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Between 10–12 June 2025, 24 representatives from the Eastern Partnership countries, from Armenia, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, gathered in Stockholm and online for a three-day workshop hosted by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), focused on simulation exercises (SimExes) and after-action reviews (AARs).

The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), following the fourth meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR) Emergency Committee regarding the upsurge of mpox 2024, held on 5 June 2025, from 12:00 to 17:00 CEST, concurs with its advice that the event continues to meet the criteria of a public health emergency of international concern and, considering the advice of the Committee, he is hereby issuing a revised set of temporary recommendations.

The WHO Director-General expresses his most sincere gratitude to the Chair, Members, and Advisors of the Committee. The proceeding of the fourth meeting of the Committee will be shared with States Parties to the IHR and published in the coming days.

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Temporary recommendations

These temporary recommendations are issued to States Parties experiencing the transmission of monkeypox virus (MPXV), including, but not limited to, those where there is sustained community transmission, and where there are clusters of cases or sporadic travel-related cases of MPXV clade Ib.

They are intended to be implemented by those States Parties in addition to the current standing recommendations for mpox, valid until 20 August 2025.

In the context of the global efforts to prevent and control the spread of mpox disease outlined in the WHO Strategic framework for enhancing prevention and control of mpox: 2024–2027, the aforementioned standing recommendations apply to all States Parties.

All current WHO interim technical guidance can be accessed on this page of the WHO website. WHO evidence-based guidance has been and will continue to be updated in line with the evolving situation, updated scientific evidence, and WHO risk assessment to support States Parties in the implementation of the WHO Strategic Framework for enhancing mpox prevention and control.

Pursuant to Article 3 Principle of the International Health Regulations (2005) (IHR), the implementation of these temporary recommendations, as well as of the standing recommendations for mpox, by States Parties shall be with full respect for the dignity, human rights and fundamental freedoms of persons, in line with the principles set out in Article 3 of the IHR.

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Note: The text in backets next to each temporary recommendation indicates the status with respect to the set of temporary recommendations issued on 27 November 2024.
 

Emergency coordination

• Secure political commitment and engagement to intensify mpox prevention and response efforts, including resource allocation, for the lowest administrative and operational level reporting mpox cases (hotspots) in the prior 4 weeks. (EXTENDED)

• Establish or enhance national and local emergency prevention and response coordination arrangements as recommended in the WHO Mpox global strategic preparedness and response plan (2025), and its upcoming iteration, and in line with the WHO Strategic framework for enhancing prevention and control of mpox: 2024–2027. (EXTENDED, with updated reference)

• Establish or enhance coordination among all partners and stakeholders engaged in or supporting mpox prevention and response activities through cooperation, including by introducing accountability mechanisms. (EXTENDED)

• Establish a mechanism to monitor the effectiveness of mpox prevention and response measures implemented at lower administrative levels, so that such measures can be adjusted as needed. (EXTENDED)

• Engage with and strengthen partner organizations for collaboration and support for mpox response, including humanitarian actors in contexts with insecurity, humanitarian corridors, or areas with internal or refugee population displacements and in hosting communities in insecure areas. (EXTENDED, with re-phrasing)
   

Collaborative surveillance

• Enhance mpox surveillance, by increasing the sensitivity of the approaches adopted and ensuring comprehensive geographic coverage. (EXTENDED)

• Expand access to accurate, affordable and available diagnostics to test for mpox, including through strengthening arrangements for the transport of samples, the decentralization of testing and arrangements to differentiate MPXV clades and conduct genomic sequencing. (EXTENDED)

• Identify, monitor and support the contacts of persons with suspected, clinically-diagnosed or laboratory-confirmed mpox to prevent onward transmission. (EXTENDED)

• Scale up efforts to thoroughly investigate cases and outbreaks of mpox to better understand the modes of transmission and transmission risk, and prevent its onward transmission to contacts and communities. (EXTENDED)

• Report to WHO suspected, probable and confirmed cases of mpox in a timely manner and on a weekly basis. (EXTENDED)
   

Safe and scalable clinical care

• Provide clinical, nutritional and psychosocial support for patients with mpox, including, where appropriate and possible, isolation in care centres and/or access to materials and guidance for home-based care. (EXTENDED)

• Develop and implement a plan to expand access to optimized supportive clinical care for all patients with mpox, including children, pregnant women, and persons living with HIV, recognising the association of mpox-related morbidity and mortality in persons living with HIV with untreated or advanced HIV. This includes prompt identification and effective management of endemic co-infections, such as malaria, chickenpox or measles. This also includes offering HIV tests to adult patients who do not know their HIV status and to children as appropriate, testing and treatment for other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among cases linked to sexual contact and referral to HIV/STIs treatment and care services when indicated. (EXTENDED, with re-phrasing)

• Strengthen health and care workers’ capacity, knowledge and skills in clinical and infection and prevention and control pathways – screening, diagnosis, isolation, environmental cleaning, discharge of patients, including post discharge follow up for suspected and confirmed mpox –, and provide health and care workers with personal protective equipment (PPE). (EXTENDED)

• Strengthen adherence to infection prevention and control (IPC) measures and availability of water, sanitation, hygiene (WASH) and waste management services and infrastructure in healthcare facilities and treatment and care centers to ensure quality healthcare service delivery and protection of health and care workers, caregivers and patients. (EXTENDED, with re-phrasing)
   

International traffic

• Establish or strengthen cross-border collaboration arrangements for surveillance, management and support of suspected cases and contacts of mpox, and for the provision of information to travellers and conveyance operators, without resorting to travel and trade restrictions that unnecessarily impact local, regional or national economies. (EXTENDED)
   

Vaccination

• Continue to prepare for and implement targeted use of vaccine for “Phase 1-Stop the outbreak” (as defined in the WHO Mpox global strategic preparedness and response plan (2025)) through the identification of the lowest administrative level reporting cases (hotspots) and targeting those groups at high risk of mpox exposure to interrupt sustained community transmission. (EXTENDED, with rephrasing and updated reference)

