The World Health Organization (WHO) and the global community of countries, partners, donors, technical experts, scientists and field implementation... teams continue to work towards the ultimate goal of a world free of the burden of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs).
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Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) published a clinical case definition of post COVID-19
condition, by a Delphi consensus, on 6 Octob...er 2021. That process concluded that a separate definition
may be applicable for children. It is important to understand the frequency, characteristics and risk factors
that lead to post COVID-19 condition, along with its impact on everyday functioning and development of
children and adolescents. Long-term outcomes of the condition are currently unknown and need to be
studied. For these reasons, a globally standardized clinical case definition is needed.
Aim: To develop a globally relevant standardized clinical case definition for children and adolescents by
building on the WHO clinical case definition for post COVID-19 condition in adults.
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The WHO continuously reviews available data on SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern. For this version, the global epidemiological
situation of the COVID-19 pandemic as of 21 January 2022 – at a time when the Omicron VOC had been identified in 171
countries across all six WHO Regions and was rapidly re...placing Delta worldwide – was considered Omicron has a substantial growth advantage, higher secondary attack rates and a higher observed reproduction number than Delta.
There is now significant evidence that immune evasion contributes to the rapid spread of Omicron. Other factors may be a shorter
serial interval (by about 0.8 to 1.2 days compared to Delta) and potential increased intrinsic transmission fitness . There is
growing evidence that with Omicron, there is lower vaccine effectiveness (VE) against infection and symptomatic disease soon after vaccination compared to Delta. There is also evidence of accelerated waning of VE over time of the primary series against infection and symptomatic disease for the studied vaccines. Further studies are required to better understand the drivers of transmission and declining incidence in various settings. These factors include the intrinsic transmission fitness properties of the virus, degree of immune evasion, vaccination coverage and level of vaccine-derived and post-infection immunity, levels of social mixing and degree of application of public health and social measures (PHSM).
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The WHO Pharmaceuticals Newsletter provides you with the latest information on the safety of medicinal products and regulatory actions taken by authorities around the world.
In addition, this edition includes summary and recommendations from the vi...rtual meeting of the members of the WHO Programme for International Drug Monitoring (PIDM) and other partners, which was held on 20 October 2022.
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En la actualidad, los daños que sufren los pacientes a causa de una atención poco segura constituyen un desafío
importante y creciente para la salud pública mundial y son una de las principales causas de muerte y discapacidad
en todo el mundo. La mayor parte de estos daños son evitables. Ahor...a que los países se esfuerzan por alcanzar la
cobertura sanitaria universal y los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible, los efectos beneficiosos de un mayor acceso
a los servicios de atención de la salud pueden verse socavados por una atención poco segura. Los incidentes
relacionados con la seguridad de los pacientes pueden causar muerte y discapacidad, así como sufrimiento a
las víctimas y sus familias. Los costos económicos que conllevan los fallos de seguridad son elevados. A menudo
se reduce la confianza del público en los sistemas de salud locales cuando se dan a conocer estos accidentes.
El personal de salud implicado en sucesos graves que implican la muerte o un daño grave a un paciente
también puede sufrir un deterioro psicológico duradero y sentimientos de culpa y autocrítica muy arraigados
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Lymphatic filariasis (LF) is an avoidable, debilitating, disfiguring disease caused by infection with the filarial parasites Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi and B. timori. Globally, 51.4 million people are
estimated to be infected. Lymphoedema and hydrocoele are the visible, chronic clinical co...nsequences of the lymphatic vessel impairment caused by infection with these parasites. Mosquitos in the genera Culex, Anopheles, Mansonia and Aedes transmit the parasites from person to person. 2020 marked the 20th year since WHO established the Global Programme to Eliminate Lymphatic Filariasis (GPELF) which aims to stop transmission of infection with mass drug administration (MDA) and to alleviate suffering among people affected by the disease through morbidity management and disability prevention (MMDP).
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La filariose lymphatique (FL) est une maladie évitable, incapacitante et défigurante, due à une infestation par des filaires parasites des espèces Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi et B. timori. On estime que 51,4 millions de personnes sont infectées dans le monde. Le lymphœdème et l’hydr...ocèle sont les conséquences cliniques chroniques visibles de l’altération des vaisseaux lymphatiques causée par la présence de
ces parasites dans l’organisme. Les parasites sont transmis d’une personne à l’autre par l’intermédiaire de moustiques des genres Culex, Anopheles, Mansonia et Aedes. L’année 2020 a marqué la 20e année du Programme mondial pour l’élimination de la filariose lymphatique (GPELF) établi par l’OMS, dont l’objectif est de mettre fin à la transmission de l’infection grâce à l’administration de masse de médicaments
(AMM) et d’alléger les souffrances des malades par la prise en charge de la morbidité et la prévention des incapacités (PMPI).
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It is impossible to address the many complex needs of respiratory virus surveillance with a single surveillance system. Multiple systems, investigations and studies must each be fit-for-purpose to specific priority surveillance objectives, and only together can they provide essential information to ...policy-makers. In essence, each surveillance approach fit together as “tiles in a mosaic” that provides a complete picture of respiratory viruses and the impact of associated illnesses and interventions at the country level. This mosaic framework demonstrates how surveillance approaches may be implemented as coordinated and collaborative systems, well-matched to specific priority objectives.
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Skin-related neglected tropical diseases, or “skin NTDs”, are historically neglected because active case detection, individual case management, significant resources and intensive effort are required to control, eliminate and eradicate them. Integrated control and management of skin NTDs offers ...a pathway to overcome some of these past challenges.
