Industry News

COVID-19 has unfairly impacted some people more harshly than others, exacerbating existing inequities in health and welfare within and between countries. For World Health Day, 7 April 2021, WHO is therefore issuing five calls for urgent action to improve health for all people.

Leading experts engaged in the science-policy interface of public health, biodiversity, and climate change will collaborate in an innovative initiative led by the WHO and IUCN to help guide decision makers toward a healthier, greener and more sustainable future as they navigate the challenges of the post-COVID-19 era.

The report of the international team on their Wuhan field visit, from 14 January -10 February 2021, was published today as WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for further studies.

Join our stellar list of speakers as they (1) explore the evidence on the prevalence and incidence of hepatitis C virus among men who have sex with men with a particular focus on implications for PrEP programs, (2) discuss WHO guidance on hepatitis B and C prevention, testing and treatment to support best practices for PrEP programs, and (3) share experiences from implementing HIV PrEP and viral hepatitis services in Asia and Europe, highlighting clinician and community perspectives.

Falsified COVID-19 Vaccine BNT162b2 identified in the WHO region of the Americas. This WHO Medical Product Alert refers to falsified COVID-19 Vaccine identified as “BNT162b2” detected in Mexico in February 2021 and recently confirmed as falsified to the WHO. The falsified product was supplied and administered to patients outside authorized vaccination programs.

Some countries in the European Union have temporarily suspended use of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine as a precautionary measure based on reports of rare blood coagulation disorders in persons who had received the vaccine. Other countries in the EU – having considered the same information - have decided to continue using the vaccine in their immunization programmes.

The WHO Department of Nutrition and Food Safety (NFS), through the work of the Nutrition Guidance Expert Advisory Group (NUGAG) Subgroup on Policy Actions, is providing evidence-informed WHO guidance on effective policy measures to support Member States in developing enabling food environment to promote healthy diets and nutrition. Priority policy measures include nutrition labelling policies, policies to restrict marketing to children, fiscal and pricing policies, and school food and nutrition policies.

Countries must set ambitious national climate commitments if they are to sustain a healthy and green recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The WHO COP26 Special Report on Climate Change and Health, launched today, in the lead-up to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, spells out the global health community’s prescription for climate action based on a growing body of research that establishes the many and inseparable links between climate and health.

World misses most 2020 mental health targets; extension of WHO Mental Health Action Plan to 2030 provides new opportunity for progress

As the pandemic continues to challenge health systems capacity for delivering essential services, International Safe Abortion Day is an opportunity to celebrate global efforts to protect ongoing provision of comprehensive abortion care.