Good morning, good afternoon and good evening,
On Sunday, I left Ukraine, where alongside my Executive Director Dr. Mike Ryan and WHO colleagues we saw first-hand hospitals that have been bombed, we spoke with health workers and we met patients that were physically injured and mentally exhausted.
We met with the Prime Minister, Minister of Health and other officials and saw their commitment to health despite the difficult circumstances.
We told them that WHO would continue to do whatever is needed to support the people of Ukraine.
We thanked WHO colleagues who are on the ground and working around the clock to get lifesaving supplies to those that need them most.
Some of our Ukrainian staff have lost loved ones and their own homes, but they have kept working to support the health needs of the people of Ukraine.
We pay tribute to each and every one of them.
WHO continues to deliver trauma and emergency supplies and medical equipment.
We visited warehouse Rzeszow and Lviv and had the honour to hand over 20 ambulances to Deputy Minister of Health that are designed to function in even the most damaged and inaccessible areas.
To support our work, WHO has issued an updated appeal for almost US $150 million, detailing the resources we need for Ukraine and refugee-receiving and hosting countries until August.
We thank those who have contributed already, but we still face a funding gap of US $100 million.
These funds will support access to essential health services, including trauma care, for six million people.
But for everything WHO is doing, it can’t meet the all the needs of people in Ukraine right now.
What Ukraine really needs more than anything else, is peace.
And so, again, we continue to call on the Russian Federation to stop this war.
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The Ukraine situation also made me think about growing up in war.
The smells, the sounds and memories you lock away because to be frank - they’re just too difficult.
War really is hell. It makes everything worse and development next to impossible.
Conversely, peace is foundational to everything positive.
Sadly, in Tigray, Ethiopia, people are suffering due to one of the longest blockades in history.
Seven weeks ago, a truce was called but there are still nowhere near enough supplies getting into the region.
Only one convoy of 17 trucks of humanitarian assistance crossed into Tigray last week, carrying food and water and sanitation supplies.
Current supplies of food are too little to sustain life.
The health system has collapsed.
People are starving to death and it is intentional.
Things are so bad that journalists cannot even access the region, removing the world’s eyes to what is happening.
I ask the Ethiopian and Eritrean governments to end the siege now, get supplies into the region on a regular and sustainable basis, and work for peace.
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In Yemen, we are seeing increased food insecurity, with pockets of famine like conditions resulting from the conflict, economic shocks, reduced humanitarian funding, decreased access basic essential services, and the Ukraine situation having a direct impact.
In the Sahel and the Horn of Africa, we’re also seeing food insecurity driven by conflict.
We continue to call for peace for health and health for peace across the world.
There are too many lives being lost right now due to a multidimensional crisis that spiralling downward and we need true leadership across world to work collectively for peace.
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Onto COVID-19, the rising cases in more than 50 countries highlights the volatility of this virus.
Sub-variants are driving a major surge in cases. For the moment at least, hospitalisations and deaths are not rising as quickly as in previous waves.
Omicron, specifically BA.4 and BA.5, is driving the upsurge in South Africa, while BA.2 is dominant worldwide.
The relatively high population immunity from vaccination and previous waves is keeping COVID-19 hospitalization and deaths rates at a comparably low level compared to previous waves.
But this is not guaranteed for places where vaccination coverage is low.
With this backdrop, Global Summit on COVID-19 co-hosted by US President Biden this Thursday is another opportunity to focus minds on the job at hand.
Our task is to prepare for the worst so that countries are in the best position to respond to what comes next.
Worst-case scenarios for COVID-19 include a variant that evades current immunity, transmits more easily and/or causes greater mortality.
South African scientists have urged further vaccination as the key to mitigating the next wave of COVID-19.
We agree and WHO continues to advocate that all countries should work toward 70 per cent vaccination starting with vaccinating and boosting the most vulnerable.
Yes, it’s hard. Yes, some countries won’t manage it by mid-2022.
But if we deprioritise based on these factors we’d be risking waves of death that can knock out health systems and cause further backsliding on all other health issues.
This pandemic is not over and we need all leaders to step up to boost population immunity and work collectively to get tests, treatments and vaccines to last mile populations.
Vaccination is the best way to save lives, protect communities and health systems and minimise cases of post COVID-19 condition or “long COVID.”
Long COVID is devastating and debilitating for individuals – both young and old – communities and economies.
Governments need to take it seriously and provide integrated care, psychosocial support and sick leave for those patients that are suffering from it.
