The devastating human, economic, and social cost of COVID-19 has highlighted the urgent need for coordinated action to build stronger health systems and mobilize additional resources for pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response (PPR).
The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors today approved the establishment of a financial intermediary fund (FIF) that will finance critical investments to strengthen pandemic PPR capacities at national, regional, and global levels, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries. The fund will bring additional, dedicated resources for PPR, incentivize countries to increase investments, enhance coordination among partners, and serve as a platform for advocacy. The FIF will complement the financing and technical support provided by the World Bank, leverage the strong technical expertise of WHO, and engage other key organizations.
Developed with leadership from the United States, and from Italy and Indonesia as part of their G20 Presidencies, and with broad support from the G20 and beyond, over US$1 billion in financial commitments have already been announced for the FIF, including contributions from the United States, the European Union, Indonesia, Germany, the United Kingdom, Singapore, the Gates Foundation and the Wellcome Trust.
“I’m pleased by the broad support from our shareholders for a new Financial Intermediary Fund at the World Bank,” World Bank Group President David Malpass said. “The World Bank is the largest provider of financing for PPR with active operations in over 100 developing countries to strengthen their health systems. The FIF will provide additional, long-term funding to complement the work of existing institutions in supporting low- and middle-income countries and regions to prepare for the next pandemic.”
“Access to financing for pandemic prevention and preparedness is crucial. COVID-19 has exposed major gaps in preparedness capacities, which the Financial Intermediary Fund can address in a coherent manner, as part of the global architecture for health emergency preparedness and response,” said WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “WHO will play a central role in the FIF, providing technical leadership for its work in close collaboration with the World Bank to realize this ambitious vision.”
The goal of the FIF is to provide financing to address critical gaps in pandemic PPR to strengthen country capacity in areas such as disease surveillance, laboratory systems, health workforce, emergency communication and management, and community engagement. It can also help address gaps in strengthening regional and global capacity, for example, by supporting data sharing, regulatory harmonization, and capacity for coordinated development, procurement, distribution and deployment of countermeasures and essential medical supplies.
In the coming weeks, the Bank and WHO will work closely with donors and other partners to develop the detailed scope and design of the FIF. The ongoing discussions will be informed by the extensive inputs provided through stakeholder engagement (LINK). The goal is to launch the FIF in fall 2022.
Drawing on its financial and legal platform, program management and operational expertise, and experience in managing FIFs, the World Bank will serve as the FIF’s Trustee and host the Secretariat, which will be staffed by the Bank and WHO. Drawing on its technical expertise, the WHO will also lead on supporting and coordinating the work of the FIF’s technical advisory panel. Implementing entities for FIF-financed projects in addition to the World Bank Group are expected to include WHO, other multilateral development banks and United Nations agencies, as well as other organizations. The FIF will build on the existing global health architecture for PPR, within the context of the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) and associated monitoring mechanisms, with a central technical role for WHO.
Key principles of the FIF will be to complement the work of existing institutions that provide international financing for PPR, drawing on their comparative advantages and catalyzing funding from private, philanthropic, and bilateral sources. Further, the FIF is expected to incentivize countries to invest more in PPR, serve as an integrator of PPR efforts, and have the flexibility to work through a variety of existing institutions and adjust over time as needs and the institutional landscape evolve. The FIF’s structure will combine inclusivity and agility and operate with high standards of transparency and accountability.
The World Health Organization provides global leadership in public health within the United Nations system. Founded in 1948, WHO works with 194 Member States, across six regions and from more than 150 offices, to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. Our goal for 2019-2023 is to ensure that a billion more people have universal health coverage, to protect a billion more people from health emergencies, and provide a further billion people with better health and wellbeing.
Good morning, good afternoon and good evening,
Over the past week, I have met with leaders at both the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Rwanda and the G7 in Germany to discuss the interconnected crises that need coordinated action.
Today I will cover health and humanitarian challenges that the world is facing.
Only with concerted action by governments, international agencies and the private sector can we solve the converging challenges.
On COVID-19, driven by BA.4 and BA.5 in many places, cases are on the rise in 110 countries, causing overall global cases to increase by 20% and deaths have risen in three of the six WHO regions even as the global figure remains relatively stable.
This pandemic is changing but it’s not over. We have made progress but it’s not over.
Our ability to track the virus is under threat as reporting and genomic sequences are declining meaning it is becoming harder to track Omicron and analyse future emerging variants.
We’re close to the mid-point of the year, which is the point at which WHO had called on all countries to vaccinate at least 70% of their population.
So let’s review:
In the past 18 months, more than 12 billion vaccines have been distributed around the world.
75 percent of the world’s health workers and over-60s are now vaccinated.
The Lancet estimates that 20 million lives have been saved because of vaccines.
On the flip side, hundreds of millions of people, including tens of millions of health workers and older people in lower-income countries remain unvaccinated, which means they are more vulnerable to future waves of the virus.
While the hoarding of vaccines by rich and manufacturing countries was the major barrier to access last year, increasingly political commitment to getting vaccines out to people - and challenges of disinformation – have been hurdles at the national level in 2022.
