World Health Organization

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced a new milestone digital health collaboration today to expand the Hajj health card initiative to support the roughly 3 million pilgrims who undertake the holy pilgrimage every year.

The Hajj health card, built on the WHO Global Digital Health Certification Network’s public key infrastructure, summarizes critical health information, such as medication needs, allergies, immunization status and pre-existing conditions. The card gives individuals agency over their own health information when they travel to Saudi Arabia so that they can provide authorized health providers access to accurate, up-to-date patient summary information and obtain personalized quality care.

“Today marks a notable progress in WHO’s support to Member States to expand access to safer and person-centered digital health tools for people to improve their access to quality health care when and where they need it,” said Dr Jeremy Farrar, WHO Chief Scientist. “We are thankful for the excellent collaboration with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, participating countries, and the WHO Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, and look forward to further support building capacity and infrastructure in countries shifting to more digitized health systems.”

The Hajj is the largest pilgrimage in the world, drawing almost 3 million pilgrims from over 180 countries every year. Over 250 000 pilgrims from 3 countries, Indonesia, Malaysia and Oman, were issued Hajj health cards in 2024, as part of the pilot collaboration between WHO and Saudi Arabia. This test-phase demonstrated that each country was able to use global standards to issue their own national versions of the card, enhancing the pilgrims’ safety and quality of care while undertaking the Hajj.

WHO and Saudi Arabia agreed to further collaborate to improve and expand upon the successful pilot programme for the Hajj health card. The expertise and support from the Saudi government and their digital implementing partner LEAN, will enable increased data security and essential technical support to additional countries joining the Hajj health card programme.

“This exciting partnership between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the World Health Organization to expand the Hajj health card initiative enhances the safety and well-being of millions of pilgrims,” said Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO). “By leveraging digital health solutions, we strengthen quality of care, and help strengthen health systems in the Eastern Mediterranean Region and around the world."

Eighty countries joined the WHO’s digital health certification network

WHO launched the Global Digital Health Certification Network (GDHCN) in 2023 building on a successful collaboration with the European Union and other partnering countries to support COVID-19 vaccination certificates. The GDHCN now includes over 80 WHO Member States that have established systems to verify the authenticity of health information between each other, leveraging a new global ISO standard, IPS – the International Patient Summary.

The GDHCN is based on a robust public key infrastructure (PKI) encryption system that keeps health credentials verifiable and secure, allowing national authorities and health providers to trust the authenticity of health documents across borders without compromising individual privacy.

The initiative aims to bring a digital health future where people can carry internationally recognized health credentials for improved travel and health care access. This enables greater access and control for people over their health information with the ability to select and decide which health information should be shared when seeking care domestically or abroad.

By joining WHO’s certification network, countries can cut down on administration processes, making border controls more efficient and health visits better informed. The global network lays the groundwork for long-term improvements in international health collaboration, enabling future use-cases such as cross-border e-prescriptions, insurance, and even telemedicine.

 

The World Health Organization (WHO) has certified Egypt as malaria-free, marking a significant public health milestone for a country with more than 100 million inhabitants. The achievement follows a nearly 100-year effort by the Egyptian government and people to end a disease that has been present in the country since ancient times.

On 16 October, the Ministry of Public Health of Lebanon confirmed a cholera case, highlighting the escalating health risks amidst ongoing conflict. The case was identified in Akkar governorate in the north of the country, marking the first case since the October 2022-June 2023 outbreak was declared over. Authorities are investigating the extent of the disease’s spread, gathering samples from the patient’s contacts, and assessing potential water contamination. 

“WHO has been sounding the alarm on the risk of emerging infectious diseases like cholera resurfacing in Lebanon as a result of poor water and sanitation conditions and the impact of the current conflict,” said Dr Abdinasir Abubakar, WHO Representative in Lebanon. “Our immediate focus now is to enhance surveillance and water sanitation conditions to interrupt transmission and prevent further spread.”

The current resurgence occurs as conflict strains Lebanon’s already overburdened health system, exacerbating displacement, and contributing to a further decline in water and sanitation services and infrastructure. Overcrowded shelters are not equipped to accommodate the increasing number of displaced people, raising the risks of the spread of cholera.

WHO is collaborating closely with the Ministry of Health and partners, leveraging lessons from the last outbreak in October 2022 to contain the disease outbreak and prevent its spread. The 2022-2023 outbreak was the first in Lebanon in over 30 years and was driven by economic decline and inadequate access to clean water and sanitation, resulting in 8,007 suspected cases, 671 lab-confirmed cases, and 23 deaths.

Earlier in August, the Ministry of Public Health launched a preemptive oral cholera vaccination campaign in coordination with WHO, UHNCR, UNICEF and other partners, targeting 350 000 people living in high-risk areas. The campaign, which was interrupted by the escalation in violence, aimed to cover individuals aged one year and above residing in high-risk areas in 5 out of Lebanon’s 8 governorates.

In response to the detection of the current case, WHO has immediately activated a cholera preparedness and response plan to enhance surveillance and contact tracing, including environmental surveillance and water sampling, strengthen laboratory testing capacity, preposition cholera supplies and support infection prevention and control measures in designated treatment centre facilities.

On 4 and 5 October, a WHO shipment of essential health supplies arrived in Beirut to support the response to the ongoing emergency. The shipment of over 116 metric tons included cholera supplies as part of the preparedness and response plan. WHO will continue to procure and preposition essential cholera supplies, including laboratory supplies.