WHO continues to work with partners and patient groups to accelerate research and develop clinical best practice, including on rehabilitation.
We encourage member states, health facilities, and research networks working on long COVID to contribute to the WHO clinical data platform to better understand the condition and provide evidence guidance to support those suffering from it.
Vaccination can help mitigate the effects of long COVID and is yet another sound reason for people to get vaccinated and Member States to not give up.
WHO is also hoping to see progress at the Global Summit on COVID-19 so that antivirals - like nirmatrelvier/ritonavir - and tests, are shared fairly around the world.
We remain concerned that low-, middle-income countries remain unable to access antivirals and that testing is rapidly decreasing in many places.
WHO is working very closely with ACT-Accelerator partners on securing contracts that can increase availability and affordability.
And there are four key areas to improve access that we’re calling on Pfizer to help deliver.
First, there needs to be increased geographical scope on the licensing Pfizer signed with the Medicines Patent Pool.
Too many countries, including most of Latin America, cannot access the drug at the moment.
Second, drugs prices need to be affordable for countries and transparent.
Third, there must be no additional contractual requirements that hamper/delay access at the country level. Delays cost lives.
Fourth, continue to support increased generic manufacturing around the world so that we can increase supply quickly.
Finally, at the Global Summit on COVID-19, leaders must agree to end the stalemate at the World Trade Organisation on the temporary waiver of intellectual property on COVID-19 tools.
Last week we estimated that almost 15 million people have already died of COVID-19, are we waiting for a worse pandemic to strike before we activate the waiver?
Fadela, 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.
This week, world leaders will gather to consider crucial next steps in the global COVID-19 response. We applaud the co-hosts of the Second Global COVID-19 Summit – the United States, Belize, Germany, Indonesia and Senegal – for bringing together governments from across the globe to make concrete commitments to vaccinate the world, save lives now and build better health security.
Recent WHO estimates show the death toll associated with COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021 was just under 15 million, a sobering reminder of the human cost of this pandemic. With reported cases falling globally, it is tempting – but misguided – to think the crisis is over. This is the moment to intensify efforts, not to ease off. This summit gives leaders the opportunity to write the closing chapters of the pandemic – an opportunity they cannot afford to miss.
It is imperative that leaders seize this opportunity to mobilize the funding and political will required to achieve global targets for COVID-19 vaccination coverage, testing rates and access to treatments, including oral antivirals and oxygen. Achieving these targets is essential to ending the pandemic, by reducing transmission and protecting everyone from the harms of COVID-19.
A decisive global response will mitigate the economic fallout of COVID-19, including the supply disruptions that are contributing to inflation and slow growth in many parts of the world. Definitively ending COVID-19 will also enable the world to better focus on reversing the lost progress against other diseases and getting routine immunization back on track, especially critical for children’s survival and development.
However, the current context for ending the pandemic is making this work harder. Testing rates around the globe are plummeting, which means we cannot track the trajectory of this evolving virus, with low-income countries testing at an average of just 5 tests per day per 100,000 people – far from the goal of 100 per day.
Despite the significant progress made increasing coverage rates in lower-income countries, millions are still unvaccinated and exposed, with just over 15% of people in low-income countries having received a vaccine. Supporting country targets in light of the WHO goal of 70% coverage – especially prioritizing full coverage of at-risk groups – remains the best way to save lives, protect health systems and minimize cases of Long COVID. Access to effective new antivirals is limited by constrained supply and low testing rates, while medical oxygen and PPE shortages are still impacting many countries.
The ACT-Accelerator published a strategic plan and budget in October 2021 to address these inequities. We have made concrete progress on all fronts – but the partnership still faces a huge financing gap. We, the leaders of the ACT-Accelerator’s constituent agencies, are concerned that 6 months into our new budget cycle, just over 10% of our financing needs have been met.
Three months ago, we launched our financing framework with ‘fair share’ asks of the world’s richest countries, calculated based on the size of their national economies and what they would gain from a faster recovery of the global economy and trade. As of today, 6 countries have led the way in pledging at least 25% of their fair share – but we need more.
With the world’s attention drawn to other urgent crises, billions of people continue to suffer from a lack of equitable access to COVID-19 tools – taken for granted in many countries – due to a lack of funds and political will. Countries are juggling multiple competing health, economic, and social priorities, but they will drop all of these balls if the pandemic is prolonged and allowed to flare up again. A lack of funding for the rollout of vaccines and treatments is curtailing ambitions, precluding the population-wide vaccination campaigns and intensive outreach needed.
The BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron sub-variants driving up deaths and hospitalizations in places with high immunity is a warning that the global response needs to get ahead of future Variants of Concern. We must invest in research and development to update our tools, rolling out vaccines, tests and treatments to reduce and monitor transmission, while mitigating the impact of the pandemic and protecting essential services. Such actions should underpin an endgame strategy for the pandemic.
The actions set out by the Summit co-hosts will go a long way to addressing the financing and policy gaps that are currently holding back the COVID-19 response. Ending the pandemic in 2022 requires global leadership. Collectively, richer countries must fully fund the ACT-Accelerator’s US$15 billion financing gap, while all countries must commit to national policies and strategies that optimize our ability to control the pandemic, both nationally and globally. The pandemic will not end until access to vaccines, tests, treatments and PPE is achieved for everyone, everywhere.
We cannot afford to delay anymore. Lives, economies and global health security depend on the outcome of this Summit.
This week, we urge world leaders, the private sector, philanthropists, civil society and other stakeholders to make the firm, substantive commitments needed to save lives, turn the tide and secure the future for all.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus – Director-General, the World Health Organization
Dr Seth Berkley – CEO, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
Dr Philippe Duneton – Executive Director, Unitaid
Dr Chris Elias – President, Global Development Division, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Sir Jeremy Farrar – Director, Wellcome
Dr Richard Hatchett – CEO, CEPI
Dr Bill Rodriguez – CEO, FIND
Catherine Russell – Executive Director, UNICEF
Peter Sands - Executive Director, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria
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,
Globally, reported cases and deaths from COVID-19 are continuing to decline, with reported weekly deaths at their lowest since March 2020.
But these trends, while welcome, don’t tell the full story.
Driven by Omicron sub-variants, we are seeing an increase in reported cases in the Americas and Africa.
The South African scientists who identified Omicron late last year have now reported two more Omicron sub-variants, BA.4 and BA.5, as the reason for a spike in cases in South Africa.
It’s too soon to know whether these new sub-variants can cause more severe disease than other Omicron sub-variants, but early data suggest vaccination remains protective against severe disease and death.
The best way to protect people remains vaccination, alongside tried and tested public health and social measures.
This is another sign that the pandemic is not done with us, and there are some clear takeaways.
First, vaccinating at least 70% of the population of every country – including 100% of the most at-risk groups – remains the best way to save lives, protect health systems and minimise cases of long COVID.
Availability of vaccines has improved significantly, but a combination of lack of political commitment, operational capacity problems, financial constraints and hesitancy due to misinformation and disinformation is limiting demand for vaccines.
We urge all countries to address these bottlenecks to provide protection to their populations.
Second, testing and sequencing remain absolutely critical.
The BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants were identified because South Africa is still doing the vital genetic sequencing that many other countries have stopped doing.
In many countries we’re essentially blind to how the virus is mutating. We don’t know what’s coming next.
Third, I am troubled that highly effective antivirals are still not accessible to people in low- and middle-income countries.
Low availability and high prices have led some countries to rule out buying these life-saving treatments.
ACT Accelerator partners are engaged in price negotiations to lower prices and increase availability.
Coupled with low investment in early diagnosis, it is simply not acceptable that in the worst pandemic in a century, innovative treatments that can save lives are not reaching those that need them.
We’re playing with a fire that continues to burn us.
Meanwhile, manufacturers are posting record profits.
WHO supports fair reward for innovation.
But we cannot accept prices that make life-saving treatments available to the rich and out of reach for the poor. This is a moral failing.
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In three weeks, leaders will come to Geneva for a critically important World Health Assembly.
The theme will be ‘health for peace and peace for health.’
With this in mind, tomorrow I will travel to Poland for the International Donors’ Conference for Ukraine.
The health challenges in Ukraine are worsening by the day, especially in the country’s east.
WHO has now verified 186 attacks on health care in Ukraine.
Scores of civilians were able to leave Mariupol yesterday and WHO and our partners were able to receive them and provide healthcare.
Humanitarian corridors like this are critical to get civilians to safety, and health services to those in need.
We urge the Russian Federation to allow people to leave Mariupol and other areas where civilians are at great risk.
And we continue to call on the Russian Federation to end this war.
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In the Horn of Africa and the Sahel, the climate crisis, spiking food prices and food shortages are threatening to cause famine and further insecurity.
