve global target: WHO

The world is off-track to achieve its global target of reducing sodium intake by 30 per cent by 2025, which is essential to save millions of lives globally, according to a first-of-its-kind report by the World Health Organization (WHO). Sodium, an essential nutrient, increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and premature death when consumed in excess. The main source of sodium is table salt (sodium chloride), but it is also a part of other condiments such as sodium glutamate which is naturally found in some foods and is also used as a flavour enhancer. The global average salt intake is estimated to be 10.8 grams per day, more than double the WHO recommendation of less than 5 grams of salt per day (one teaspoon). The report shows that only 5 per cent of WHO member states are protected by mandatory and comprehensive sodium reduction policies and 73 per cent of members lack full range of implementation of such policies. India has mandatory declaration of sodium on pre-packaged foo

WHO fires director in Asia accused of racist misconduct, abusive behaviour

The World Health Organisation has fired its top official in the Western Pacific after the Associated Press reported last year that dozens of staff members accused him of racist, abusive and unethical behaviour that may have compromised the U.N. health agency's response to the coronavirus pandemic. In an email sent to employees on Wednesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Dr. Takeshi Kasai's appointment had been terminated after an internal investigation resulted in findings of misconduct. Tedros did not refer to Kasai by name, referencing only his title as regional director in the Western Pacific. It is the first time in WHO's history that a regional director has been dismissed. This has been an unprecedented and challenging journey for all of us, Tedros wrote. He said that the process of naming a new regional director for the Western Pacific would begin next month, with the election to be held in October. The Japanese government, which supported Kasai's ...

World Hearing Day: Awareness as important as treatments to fix impairment

4 in 1,000 children in India suffer from hearing loss, according to WHO

WHO chief Ghebreyesus vows to push for answers on coronavirus origins

Solving the mystery of where the SARS-CoV-2 virus came from and how it began spreading among humans is considered vital for averting future pandemics

Urgently address gaps in leprosy services disrupted by Covid pandemic: WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Sunday urged countries, especially those in the South-East Asia Region, to urgently address gaps in leprosy services disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The global health organisation asked these countries to accelerate efforts towards achieving the goal of zero leprosy disease, stigma and discrimination -- the vision of the WHO Global Leprosy Strategy 2021-2030. Leprosy is 100 per cent curable when detected early, yet today in addition to COVID-19-related challenges, stigma and discrimination, both institutionalised and informal, continue to impede prompt diagnosis and treatment and facilitate onward spread, said Poonam Khetrapal Singh, regional director of WHO South-East Asia. "This has to change, she said on the eve of World Leprosy day. In 2021, 1,40,000 new leprosy cases were reported, with 95 per cent of new cases coming from the 23 global priority countries. Of these, 6 per cent were diagnosed with visible deformities or grade-2 ...

WHO hail India's G20 Presidency; say it should be a beacon for others

A WHO official termed India's presidency at the G20 Health Working Group meeting as an "exciting moment in history" and said it has bolstered the voice of the Global South

WHO issues fresh Covid-19 guidelines; here's all you need to know

WHO has updated its guidelines on wearing masks in community settings, Covid-19 treatments, and clinical management

Uzbekistan cough syrup case: Production licence of Marion Biotech suspended

The production licence of Noida-based pharmaceutical firm Marion Biotech, allegedly linked with the deaths of children in Uzbekistan, has been suspended while the results of its controversial cough syrup are awaited, an Uttar Pradesh drug official said Thursday. A team of central agencies and the Uttar Pradesh drug department had carried out an inspection at the firm's office here on December 29 and taken six more samples for testing. During the inspection, the company representatives could not produce documents related to the production of 'Dok-1 max' cough syrup, prompting the government to order halting of its production immediately, Gautam Buddh Nagar Drug Inspector Vaibhav Babbar said. "The production licence of the firm remains suspended, as was ordered on December 29. Now the suspension order has been issued in writing to the firm on January 10 and has been acknowledged by the firm," Babbar told PTI. On the status of the test results, the officer said the samples were taken

WHO warns against use of 'substandard' cough syrups linked to Uzbek deaths

"The substandard products referenced in this Alert are unsafe and their use, especially in children, may result in serious injury or death," said WHO

China threatens tit for tat over Covid-19 curbs on its travellers

Up to 70% of Shanghai population infected with coronavirus: Top doctor