Category: Health

Overview This is the 40th situation report for the multi-country outbreak of mpox, which provides an update on the mpox epidemiological situation in Africa as of 6 October 2024. Sixteen countries on the African continent have reported mpox cases in the last six weeks. The most affected country in 2024 continues to be the Democratic […]

In addition, one-third of mental health conditions emerge before the age of 14 and half before the age of 18. Published ahead of World Mental Health Day, celebrated annually on 10 October, the report seeks to support the transformation of mental health services for children and adolescents. It underscores the importance of early action as an […]

AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites change over time and no longer respond to medicines. It is among the top global public health and development threats, with nearly five million associated deaths each year. The main drivers are misuse and overuse of antimicrobials. Catch up on our live coverage of the issue from […]

Hearing loss already costs the continent $27 million annually, exacting profound impact on lives and economies, according to the report, which was launched at the African Summit on Hearing Impairment in Nairobi, Kenya. Widespread hearing loss disproportionately affects poor and vulnerable populations. WHO warned that without urgent interventions it will continue to escalate, amplifying existing […]

Responders including ambulance drivers, health workers and forensic teams who identified many of the dead, all witnessed “carnage and horror” which resulted in lasting trauma. An organization named Mashiv Ha’Ruach, which means “Bringing back the spirit”, provided mental health and psychosocial support through workshop retreats supported by WHO/Europe. These sessions allowed workers to discuss their […]

That day was in November 2023, around a month into the war in Gaza. Ala’a is among an estimated 155,000 pregnant women and new mothers in the Gaza Strip who for the past year have been forced to give birth under fire, in tents, while fleeing bombs and often without assistance, medication or even clean water. […]

The Alinity m MPXV assay is a real-time PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test that enables detection of monkeypox virus DNA from human skin lesion swabs.   It is manufactured by Abbott Molecular Inc, an American company, and specifically designed for use by trained clinical laboratory personnel. ‘A significant milestone’ “This first mpox diagnostic test listed under […]

Anshu Banerjee, head of WHO’s division on maternal, child and adolescent health and ageing, emphasized the need for rethinking how care is delivered to older people. “We all require support to care for ourselves at some point in our lives, but we are more likely to require care the longer we live,” he said. “However, […]

Ahead of the General Assembly’s high-level meeting on AMR on 26 September, here’s what you need to know: What is AMR? Since their discovery a century ago, antimicrobial medicines, from antibiotics to antivirals, have significantly extended average life expectancy. Every day, these essential medicines save millions of lives, until they don’t. AMR occurs when microorganisms like […]

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that failing to address the mental, sexual and reproductive health of adolescents will have “serious and life-threatening consequences for young people”. It will also come at a massive cost for society, which justifies a major public investment from governments worldwide. Tedros noted that anaemia among adolescent girls remains “prevalent” […]