• Develop and implement plans for vaccination in the context of an integrated response at the lowest administrative level reporting cases for people at high risk of exposure (e.g., contacts of cases of all ages, health and frontline workers, and other groups at risk such as those with multiple sexual partners and sex workers in endemic and non-endemic areas). This entails a targeted integrated response, including active surveillance and contact tracing; agile adaptation of immunization strategies and plans to the local context including dose-sparing options (single dose/fractional dosing) in the context of limited availability of vaccines; proactive community engagement to generate and sustain demand for and trust in vaccination; close monitoring of mpox vaccination activities, coverage and adverse events following immunization (AEFI); assessment of vaccine effectiveness; and documenting lessons learned and their implementation. (MODIFIED)
   

Community protection

• Strengthen risk communication and community engagement in affected communities and local workforces for outbreak prevention, response and vaccination strategies, particularly at the lowest administrative levels reporting cases. Key actions include training, mapping high risk and vulnerable populations for tailored interventions, data driven approaches for social listening, community feedback and dialogue, and managing misinformation. This entails, inter alia, communicating effectively the uncertainties and new information regarding the natural history of mpox and modes of transmission, the effectiveness of mpox vaccines and duration of protection following vaccination, and about any clinical trials to which the local population may have access, as appropriate. (EXTENDED, with re-phrasing)

• Address stigma and discrimination of any kind via meaningful community engagement, particularly in health services and during risk communication activities, and through engagement with civil society groups, such as HIV networks. (EXTENDED, with re-phrasing)

• Promote and implement IPC measures and basic WASH and waste management services in household settings, congregate settings (e.g. prisons, internally displaced persons and refugee camps, etc.), schools, points of entry and cross border transit areas. (EXTENDED)
   

Governance and financing

• Galvanize and scale up national funding and explore external opportunities for targeted funding of mpox prevention, readiness and response activities, advocate for release of available funds and take steps to identify potential new funding partners for emergency response. (EXTENDED)

• Optimize the use of resources, in the context of global and local external funding shortfalls, by allocating available resources to the implementation of core mpox response interventions needed in the medium term; maximizing their cost-efficiency through cross-programmatic synergetic approaches; and by engaging partners in resource-sharing arrangements to maintain the delivery of essential health services. (NEW)

• Integrate mpox prevention and response measures, including enhanced surveillance, in existing programmes for prevention, control and treatment of other endemic diseases – especially HIV, as well as STIs, malaria, tuberculosis and other vaccine-preventable diseases, and/or non-communicable diseases – striving to identify activities which will benefit the programmes involved and lead to better health outcomes overall. (EXTENDED)
   

Addressing research gaps

• Invest in addressing outstanding knowledge gaps and in generating evidence, during and after outbreaks, as defined in A coordinated research roadmap – Mpox virus - Immediate research next steps to contribute to control the outbreak (2024), including for vaccine effectiveness in different contexts. (EXTENDED, with re-phrasing)

• Invest in field studies to better understand animal hosts and zoonotic spillover in the areas where MPXV is circulating, in coordination with the animal health sector and One Health partners. (EXTENDED)

• Strengthen and expand use of genomic sequencing to characterize the epidemiology and chains of transmission of MPXV to better inform control measures, particularly regarding the emergence and circulation of new virus strains. (EXTENDED, with re-phrasing)
   

Reporting on the implementation of temporary recommendations

• Report quarterly to WHO on the status of, and challenges related to, the implementation of these temporary recommendations, using a revised standardized tool and channels that will be made available by WHO, also allowing for the monitoring of progress and the identification of gaps of the national response. (EXTENDED, with re-phrasing)

 

Nadejda Morarescu, as a MediPIET fellow, led projects on AMR surveillance and stewardship, deepening her expertise and commitment to public health.

WHO warns that the Gaza Strip’s health system is collapsing, with Nasser Medical Complex, the most important referral hospital left in Gaza, and Al-Amal Hospital at risk of becoming non-functional. There are already no hospitals functioning in the north of Gaza.

Nasser and Amal are the last two functioning public hospitals in Khan Younis, where currently most of the population is living. Without them, people will lose access to critical health services.

While these hospitals have not received orders to evacuate patients or staff, they lie within or just outside the evacuation zone announced on 2 June. Israeli authorities have informed the Ministry of Health that access routes leading to both hospitals will be obstructed. As a result, safe access for new patients and staff will be difficult, if not impossible. If the situation further deteriorates, both hospitals are at high risk of becoming non-functional, due to movement restrictions, insecurity, and the inability of WHO and partners to resupply or transfer patients.

Nasser and Al Amal hospitals are operating above their capacity, while people with life-threatening injuries continue to arrive to seek urgent care amid a dire shortage of essential medicines and medical supplies. The hospitals going out of service would have dire consequences for patients in need of surgical care, intensive care, blood bank and transfusion services, cancer care, and dialysis.

Losing the two hospitals would cut 490 beds, reducing the Gaza Strip’s overall hospital bed availability to less than 1400 hospital beds (40% less hospital beds available in the Gaza Strip than before the start of the conflict), for the entire population of 2 million people.

The relentless and systematic decimation of hospitals in Gaza has been going on for too long. It must end immediately. For over 20 months, health workers, WHO, and partners have managed to keep health services partly running despite extreme conditions. But repeated attacks, escalating hostilities, denial of aid, and restricted access have systematically dismantled the health system.

WHO calls for urgent protection of Nasser Medical Complex and Al-Amal Hospital to ensure they remain accessible, functional and safe from attacks and hostilities. Patients seeking refuge and care to save their lives must not risk losing them trying to reach hospitals. Hospitals must never be militarized or targeted.

WHO calls for the delivery of essential medicines and medical supplies into Gaza to be immediately expedited safely and facilitated through all possible routes.

WHO calls for an immediate and lasting ceasefire.