With only 58 countries hitting the 70 percent target, some have said it’s not possible for low-income countries to make it.
I was just in Rwanda where second dose vaccination rates are now above 65% and still rising. And others like Nepal and Cambodia have shown it’s possible.
Yet the average rate in low-income countries is 13 percent.
But if there is enough political will domestically, support to ensure rollouts to communities and disinformation tackled, high vaccination rates are entirely achievable.
When vaccine rollouts began, WHO called for all countries to start with a layered approach targeting older people and health workers who were most at risk from the virus before moving to cover the rest of the population.
Going forward, to prevent deaths and severe disease, it’s important to keep the most at-risk groups up to date with vaccination.
In all countries, 100 percent of at-risk groups should be vaccinated and boosted as soon as possible.
For the general population, it also makes sense to keep strengthening that wall of immunity, which helps lessen the severity of the disease and lowers the risk of long- or post-COVID condition.
Even relatively ‘mild’ cases are disruptive and damaging, keeping children out of school and adults from work, which causes further economic and supply chain disruption.
Do I think countries should continue to vaccinate 70 percent of the population, starting with the most vulnerable?
Yes, I do. If we don’t share the fruits of science equitably, then we undercut the philosophy that all lives have equal worth.
If rich countries are vaccinating children from as young as six months old and planning to do further rounds of vaccination, it is incomprehensible to suggest that lower-income countries should not vaccinate and boost their most at risk and then work to strengthen their own walls of immunity.
On the research and development front, it is critical that there’s funding for second-generation vaccines as well as tests and treatments.
While honing vaccines to the evolving virus variants makes sense, I am concerned that the pace of mutation means the world is continuing to play catch up.
Building on existing vaccines that limit severity and prevent death, developing second generation vaccines that stop – or at least lower infection – would be a major step forward.
And the ideal solution would be the development of a pan-coronavirus vaccine that covers all the variants so far and potentially future ones.
This is feasible, WHO continues to convene scientists and researchers and there has been a lot of research into this virus and understanding immunology overall.
With WHO’s Solidarity Trials we can also offer global trials of vaccines to establish the safety and efficacy of quickly and effectively.
So going forward, the world should target 100 percent vaccination of older people and health workers, as well as strengthening the wall of immunity against COVID-19 towards and beyond 70 percent.
As I said at the turn of the year, tests and new treatments like anti- virals should also be available in every country.
Now is the time for Ministries of Health to integrate tests and anti-virals into clinical care so that people that are sick can be treated quickly.
With new variants of concern likely - genomic sequencing remains critical.
I also call for accelerated efforts and incentives to be developed around the moonshot of developing a pan-coronavirus vaccine.
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On Monkeypox, while the Emergency Committee did not advise that the current outbreak represents a Public Health Emergency of International Concern, they acknowledged the emergency nature of the event and that controlling the further spread requires intense response efforts.
They advised that I should reconvene them quickly based on the evolving situation, which I will do.
Nigeria, which has been battling an outbreak since 2017, has reported more cases this year, which could mean it matches or exceeds previous peaks.
Furthermore, the virus has now been identified in more than 50 new countries and that trend is likely to continue.
I am concerned about sustained transmission because it would suggest that the virus is establishing itself and it could move into high-risk groups including children, the immunocompromised and pregnant women.
We are starting to see this with several children already infected.
Right now this is the action WHO would like to see:
One, countries should increase surveillance by boosting testing as quickly as possible.
Two, countries should take a best practice approach to managing the response. WHO has already published clinical guidance to assist public health agencies and health workers on the frontlines of this outbreak.
Three, actively engage communities. With large gatherings happening around the world there are opportunities to both squash the stigma around the virus and spread good information so people can protect themselves.
WHO is actively working with LGBTQI+ communities to do just that and we encourage groups to get in touch with us if we can support.
Four, ensure that we provide equitable access to counter measures like vaccines and anti virals and also ensure the systematic collection of clinical data and efficacy to inform future recommendations.
WHO has been convening scientists via the R&D blueprint for epidemics to speed up research and development into tests, treatments and vaccines for monkeypox and develop a protocol for therapeutic development and rollout.
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The food crisis: Across the globe, spiking prices of not only food but fuel and other commodities are leading to millions of people missing meals and going hungry.
This is having major physical and mental health repercussions.
People need access to affordable and nutritious food, as well as support through these difficult times.
Some regions like the Horn of Africa are facing extremely serious food insecurity issues that could lead to famine.
Over 80 million people, one in four, in the Eastern Africa region are food insecure and resorting to desperate measures in order to feed themselves and their families.
Lack of food and nutrition weakens people’s immune system and puts them more at risk of disease.
Children that are undernourished are at higher risk of death from pneumonia, diarrheal disease and measles.
As I said at the G7, WHO is working with partners on the ground to respond to this health and nutrition crisis.
This includes getting essential health services to those in need, treating sick children with severe malnutrition, and preventing, detecting and responding to infectious disease outbreaks.
WHO is setting up a hub in Nairobi, from where it will coordinate the response and organize the delivery of live-saving medical supplies to where they are needed most.