As part of the efforts to contain the outbreak, WHO and the Ministry of Public Health will explore whether to introduce oral cholera vaccines in high-risk areas to interrupt the transmission as early as possible

WHO is also supporting the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre at the Ministry of Public Health to coordinate response activities at national and subnational level in coordination with the health sector. These response activities include maintaining essential health services to ensure no interruption of health delivery while supporting case identification and management at health facilities, as well as strengthening risk communication and community engagement activities so that people are aware of symptoms, risk factors and preventive measures.

By implementing the comprehensive cholera preparedness and response plan, WHO together with MoPH and partners aims to limit transmission, reduce the burden of the disease, and improve overall health outcomes.

 

Geneva 17 October 2024 – This afternoon, His Excellency Mr Jérôme Bonnafont, Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations in Geneva, and WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus met in the WHO headquarters for the signing of seven contribution agreements.

The contribution totalling €24 million comes through the Ministry of Europe & Foreign Affairs. It fits in the France–WHO Framework Agreement for 2020 to 2025, which provides both a strategic framework for engagement, aligned with WHO priorities, while providing legal, administrative and financial instruments for operationalizing collaboration.

This latest contribution includes a generous €4.5 million in fully flexible voluntary funds for the Core Voluntary Contributions Account (CVCA).

Additionally, France will support key areas of WHO’s work, addressing some of the most pressing health challenges, including non-communicable diseases (NCDs), urban health labs, One Health, funding for the WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE), and several emergencies, such as the WHO response in Gaza, response to cholera outbreaks and mental health support in Ukraine.

France will also continue to support the WHO emergencies centre in Lyon which is playing a crucial role in preparedness and response to epidemics.

Ambassador Jérôme Bonnafont underscored the importance of this collaboration: “France remains deeply committed to supporting the World Health Organization in its efforts to tackle critical global health challenges. These agreements reflect our shared priorities of promoting health equity, responding to emergencies, and strengthening healthcare systems worldwide.”

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO, expressed his gratitude, stating, “We are immensely grateful to the French Government for its steadfast support to WHO, continued partnership and leadership in global health. This contribution will enable us to address key health threats, from non-communicable diseases to emergency response, helping to save lives and protect the most vulnerable populations.”

France is a strong supporter of a fully and flexibly financed WHO, providing leadership and support to the increase of assessed contributions to the Organization. France is also one of the co-hosts to WHO’s first Investment Round towards the mobilization of predictable and flexible resources for WHO’s core work on the Fourteenth General Programme of Work (2025–2028), approved by the World Health Assembly in 2024.

This signing ceremony marks another milestone in the strong and longstanding partnership between WHO and France, reinforcing their joint commitment to a healthier, safer world.

A new report on “Refugee and Migrant Health System Review: Challenges and Opportunities for Long-term Health System Strengthening in Uganda” calls for a holistic approach to fortifying Uganda’s health system.

Parliamentarians from across the globe gathered at the UNITE Global Summit in Berlin to sign a statement in support of the World Health Organization Pandemic Agreement. The statement, signed by the President of UNITE, members of its board, and parliamentarians around the world, marks a significant commitment from parliamentarians to strengthen pandemic preparedness, response, and equitable access to health. 

“Parliamentarians are the voice of the people and have a crucial responsibility in safeguarding public health,” said Ricardo Baptista Leite, President of UNITE. “The WHO Pandemic Agreement represents a historic opportunity to prevent pandemics and strengthen our global preparedness and response capabilities. By signing this statement, we are not only showing our support for the agreement but also pledging to ensure that its principles of equity, solidarity, and global cooperation are fully realized in every nation.”

The UNITE Global Summit, this year held in collaboration with the World Health Summit (WHS), is a high level gathering with a unique convergence of global parliamentarians, civil society leaders, and health experts. The summit aims to translate discussions into actionable policy priorities. It focuses on critical health challenges under four main pillars: Human Rights & Equitable Access to Health, Global Health Architecture & Security, Strengthening of Healthcare Systems, and Sustainable Financing for Health. The signing of the Global Parliamentary Statement in Support of the Pandemic Agreement is one of the summit’s key highlights, demonstrating the critical role of parliamentarians in ensuring global health security and safeguarding populations against future pandemics.

The Pandemic Agreement, currently under negotiation by WHO Member States, aims to address gaps exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the threats posed by mpox and other disease outbreaks. It seeks to strengthen global collaboration on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response. This statement represents Parliamentarians’ commitment to protect their fellow citizens by ensuring that all countries, regardless of resources, have equitable access to the tools, capacities, resources, and healthcare required during pandemics, including to vaccines, treatments, medical supplies, and vital healthcare information.

WHO Director-General welcomed this strong show of parliamentary support. “The WHO Pandemic Agreement represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a stronger, fairer, and more prepared global health system,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “By signing this statement, parliamentarians from around the world are showing their commitment to protecting lives from future pandemics and ensuring equitable access to vaccines, treatments, diagnostics and other health tools for every country, particularly those with fewer resources.”

As representatives of their citizens, parliamentarians worldwide are uniquely positioned to advocate for the conclusion of a meaningful Pandemic Agreement and for its ratification and implementation afterwards. The Global Parliamentary Statement emphasizes four key commitments: 

1. Equity at the Core: Ensuring equitable access to pandemic-related health tools based on public health need for everyone, especially countries with fewer resources.
2. Global Solidarity: Strengthening international cooperation to build resilient health systems that can prevent and respond to pandemics.
3. Legislative Action: Advocating for the ratification and implementation of the Pandemic Agreement within national legislatures, as appropriate.
4. Combating Misinformation: Providing communities with evidence-based health information to counter the spread of harmful misinformation.
   