Notes to editors

• Only 17 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals are currently partially functional. Of these, just five, including Nasser Medical Complex and Al-Amal Hospital, are major referral facilities, accounting for 75% of all the Gaza Strip’s hospital beds.
• Nasser Medical Complex is operating at 180% over bed capacity and Al Amal Hospital is at 100%.
• Currently, one national and four international Emergency Medical Teams are deployed at Al-Amal and Nasser hospitals as part of efforts to provide specialized care and strengthen hospital capacity.
• Acute shortages of essential medicines and medical supplies are severely disrupting health services in all hospitals, while about 50 WHO trucks of supplies await at Al-Arish and in the West Bank.

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and Listeria infections in the European Union/European Economic Area (EU/EEA) reached their highest levels in 2023 since the start of EU-wide surveillance in 2007, according to the latest annual epidemiological reports issued today by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

During 2022, several European countries observed an unusual spike in reported diphtheria cases that mainly affected migrants who had recently arrived in Europe. Recent data from 2025 indicate that at least one of the bacterial strains detected in the 2022 outbreak is also associated with newly reported cases in the region, affecting additional vulnerable groups including people experiencing homelessness.

On 2 June 2025, ECDC welcomed a delegation from the Gulf Health Council and the Gulf Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC).

This week marks one year since dozens of personnel from the United Nations, nongovernmental and civil society organizations, and diplomatic missions were arbitrarily detained by the Houthi de facto authorities in northern Yemen. Others have been detained since as far back as 2021. Today, we reiterate our urgent demand for their immediate and unconditional release.

As of today, 23 UN and five international nongovernmental organizations (INGOs) personnel remain arbitrarily detained. Tragically, one UN staff member and another from Save the Children have died in detention. Others have lost loved ones while being held, denied the chance to attend their funerals or say goodbye.   Our arbitrarily detained colleagues have spent at least 365 days – and for some, over 1000 days – isolated from their families, children, husbands, and wives, in flagrant breach of international law. The toll of this detention is also weighing heavily on their families, who continue to endure the unbearable pain of absence and uncertainty as they face another Eid without their loved one.

Nothing can justify their ordeal. They were doing their jobs, helping people in desperate need: people without food, shelter, or adequate health care.

Yemen remains one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, with over 19 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, many of whom rely on it for survival. A safe and enabling operating environment for humanitarian operations, including the release of detained personnel, is essential to maintaining and restoring assistance to those in need. Humanitarian workers should never be targeted or detained while carrying out their mandates to serve the people of Yemen.

The prolonged detention of our colleagues has a chilling effect across the international community, undermining support for Yemen and hindering humanitarian response. It has also undermined mediation efforts for lasting peace.

We acknowledge the release of one UN and two NGO personnel and the recent release of an Embassy staff member. We call on the de facto authorities to deliver on their previous commitments, including those made to the Director-General of the World Health Organization during his mission to Sana'a in December 2024.

The UN and INGOs will continue to work through all possible channels to secure the safe and immediate release of those arbitrarily detained.

Signatories:

• Achim Steiner, Administrator, UNDP
• Amitabh Behar, OXFAM International Executive Director
• Audrey Azoulay, Director General of UNESCO
• Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director
• Cindy McCain, WFP Executive Director
• Hans Grundberg, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Yemen
• Inger Ashing, Chief Executive Officer, Save the Children International
• Michelle Nunn, President and CEO, CARE
• Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO
• Volker Türk, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
  

Between 20 and 22 May 2025, a regional workshop was held in Cairo, Egypt, on the risk-ranking of epidemic-prone diseases.

In 2024-2025, South Sudan experienced its largest ever recorded outbreak of cholera. On 18 December 2024, Ebba Rosendal, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge (INSA), Lisbon, Portugal, and Sebastian von Schreeb, Direção-Geral da Saúde (DGS), Lisbon, Portugal, were deployed to Juba, the capital of South Sudan, through the WHO Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN).

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised the commitment shown by the Organization’s Member States which, during nearly two weeks of meetings, adopted historic measures to make the world safer and healthier.

The landmark adoptions of the first global agreement to make the world safer from future pandemics and increase in financial support to the World Health Organization were the highlights of the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly, which ran from 19–27 May. Immediately after, the WHO Executive Board met for two days, until 29 May, to address the Health Assembly’s outcome, WHO governance reform and the nomination and appointment of regional directors. 

Dr Tedros said Member States demonstrated their commitment to WHO and multilateral action to protect and promote public health. “WHO and many of our Member States and health partners are facing various challenges,” he said. “But the World Health Assembly has sent a clear message: countries want a strong WHO and are committed to working together with WHO to build a healthier, safer and fairer world. These were strong votes of confidence in WHO at this critical time.”

Making the world safer from pandemics

“The Health Assembly’s adoption of the Pandemic Agreement on 20 May was a landmark in the history of WHO and global health,” said Dr Tedros. “Despite many obstacles, and in the face of significant mis- and disinformation, WHO’s Member States have succeeded in negotiating and adopting a legally binding agreement to make the world safer from pandemics.”

The Pandemic Agreement sets out a range of measures to prevent pandemics and strengthen health system resilience, including through improving the rapid sharing of pathogens; ensuring fair, equitable and timely access to vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics; and strengthening technology transfer, financing and supply chains.

Dr Tedros said adoption of the Pandemic Agreement was not the end of the journey, adding that Member States still must negotiate the annex on pathogen access and benefit sharing for adoption at an upcoming Health Assembly. The next step would be for 60 countries to ratify the agreement, including the annex, before it enters into force as an instrument of international law.

“But having watched this process over the past three and a half years, I am confident of two things,” the WHO Director-General said. “First, that Member States will finish the job by May next year (2026), as they have committed to doing; and second, that the deception and distortion will continue.”

In particular, Dr Tedros said while it has been widely acknowledged that the Pandemic Agreement will not infringe on national sovereignty, some quarters will continue to repeat the false claims.