These supplies include medicines, vaccines, as well the products and equipment to treat children who are severely malnourished.
WHO is working with Ministries of Health in Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda to set up robust disease surveillance system to be able to quickly detect and respond to disease outbreaks.
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Finally, in light of the decision by the US Supreme Court overturning the ‘Roe v Wade’, I want to reaffirm WHO’s position.
All women should have the right to choose when it comes to their bodies and health. Full stop.
Safe abortion IS health care.
It saves lives. Restricting it drives women and girls towards unsafe abortions; resulting in complications, even death.
The evidence is irrefutable.
Limiting access to safe abortion costs lives and has a major impact particularly on women from the poorest and most marginalized communities.
Over the last 40 years, the global trend is toward women having greater access to safe abortion and while last week was a set-back, it is more important than ever to come together to protect women’s right to safe abortion - everywhere.
I thank you
The World Health Organization provides global leadership in public health within the United Nations system. Founded in 1948, WHO works with 194 Member States, across six regions and from more than 150 offices, to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. Our goal for 2019-2023 is to ensure that a billion more people have universal health coverage, to protect a billion more people from health emergencies, and provide a further billion people with better health and wellbeing.
Dear members and advisors of the Emergency Committee, dear colleagues and friends,
Thank you for agreeing to be part of this committee to assess whether the multi-country monkeypox outbreak constitutes a public health emergency of international concern.
As you know, monkeypox has been circulating and killing in Africa for decades, with sporadic cases outside the continent linked to travel from Nigeria that have never before become epidemics.
Just over six weeks ago, WHO was notified of a family cluster of three cases of monkeypox without any recent travel outside of the United Kingdom.
Since then, more than 3200 confirmed cases of monkeypox, and one death, have been reported to WHO, from 48 countries including Nigeria, and in five WHO regions.
The outbreak in newly affected countries continues to be primarily among men who have sex with men, and who have reported recent sex with new or multiple partners.
Person-to-person transmission is ongoing and is likely underestimated. In Nigeria, the proportion of women affected is much higher than elsewhere, and it is critical to better understand how the disease is spreading there.
In addition, so far this year, almost 1,500 suspected cases of monkeypox and around 70 deaths have been reported in Central Africa, primarily in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but also in the Central African Republic and Cameroon.
Few of these cases are confirmed, and little is known about their circumstances. While the epidemiology and viral clade in these cases may be different, it is a situation that cannot be ignored.
I want to emphasize several things: WHO asks all Member States to share information with us.
In other outbreaks, we have sometimes seen the consequences of countries not being transparent, of not sharing information.
We need case finding, contact tracing, laboratory investigation, genome sequencing, and implementation of infection prevention and control measures;
We need information about the different clades of monkeypox virus;
We need clear case definitions to help identify and report infections;
And we need all countries to remain vigilant and strengthen their capacities to prevent onward transmission of monkeypox. It is likely that many countries will have missed opportunities to identify cases, including cases in the community without any recent travel.
WHO’s goal is to support countries to contain transmission and stop the outbreak with tried-and-tested public health tools including surveillance, contact-tracing and isolation of infected patients.
At the moment, while men who have sex with men have been most affected in these new outbreaks, there are also risks of severe disease for immunocompromised persons, pregnant women and children if they are infected.
There are also some risks to health workers if they are not wearing appropriate personal protective equipment.
So although most cases so far in newly affected countries have been identified in men who have sex with men, WHO has been calling for intensified surveillance in the broader community.
We have learned a great deal from recent outbreaks, including COVID-19 and the global HIV epidemic.
One of the most important lessons is that one of the most effective ways of responding to outbreaks in affected communities is to work closely with those communities to co-create effective risk communications. That is what WHO is doing.
We need to work with partners, including with affected communities, to address stigma, discrimination and misinformation swiftly and decisively.
We also need to work together as an international community to generate the necessary clinical efficacy and safety data on vaccines and therapeutics against monkeypox, and to ensure their equitable distribution.
We rely on your expertise for advice on public health measures, raising awareness, diagnostics, vaccination, treatment, and other matters.
My colleagues will provide technical updates on the current epidemiological situation, future scenarios, vaccination, international travel, and other matters.
My thanks once again to all of you for sharing your expertise, and for your dedication and commitment.
The International Health Regulations will guide your deliberations.
I wish you a productive meeting.
I thank you.
The World Health Organization provides global leadership in public health within the United Nations system. Founded in 1948, WHO works with 194 Member States, across six regions and from more than 150 offices, to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. Our goal for 2019-2023 is to ensure that a billion more people have universal health coverage, to protect a billion more people from health emergencies, and provide a further billion people with better health and wellbeing.
The World Health Organization today released its largest review of world mental health since the turn of the century. The detailed work provides a blueprint for governments, academics, health professionals, civil society and others with an ambition to support the world in transforming mental health.