Baptista Leite further emphasized the importance of collective action: “The challenges we face today demand a global response. No single country can prevent or combat pandemics alone. The WHO Pandemic Agreement is an essential step forward in ensuring that every nation has the tools, resources, and capabilities to respond to future health threats.” 

The WHO Pandemic Agreement needs to continue to garner broad international support from governments, global health organizations, and civil society. It reflects a shared understanding that pandemics know no borders and that global solidarity is essential for safeguarding the health and well-being of all people. The agreement also underscores the importance of sustainable financing, research and development, and capacity-building efforts to ensure that countries can respond swiftly and effectively to health emergencies.

As part of their commitment, parliamentarians will work closely with WHO and other international organizations to ensure that the Pandemic Agreement is implemented in a way that benefits all countries, particularly those with limited resources. The statement signed in Berlin is expected to act as a catalyst for global parliamentary action, fostering collaboration and solidarity among nations.

 

Since the escalation of hostilities between Israel and Lebanon on 17 September 2024, WHO has verified 23 attacks on health care in Lebanon that have led to 72 deaths and 43 injuries among health workers and patients. Fifteen incidents impacted health facilities, while 13 impacted health transport. Hospitals in Lebanon are already under massive strain as they strive to sustain essential health services while dealing with an unprecedented influx of injured people. Understaffed and under-resourced, the health system has been struggling to maintain uninterrupted services to all those in need with supplies being depleted and health workers exhausted.

Increasing conflict, intense bombardment and insecurity are forcing a growing number of health facilities to shut down, particularly in the south. Out of 207 primary health care centres and dispensaries in conflict-affected areas, 100 are now closed. Hospitals have had to close or evacuate due to structural damage or their proximity to areas of intense bombardment. As of today, 5 hospitals have been evacuated and another 5 partially evacuated, with critical cancer and dialysis patients referred to other hospitals also overwhelmed by increasing health needs. Dialysis centres are having to operate an extra three shifts to accommodate the referred patients while being under-resourced for essential blood testing supplies and personnel.

“The situation in Lebanon is alarming. Attacks on health care debilitate health systems and impede their ability to continue to perform. They also prevent entire communities from accessing health services when they need them the most,” said Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean. “WHO is working tirelessly with the Ministry of Public Health in Lebanon to address critical gaps and support the continuity of essential health services, but what people of Lebanon need most is an immediate ceasefire.”

In response to growing needs, WHO is supporting with delivery of essential supplies. On 4 and 5 October, four flights containing medical supplies for trauma care, cholera prevention and mental health treatment arrived from WHO’s logistics hub in Dubai to Beirut. The supplies, currently being distributed to priority hospitals in coordination with the Ministry of Public Health, are enough to treat around 100 000 patients. WHO is working to bring in additional supplies.

WHO continues to coordinate with the Lebanese Red Cross and hospitals to equip blood banks with adequate supplies, including testing supplies to support safe blood donation. Surgical trauma capacities, including life-limb saving skills are also being strengthened through war trauma surgery trainings for surgeons of various disciplines. WHO is also working with Ministry of Public Health of Lebanon to establish trauma centers within the existing referral hospitals and to plan for the deployment of Emergency Medical Teams.

WHO support is ongoing to the ministry’s Epidemiological Surveillance Unit to expand community-based surveillance on priority diseases in shelters hosting displaced people, especially for acute watery diarrhoea, respiratory infections, and other communicable diseases. WHO is also working to ensure that shelters are linked with primary health centres to support continuation of health services and dispensing essential medications.

WHO calls for attacks on health care to stop. Health care should be protected at all times. Peace is the only solution.

 

In a powerful demonstration of high-level support, the World Health Organization (WHO) today received nearly US$ 700 million in new funding commitments from European countries, foundations and others, and another US$ 300 million in reaffirmed commitments.

Announced at the WHO Investment Round Signature Event at the World Health Summit in Berlin hosted by Germany, France, and Norway, the commitments highlighted the urgent need for investments in the Organization’s mission to improve health outcomes worldwide.

The world’s global health strategy, WHO's Fourteenth General Programme of Work 2025-2028, was approved by WHO’s 194 Member States at the World Health Assembly in May. The Organization’s first ever Investment Round, also launched at the Assembly, aims to ensure that WHO has the predictable, flexible, and resilient funding it needs to effectively partner with countries to implement the strategy.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz; the Prime Ministers of Estonia (Kristen Michal), Montenegro (Milojko Spajić), and Norway (Jonas Gahr Støre); government Ministers and representatives of Germany, France, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Spain, and the United Kingdom of Great Britian and Northern Ireland (UK); Wellcome CEO John-Arne Røttingen; European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen; Gates Foundation Chair Bill Gates; and Gavi CEO Sania Nishtar were among leaders making commitments or speaking in support of WHO during the high-level event.

Federal Chancellor Scholz said Germany was committing nearly US$ 400 million of funding to WHO over the next four years, including more than US$ 260 million in new voluntary funding. In his address, the Chancellor said: “The WHO’s work benefits us all. What it needs for this work is sustainable financing that gives it the certainty to plan ahead and the flexibility to react."

Global health foundation partners and CEOs made pledges including Wellcome, with a US$ 50 million commitment, and the Institute for Philanthropy, Resolve to Save Lives, and the World Diabetes Foundation each committing or recommitting US$ 10 million.