“Let me be clear once again: the Pandemic Agreement will not infringe on national sovereignty, period. And the Pandemic Agreement does not give WHO any powers, period,” Dr Tedros said. “WHO’s job is to make recommendations to governments, but what governments do with those recommendations is entirely up to them. WHO is not even a party to the Agreement. This is an agreement between sovereign nations, and it will be ratified and implemented by sovereign nations that choose to do so. The intentional distortion of the Pandemic Agreement as ceding power to WHO must stop.”

Assessed contributions increase

The Assembly’s other major outcome was the approval of WHO’s 2026–27 Programme Budget, including the next 20% increase in assessed contributions, adding US$ 90 million in fully predictable and flexible funds to WHO’s income each year. In 2022, Member States agreed to increase assessed contributions progressively to 50% of our base budget, from just 16% at the time. This rise is the cornerstone of WHO’s transformation of its approach to sustainable financing by diversifying its donor base and receiving increased support from all of its Member States towards WHO’s core budget and programme of work.

“This is another major step towards making WHO less dependent on earmarked voluntary funds from a handful of traditional donors,” said Dr Tedros. “WHO also held a pledging event at which Member States and philanthropic donors committed at least US$ 210 million in additional funding to the WHO Investment Round.”

In addition to these two major achievements, the Health Assembly also celebrated several countries for eliminating diseases, and eliminating industrial trans-fat from their manufactured food supplies.

WHO Member States also adopted several important resolutions, reflecting WHO’s vast mission and mandate, including a new target to halve the health impacts of air pollution by 2040; new targets for nutrition in mothers and young children; to strengthen regulation of digital marketing of formula milk and baby foods; and a new global strategy for traditional medicine.

Countries for the first time also adopted resolutions on lung health and kidney health, and for a lead-free future, and established World Cervical Cancer Day and World Prematurity Day as official WHO health campaigns. Resolutions on digital health, Guinea worm disease, health financing, the health and care workforce, medical imaging, nursing and midwifery, rare diseases, sensory impairment, skin diseases, social connection and more were also adopted.

Today, the World Health Organization (WHO) published its first-ever position paper on immunization products to protect infants against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) – the leading cause of acute lower respiratory infections in children globally.

Every year, RSV causes about 100 000 deaths and over 3.6 million hospitalizations in children under the age of 5 years worldwide. About half of these deaths occur in infants younger than 6 months of age. The vast majority (97%) of RSV deaths in infants occur in low- and middle-income countries where there is limited access to supportive medical care, such as oxygen or hydration.

Published in the Weekly Epidemiological Record (WER), the position paper outlines WHO recommendations for two immunization products: a maternal vaccine that can be given to pregnant women in their third trimester to protect their infant and a long-acting monoclonal antibody that can be administered to infants from birth, just before or during the RSV season.

“RSV is an incredibly infectious virus that infects people of all ages, but is especially harmful to infants, particularly those born premature, when they are most vulnerable to severe disease,” says Dr Kate O’Brien, Director of Immunization, Vaccines, and Biologicals at WHO. “The WHO-recommended RSV immunization products can transform the fight against severe RSV disease, dramatically reduce hospitalizations, and deaths, ultimately saving many infant lives globally.”

RSV usually causes mild symptoms similar to the common cold, including runny nose, cough and fever. However, it can lead to serious complications – including pneumonia and bronchiolitis – in infants, young children, older adults and those with compromised immune systems or underlying health conditions.

Two immunization products to protect against RSV

In response to the global burden of severe RSV disease among infants, WHO recommends that all countries introduce either the maternal vaccine, RSVpreF, or the monoclonal antibody, nirsevimab depending on the feasibility of implementation within each country’s existing health system, cost-effectiveness and anticipated coverage. Both products were recommended by the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE) for global implementation in September 2024. In addition, the maternal vaccine received WHO prequalification in March 2025, allowing it to be purchased by UN agencies.

WHO recommends that the maternal vaccine be given to pregnant women during the third trimester of pregnancy, from week 28 onwards, to optimize for the adequate transfer of antibodies to their baby. The vaccine may be given during routine antenatal care, including at one of the 5 WHO-recommended antenatal care visits in the third trimester or any additional medical consultations.

The second WHO-recommended immunization product, nirsevimab, is given as a single injection of monoclonal antibodies that starts protecting babies against RSV within a week of administration and lasts for at least 5 months, which can cover the entire RSV season in countries with RSV seasonality.

WHO recommends that infants receive a single dose of nirsevimab right after birth or before being discharged from a birthing facility. If not administered at birth, the monoclonal antibody can be given during the baby's first health visit. If a country decides to administer the product only during the RSV season rather than year-round, a single dose can also be given to older infants just before entering their first RSV season.

The greatest impact on severe RSV disease will be achieved by administering the monoclonal antibody to infants under 6 months of age. However, there is still a potential benefit among infants up to 12 months of age.

WHO regularly issues updated position papers on vaccines, combinations of vaccines and other immunization products against diseases that have major public health impact. These papers focus primarily on the use of vaccines in large-scale vaccination programmes. The new position paper aims to inform national public health policymakers and immunization programme managers on the use of RSV immunization products in their national programmes, as well as national and international funding agencies.

 

On World No Tobacco Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) today launches a new publication and calls on governments to urgently ban all flavours in tobacco and nicotine products, including cigarettes, pouches, hookahs and e-cigarettes, to protect youth from addiction and disease.

Flavours like menthol, bubble gum and cotton candy are masking the harshness of tobacco and nicotine products turning toxic products into youth-friendly bait. Flavours not only make it harder to quit but have also been linked to serious lung diseases. Cigarettes, which still kill up to half of their users, also come in flavours or can have flavours added to them.

“Flavours are fuelling a new wave of addiction, and should be banned,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO. “They undermine decades of progress in tobacco control. Without bold action, the global tobacco epidemic, already killing around 8 million people each year, will continue to be driven by addiction dressed up with appealing flavours.”

The publication, Flavour accessories in tobacco products enhance attractiveness and appeal, reveals how flavours and accessories like capsule filters and click-on drops are marketed to bypass regulations and hook new users.