In 2019, nearly a billion people – including 14% of the world's adolescents - were living with a mental disorder. Suicide accounted for more than 1 in 100 deaths and 58% of suicides occurred before age 50. Mental disorders are the leading cause of disability, causing one in six years lived with disability. People with severe mental health conditions die on average 10 to 20 years earlier than the general population, mostly due to preventable physical diseases. Childhood sexual abuse and bullying victimization are major causes of depression. Social and economic inequalities, public health emergencies, war, and the climate crisis are among the global, structural threats to mental health. Depression and anxiety went up by more than 25% in the first year of the pandemic alone.
Stigma, discrimination and human rights violations against people with mental health conditions are widespread in communities and care systems everywhere; 20 countries still criminalize attempted suicide. Across countries, it is the poorest and most disadvantaged in society who are at greatest risk of mental ill-health and who are also the least likely to receive adequate services.
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, just a small fraction of people in need had access to effective, affordable and quality mental health care. For example, 71% of those with psychosis worldwide do not receive mental health services. While 70% of people with psychosis are reported to be treated in high-income countries, only 12% of people with psychosis receive mental health care in low-income countries. For depression, the gaps in service coverage are wide across all countries: even in high-income countries, only one third of people with depression receive formal mental health care and minimally-adequate treatment for depression is estimated to range from 23% in high-income countries to 3% in low- and lower-middle-income countries.
Drawing on the latest evidence available, showcasing examples of good practice, and voicing people's lived experience, WHO's comprehensive report highlights why and where change is most needed and how it can best be achieved. It calls on all stakeholders to work together to deepen the value and commitment given to mental health, reshape the environments that influence mental health and strengthen the systems that care for people's mental health.
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said "Everyone's life touches someone with a mental health condition. Good mental health translates to good physical health and this new report makes a compelling case for change. The inextricable links between mental health and public health, human rights and socioeconomic development mean that transforming policy and practice in mental health can deliver real, substantive benefits for individuals, communities and countries everywhere. Investment into mental health is an investment into a better life and future for all."
All 194 WHO Member States have signed up to the Comprehensive mental health action plan 2013–2030, which commits them to global targets for transforming mental health. Pockets of progress achieved over the past decade prove that change is possible. But change is not happening fast enough, and the story of mental health remains one of need and neglect with 2 out of 3 dollars of scarce government spending on mental health allocated to stand-alone psychiatric hospitals rather than community-based mental health services where people are best served. For decades mental health has been one of the most overlooked areas of public health, receiving a tiny part of the attention and resources it needs and deserves.
Dévora Kestel, Director of WHO's Mental Health and Substance Use Department called for change: "Every country has ample opportunity to make meaningful progress towards better mental health for its population. Whether developing stronger mental health policies and laws, covering mental health in insurance schemes, developing or strengthening community mental health services or integrating mental health into general health care, schools, and prisons, the many examples in this report show that the strategic changes can make a big difference."
The report urges all countries to accelerate their implementation of the Comprehensive mental health action plan 2013–2030. It makes several recommendations for action, which are grouped into three 'paths to transformation' that focus on shifting attitudes to mental health, addressing risks to mental health and strengthening systems of care for mental health. They are:
Stepping up investments in mental health, not just by securing appropriate funds and human resources across health and other sectors to meet mental health needs, but also through committed leadership, pursuing evidence-based policies and practice, and establishing robust information and monitoring systems.
Including people with mental health conditions in all aspects of society and decision-making to overcome stigma and discrimination, reduce disparities and promote social justice.
Intensifying engagement across sectors, including to understand the social and structural determinants of mental health and intervening in ways that reduce risks, build resilience and dismantle barriers that stop people with mental health conditions participating fully in society.
Implementing concrete actions to improve environments for mental health such as stepping up action against intimate partner violence and abuse and neglect of children and older people; enabling nurturing care for early childhood development, making available livelihood support for people with mental health conditions, introducing social and emotional learning programmes while countering bullying in schools, shifting attitudes and strengthen rights in mental health care, increasing access to green spaces, and banning highly hazardous pesticides that are associated with one fifth of all suicides in the world.
Building community-based networks of interconnected services that move away from custodial care in psychiatric hospitals and cover a spectrum of care and support through a combination of mental health services that are integrated in general health care; community mental health services; and services beyond the health sector.
Diversifying and scaling up care options for common mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety, which has a 5 to 1 benefit – cost ratio. Such scale up includes adopting a task-sharing approach that expands the evidence-based care to be offered also by general health workers and community providers. It also includes using digital technologies to support guided and unguided self-help and to deliver remote care.
The World Health Organization provides global leadership in public health within the United Nations system. Founded in 1948, WHO works with 194 Member States, across six regions and from more than 150 offices, to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. Our goal for 2019-2023 is to ensure that a billion more people have universal health coverage, to protect a billion more people from health emergencies, and provide a further billion people with better health and wellbeing.
Good morning, good afternoon and good evening, Today is World Blood Donor Day.
Blood donations are a lifeline in emergencies, disasters, humanitarian crises, and for people who need regular transfusions.
And yet around the world, many communities do not have access to safe blood. Women and children are the most at risk.
So please, give blood if you can, and give regularly.
And to the millions of blood donors around the world – thank you. You are literally lifesavers. Thank you so much.
