Standby partners ’ crucial role in emergency response
Health emergencies can come with little or no warning. Saving lives and preventing the spread of a disease or the fallout of a natural disaster means getting relief resources onsite quickly. Crucially, this includes skilled and experienced personnel. “Extra personnel must be in place quickly to support WHO’s emergency work, but emergencies can be a difficult time to identify the right staff and negotiate contracts”, said Dr Richard Brennan, Director of Emergency Management Operations at the World Health Organization (WHO). (Source: WHO Feature Stories)
Source: WHO Feature Stories - February 6, 2018 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Tags: emergencies [subject], emergency preparedness, crises, emergency preparedness Source Type: news
Working towards zero tolerance for female genital mutilation in Sudan
Nine years ago, one community in Sudan decided to follow WHO recommendations and abandon the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM). Since then, Tuti Island, a community of 21 000 residents located at the juncture where the White Nile and Blue Nile rivers merge, has been held up as a trailblazer in a growing movement to end FGM. (Source: WHO Feature Stories)
Source: WHO Feature Stories - February 6, 2018 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Tags: female genital mutilation [subject], fgm, genital mutilation, Eastern Mediterranean Region [region], Feature [doctype], Sudan [country] Source Type: news
One year on, Global Observatory on Health R & D identifies striking gaps and inequalities
Each year, hundreds of billions of dollars are spent on research and development (R&D) into new or improved health products and processes, ranging from medicines to vaccines to diagnostics. But the way these funds are distributed and spent is often poorly aligned with global public health needs. One year ago, the World Health Organization launched a new initiative to gather information and provide an accurate picture of where and how R&D monies are being spent, helping governments, funders and researchers to make better decisions on investment and policy making priorities. (Source: WHO Feature Stories)
Source: WHO Feature Stories - February 5, 2018 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Tags: health systems [subject] Source Type: news
Cervical cancer prevention and control saves lives in the Republic of Korea
2 February 2018 –The Republic of Korea is demonstrating how it is possible, through investment and expanded universal health coverage, to reduce illness and death through cervical cancer prevention and control, also a key focus of World Cancer Day on 4 February. Feature story (Source: WHO Feature Stories)
Source: WHO Feature Stories - January 26, 2018 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Tags: cancer [subject], cervical cancer, cancer [subject], cervical cancer, cervical cancer [subject], cervical tumour, cervical neoplasm Source Type: news
"Kangaroo Mother Care" programme in India helps premature triplets thrive
When Renuka Hadapad gave birth to triplets on 25 October 2016 in Koppal, India she saw little reason to celebrate. The babies were all girls. With two daughters already and a culture favouring male children, Renuka and her husband, Somappa, had hoped for a son. Moreover, despite a seamless birth in the district hospital, the triplets were born each weighing less than 1500 grams – making it difficult for them to nurse, stay warm or gain weight. Though Somappa and Renuka were heartbroken, the triplets needed their support to survive. (Source: WHO Feature Stories)
Source: WHO Feature Stories - January 12, 2018 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Tags: maternal health [subject], maternal mortality, maternal, antenatal care, mother, childbirth, maternal welfare, newborn [subject], newborn, newborn health, perinatal, neonate mortality, newborn care, low birth weight, infant, newborn, Feature [doctype] Source Type: news
Typhoid fever
What is typhoid fever? Typhoid fever is a life-threatening infection caused by the bacterium Salmonella Typhi. (Source: WHO Feature Stories)
Source: WHO Feature Stories - January 10, 2018 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Tags: typhoid [subject], typhoid, salmonella typhi, enteric fever, typhoid fever, Q & A [doctype] Source Type: news
Gaming disorder
What is gaming disorder? Gaming disorder is defined in the draft 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) as a pattern of gaming behavior ( “digital-gaming” or “video-gaming”) characterized by impaired control over gaming, increasing priority given to gaming over other activities to the extent that gaming takes precedence over other interests and daily activities, and continuation or escalation of gaming despite the occurrence o f negative consequences. (Source: WHO Feature Stories)
Source: WHO Feature Stories - January 5, 2018 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Tags: mental health [subject], mental health promotion, Q & A [doctype] Source Type: news
2017 year in review: key health issues