Currently:

• over 50 countries ban flavoured tobacco;
• more than 40 countries ban e-cigarette sales; 5 specifically ban disposables and 7 ban e-cigarette flavours; and
• flavour accessories remain largely unregulated.

Countries such as Belgium, Denmark, and Lithuania are taking action, and WHO urges others to follow.

Flavours are a leading reason why young people try tobacco and nicotine products. Paired with flashy packaging and social media-driven marketing, they’ve increased the appeal of nicotine pouches, heated tobacco, and disposable vapes into addictive and harmful products, which aggressively target young people.

“We are watching a generation get hooked on nicotine through gummy bear-flavoured pouches and rainbow-coloured vapes,” said Dr Rüdiger Krech, WHO Director of Health Promotion. “This isn’t innovation, it’s manipulation. And we must stop it.”

WHO reiterates that tobacco products, including heated tobacco products, expose users to cancer-causing chemicals and should be strictly regulated.

The 2025 World No Tobacco Day campaign honours governments, youth activists and civil society leaders pushing back against industry interference. “Your actions are changing policy and saving lives,” said Dr Krech.

With around 8 million tobacco-related deaths each year, the time for action is now. Flavours, and the industries that deploy them, have no place in a healthy future.
 

Information sheets

The role of flavours in increasing the appeal of tobacco, nicotine and related products

Flavour accessories in tobacco products enhance attractiveness and appeal

Understanding the design features of tobacco, nicotine and related products and their possible effects

Manipulation and marketing strategies used by tobacco and nicotine industries to promote their products

 

The World Health Organization (WHO), Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), Robert Koch Institute (RKI) and the governments of Canada and the United Kingdom announced today the expansion of the successful Health Security Partnership to Strengthen Disease Surveillance in Africa (HSPA) to seven countries on the continent. 

Africa experiences more disease outbreaks than any other part of the world. While significant progress has been made in strengthening disease surveillance over the past decade, no country can tackle today’s complex health threats alone.

The Health Security Partnership strengthens disease surveillance and epidemic intelligence across the African continent, enabling countries to better detect and respond to public health threats - whether they are natural, accidental or deliberate. Launched in 2023 in six countries, The Gambia, Mali, Morocco, Namibia, South Africa and Tunisia, the partnership will expand to Rwanda in its second phase which runs from 2025 to 2028.

At the heart of the initiative is a collaborative surveillance approach that connects health and security sectors to reduce biological risks and strengthen surveillance systems nationally and internationally. HSPA is aligned with the health security objectives of the Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction and the Signature Initiative to Mitigate Biological Threats in Africa (SIMBA).

“HSPA represents an important step forward in building stronger partnerships for health security in Africa. By bringing together global, regional and national actors, this initiative supports countries in strengthening Collaborative Surveillance through mutual exchange and practical action. WHO remains committed to working alongside Member States to ensure that these collective efforts are well-coordinated, responsive, and rooted in national priorities,” said Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Acting WHO Regional Director for Africa; Deputy Executive Director, WHO Health Emergencies Programme.

The partnership is supporting countries to strengthen capacities in biorisk management, event and indicator-based surveillance, genomic surveillance and epidemic intelligence. This is achieved through training, guidance development, co-creation of implementation roadmaps, and hands-on technical assistance to ensure that implementation is aligned with country priorities, embedded within broader national systems, and built for long-term sustainability.
“Within the framework of this project, Africa CDC will work with the Member States in mobilizing political will for biosecurity and surveillance, establishing regional frameworks for bio-surveillance of high-consequence biological agents and toxins, and coordinating event-based surveillance. The collaboration with other partners and coordination with Member States is crucial especially in the current context of limited resources to strengthen the continent's capacity for early detection, response, and management of biological threats,” said Dr Raji Tajudeen, Acting Deputy Director General and Head, Division of Public Health Institutes and Research, Africa CDC.

The HSPA initiative has been supported from the start by the Government of Canada’s Weapons Threat Reduction Program, with additional funding in phase two from the Government of the United Kingdom.

Building on the achievements in phase one, the participating countries, with support from WHO and partners, will accelerate implementation to build a healthier, safer and more resilient Africa. 

Editor's note

On 29 May 2025, a correction was made to this news release, both in the headline and the main text, to reflect the joint announcement of the HSPA expansion with the governments of Canada and the United Kingdom, and to acknowledge HSPA’s alignment with the Global Partnership Against the Spread of Weapons and Materials of Mass Destruction and the Signature Initiative to Mitigate Biological Threats in Africa (SIMBA). 

On 28 May 2025, the European Commission issued a new call for laboratories in EU Member States and EEA countries to submit applications to be designated as an EU reference laboratory (EURL) for public health in the field of respiratory viruses.

The  Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly (WHA78), the annual meeting of World Health Organization’s (WHO) Member States, came to a close Tuesday, as health leaders lauded vast accomplishments and global solidarity.

The Assembly, WHO’s highest decision-making body, convened from 19 May to 27 May, under the theme “One World for Health”. Member States considered approximately 75 items and sub-items across all areas of health, engaging in lively debate and adopting consequential resolutions to improve health for all.

“The words ‘historic’ and ‘landmark’ are overused, but they are perfectly apt to describe this year’s World Health Assembly,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “The adoption of the Pandemic Agreement and the approval of the next increase in assessed contributions, along with the numerous other resolutions that Member States adopted are a sign to the world that we can achieve cooperation in the face of conflict, and unity amid division.”

World’s first pandemic agreement: equity for all

On 20 May, Member States adopted the historic WHO Pandemic Agreement. The moment was met with heartfelt applause, celebrating over three years of intense negotiations by the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body, comprising WHO’s Member States.

The adoption of the Agreement is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to safeguard the world from a repeat of the suffering caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Agreement aims to enhance global coordination and cooperation, equity and access for future pandemics, all while respecting national sovereignty.