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A few hours ago, WHO published a new technical brief on Parkinson’s disease.
Globally, disability and death due to Parkinson’s disease are increasing faster than for any other neurological disorder.
The prevalence of Parkinson’s has doubled in the past 25 years.
And yet around the world, the resources needed to manage the disease are lacking, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
Our new brief outlines the global burden and treatment gaps, and provides considerations for policies, implementation and research, especially in low- and middle-income countries.
It outlines key actions for policymakers and health-care providers to prevent and treat Parkinson’s, raise awareness, and support people with the disease and their carers.
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The global decline in reported COVID-19 cases and deaths is continuing.
Reported cases and deaths have now both fallen more than 90% from their peaks earlier this year.
This is a very welcome trend.
Still, more than 3 million cases were reported to WHO last week – and because many countries have reduced surveillance and testing, we know this number is under-reported.
And 8737 deaths were reported – 8737 deaths too many.
We cannot allow ourselves to become numb to these numbers.
There is no acceptable level of deaths from COVID-19, when we have the tools to prevent, detect and treat this disease.
Many of us who live in high-income countries have easy access to these tools. We now take them for granted.
But for many people around the world, these tools remain scarce commodities.
It’s now more than two years since WHO and our partners launched the COVID-19 Technology Access Pool, or C-TAP.
C-TAP was proposed by former President Carlos Alvarado Quesada of Costa Rica, to promote voluntary mechanisms to share intellectual property, know-how, and data.
The licenses C-TAP has received, for tests, vaccines and therapeutics, are making a real difference, and show that this innovative mechanism can work.
However, the licenses we have received are too few, and only from government research institutes. Manufacturers have not contributed to a single license.
This highlights why the world needs a more effective mechanism for sharing licenses in an emergency, and why governments that fund so much research must retain licensing rights for products that are needed in emergency situations.
WHO is aware that countries are discussing a temporary waiver on intellectual property rights for COVID-19 tools at the World Trade Organization’s Ministerial Conference this week.
As I have said many times, the TRIPS waiver was created for use in emergencies. So if not now, then when? I hope countries will come to an agreement on a waiver not just for vaccines, but for diagnostics and therapeutics as well.
As you know, last week the Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens, or SAGO, published its first report.
Understanding the origins of SARS-CoV-2 is very important for preventing future epidemics and pandemics.
All hypotheses must remain on the table until we have evidence that enables us to rule certain hypotheses in or out.
We continue to call on China to collaborate with this process and carry out the studies that SAGO has recommended.
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Now to the Horn of Africa, where the worst drought in 40 years has pushed over 30 million people in eight countries into acute food insecurity: Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Uganda.
Many families have left their homes in search of food, water and pasture.
The implications for health are severe.
Malnourishment can have a life-long impact on health, and makes people increasingly vulnerable to disease.
Severely malnourished children are nine times more likely to die of diseases such as cholera and measles.
WHO has now graded this crisis as a grade 3 emergency, the highest level in our internal system.
A grade 3 emergency means that we are coordinating the response across all three levels of the organization – country offices, regional offices and headquarters.
Our priorities are supporting countries to fight outbreaks, and to make sure people have access to the essential health services they need.
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Finally, to monkeypox.
So far this year, more than 1,600 confirmed cases and almost 1,500 suspected cases of monkeypox have been reported to WHO from 39 countries – including seven countries where monkeypox has been detected for years, and 32 newly-affected countries.
So far this year, 72 deaths have been reported from previously-affected countries. No deaths have been reported so far from the newly-affected countries, although WHO is seeking to verify news reports from Brazil of a monkeypox-related death there.
WHO’s goal is to support countries to contain transmission and stop the outbreak with tried-and-tested public health tools including surveillance, contact-tracing and isolation of infected patients.
It’s also essential to increase awareness of risks and actions to reduce onward transmission for the most at-risk groups, including men who have sex with men and their close contacts.
Today, we have also published interim guidance on the use of smallpox vaccines for monkeypox.
WHO does not recommend mass vaccination against monkeypox.
While smallpox vaccines are expected to provide some protection against monkeypox, there is limited clinical data, and limited supply.
Any decision about whether to use vaccines should be made jointly by individuals who may be at risk and their health care provider, based on an assessment of risks and benefits, on a case-by-case basis.
It’s also essential that vaccines are available equitably wherever needed.
To that end, WHO is working closely with our Member States and partners to develop a mechanism for fair access to vaccines and treatments.
WHO is also working with partners and experts from around the world on changing the name of monkeypox virus, its clades and the disease it causes.
We will make announcements about the new names as soon as possible.
The global outbreak of monkeypox is clearly unusual and concerning.
It’s for that reason that I have decided to convene the Emergency Committee under the International Health Regulations next week, to assess whether this outbreak represents a public health emergency of international concern.
Christian, back to you.
The World Health Organization provides global leadership in public health within the United Nations system. Founded in 1948, WHO works with 194 Member States, across six regions and from more than 150 offices, to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. Our goal for 2019-2023 is to ensure that a billion more people have universal health coverage, to protect a billion more people from health emergencies, and provide a further billion people with better health and wellbeing.