The Horn of Africa is experiencing its worst drought in 40 years.
Fifteen million people are estimated to be severely food insecure in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia.
In Ethiopia, not enough food is reaching those who need it most.
Since the declaration of the humanitarian truce in Tigray six weeks ago, just 172 trucks of aid were able to reach the region, representing just 4% of the need.
And in Burkina Faso, repeated attacks on scarce water resources are depriving people of access to the minimum amount of water they need just to survive.
Attacks on health care, sieges blocking food and medicine, attacks on water – each is an assault on the very foundations of life.
And in each case, the only answer is peace.
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Meanwhile, WHO is supporting vaccination efforts as part of the response to an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
So far, 376 contacts have been identified, of which 243 have been vaccinated.
No new cases or deaths have been reported in the last week, which is encouraging, but our teams remain vigilant.
As you can see, WHO is responding to a huge range of challenges around the world – to say nothing of our work outside of emergencies to strengthen health systems and promote the conditions in which people can live healthy lives.
All of this work costs money.
Last week, a Member State Working Group agreed on a proposal for Member States to boost their annual ‘assessed’ contributions to 50% of WHO’s core budget by 2028 to 2029.
We welcome this proposal, which will be considered by the World Health Assembly later this month.
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Finally, tomorrow is World Hand Hygiene Day, and the International Day of the Midwife.
To mark the day, WHO is launching the first Global Report on Infection Prevention and Control.
The simple act of cleaning hands can save lives, especially in health care facilities, where vulnerable patients can be exposed to infection.
Out of every 100 patients in acute-care hospitals, 7 patients in high-income countries and 15 patients in low- and middle-income countries will acquire at least one health care-associated infection during their hospital stay.
WHO’s new report shows that where good hand hygiene and other cost-effective practices are followed, 70% of those infections can be prevented.
For the first time, the report provides a global analysis of how infection prevention and control programmes are being implemented around the world.
So, whether you work in a health facility or not, cleaning your hands regularly can be the difference between life and death for you and for others.
Fadela, 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.
The Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared an outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) in the country after a case was confirmed from Mbandaka, Equateur province. The onset of symptoms was on 5 April. The case subsequently died on 21 April, and a safe and dignified burial was performed. The second case, a family member, was confirmed on 25 April. As of 27 April, 267 contacts have been identified; other measures, including contact tracing, further investigations, decontamination of households and health facilities, are ongoing.
This is the third EVD outbreak in Equateur province and the sixth in the country since 2018. Previous outbreaks in Equateur province occurred in 2020 and 2018, with 130 and 54 confirmed and probable cases recorded, respectively.
On 23 April 2022, the Ministry of Health of the Democratic Republic of the Congo declared an outbreak of Ebola virus disease (EVD) after laboratory confirmation of a case, a 31-year-old male from Mbandaka. a city of approximately 1.2 million people in the north-western Equateur province. The case had symptoms onset on 5 April, with fever and headache, and was under home treatment with antimalarial drugs and antibiotics before being admitted to two health facilities between 16 and 21 April, where infection prevention and control (IPC) measures were inadequate. Given the persistence of symptoms and appearance of haemorrhagic signs on 21 April, he was admitted to the General Referral Hospital in Wangata. He died on 21 April after which a safe and dignified burial was conducted. A blood sample taken by the provincial laboratory in Mbandaka tested positive for Ebola virus by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) on 21 April, and an oral swab analysed on 22 April also tested positive for Ebola virus. For confirmation, blood samples and oral swabs were sent to the reference laboratory, the National Institute of Biomedical Research (INRB) in Kinshasa and tested positive for Ebola virus by RT-PCR.
On 25 April, health authorities confirmed a second EVD case, a 25-year-old woman from Mbandaka who was a family member of the first case. She developed symptoms on 13 April and was treated at home for five days. While symptomatic, she visited a prayer house, a health center, a pharmacy and a nurse’s home. She died on 25 April and a safe and dignified burial was performed on the same day.
Ebola virus disease is present in animal reservoirs in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and before this EVD outbreak, the country had reported 13 EVD outbreaks since 1976. The current outbreak is the third EVD outbreak in Equateur province and the sixth in the country since 2018. The last outbreak in the Equateur Province was declared over in November 2020, after 130 confirmed and probable cases were recorded and nearly six months after the first cases were reported (more details, published in Disease outbreak news on 18 November 2020).