The WHO Foundation’s CEO Anil Soni announced a US$ 50 million commitment to the Investment Round, which includes part of a US$ 57 million pledge from Foundation S and Sanofi to support WHO’s global health agenda, and at least US$ 30 million in contributions from other philanthropic and private sector partners, including new commitments from Boehringer Ingelheim and Novo Nordisk.

Governments and partners have already been making significant pledges to the Investment Round, including 16 African governments so far, and in Berlin the Minister of Health for Mauritania, speaking on behalf of the African Union, reconfirmed support for a successful outcome to the Investment Round. Announcing plans to pledge or continue funding WHO were France, Spain, the UK, and the Gates Foundation. 

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, concluded the event by thanking donors and partners: "We know that we are making this ask at a time of competing priorities and limited resources. That’s why I have asked every Member State and every partner to step up. Every contribution counts. Once again, my deep thanks to Chancellor Scholz, co-hosts France and Norway, and the World Health Summit for the event tonight, and to all countries and partners who have announced pledges."

The event marked a milestone in the Investment Round engagement process which will culminate at next month’s G20 leaders’ Summit, chaired by Brazilian President Lula da Silva. The Summit will be a moment for leaders to pledge additional resources for WHO, further advancing global health equity.

The event in Berlin, moderated by Isabelle Kumar, former news anchor, ended with a musical finale by Quire, symbolizing the unity and determination of all participants to work towards a fully funded WHO, capable of addressing the world’s most pressing health challenges.

About WHO

Dedicated to the well-being of all people and guided by science, the World Health Organization leads and champions global efforts to give everyone, everywhere an equal chance at a safe and healthy life. We are the UN agency for health that connects nations, partners and people on the front lines in 150+ locations – leading the world’s response to health emergencies, preventing disease, addressing the root causes of health issues and expanding access to medicines and health care. Our mission is to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. 

Capturing and building on the experiences of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, the State of Qatar and World Health Organization today launched a new report providing lessons learned and recommendations for staging healthy and safe mega and grassroots sporting events around the world.

The WHO Youth Council has launched its first Youth Declaration on Creating Healthy Societies, with a range of calls to action informed and developed by young people from around the world and geared towards empowering youth to play a central role in creating healthier and safer societies for all.

"The WHO Youth Council is proud to be issuing its first Youth Declaration on Creating Healthy Societies," said Kate Ndocko, WHO Youth Council member. "This Declaration represents our collective commitment and priorities to help communities, especially youth, at local, regional and global levels, to be healthier and more resilient in the face of the many health challenges the world faces today as well as the ones ahead."

The Declaration was launched today during the World Health Summit taking place in Berlin. It outlines 10 calls for action that place youth at the centre of co-creating healthier societies globally, and explaining what is needed for this to succeed. The calls to action ensure:

• Access, equity and inclusion for youth in education by removing barriers and designed to reflect diverse healthcare needs for individuals and communities.
• Comprehensive national curricula on health, climate change and digital literacy.
• Quality and adaptive education through flexible and responsive learning environments.
• Youth engagement and leadership in the design and implementation of health policies and programmes.
• Inclusive, accessible and prevention-focused healthcare, including for young people from marginalized and vulnerable groups.
• Investment in young people to empower them to become leaders and drive solutions in the areas of health, climate change and education.
• Brave spaces for healthy environments are created that protect young people from social and institutional barriers, and keep them safe from violence, harassment and other harmful practices.
• Inclusion of young people by governments, international and civil society organizations to co-create policies on priority health needs.
• Valuing the experiences of young people, including their diversity and views, in the development and implementation of health polices.
• Greater support for grassroots youth organizations as a means to investing in future generations.

“WHO is committed to amplifying the voices of young people to realise our shared vision of health for all,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “The Youth Declaration on Creating Healthy Societies, issued by the WHO Youth Council, does just that, channelling the ideas, advice and action of youth into a powerful call for change, and showing what can be achieved when youth are actively engaged in shaping their health and futures.”

Rehman Hassan, a WHO Youth Council Member from the Act4Food campaign of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), said: “We can no longer afford to squander the advice, skills, and energy of young people in transforming our communities, policies and the planet at large. Pandemics and epidemics, conflicts, the spread of misinformation, and the health risk posed by climate change, amongst other issues, are threatening the health and well-being of billions of people. Young people are the most underrepresented group in governance, yet half of the world’s population is aged under 30. It is high time we engage them and incorporate their solutions for a healthier way forward. The Youth Council and its constituent organizations, working with WHO, is committed to charting this healthier course for the present and future.”

The WHO Youth Council was established in 2023 and is a dynamic network aimed at amplifying the voices and experiences of young people and leveraging their expertise, energy, and ideas to promote public health. The Youth Council’s members are youth representatives of health and non-health organizations and movements. They advise and actively engage with the WHO Director-General and WHO senior leadership on ensuring health policies and programmes reflect the expertise, innovation and needs of young people around the world. The WHO Youth Council also serves as a platform for designing and incubating new initiatives and for expanding existing youth engagement initiatives of WHO. 