Since 13 May 2022, and as of 2 June 2022, 780 laboratory confirmed cases of monkeypox have been reported to or identified by WHO from 27 Member States across four WHO regions that are not endemic for monkeypox virus. Epidemiological investigations are ongoing. Most reported cases so far have been presented through sexual health or other health services in primary or secondary health care facilities and have involved mainly, but not exclusively, men who have sex with men (MSM).
While the West African clade of the virus has been identified from samples of cases so far, most confirmed cases with travel history reported travel to countries in Europe and North America, rather than West or Central Africa where the monkeypox virus is endemic. The confirmation of monkeypox in persons who have not travelled to an endemic area is atypical, and even one case of monkeypox in a non-endemic country is considered an outbreak. While most cases are not associated with travel from endemic areas, Member States are also reporting small numbers of cases in travelers from Nigeria, as has been observed before.
The sudden and unexpected appearance of monkeypox simultaneously in several non-endemic countries suggests that there might have been undetected transmission for some unknown duration of time followed by recent amplifier events.
WHO assesses the risk at the global level as moderate considering this is the first time that many monkeypox cases and clusters are reported concurrently in non-endemic and endemic countries in widely disparate WHO geographical areas.
WHO continues to receive updates on the situation in endemic countries.
As of 2 June 2022, 780 laboratory confirmed cases have been notified to WHO under the International Health Regulations (IHR) or identified by WHO from official public sources in 27 non-endemic countries in four WHO Regions. This represents an increase of 523 laboratory confirmed cases (+203%) since the Disease Outbreak News of 29 May, when a total of 257 cases were reported. As of 2 June 2022, there have been no deaths associated within the current monkeypox outbreak in non-endemic countries, however, cases and deaths continue to be reported from endemic countries (see Table 2).
While investigations are ongoing, preliminary data from polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays indicate that the monkeypox virus strains detected in Europe and other non-endemic areas belong to the West African clade.
Figure 1 and Table 1 show the geographical distribution of monkeypox cases reported to or identified by WHO between 13 May to 2 June 2022 in non-endemic countries. The majority of cases (n=688; 88%), were reported from the WHO European Region (20 Countries). Confirmed cases have also been reported from the Region of the Americas (n=80; 10%), Eastern Mediterranean Region (n=9; 1%) and Western Pacific Region (n=3; <1%).
The case count fluctuates as more information becomes available daily and data is verified by WHO in accordance with the provisions of the IHR.
PLEASE READ THE ENTIRE DON HERE.
The World Health Organization provides global leadership in public health within the United Nations system. Founded in 1948, WHO works with 194 Member States, across six regions and from more than 150 offices, to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. Our goal for 2019-2023 is to ensure that a billion more people have universal health coverage, to protect a billion more people from health emergencies, and provide a further billion people with better health and wellbeing.
A global research consultation convened by the WHO R&D Blueprint gathered over 500 experts and more than 2000 participants to discuss knowledge gaps and research priorities for monkeypox, in view of the recent outbreaks of the disease in both endemic and non-endemic countries.
Researchers and high-level experts from all over the world met virtually for 2 days to review the available evidence on the epidemiology of the virus; its transmission dynamics; the clinical characteristics; One Health research; community engagement; and countermeasures for managing the disease, including clinical care, treatments and vaccines. They agreed that effective countermeasures should be made available based on where the need was greatest.
Improved control of monkeypox in endemic countries is critical to address increases in disease incidence, and to control importations and outbreaks elsewhere. Participants agreed that strengthened collaboration among researchers in endemic countries, who have a wealth of experience and data on the disease—along with researchers from other countries—will ensure that scientific knowledge advances more quickly.
Experts underlined the need for expedited studies to better understand the disease epidemiology, its clinical consequences, and the role of various modes of transmission. In addition, the following research needs were highlighted: a comprehensive One Health approach to understand animal-to-human transmission and animal reservoirs; development and evaluation of better diagnostic tools that can be available around the world; improved approaches to communicate and engage communities in affected areas; studies to optimize supportive clinical care; documentation of the best control and treatment practices; and prompt and transparent communication of data and scientific evidence.
Experts also emphasized the need for clinical studies of vaccines and therapeutics to better document their efficacy and understand how to use them in this and future outbreaks.
Implementing without delay public health activities—such as communicating prevention information, enhanced disease surveillance, contact tracing, isolation of cases and optimized care of of people with the virus—should be used to limit spread and help the people affected, no matter where they are.
This consultation is part of a range of WHO activities in response to this multi-country outbreak.
The R&D Blueprint is a global strategy and preparedness plan that allows the rapid activation of R&D activities during epidemics. Its aim is to fast-track the availability of effective tests, vaccines and medicines that can be used to save lives and avert large scale crisis.
For each of these diseases, R&D roadmaps and, where relevant, target product profiles (TPPs) and generic protocols are developed through broad and open consultations with leading experts and other stakeholders. In addition, efforts to strengthen national regulatory and ethics bodies to respond to public health emergencies are being implemented.