Over the next year, Member States will build on the Resolution, by holding consultations on the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing system (PABS), an annex to the Agreement which would enhance equitable access to medical advancements.

Sustainable financing: protecting the future of global health

In a changing financial landscape, Member States united to protect WHO’s critical work by approving the second 20% increase in assessed contributions (ACs). By 2030–2031, ACs will make up 50% of WHO’s core budget, providing more predictable, resilient, and flexible funding.

The Assembly’s commitment to sustainable financing did not stop there; at a high-level pledging event during WHA78, health leaders pledged at least US$ 210 million for WHO’s Investment Round, the fundraising campaign for the Organization’s global health strategy for the next four years (the Fourteenth  General Programme of Work). In addition to the US$ 1.7 billion already raised for the Investment Round, these pledges mark a significant step toward sustainable financing of WHO. Since launching in May 2024, the Investment Round has attracted 35 new contributors – moving WHO closer to the broader donor base envisioned in the Director-General’s ongoing transformation agenda.

Action for health: major decisions and resolutions

WHA 78 was steadfast in addressing ongoing health issues and adaptable in targeting threats and conflicts. The accomplishments of the Assembly spanned many areas of health as Member States 

• adopted a new resolution highlighting the global health financing emergency;
• endorsed first-ever resolutions on lung and kidney health, highlighting the upcoming UN General Assembly focus on noncommunicable diseases;
• adopted a new resolution on science-driven norms and standards for health policy and implementation;
• adopted a new target to halve the health impacts of air pollution by 2040; 
• adopted an innovative resolution to promote social connection with growing evidence linking it to improved health outcomes and reduced risk of early death; 
• adopted a resolution for a lead-free future;
• adopted a resolution to address rare diseases, protecting the over 300 million people globally who live with one of more than 7000 rare diseases;
• agreed to expand the provisions of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes to tackle the digital marketing of formula milk and baby foods; 
• adopted a resolution to accelerate the eradication of Guinea worm disease.

The Assembly adopted other resolutions on digital health, the health and care workforce, medical imaging, nursing and midwifery, sensory impairment, and skin diseases, among others. Two new official WHO health campaigns were established: World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day and World Prematurity Day.

Strengthening health emergency preparedness and response

The World Health Assembly also discussed WHO’s work in health emergencies. Over the last year, WHO responded internationally to 51 graded emergencies across 89 countries and territories, including global outbreaks of cholera and mpox – a public health emergency of international concern – as well as multiple humanitarian crises. Working with over 900 partners across 28 health clusters, WHO helped provide health assistance for 72 million people in humanitarian settings. Nearly 60% of new emergencies were climate-related, highlighting the growing health impacts of climate change.

During the Assembly, Member States

• considered matters pertaining to WHO’s work in health emergencies and commended the Organization’s leadership in this space;
• noted the Director-General’s report on implementation of the health emergency prevention, preparedness, response and resilience (HEPR) framework and expressed their support for the strengthening of the global architecture;
• considered the health needs of people in Ukraine and the occupied Palestinian territory;
• noted the Director-General’s report on progress made in implementing the International Health Regulations (2005); and
• approved a resolution to strengthen the research base on public health and social measures to control outbreaks.

 

Note to editors

On 28 May 2025 a small change was made on the final bullet point of this news release, from "approved a decision to strengthen" to "approved a resolution to strengthen".

Countries agree to update action plan to reduce deaths from antimicrobial resistance 

The Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly approved a decision to update the Global action plan (GAP) on antimicrobial resistance (AMR), for discussion at next year’s World Health Assembly (WHA79) in 2026.

An estimated 4.71 million deaths were associated with bacterial AMR as of 2021, according to the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD). The GAP update will offer a practical framework for the next 10 years to achieve the targets and commitments included in the political declaration of the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on AMR in 2024 – including a 10% reduction in global deaths associated with bacterial AMR by 2030.

Since the global action plan was adopted in 2015, over 170 countries have developed multi-sectoral national action plans to address AMR. The updated plan will ensure the latest guidance is available to help countries accelerate implementation. It will reflect a multisectoral One Health approach, which aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals and ecosystems.

WHO and the other Quadripartite organizations – the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) – will develop this update in consultation with Member States and relevant stakeholders.

The Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly also considered progress made in supporting countries to prevent infections; ensure universal access to quality and affordable diagnosis and appropriate treatment; strengthen surveillance, research and innovation; and enhance AMR awareness, governance and financing.

Looking ahead, other WHO priorities include supporting countries to achieve efficiencies by integrating AMR interventions in health sector planning and financing, and enhancing coordination and governance of the AMR response at all levels, including with the Quadripartite.

Related links

• A78/8: Antimicrobial resistance – Report by the Director-General
  

Assembly adopts the Global action plan on climate change and health for 2025–2028

At the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly in 2025, Member States expressed support for the first-ever draft Global action plan on climate change and health, marking an important step forward in global health and climate policy. The draft Global action plan 2025–2028 (EB156(40)) acknowledged the urgent need to address the health impacts of climate change, positioning health systems as part of the climate solution.

It aims to provide a strategic framework to guide Member States, the WHO Secretariat and other stakeholders in developing climate-resilient, low-carbon health systems; enhancing surveillance and early warning systems; protecting vulnerable populations; and integrating health into climate policy and financing mechanisms.

Building on commitments made at previous Conference of the Parties (COPs) and the outcomes of the Executive Board meeting in February 2025, this plan supports WHO’s work to promote health leadership in the global climate agenda and coordinate country-level action and implementation. By supporting this Global action plan, the Assembly affirmed that climate action is not only an environmental priority but also a strategic health priority.

While recognizing this important progress, some Member States noted that more time and dialogue are needed to reach consensus on certain principles and language used in the action plan moving forward.

Related links:

• Climate change and health: Draft Global Action Plan on Climate Change and Health A78/4 Add.2
• Documents A78/4, A78/4 Add.2 and EB156/2025/REC/1, decision EB156(40)
• Draft Global Action Plan on Climate Change and Health as contained in decision EB156(40) and
• EB156/25)

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are spreading across Europe, and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) is urging everyone to stay informed and practice safer sex during upcoming holidays, festivals, and travel this summer season.