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В дорожной карте по борьбе с забытыми тропическими болезнями на 2021–2030 гг. («дорожная карта») определены глобальные цели и основные этапы в отношении борьбы с 20 бол...знями и группами болезней, их элиминации или полной ликвидации. В ней также определены сквозные целевые показатели, согласованные с Тринадцатой общей программой работы ВОЗ и Целями в области устойчивого развития, а также стратегии по достижению этих целевых
показателей в течение ближайших десяти лет.
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The 2023 Country Presence Report provides an overview of what WHO does in countries to advance towards the SDGs and implement GPW13, how we do it, with whom we work, and what is needed to overcome challenges for achieving results and impact in countries.
The report aims to capture lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and to highlight the opportunity for more ambitious global action: expanding sustainable access to vaccines for all towards the Immunization Agenda 2030 and pandemic prevention, preparedness and response efforts. The report is organized i...n two sections: the first section provides WHO insights on global vaccine market dynamics, drawing from data provided by Member States, which are, in turn, analysed and displayed in the second section.
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This document is an output of a WHO cross-programme initiative aiming to improve the prevention, diagnosis and management of anaemia and thereby accelerate reduction in its prevalence. It comes at an important time, midway through the era of the Sustainable Development Goals, when progress in reduci...ng anaemia has stagnated. This framework is based on the core principles of primary health care: meeting people’s health needs through comprehensive promotive, protective, curative, and rehabilitative care along the life course; systematically addressing the broader determinants of health; and empowering individuals, families, and communities to optimize their health
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Emergency medical teams (EMT) are first response health care providers – doctors, nurses, paramedics, and others – during outbreaks and emergencies or disasters, working with governments, charities such as nongovernmental ...to-highlight medbox">organizations (NGOs), armies, and international organizations such as the International Red Cross/Red Crescent movement. They comply with the classification and minimum standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO) and its partners and bring to an emergency their training and self-sufficiency so as not to burden the national health system. EMT initiatives strengthen national surge capacities and facilitate the deployment of internationally classified teams of health- care professionals to countries and territories during emergencies, particularly during disease outbreaks and natural disasters, providing immediate assistance when national health systems are overwhelmed . Considering that they aim to support the provision of quality clinical care services to populations affected by public health emergencies, the expectation is that financial resources and equipment will be available to enable the performance of the requested task.
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The ninth WHO report on the global tobacco epidemic tracks the progress made by countries in tobacco control since 2008 and, marks 15 years since the introduction of the MPOWER technical package which is designed to help countries implement the demand-reduction measures of the WHO Framework Conventi...on on Tobacco Control. The report shows that many countries continue to make progress in the fight against tobacco, but efforts must be accelerated to protect people from the harms of tobacco and second-hand smoke.
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Ebola disease and Marburg disease outbreaks continue to occur in Africa, with increased frequency. In addition to resulting in high mortality and morbidity, the outbreaks generate fear and mistrust about the response activities within the communities affected.
Infection prevention and control (IP...C) is a key pillar in the outbreak response; adherence to IPC practices can prevent and control transmission of infections to health and care workers, patients and their family members.
During the 2014-2016 West African Ebola disease outbreak, there was an urgent need for rapid IPC guidance to help support ministries of health, health-care providers and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). In response, WHO produced several documents related to the outbreak based on expert opinion, including IPC-specific documents and documents on clinical management that also referenced key IPC principles and practices. Since that time, many practices in the field have become institutionalized.
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Cholera is a major health risk in many parts of the world, affecting millions of people every year. Since mid-2021, the world has been facing an ac...ute upsurge of the 7th cholera pandemic, which is characterized by the number, size and concurrence of multiple outbreaks, the spread to areas that had been free of cholera for decades and alarmingly high mortality rates. The mortality associated with these outbreaks is of particular concern as many countries have reported higher case fatality ratios (CFR) than in previous years
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Developmental disabilities are common. Yet, children with developmental disabilities have been neglected in health systems planning and policy provisions for health and continue to experience stigma...tization, institutionalization, barriers to access health care and inequalities in health and education outcomes.
Using findings from research and practice and guided by the tenets of international human rights conventions, this WHO-UNICEF Global Report on children with developmental disabilities provides principles and approaches to intentionally include the needs and aspirations of children and young people with developmental disabilities in policy, programming and public health monitoring. It makes the case for greater accountability and proposes 10 priority actions to accelerate changes towards inclusive environments and responsive multisectoral care systems for children with developmental disabilities.
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This report compiles data for the first time on the far-reaching consequences of uncontrolled hypertension, including heart attacks, strokes and premature death, along with substantial economic losses for communities and countries. It also contains information on the global, regional and country-lev...el burden of hypertension and progress of control efforts.
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This brief update on tuberculosis (TB) in the African region covers the state of TB in the WHO African region, strategic priorities and targets and the impact of COVID-19 on essential services. This is followed by key figures for the region, the role of WHO in country support and, recognizing the im...portance of diagnosis and drug susceptibility testing, a focus onstrengthening laboratory networks and the regional laboratory and diagnostic objectives. A brief update of the state of the science and how this is funded across the African region is provided, before closing with challenges and opportunities,strategic directions and a brief discussion of funding concerns. Discussions around the drivers of the disease, and issues of the poverty, inequality and stigma that continue to plague those living with TB are fully recognized, but are outside the scope of this report.
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