The World Health Organization provides global leadership in public health within the United Nations system. Founded in 1948, WHO works with 194 Member States, across six regions and from more than 150 offices, to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. Our goal for 2019-2023 is to ensure that a billion more people have universal health coverage, to protect a billion more people from health emergencies, and provide a further billion people with better health and wellbeing.
After one hundred days of war, Ukraine’s health system is under severe pressure and the World Health Organization (WHO) has increased its presence, both in Ukraine and in those countries hosting displaced Ukrainians, to help meet the escalating health needs.
“This war has gone on for 100 days too many, shattering lives and communities, and imperilling the short- and long-term health of Ukraine’s people,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “WHO is doing everything we can to support Ukraine’s Ministry of Health and deliver essential medical supplies and equipment. But the one medicine that Ukraine needs most is the one that WHO can’t deliver – peace. We call on the Russian Federation to end the war.”
The war has increased the need for health care while reducing the system’s ability to provide services, particularly in areas of active conflict. As of June 2, there have been 269 verified attacks on health, killing at least 76 people and injuring 59.
“In 100 days of war, there have been over 260 verified attacks on health care in Ukraine. These attacks are not justifiable, they are never ok, and they must be investigated. No health professional should have to deliver health care on a knife edge, but this is just what nurses, doctors, ambulance drivers, the medical teams in Ukraine are doing,” said Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.
“I have been privileged to meet many health workers during two visits to Ukraine since the war began. They are keeping vital services and hope alive in the face of unbelievable sorrow and suffering, and we salute them,” he added.
Some health facilities have been destroyed, while others have been overwhelmed by people seeking care for trauma and injuries resulting directly from the war. WHO has established hubs in areas close to the conflict, such as Dnipro, to rapidly reach the areas of greatest need.
“WHO is committed to being in Ukraine both now and in the longer term – addressing immediate health challenges and supporting reconstruction of the heath system. We are redeploying teams throughout the country as access and security improves.” said Dr Jarno Habicht, WHO Representative in Ukraine. “Health-mental and physical- must be at the centre of Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction plans”.
To achieve this, WHO has launched an updated appeal for $147.5million, to support Ukraine’s worsening humanitarian need, provide immediate healthcare delivery and help the health system stay resilient for the longer term. Of this total, $80million is needed for in-country support, such as distributing medicines and delivering vital healthcare services and a further $67.5m is required to assist refugee-receiving and hosting countries, including Poland, the Czech Republic, Moldova and Romania.
The war has caused a massive increase in psychological harm and distress. Throughout the country, health care professionals report that the most common request now is help to deal with sleeplessness, anxiety, grief and psychological pain. WHO is working with the office of Olena Zelenska, First Lady of Ukraine to develop a nationwide mental health programme accessible by all.
WHO has responded to the changed health needs in Ukraine by increasing numbers of staff and repurposing systems including our logistics system. This has enabled delivery of over 543 metric tonnes of medical supplies and equipment to the country which are being distributed mostly in the east, south and northern oblasts where need is currently greatest. Supplies provided include trauma surgery supplies, ambulances, Ukrainian-made ventilators able to continue function even when power fails, electric generators and oxygen equipment including building oxygen plants to help hospitals function autonomously.
Another major need is training to deal with the effects of war- trauma surgery, mass casualties, burns and chemical exposure. Since February 24, WHO has trained more than 1300 healthcare workers on those topics.
Along with this, WHO has been working with the Ukraine Public Health Centre to strengthen disease surveillance and laboratory diagnostics, and with local authorities to build back vaccination programmes and essential health services. To complement the health system, WHO is working with over 40 Emergency Medical Teams as well.
The World Health Organization provides global leadership in public health within the United Nations system. Founded in 1948, WHO works with 194 Member States, across six regions and from more than 150 offices, to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. Our goal for 2019-2023 is to ensure that a billion more people have universal health coverage, to protect a billion more people from health emergencies, and provide a further billion people with better health and wellbeing.
Climate change poses serious risks to mental health and well-being, concludes a new WHO policy brief, launched today at the Stockholm+50 conference. The Organization is therefore urging countries to include mental health support in their response to the climate crisis, citing examples where a few pioneering countries have done this effectively.
The findings concur with a recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), published in February this year. The IPPC revealed that rapidly increasing climate change poses a rising threat to mental health and psychosocial well-being; from emotional distress to anxiety, depression, grief, and suicidal behavior.
“The impacts of climate change are increasingly part of our daily lives, and there is very little dedicated mental health support available for people and communities dealing with climate-related hazards and long-term risk,” said Dr Maria Neira, WHO Director, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health.
The mental health impacts of climate change are unequally distributed with certain groups disproportionately affected depending on factors such as socioeconomic status, gender and age. However, it is clear that climate change affects many of the social determinants that already are leading to massive mental health burdens globally. A 2021 WHO survey of 95 countries found that only 9 have thus far included mental health and psychosocial support in their national health and climate change plans.