In 2025, ECDC celebrates 20 years of strengthening Europe’s defences against infectious diseases.

Countries overwhelmingly agree on a new voluntary target for air pollution and health  

Member States at the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly strongly approved an updated road map for an enhanced global response to the adverse health effects of air pollution, reaffirming their commitment to protect populations from the world’s largest environmental health risk. The decision updates the 2016 strategy endorsed under WHA69/18 and builds on the landmark resolution WHA68.8 adopted in 2015. 

Today, 99% of the world’s population breathes air that does not meet WHO air quality guidelines. The health burden from air pollution falls disproportionately on vulnerable and marginalized populations, particularly in low-resource settings where fragile health systems face compound challenges. 

Air pollution is responsible for approximately 7 million deaths annually, primarily from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as stroke, ischemic heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung cancer as well as pneumonia. It is now recognized as the fifth major risk factor for NCDs alongside tobacco use, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity and harmful use of alcohol. 

The updated road map sets the first voluntary target to halve the health impacts of air pollution by 2040 through improved surveillance, knowledge synthesis, institutional capacity building, and global leadership. It provides practical guidance for health authorities to advocate for clean air, inform policy, and protect communities – especially those most at risk. 

With this new Resolution, WHO and its Member States commit to scaling up action to monitor, prevent, and mitigate the health impacts of air pollution. The decision represents a critical step toward cleaner air, healthier lives, and accelerated progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. 

Related documents:

• A78/4, EB156/24, EB156/2025/REC/1, decision EB156(33) 

Countries commit to regulate the digital marketing of formula milk and baby foods 

In a new resolution, Member States agreed to expand the provisions of the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes (the Code) to tackle the digital marketing of formula milk and baby foods.  

The Code is a landmark public health agreement passed by the World Health Assembly in 1981, which aims to protect caregivers from aggressive marketing practices by the baby food industry. This advertising often makes misleading claims about the benefits of formula milk products, promotes unhealthy baby foods to parents, and reinforces negative myths about breastfeeding. 

Over recent years, new tactics for digital marketing have proliferated, for instance through influencer endorsements, virtual “support groups”, and personal targeting of pregnant women and new parents across their social media feeds. Many of these promotions are funded by baby food companies but their sponsorship is undisclosed. Advertisements are widely circulated across national borders – creating new challenges for regulation. 

In line with recent guidance from WHO, the 2025 Resolution calls for robust efforts to develop, strengthen and coordinate the regulation of digital marketing to protect children’s health. It calls on countries to build effective systems for monitoring and enforcement.  

Despite the existence of the Code, a major study from WHO and UNICEF found that over half of new parents had been exposed to promotions from formula milk companies. In some countries, this was over 90%. The new Resolution covers the marketing of formula milks, teats and bottles, as well as foods for infants and young children.  

Related document:

• EB156/CONF./16 Rev. 1 

Related links:

• Guidance on regulatory measures aimed at restricting digital marketing of breast-milk substitutes 
• Scope and impact of digital marketing strategies for promoting breast-milk substitutes 

Member States commit to accelerate action on health and care workforce  

Member States reaffirmed their commitment to protect and invest in the global health and care workforce, identifying specific actions to address national shortages, conditions of work and the increasing rates of health worker migration. 

The Assembly reviewed the Global Strategy on Human Resources for Health: Workforce 2030, which highlights a slowdown in progress and an increase in the projected global shortfall in health workers to 11.1 million by 2030 – up from the 2022 estimate of 10.2 million. 

Countries adopted a resolution – sponsored by Germany, Morocco, Nigeria, the Philippines, and Thailand – calling for accelerated investment in health professionals’ education, job creation, and retention; improved working conditions; and a harnessing of the potential of digital technologies and AI in support of health workers. 

The Assembly also considered new data and recommendations on the international migration of health workers and how to strengthen ethical recruitment in alignment with the WHO Global Code of Practice on the International Recruitment of Health Personnel. A record 105 countries reported on international migration.  

The Assembly noted the findings of the Code’s third review and endorsed a decision to hold regional consultations on the draft findings of the Expert Advisory Group in 2025, including on its emphasis on mutual benefits, co-investment and sustainable solutions, alongside better regulation of private recruitment and inclusion of care workers. 

Related documents:

• EB156/CONF./14 
• EB156/14

Countries approve a landmark resolution for a lead-free future  

With broad support, countries approved a resolution galvanizing global support for a lead-free future. The Resolution affirms the global health sector’s commitment to tackle exposure to lead, one of WHO’s top 10 chemicals of major public health concern. 

Member states also acknowledged that exposure to hazardous chemicals and pollution contributes to over 9 million premature deaths annually –  one in six globally – with a disproportionate impact on populations in vulnerable situations, especially children, pregnant women, and communities in low- and middle-income countries. 

Member States are urged to reduce exposures to hazardous chemicals, such as lead, mercury, persistent organic pollutants and endocrine-disrupting chemicals, by integrating health into environmental policies and regulations and improving waste management systems, including for growing challenges related to plastics and e-waste pollution.  

Countries committed to implementing WHO’s chemicals roadmap, and enhancing national capacities and global cooperation through multilateral agreements such as the Global Framework on Chemicals, the Minamata Convention on Mercury, and the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions.  

WHO will consult with countries and translate Resolution EB156(32) into a Global action plan on lead mitigation and continue providing technical assistance and guidance in strengthening health sector leadership, to protect communities from preventable health risks due to hazardous chemicals, waste and pollution. 

By adopting EB156(32) and acknowledging exposure to lead and other chemicals, waste and pollution as threats to health, Member States have taken a decisive action toward addressing environmental determinants and the root causes of ill health, advancing health equity, and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. 