Full genome sequencing was performed at the INRB in Kinshasa and results indicate that this outbreak represents a new spill-over from the animal population.
The Ministry of Health (MoH), in coordination with WHO and other partners have initiated measures to control the outbreak and prevent further spread. The MoH has activated the national and provincial emergency management committees to coordinate the response. Multidisciplinary teams are being reassigned to manage this outbreak. Outbreak control interventions are being organized in the field and include case investigation, contact tracing, surveillance at points of entry and checkpoints, isolation of suspected cases, laboratory confirmation, IPC measures in health facilities as well as community engagement and social mobilization.
EVD response interventions include:
Strong engagement with communities focusing on EVD prevention, early recognition of symptoms and care seeking and vaccination.
Case investigations and contact tracing activities including on-going in-depth interventions around the two confirmed cases. To date 267 contacts have been identified of which two suspected cases have tested negative for EVD.
Alert system is being set-up in the affected areas.
Sixteen points of control have been activated in Mbandaka.
A functional laboratory is established in Mbandaka, and supplies have been delivered.
On 24 April, the International Coordinating Group on vaccine provision received and approved the use of 1307 doses of the Ervebo licensed vaccine stored in Goma. On 26 April, 200 doses of Ervebo vaccine and matching injection devices arrived in Mbandaka. Ring vaccination started on 27 April. Further doses will be shipped as needed and as ultra-cold chain capacities are strengthened in Mbandaka.
On-going assessment and rehabilitation of Mbandaka Ebola Treatment Centre and strengthening of screening, triage and isolation capacities of other health facilities.
Twenty treatment courses of monoclonal antibodies were received in Mbandaka on 26 April.
Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures have been initiated and include decontamination of health facilities, assessment and support to health facilities and training of health care workers on implementation of IPC measures, and water and sanitation rehabilitation.
Preliminary information indicates that the first confirmed case was treated at home from the onset of symptoms before being admitted to two health facilities between 16 to 21 April. Since the case was isolated after the onset of haemorrhagic signs, there is a risk of EVD spread in the province. Additionally, due to inadequate IPC measures in place at the health facilities there is also the risk of spread among health workers and co-patients of the two facilities which the patient visited prior to the confirmation of EVD.
The exposure of the first case remains unknown, and therefore, it is difficult to assess the extent of the outbreak at this stage.
The current resurgence is not unexpected given that EVD is endemic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Ebola virus is present in animal reservoirs in the region. A confluence of environmental and socioeconomic factors such as poverty, community mistrust, weak health systems, and political instability may be accelerating the rate of the emergence of EVD in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Although Mbandaka has experienced two EVD outbreaks in 2020 and 2018, some of the improvements achieved by establishing capacities such as IPC measures in health facilities during previous outbreaks have not been maintained over time to tackle the current outbreak. There is a need to support the province's health professionals to conduct an effective response. In addition, logistical support is needed to reactivate the health infrastructure that was put in place during previous epidemics.
The risk of regional and international spread of this epidemic is not precluded as the city of Mbandaka borders the Congo River and has river and land connections with the capital Kinshasa, the Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, and Angola. Mbandaka also has air connections with Sud Ubangi province bordering Central African Republic and the Republic of Congo and the capital Democratic Republic of the Congo - Kinshasa.
The risk associated with EVD in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is high due to the presence of animal reservoirs or intermediate hosts implicated in previous spill-over events, the high frequency of these outbreaks, environmental and anthropogenic factors1 , and reduced capacity of the public health sector due to other ongoing outbreaks of cholera, measles, monkeypox, and COVID-19 pandemic in the context of a protracted humanitarian crisis due to ongoing violence and conflict.
The risk at regional and global level is assessed to be moderate and low respectively. WHO is closely monitoring the situation and the risk assessment will be updated as more information becomes available.
WHO advises the following risk reduction measures as an effective way to reduce Ebola virus disease transmission in humans:
Reducing the risk of wildlife-to-human transmission from contact with infected fruit bats or monkeys/apes and the consumption of their raw meat. Animals should be handled with gloves and other appropriate protective clothing. Animal products (blood and meat) should be thoroughly cooked before consumption.
Reducing the risk of human-to-human transmission from direct or close contact with people with Ebola symptoms, particularly with their bodily fluids. Urgently refer any suspected cases to health care facility where patient should be screened, triaged and isolated accordingly. Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) should be worn when taking care of patients suspected or confirmed with EVD. Regular hand washing is required after visiting patients in hospital, as well as after touching or coming into contact with any body fluids.