Editor’s notes

The following organizations are represented on the WHO Youth Council: Act4Food, a campaign of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN); Africa Public Health Students Network Initiative (AfricaPHSN); Climate Cardinals; Commonwealth Youth Health Network (CYHN) - Commonwealth Secretariat; Digital Transformations for Health Lab (DTH-Lab); European Network of Medical Residents in Public Health (EuroNet MRPH); Grassroot Soccer; Healthy Caribbean Coalition/Healthy Caribbean Youth; Innovation for Health Equity in Africa; International Federation of Medical Students' Association (IFMSA); International Pharmaceutical Students' Federation (IPSF); International Student One Health Alliance (ISOHA); International Student Surgical Network (InciSioN); International Youth Alliance for Family Planning; International Youth Health Organization; Orygen; The International LGBTQI Youth & Student Organisation (IGLYO); UN Major Group for Children and Youth (MGCY); Universities Allied for Essential Medicines (UAEM); World Medical Association Junior Doctors Network (WMA JDN); World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM); Young Professionals Chronic Disease Network; Young Professionals in Foreign Policy (YPFP); Youth Alliance (a branch from the Healthy Latin America Coalition -CLAS-); and Youth and Environment Europe.

While in Berlin, the WHO Youth Council held an intensive three-day event, facilitated and supported by the Bertelsmann Stiftung, to generate ideas for collaboration, action and future work. During the meetings, new members of the Council were announced from a range of bodies.

The Bertelsmann Stiftung is committed to ensuring that everyone can participate in society – politically, economically and culturally. Its topics are education, democracy, Europe, health, values and the economy. In doing so, it puts people at the center of its efforts. Because it is people who can move, change and make the world a better place. To this end, we tap knowledge, impart skills and develop solutions. The Bertelsmann Stiftung was founded in 1977 by Reinhard Mohn.

 

 

The second round of an emergency polio vaccination campaign is scheduled to start on 14 October 2024 in Gaza, to vaccinate an estimated 591 700 children under ten years of age with a second dose of the novel oral polio vaccine type 2 (nOPV2) vaccine.

This follows a first round, which was successfully implemented from 1-12 September 2024 and vaccinated 559 161 children, or an estimated 95% of eligible children at governorate level, according to independently conducted post-campaign monitoring. As with the first round, the second round will have three phases, each involving three campaign days and one catch-up day.

A minimum of two doses of nOPV2 are needed to interrupt poliovirus transmission. However, this will only be achieved if at least 90% of all children are vaccinated in all communities and neighbourhoods. In this round, vitamin A will be co-administered alongside polio vaccine, to help boost overall immunity among children between the ages of two and nine years. 

The campaign, being conducted by the Palestinian Ministry of Health in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA), and other partners is part of emergency efforts to stop the polio outbreak in Gaza, which was detected on 16 July 2024, and prevent further spread of poliovirus.

Once again, meticulous planning, coordination and implementation will see an extensive network of teams vaccinating at selected health facilities and outreach posts. Mobile teams will actively reach out to families living in shelters, tents and camps for internally displaced people. Local teams will be deployed in areas that need special coordination to reach children, including those who could not receive vaccine in the first round. The first round demonstrated that overwhelming logistical challenges — including operating amid devastated infrastructure and constant population movements — can be overcome through an extraordinarily resilient and dedicated health workforce and strong community demand for polio vaccination, if all parties respect the planned humanitarian pauses.

More than 800 social mobilizers will reach out to families to raise awareness on the importance of taking the second dose as well as on the dates and locations. Radio spots, short message services (SMS) and all digital channels available in Gaza will also amplify these messages. This outreach will continue until the round concludes.

Additionally, logistical and programmatic needs, such as training health and community workers, provision of adequate supplies, recording of data by independent monitors, and demarcation of areas being covered by mobile teams, have been streamlined for the second round.

To cover the two rounds, 1.6 million doses of the vaccines were delivered in the past two months as well as 20 refrigerators, 10 freezers, 100 ice boxes, and 800 vaccine carriers — all equipment required to maintain vaccines at a temperature between 2 and 8°C.

Once again, a humanitarian pause will be a pre-requisite to implementing a successful second round, particularly to ensure all polio workers can operate in a safe and secure environment, and communities and families can obtain vaccination for children without fear.

A substantial constraint to the polio campaign will again be reaching children living in areas outside humanitarian pauses , who were not covered in the last round. This requires coordination and approvals to allow programme supervision and monitoring, which would contribute significantly to ensuring all children, regardless of their location, are vaccinated.

WHO and UNICEF renew their urgent request to all parties to the conflict to implement the necessary humanitarian pauses in Gaza for this second round. This is particularly critical as new evacuation orders in the north of Gaza are threatening access to hospitals and protection of health facilities and health and community workers. Vaccination teams must be protected and allowed to conduct the campaigns safely. We urge all parties to ensure their protection, and that of health facilities and children.

 

Editors’ notes 

Circulating variant poliovirus type 2 was confirmed in Gaza in six environmental samples in July 2024, in a ten-month-old paralysed child in July 2024, and in another five environmental samples collected on 5 September 2024.   

More information on the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, and daily updates on the outbreak response campaign, are available on the initiative's website.  Scroll down the page to the list of polio-affected countries and click on ‘occupied Palestinian territory’).   

 

 

A new report by the World Health Organization (WHO) finds that vaccines against 24 pathogens could reduce the number of antibiotics needed by 22% or 2.5 billion defined daily doses globally every year, supporting worldwide efforts to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR). While some of these vaccines are already available but underused, others would need to be developed and brought to the market as soon as possible.

AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial medicines, making people sicker and increasing the risk of illness, death and the spread of infections that are difficult to treat. AMR is driven largely by the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials, yet, at the same time, many people around the world do not have access to essential antimicrobials. Each year, nearly 5 million deaths are associated with AMR globally.

Vaccines are an essential part of the response to reduce AMR as they prevent infections, reduce the use and overuse of antimicrobials, and slow the emergence and spread of drug-resistant pathogens.

