The threat climate change poses to health, equity, and development has been rigorously documented. However, in an era marked by economic crisis, regional conflicts, natural disasters and growing disparities between rich and poor,
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the joint global actions required to address climate change have been vigorously debated – and critical decisions postponed.
This document, part of WHO’s Health in the Green Economy series, describes how many climate change measures can be “win-wins” for people and the planet.
These policies yield large, immediate public health benefits while reducing the upward trajectory of greenhouse gas emissions. Many of these policies can improve the health and equity of people in poor countries and assist developing countries in adapting to climate change that is already occurring, as evidenced by more extreme storms, flooding, drought and heatwaves.
WHO’s Department of Public Health and Environment launched the Health in the Green Economy initiative in 2010 to review potential health and equity “co-benefits” of proposed climate change measures – as well as relevant risks.
This review examines mitigation strategies discussed in the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change which constitutes the most broad-based global review of mitigation options by scientific experts.
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BackgroundClimate change is one of the great challenges of our time. The consequences of climate change on exposed biological subjects, as well as on vulnerable societies, are a concern for
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the entire scientific community. Rising temperatures, heat waves, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, droughts, fires, loss of forest, and glaciers, along with disappearance of rivers and desertification, can directly and indirectly cause human pathologies that are physical and mental.
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The Lab identifies, develops, and launches sustainable finance
instruments that can drive billions to a low-carbon economy. The
2019 Global Lab Cycle targets four specific sectors across
mitigati
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on and adaptation: blue carbon in marine & coastal
ecosystems; sustainable agriculture for smallholders in West and
Central Africa; sustainable energy access; and sustainable cities
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Emergency Preparedness for the Health Sector: Challenges and Way Forward. Expert Consultation.
Preparedness is nowadays defined as an integrated set of long term multi-sectoral activities. One key objective is to contribute to
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the achievement of an increasing level of readiness within the MOH and the communities to mitigate, to cope with, to respond to and to recover from any emergency situation
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DEMOGRAPHIC RESEARCH, VOLUME 36, ARTICLE 37, PAGES 1081-1108; PUBLISHED 5 APRIL 2017; http://www.demographic-research.org/Volumes/Vol36/37/; DOI: 10.4054/DemRes.2017.36.37
WHO's Health in the Green Economy sector briefings examine the health impacts of climate change mitigation strategies considered by the Intergovern
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mental Panel on Climate Change in their Fourth Assessment Report (Climate Change, 2007). Large, immediate health benefits from some climate change strategies are to be expected.
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Background paper 7
The Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response
May 2021
Children expressed the need for organisations to
support in the delivery of services such as health and
sanitation. The children also emphasized
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that schools
and the child-friendly spaces (CFSs) were effective
and important spaces to provide them with what they
need.
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The procurement of essential medicines and other health products is a critical function in support of the effective discharge of WHO’s mandate, and WHO values
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the importance of the quality of essential medicines and health products that are supplied to countries. The first World Health Assembly in 1948 recognized the need to establish a procurement service at WHO, and recommended setting up an office “to give advice on the procurement of essential drugs, biological products and other medical supplies”.
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The High-Level Panel on International Financial Accountability, Transparency and Integrity for Achieving the 2030 Agenda (FACTI
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Panel) was convened by the 74th President of United Nations General Assembly and the 75th President of the Economic and Social Council on 2 March 2020. The objective of the FACTI Panel is to contribute to the overall efforts undertaken by Member States to implement the ambitious and transformational vision of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It is mandated to review current challenges and trends related to financial accountability, transparency and integrity, and to make evidence-based recommendations to close remaining gaps in the international system.
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The biennium 2020–2021 has revealed more clearly than ever the need for a strong, credible and independent WHO on
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the world stage. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis has demonstrated the fundamental importance of the global detection, response and coordination roles that only WHO can play across all Member States. At the same time, the challenges to global health systems and the pressure to ensure equal access to quality health care and the best health possible for all have mounted. The triple billion targets of the Thirteenth General Programme of Work, 2019–2023 remain relevant. The work of WHO in all contexts has never been more critical. However, as several Member States have pointed out, the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the discrepancy between what the world expects of WHO and what it is able to deliver with the resources/capacity it has at its disposal. Sustainable financing is thus a key challenge for the Organization that must be addressed as part of the lessons learned from the current COVID-19 pandemic. Member States discussed this issue in detail during the Seventy-third World Health Assembly and their conclusions were reflected in resolution WHA73.1 (2020). The topic of adequate funding is not new. However, discussions on the matter have, to date, remained rather abstract. Building on previous discussions and taking account of lessons learned, the WHO Secretariat would like to initiate a process aimed at finding a concrete solution to the sustainable financing of WHO. This document proposes a process through which to arrive at such a decision, including the key stages and timeline.
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The article is a scoping review that explores the challenges in diagnosing asthma in children in three sub-Saharan African countries: Nigeria, South Africa, and Uganda. It identifies key barriers, s
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uch as a lack of community awareness, inadequate healthcare access, limited diagnostic tools like spirometry, and insufficient knowledge among healthcare workers. The review also highlights the stigma associated with asthma and the absence of relevant diagnostic guidelines. Solutions proposed include community education, development and adherence to diagnostic guidelines, and strengthening healthcare systems. The study aims to inform policymakers and healthcare providers to improve asthma diagnosis and care for children in these regions.
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The Director-General has the honour to transmit to the Seventy-fifth World Health Assembly the r
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eport of the seventh meeting of the Working Group on Sustainable Financing, which met in a hybrid format, from 25 to 27 April 2022.
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DHS Working Papers No. 86
The goals of Ebola virus disease (EVD) surveillance during Phase 3 of the Ebola response are to promptly detect new, suspected EVD cases and deaths so as to trigger appropriate response, including r
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apid diagnosis, case isolation and management, contact tracing, safe burials, and the identification of transmission chains
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The development of this target product profile (TPP) was led by the WHO Department of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTD) following standard WHO guidance for TPP development. In order to id
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entify and prioritize diagnostic needs, a WHO NTD Diagnostics Technical Advisory Group (DTAG) was formed, and different subgroups were created to advise on specific NTDs, including a subgroup working on the human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) diagnostic innovation needs. This group of independent experts included leading scientists, public health officials and endemic-country end-user representatives. Standard WHO Declaration of Interest procedures were followed. A landscape analysis of the available products and of the development pipeline was conducted, and the salient areas with unmet needs were identified.
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