Related documents:  

• The impact of chemicals, waste and pollution on human health A78/4
• EB156/2025/REC/1
• EB156(32) 

Member States agree on a new global traditional medicine strategy for 2025–2034 

Members of the World Health Assembly agreed on the new WHO global traditional medicine strategy to take forward development of evidence-based practice of Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) into the next decade. In arriving at this Strategy, Member States debated crucial components for inclusion, such as establishing a robust evidence base for traditional medicine practices, developing mechanisms for regulation and safety, creating integrated health-care service delivery models where appropriate, and ensuring qualified practitioners. 

With this Strategy, the Member States explicitly recognized not only the role of traditional knowledge of indigenous peoples but also the upholding their rights, while promoting environmental sustainability and biodiversity conservation in the context of TCIM. 

Under the 2025-2034 strategy, WHO will assist Member States in strengthening the evidence base for TCIM, bolstering safety, quality and effectiveness, and, where appropriate, facilitating its integration into health systems while optimizing cross-sector collaboration. 

Implementation and monitoring of the Strategy are key elements. WHO will support Member States in implementing and adapting the Strategy, providing guidance and technical assistance as needed. 

This new Strategy aims to unlock the full potential of TCIM to improve global health and well-being in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals and universal health coverage (UHC). 

Related links: 

• EB156(28)

World Prematurity Day approved as a mandated global health campaign 

Endorsing the urgent need for action on preterm births, Member States agreed to announce World Prematurity Day as an official WHO health campaign. The campaign will complement efforts to improve prevention of preterm births and ensure lifesaving health care for babies born early or small. 

Preterm births are defined as births that occur before 37 completed weeks of pregnancy. Related complications, which include difficulties breathing as well as infections and hypothermia, are the leading cause of death amongst children aged under 5 years. Those who survive can face significant and long-term disability and ill health.  

The Resolution also calls on countries to invest in proven high-impact interventions – like special newborn care units, kangaroo mother care and family support -- that improve outcomes for babies born early or small. 

The campaign was approved as part of discussions on the Global Strategy for Women’s, Children’s and Adolescents’ Health (2016-2030), and is aligned with last year’s Resolution to accelerate progress in improving maternal, newborn, and child survival. 

Related document:

• EB156/CONF./12 

Related link:

• Fact sheet on preterm birth

Member States agree on actions addressing the health impacts of nuclear war 

Countries agreed on a resolution entitled "Effects of Nuclear War on Public Health". The Resolution was proposed by Burkina Faso, Ecuador, Fiji, Guatemala, Iraq, Kazakhstan, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), New Zealand, Peru, Samoa, and Vanuatu. It underscores the serious health risks posed by nuclear weapons and reaffirms WHO’s constitutional principle that health is fundamental to peace and security. 

Recalling past WHO and UN resolutions and reports, the Resolution highlights the long-standing recognition of the devastating health and environmental consequences of nuclear war. Nuclear war would have catastrophic consequences for human health –  both immediate and long-term. At the UN Summit of the Future in September 2024, Member States raised an alarm on the rising threat of nuclear conflict, calling it an existential risk to humanity, and reaffirmed their commitment to total nuclear disarmament.  

The new Resolution requests the WHO Director-General to update earlier reports on nuclear war’s impacts on health and health systems, cooperate with relevant stakeholders and UN bodies, and report back to the World Health Assembly by 2029. It also encourages Member States to support this work, in line with their national contexts and legal frameworks, recognizing that preventing nuclear war is essential for global health, security, and the survival of humanity. 

Related documents:

• A78/A/CONF./1
• World Health Assembly, 36. (‎1983)‎. Effects of nuclear war on health and health services: report of the International Committee of Experts in Medical Sciences and Public Health to implement resolution WHA34.38. World Health Organization.
• World Health Assembly, 46. (‎1993)‎. Health and environmental effects of nuclear weapons: report by the Director-General. World Health Organization.

Assembly to review substandard and falsified medical products report in 2026 

Countries approved a decision to provide additional time to finalize the report of the fourteenth meeting of the Member State mechanism (MsM) regarding global health threats posed by substandard and falsified (SF) medical products. The final report will now be submitted to the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly in 2026, via the 158th session of the Executive Board. 

This decision follows a request by the Steering Committee of the MsM for more time to consider specific recommendations from the 2023 independent evaluation, particularly those concerning potential revisions to the mechanism’s format. WHO is actively supporting this process by providing both legal and operational guidance. 

With an estimated 1 in 10 medicines in low- and middle-income countries being substandard or falsified, and economic losses ranging from US$ 75 to 200 billion annually, the stakes are high. SF incidents nearly tripled between 2019 and 2023, exacerbated by online distribution, weak regulatory oversight and surveillance, and humanitarian crises. 

Established through Resolution WHA65.19 in 2012, the MsM has served as a cornerstone of WHO’s global strategy, enabling countries to collaborate in preventing, detecting, and responding to SF medical products. The 2023 evaluation reaffirmed the mechanism’s relevance and underscored its unique role in global coordination. However, it also called for improvements, including regional engagement, broader stakeholder collaboration, and enhanced operational agility.  

WHO reiterated its full commitment to reinforcing the mechanism as a cornerstone of global health security, calling on continued engagement from governments, pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors, donors and civil society.  

Related documents:

• WHA76(10)
  
• EB156/12
• Substandard and falsified medical products 

Related links:

• WHO Member State Mechanism 

Flags of non-Member Observer States 

Delegates decided that “the flags of non-Member Observer States at the United Nations shall be raised at the World Health Organization... and does not constitute Member State status in the World Health Organization.” The discussion focused specifically on having the Palestinian flag raised at WHO, as a non-Member Observer State, and cited UN resolution 20.15 as a basis for the flag to be raised there.  

Related document:

• A78/B/CONF./2

Considering the withdrawal of a Member State 

There was a request for the Executive Board, at its meeting in January 2026, to consider the withdrawal of Argentina and to submit a report thereon to the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly. 

Related document:

A78/33 Add.1