The new report expands on a WHO study published in BMJ Global Health last year. It estimates that vaccines already in use against pneumococcus pneumonia, Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib, a bacteria causing pneumonia and meningitis) and typhoid could avert up to 106 000 of the deaths associated with AMR each year. An additional 543 000 deaths associated with AMR could be averted annually when new vaccines for tuberculosis (TB) and Klebsiella pneumoniae, are developed and rolled out globally. While new TB vaccines are in clinical trials, one against Klebsiella pneumoniae is in early stage of development.

“Addressing antimicrobial resistance starts with preventing infections, and vaccines are among the most powerful tools for doing that,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Prevention is better than cure, and increasing access to existing vaccines and developing new ones for critical diseases, like tuberculosis, is critical to saving lives and turning the tide on AMR.” 

Vaccines are key to preventing infection

Vaccinated people have fewer infections and are protected against potential complications from secondary infections that may need antimicrobial medicines or require admission to hospital. The report analyzed the impact of already licensed vaccines as well as vaccines in various stages of development.

Every year, vaccines against:

• Streptococcus pneumoniae could save 33 million antibiotic doses, if the Immunization Agenda 2030 target of 90% of the world’s children were vaccinated, as well as older adults;
• Typhoid could save 45 million antibiotic doses, if their introduction was accelerated in high-burden countries;
• Malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum could save up to 25 million antibiotic doses, which are often misused to try to treat malaria;
• TB could have the highest impact once they are developed, saving between 1.2 to 1.9 billion antibiotic doses – a significant portion of the 11.3 billion doses used annually against the diseases covered in this report.

Vaccines could significantly reduce the substantial economic costs of AMR

Globally, the hospital costs of treating resistant pathogens evaluated in the report are estimated at US$ 730 billion each year. If vaccines could be rolled out against all the evaluated pathogens, they could save a third of the hospital costs associated with AMR.

A comprehensive, people-centred approach applied across health systems is needed to prevent, diagnose and treat infections. This approach recognizes vaccination as core to preventing AMR and especially impactful when combined with other interventions.

At the 79th United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on AMR on 26 September, world leaders approved a political declaration committing to a clear set of targets and actions, including reducing the estimated 4.95 million human deaths associated with bacterial AMR annually by 10% by 2030. The declaration emphasizes key aspects, including the importance of access to vaccines, medicines, treatments and diagnostics, while calling for incentives and financing mechanisms to drive multisectoral health research, innovation and development in addressing AMR.

Notes to editors:

The report, “Estimating the impact of vaccines in reducing antimicrobial resistance and antibiotic use,” evaluates the role of vaccines in reducing AMR and provides key stakeholders with recommendations for enhancing the impact of vaccines on AMR. It evaluates 44 vaccines targeting 24 pathogens: 19 bacteria, four viruses and one parasite. Infections can result in multiple syndromes and vary across age groups; thus, in several cases more than one vaccine for a pathogen was evaluated for its impact on AMR.

The pathogens include: Acinetobacter baumannii, Campylobacter jejuni, Clostridioides difficile, Enterococcus faecium, Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), Extraintestinal Pathogenic Escherichia coli (ExPEC), Group A Streptococcus (GAS), Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib), Helicobacter pylori, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Nontyphoidal Salmonella, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella Paratyphi A, Salmonella typhi, Shigella, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Plasmodium falciparum (malaria), influenza, norovirus, rotavirus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

A defined daily dose is the assumed average maintenance dose per day for an antibiotic used for its main indication in adults.

 

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Kingdom of the Netherlands have renewed their strategic partnership in addressing the growing impacts of climate change on global health.

The Netherlands is providing a new allocation of €500 000 for 2024 to WHO, reinforcing its commitment to climate resilience and sustainable healthcare systems worldwide. This allocation supports WHO’s ongoing efforts to strengthen the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health Secretariat and advance climate change and health programmes globally.

This contribution builds on the partnership established in 2023 between the Netherlands and WHO to collaborate on climate change and health. Together, they have supported African, Asian and Eastern Mediterranean countries in advancing the implementation of integrated climate and health surveillance and early warning systems, enhancing capacity to deliver on COP26 health commitments, helping harmonize early warning systems for health-related climate risks, and empowering countries to advance climate-resilient health system readiness.

This partnership along with the support from other organizations is pivotal in assisting Member States in developing climate-resilient and low-carbon health systems. Engaging with relevant partners, including civil society, Multilateral Development Banks, UN Agencies, and health professionals in concerted action on climate change and health, is also a core activity.

The Netherlands has been at the forefront of advocating climate action in health, aligned with the Dutch Global Health Strategy 2023-2030 which emphasizes the intersection of climate change and health. In addition, the Netherlands, together with Peru, led the adoption in 2024 of the World Health Assembly 77 Resolution on Climate Change and Health at the to renew the current one from 2008. Recognizing the increasing urgency and the need for accelerated efforts, the resolution calls for a WHO global action plan, increased national efforts and mainstreaming of climate change and health in WHO’s new Fourteenth General Programme of Work.

The partnership’s renewal brings the total support from the Netherlands to WHO activities on climate change and health to over €1.1 Million since 2023 and comes at a crucial time as countries face increasing health challenges from climate change and as the global health community gears up for discussions on climate change and health at COP29 in Azerbaijan in 2024. Climate change will continue to be a key priority area in the new GPW, and where WHO’s work in collaboration with Member States and partners will result in 7.5 million lives saved in the next four years, as estimated in WHO’s latest Investment case.