Review the biggest health stories from WHO in 2017. Relive some of WHO's major achievements in the past year. (Source: WHO Feature Stories)
Source: WHO Feature Stories - December 20, 2017 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news
Cannabidiol (compound of cannabis)
It has been widely reported that WHO officially recommended on December 14, 2017 that cannabis compound cannabidiol (CBD) not be internationally scheduled as a controlled substance. What is Cannabidiol and is it safe? (Source: WHO Feature Stories)
Source: WHO Feature Stories - December 19, 2017 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Tags: FAQ [doctype] Source Type: news
Addressing inequalities on the road to ‘health for all’ in Indonesia
WHO has published its first ever joint report with a Member State presenting a comprehensive assessment of health inequalities within a country. Age, sex, economic status, education and where a person lives, can all affect peoples ’ state of health and access to health services. The State of health inequality: Indonesia identifies priority areas for action to ensure that, when it comes to essential health, ‘no one is left behind’. (Source: WHO Feature Stories)
Source: WHO Feature Stories - December 19, 2017 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Tags: health equity [subject], health inequity, health care disparities, Feature [doctype], Indonesia [country], South-East Asia Region [region] Source Type: news
A little black box for detecting and tracking outbreaks
One of the toughest tasks in responding to a major public health emergency is getting accurate information about infectious disease outbreaks. Infections can spread even more quickly than rumours, particularly when there is a lack of reliable, up-to-date information to detect, track and respond to outbreaks. (Source: WHO Feature Stories)
Source: WHO Feature Stories - December 14, 2017 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Tags: emergencies [subject], emergency preparedness, crises, emergency preparedness, emergencies [subject], emergency preparedness, crises, emergency preparedness, Feature [doctype] Source Type: news
10 facts about schistosomiasis
Schistosomiasis is an acute and chronic, parasitic disease caused by blood flukes (trematode worms) of the genus Schistosoma. At least 258 million people required treatment in 2014. (Source: WHO Feature Stories)
Source: WHO Feature Stories - December 8, 2017 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Tags: neglected tropical disease [subject], schistosomiasis [subject], schistosoma haematobium, urinary schistosomiasis, intestinal schistosomiasis, bilharzia, schistosomiasis [subject], schistosoma haematobium, urinary schistosomiasis, intestinal schistosomias Source Type: news
A visit to Gornali is no holiday
In a world where record numbers of people need humanitarian assistance and disease outbreaks are a continual global threat, the systems needed to respond are under unprecedented strain. And the resources in shortest supply are field response staff – specialists who volunteer to take their skills to some of the world’s most threatening locations. "Before the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2015, we deployed about 100 people a year, but for the Ebola outbreak alone we sent more than 1,000. It became clear that we did not have enough adequately prepared people," explains Renee Christensen, Training Co-ordinator for the ...
Source: WHO Feature Stories - December 5, 2017 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Tags: emergencies [subject], emergency preparedness, crises, emergency preparedness, Feature [doctype] Source Type: news
Improving the lives of people with disability – the role of data
But through a WHO-backed initiative, she and her colleagues at Chile ’s National Disability Service have developed up-to-date information on disability in her Latin American nation, and are using this to strengthen services for people who need them. (Source: WHO Feature Stories)
Source: WHO Feature Stories - December 3, 2017 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Tags: disabilities [subject], physically disabled, mentally disabled, disabled persons, people with disabilities, Chile [country], Press release [doctype], Region of the Americas [region] Source Type: news
WHO and Global Fund sign cooperation agreement
Today WHO and the Global Fund signed cooperation and financing agreements, amounting to an estimated US$50 million, to continue the invaluable technical support to countries to fight HIV AIDS, TB and malaria, and make significant strides towards the achievement of universal health coverage. "WHO and the Global Fund share a common mission and commitment to serve countries. These new agreements extend our close collaboration further," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO. "Partnerships will continue to be critical for achieving the mission of WHO. We cannot do it alone, and rely on partners like the G...
Source: WHO Feature Stories - December 1, 2017 Category: International Medicine & Public Health Tags: hiv/aids [subject], hiv, hiv infections, aids, malaria [subject], tuberculosis [subject], tb, Feature [doctype] Source Type: news
