WHO EMRO | WHO statement on IPC alert: Worst-case scenario for famine unfolding in Gaza

31 July 2025, Jerusalem, Cairo: The worst-case scenario of famine is currently playing out in the Gaza Strip, according to the alert published this week by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC).   People are foregoing food for days. Others are dying as their undernourished, weakened bodies succumb to disease or organ failure. The health […]

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Bacteria, fungi and whatever lives between your toes

Your feet are microbial hotspots. The area between your toes is packed with sweat glands, and when we wrap our feet in socks and shoes, we trap that moisture in a warm, humid cocoon that’s ideal for microbial growth. In fact, your feet may be home to a miniature rainforest of bacteria and fungi, with […]

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Cholera outbreak in West and Central Africa poses crisis for children

“The heavy rains, widespread flooding and the high level of displacement are all fuelling the risk of cholera transmission and putting the lives of children at risk,” said UNICEF regional director for West and Central Africa Gilles Fagninou. Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal infection caused by consuming food or water contaminated with bacteria. The disease […]

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Haitians in ‘despair’ following abrupt suspension of US humanitarian support

The cancellation of most US funding in January means many services to the most vulnerable people have been cut or put on hold. Multiple political, security and socioeconomic crises have led to 5.7 million people suffering from a lack of food and have forced 1.3 million people to flee their homes. With a dramatic reduction […]

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Urgent Appeal to HSE Ireland: Family Pleads for Discretionary Support to Save Their Baby’s Life

The family of eight-week-old Toby Gavin is pleading with Ireland’s Health Service Executive (HSE) to urgently reconsider its refusal to fund life-saving medication that could keep their baby alive. Toby suffers from propionic acidemia—a rare and potentially fatal metabolic disorder affecting approximately one in every 150,000 births. A Life-Changing Diagnosis Following alarming signs shortly after […]

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STFC’s Executive Chair appointed as new Astronomer Royal – UKRI

Professor Michele Dougherty has been approved by King Charles III to be the new Astronomer Royal, and will be the first woman to hold this position since the role was first created in 1675. The role of Astronomer Royal was first created with the goal of discovering how to determine longitude at sea when out […]

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WHO EMRO | World Hepatitis Day 2025: Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down

World Hepatitis Day is observed each year on 28 July to raise awareness of viral hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver, mostly caused by a viral infection that progresses to severe liver disease and liver cancer. Hepatitis is a major public health problem across the World Health Organization (WHO) Eastern Mediterranean Region, affecting 27 million people […]

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President Trump Administration Partners with Tech Giants to Improve Medicare Data Access

The Trump administration is set to unveil a new initiative aimed at enhancing digital access to health care data for older Americans and individuals with disabilities enrolled in Medicare. The announcement, scheduled for Wednesday at the White House, will mark a major step toward modernizing patient information exchange across the federal health system. 🖥️ Industry […]

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How ancient viruses could help fight antibiotic resistance

If bacteria had a list of things to fear, phages would be at the top. These viruses are built to find, infect and kill them – and they have been doing it for billions of years. Now that ancient battle is offering clues for how we might fight back against antibiotic-resistant infections. As more bacteria […]

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World News in Brief: Cambodia-Thailand ceasefire, bloody weekend in Ukraine, stop hepatitis deaths

The deal was announced on Monday by Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, current chair of the Southeast Asian bloc ASEAN, and was due to take effect at midnight local time. The clashes, which began on 24 July, reportedly displaced more than 130,000 people in Thailand and over 4,000 in Cambodia, UN aid partners said last […]

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