The Netherlands and WHO will continue to leverage their partnership to ensure that health remains central to climate negotiations and actions. A focus on building resilience in vulnerable regions and empowering countries to implement sustainable, low-carbon healthcare solutions remains central.

WHO-trained Rapid Responders evaluating flash flood aftermath in Mai Mahiu region in Kenya 29 April. From March to May 2024, the country experienced exceptionally heavy rains, leading to widespread devastation, including fatalities, disease outbreaks, and severe infrastructure damage. Photo: WHO/Genna Print

The Heads of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank Group (WBG), and the World Health Organization (WHO) have agreed on broad principles for cooperation on pandemic preparedness. This cooperation will allow a scaling up of support to countries to prevent, detect and respond to public health threats through the IMF’s Resilience and Sustainability Trust (RST), the WBG’s financial and technical support, and WHO’s technical expertise and in-country capabilities. The RST allows eligible member countries to access long-term financing at low interest rates to help implement reforms that address structural challenges to the stability of the economy, such as those posed by pandemics, and to enhance countries’ health systems resilience.

Operating within their respective mandates and policies, the IMF, the WBG, and WHO will leverage their expertise to enhance pandemic preparedness in their member countries, building on the synergies and complementarity of each institution’s in-country analysis and operations. This collaboration will strengthen the design and articulation of effective policy, institutional and public financial management reforms supported by the IMF’s Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF), the policy reforms and investments supported by the WBG, and the technical and operational support provided by WHO. In strengthening the pandemic preparedness framework, member countries will also work to improve the resilience of their health systems and their ability to respond better to all health emergencies.

Under the Broad Principles of Coordination:

• WHO and the WBG will continue to take the lead on health-related development policies and, with other multilateral development banks and The Pandemic Fund, on specific project investments for pandemic preparedness. RST financing will not be earmarked for specific projects.
• Pandemic preparedness policy reform measures supported by RSF arrangements will be informed by existing data, analytics and operational engagement of WHO, the WBG, and country authorities.
• Pandemic preparedness reforms will build on each institution’s area of expertise. RSF programs will focus on macro-critical policy reforms within the IMF’s expertise and complement the work carried out by the WBG and WHO to maximize both the financial resources and technical expertise available to countries. RSF Reform measures can include policy actions aimed at enhancing the readiness of finance and health systems to respond effectively to future health emergencies.

Thanks to this stepped-up cooperation between the IMF, the WBG, and WHO, the three institutions will better serve countries’ efforts on pandemic preparedness.

Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the IMF, said: “The stepped-up collaboration with the World Bank Group and the World Health Organization will help our institutions complement and leverage each other’s expertise to help our members strengthen pandemic preparedness and enhance resilience of their health systems. The IMF’s Resilience and Sustainability Trust allows eligible member countries to access affordable, long-term financing to address structural challenges that threaten their macroeconomic stability.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for new sources of financing to bolster health systems to make them more able to prevent and detect epidemics and pandemics, and to respond and withstand them when they strike,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “WHO is proud to be working with the IMF and the World Bank to unlock financing from the Resilience and Sustainability Trust, and support countries to put it to work for a safer world.”

“We must aggressively be planning and preparing for the next global health crisis, so that when the battle comes – and we know it will – we will have the health workforce that can be rapidly deployed in the face of a crisis, laboratories that can quickly ramp up testing, and surge capacity that can be called upon to respond,” said World Bank Group President Ajay Banga. “This deepened collaboration focuses our response on helping countries better prepare and respond to public health threats.”

 

The World Health Organization (WHO) has listed the first mpox in vitro diagnostic (IVD) under its Emergency Use Listing (EUL) procedure, an important step in improving global access to mpox testing. The approval for emergency use of the Alinity m MPXV assay, manufactured by Abbott Molecular Inc., will be pivotal in expanding diagnostic capacity in countries facing mpox outbreaks, where the need for quick and accurate testing has risen sharply. Early diagnosis of mpox enables timely treatment and care, and control of the virus.

Limited testing capacity and delays in confirming mpox cases persist in Africa, contributing to the continued spread of the virus. In 2024, over 30 000 suspected cases have been reported across the region, with the highest numbers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, and Nigeria. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, only 37% of suspected cases have been tested this year.

The presence of the monkeypox virus is confirmed by nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT), such as real-time or conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR), as stated in the WHO Interim Guidance on Diagnostic testing for the monkeypox virus (MPXV). And the recommended specimen type for diagnostic confirmation of monkeypox virus (MPXV) infection in suspected cases is lesion material.

The Alinity m MPXV assay is a real-time PCR test that enables detection of monkeypox virus (clade I/II) DNA from human skin lesion swabs. It is specifically designed for use by trained clinical laboratory personnel who are proficient in PCR techniques and IVD procedures. By detecting DNA from pustular or vesicular rash samples, laboratory and health workers can confirm suspected mpox cases efficiently and effectively.

"This first mpox diagnostic test listed under the Emergency Use Listing procedure represents a significant milestone in expanding testing availability in affected countries,” said Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for Access to Medicines and Health Products. “Increasing access to quality-assured medical products is central to our efforts in assisting countries to contain the spread of the virus and protect their people, especially in underserved regions."

The EUL process accelerates the availability of life-saving medical products, such as vaccines, tests and treatments, in the context of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). On 28 August 2024, WHO called on mpox IVDs manufacturers to submit an expression of interest for EUL, recognizing the urgent need to bolster global testing capacities as the virus continued to spread. The EUL process assesses the quality, safety, and performance of essential health products, such as diagnostic tests, to guide procurement agencies and WHO Member States in making informed decisions for time-limited emergency procurement.