“The impact of climate change is compounding the already extremely challenging situation for mental health and mental health services globally. There are nearly 1 billion people living with mental health conditions, yet in low- and middle-income countries, 3 out 4 do not have access to needed services” said Dévora Kestel, WHO Director, Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse. “By ramping up mental health and psychosocial support within disaster risk reduction and climate action, countries can do more to help protect those most at risk.”
The new WHO policy brief recommends five important approaches for governments to address the mental health impacts of climate change:
“WHO’s Member States have made it very clear mental health is a priority for them. We are working closely with countries to protect people’s physical and mental health from climate threats,” said Dr Diarmid Campbell-Lendrum, WHO climate lead, and an IPCC lead author.
Some good examples exist of how this can be done such as in the Philippines, which has rebuilt and improved its mental health services after the impact of Typhoon Haiyan in 2013 or in India, where a national project has scaled up disaster risk reduction in the country while also preparing cities to respond to climate risks and address mental health and psychosocial needs.
The Stockholm Conference commemorates the 50th anniversary of the UN Conference on the Human Environment and recognizes the importance of environmental determinants for both physical and mental health.
WHO defines mental health as “a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to her or his community”.
WHO defines mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) as “any type of local or outside support that aims to protect or promote psychosocial well-being and/or prevent or treat mental disorder”.
The World Health Organization provides global leadership in public health within the United Nations system. Founded in 1948, WHO works with 194 Member States, across six regions and from more than 150 offices, to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. Our goal for 2019-2023 is to ensure that a billion more people have universal health coverage, to protect a billion more people from health emergencies, and provide a further billion people with better health and wellbeing.
The World Health Organization (WHO) with the support of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization and its COVID-19 Vaccines Working Group, continues to review the emerging evidence on the increasing seroprevalence rates against SARS-CoV-2 globally and the characteristics and potential benefits of hybrid immunity.
This statement reflects the current understanding of hybrid immunity and highlights the gaps in evidence and potential implications for vaccination schedules and strategies.
Key messages:
Current evidence suggests that immune protection against severe outcomes due to infection and vaccination is more robust than that due to infection, or vaccination alone. This is based on infections with the ancestral SARS-CoV-2 or pre-Omicron VOCs.
The duration of protection from hybrid immunity has not been fully characterized yet, and it is unclear whether hybrid immunity will continue to provide strong protection against new variants.
Emerging evidence suggests that Omicron infection offers limited protection against re-infection with Omicron sub-lineages.
Irrespective of infection history, achieving high primary vaccine series coverage remains the foremost priority. Countries and implementing partners should emphasize the urgent need to fulfill this primary objective by calling for vaccination of all adults, focusing on healthcare workers, immunocompromised individuals, and older persons in line with the SAGE Prioritization Roadmap. Booster doses are associated with enhanced protection against Omicron; high-priority use groups should similarly be prioritized for these.
WHO SAGE continues to review the evidence as it becomes available. The full text of the interim statement is available here: https://www.who.int/news/item/01-06-2022-interim-statement-on-hybrid-immunity-and-increasing-population-seroprevalence-rates
The Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization is the principal advisory group to WHO for vaccines and immunization. It is charged with advising WHO on overall global policies and strategies, ranging from vaccines and technology, research and development, to delivery of immunization and its linkages with other health interventions. SAGE is concerned not just with childhood vaccines and immunization, but all vaccine-preventable diseases. Further information: https://www.whoint/immunization/policy/sage/en
SAGE Interim Statements summarize the available body of evidence on a topic of contemporary debate, outlining the key considerations and research gaps to guide policymakers. Interim Statements summarize the current state of ongoing research and do not constitute a change in policy recommendations.
he revised Roadmap (updated on 21 January 2022) takes into account increasing vaccine availability, vaccine coverage rates, and the evolving epidemiological situation including COVID-19 variants of concern. Scenarios in which vaccination coverage exceeds 50% of the population are considered, as are topics such as vaccine use in children and adolescents and prioritization of additional and booster doses in relation to vaccination coverage rates.
To assist countries in developing recommendations for optimized use of vaccines against COVID-19,priority-use groups for vaccination (both primary series and booster doses) are identified based on epidemiological scenarios, public health goals, and vaccine coverage scenarios. Further information: https://www.who.int/news/item/21-01-2022-updated-who-sage-roadmap-for-prioritizing-uses-of-covid-19-vaccines
WHO recommends a primary series and booster dose to be given to all individuals over the age of 18, starting with high priority-use groups. The booster is to be administered 4 to 6 months after the primary series. The number of doses required by each vaccine product varies. WHO does not currently recommend that children and young adults under the age of 18 receive a booster dose.
Currently WHO recommends an extended primary series (i.e. third dose) as well as a booster dose (i.e. fourth dose) for persons with moderate to severe immunocompromising conditions, for all COVID-19 vaccines. Homologous (same vaccine platform) and heterologous (different vaccine platform) vaccines can be used for such booster doses.
The World Health Organization provides global leadership in public health within the United Nations system. Founded in 1948, WHO works with 194 Member States, across six regions and from more than 150 offices, to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable. Our goal for 2019-2023 is to ensure that a billion more people have universal health coverage, to protect a billion more people from health emergencies, and provide a further billion people with better health and wellbeing.