So far, WHO has received three additional submissions for EUL evaluation, and discussions are ongoing with other manufacturers of mpox IVDs to ensure a wider range of quality-assured diagnostic options. This will support countries which have not approved the medical products through their own approval processes to procure the critically needed tests through UN agencies and other procurement partners.

The EUL for Alinity m MPXV assay, allowing for its use, will remain valid as long as the PHEIC, justifying the emergency use of mpox in vitro diagnostics, is in effect.

Information on active EUL applications for mpox IVDs can be found on these WHO webpages.

Today, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the Global Strategic Preparedness, Readiness and Response Plan (SPRP) to tackle dengue and other Aedes-borne arboviruses.

The World Health Organization (WHO) congratulates Brazil for having eliminated lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem.

“Eliminating a disease is a momentous accomplishment that takes unwavering commitment,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “I congratulate Brazil for its efforts to free its people of the scourge of this painful, disfiguring, disabling and stigmatizing disease. This is another example of the incredible progress we have made against neglected tropical diseases and gives hope to many other nations still fighting against lymphatic filariasis that they too can eliminate this disease.”

Lymphatic filariasis, commonly known as elephantiasis, is a debilitating parasitic disease spread by mosquitoes. For centuries, this disease has afflicted millions worldwide, causing pain, chronic, severe swelling, serious disability, and social stigmatization.

Effective country-level investments

Over the past few decades, Brazil has implemented integrated actions to eliminate lymphatic filariasis, including the development of a national plan to fight this disease in 1997, the mass distribution of antiparasitic drugs, vector control activities, and strong surveillance, particularly in the most affected areas. With these efforts, the country achieved the end of disease transmission in 2017.

The elimination of lymphatic filariasis was also one of the goals of the Brasil Saudável program, a multisectoral initiative aimed at ending socially determined diseases with a whole-of-government approach and civil society participation, including the involvement of affected people in the implementation of disease control efforts. The programme was launched in February 2024 by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in a ceremony with the participation of Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General and Dr Jarbas Barbosa, Director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and WHO Regional Director for the Americas. In the post-elimination phase, Brazil, PAHO, and WHO will continue to closely monitor for possible resurgence of infections.

“This milestone is the result of years of dedication, hard work, and collaboration among health workers, researchers, and authorities in Brazil”, said Dr Jarbas Barbosa, PAHO Director and WHO Regional Director for the Americas. “Brazil’s extensive and unified health system, coupled with solid specialized laboratory expertise and robust surveillance were essential to interrupt the chain of transmission, inspiring other countries to advance towards the elimination of lymphatic filariasis and other neglected tropical diseases”.

Global progress

Globally, Brazil joins 19 other countries and territories that have been validated by WHO for having eliminated lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem. These are Malawi and Togo in the African Region; Egypt and Yemen in the Eastern Mediterranean Region; Bangladesh, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Thailand in the South-East Asia Region; and Cambodia, Cook Islands, Kiribati, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Marshall Islands, Niue, Palau, Tonga, Vanuatu, Viet Nam and Wallis and Futuna in the Western Pacific Region.

In the Americas, three endemic countries (Dominican Republic, Guyana, and Haiti) still require mass drug administration to stop transmission and are working to achieve the elimination target.

In addition to being the 20th country to be validated for elimination of lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem, Brazil has also become the 53rd country to have eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease, globally.

Note to the editor

Lymphatic filariasis, commonly known as elephantiasis, is a neglected tropical disease. Infection occurs when filarial parasites are transmitted to humans through mosquitoes. Infection is usually acquired in childhood and causes hidden damage to the lymphatic system.

The painful and profoundly disfiguring visible manifestations of the disease – lymphoedema, elephantiasis and scrotal swelling – occur later in life and can lead to permanent disability. These patients are not only physically disabled, but suffer mental, social and financial losses contributing to stigma and poverty.

Elimination of lymphatic filariasis is possible by stopping the spread of the infection through preventive chemotherapy. The WHO-recommended preventive chemotherapy strategy for lymphatic filariasis elimination is mass drug administration (MDA). MDA involves administering an annual dose of medicines to the entire at-risk population. The medicines used have a limited effect on adult parasites but effectively reduce the density of microfilariae in the bloodstream and prevent the spread of parasites to mosquitoes.

In 2023, 657 million people in 39 countries and territories were living in areas that require preventive chemotherapy to stop the spread of infection. In the Americas, Costa Rica, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago were removed from the WHO list of lymphatic filariasis endemic countries in 2011. The 2021–2030 neglected tropical disease road map targets the prevention, control, elimination and eradication of 20 diseases and disease groups by 2030. Progress against lymphatic filariasis and other neglected tropical diseases alleviates the human and economic burden that they impose on the world’s most disadvantaged communities. 

 

The World Health Organization (WHO) today announced the recommendations for the viral composition of influenza vaccines for the 2025 influenza season in the southern hemisphere. The announcement was made at an information session after a 4-day meeting on the Composition of Influenza Virus Vaccines. The meeting is held twice annually, once for the southern and once for the northern hemisphere.

Today, the World Health Organization (WHO) and TikTok, a platform for short-form mobile videos, announced a year-long collaboration aimed at providing people with reliable, science-based health information.

Global leaders have approved a political declaration at the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Meeting on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), committing to a clear set of targets and actions, including reducing the estimated 4.95 million human deaths associated with bacterial antimicrobial resistance (AMR) annually by 10% by 2030.