Reducing the risk of possible sexual transmission, based on further analysis of ongoing research and consideration by the WHO Advisory Group on the Ebola Virus Disease Response. WHO recommends that male survivors of EVD practice safe sex for 12 months from onset of symptoms or until their semen tests negative twice for Ebola virus. Contact with body fluids should be avoided and washing with soap and water is recommended. WHO does not recommend isolation of male or female convalescent patients whose blood has tested negative for Ebola virus.
All EVD control intervention should be grounded into strong community engagement, aiming at building trust with affected populations and supporting them to implement preventive measures and adhere to response interventions.
Continue training and re-training of the health workforce for early detection, isolation, and treatment of EVD cases as well as re-training on safe and dignified burials and the IPC ring approach.
Ensure availability of PPE and assess IPC capacities (including WASH and waste management) in all healthcare settings to manage ill patients and for decontamination.
Prepare for ring vaccination of contacts and contacts of contacts of confirmed cases and of frontline workers.
Engage with communities to reinforce safe and dignified burial practices.
WHO does not recommend any restriction on travel or trade to Democratic Republic of the Congo based on the current situation.
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.
Formula milk companies are paying social media platforms and influencers to gain direct access to pregnant women and mothers at some of the most vulnerable moments in their lives. The global formula milk industry, valued at some US$55 billion, is targeting new mothers with personalized social media content that is often not recognizable as advertising.
A new World Health Organization (WHO) report titled Scope and impact of digital marketing strategies for promoting breast-milk substitutes has outlined the digital marketing techniques designed to influence the decisions new families make on how to feed their babies.
Through tools like apps, virtual support groups or ‘baby-clubs’, paid social media influencers, promotions and competitions and advice forums or services, formula milk companies can buy or collect personal information and send personalized promotions to new pregnant women and mothers.
The report summarizes findings of new research that sampled and analyzed 4 million social media posts about infant feeding published between January and June 2021 using a commercial social listening platform. These posts reached 2.47 billion people and generated more than 12 million likes, shares or comments.
Formula milk companies post content on their social media accounts around 90 times per day, reaching 229 million users; representing three times as many people as are reached by informational posts about breastfeeding from non-commercial accounts.
This pervasive marketing is increasing purchases of breast-milk substitutes and therefore dissuading mothers from breastfeeding exclusively as recommended by WHO.
“The promotion of commercial milk formulas should have been terminated decades ago,” said Dr Francesco Branca, Director of the WHO Nutrition and Food Safety department. “The fact that formula milk companies are now employing even more powerful and insidious marketing techniques to drive up their sales is inexcusable and must be stopped.”
The report compiled evidence from social listening research on public online communications and individual country reports of research that monitors breast-milk substitute promotions, as well as drawing on a recent multi-country study of mothers’ and health professionals’ experiences of formula milk marketing. The studies show how misleading marketing reinforces myths about breastfeeding and breast milk and undermines women’s confidence in their ability to breastfeed successfully.
The proliferation of global digital marketing of formula milk blatantly breaches the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes (“the Code”), which was adopted by the 1981 World Health Assembly. The Code is a landmark public health agreement designed to protect the general public and mothers from aggressive marketing practices by the baby food industry that negatively impact breastfeeding practices.
Despite clear evidence that exclusive and continued breastfeeding are key determinants of improved lifelong health for children, women and communities, far too few children are breastfed as recommended. If current formula milk marketing strategies continue, that proportion could fall still further, boosting companies’ profits.
The fact that these forms of digital marketing can evade scrutiny from national monitoring and health authorities means new approaches to Code-implementing regulation and enforcement are required. Currently, national legislation may be evaded by marketing that originates beyond borders.
WHO has called on the baby food industry to end exploitative formula milk marketing, and on governments to protect new children and families by enacting, monitoring and enforcing laws to end all advertising or other promotion of formula milk products.
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.
On COVID-19, there’s good news.
Last week, the lowest number of COVID-19 deaths was recorded since the early days of the pandemic.
However, some countries are still witnessing serious spikes in cases, which is putting pressure on hospitals.
And our ability to monitor trends is compromised as testing has significantly reduced.
This week, the COVID-19 IHR Emergency Committee met and unanimously agreed that the pandemic remains a public health emergency.
I appreciated their advice and agree that far from being the time to drop our guard, this is the moment to work even harder to save lives.
Specifically this means investing so that COVID-19 tools are equitably distributed and we simultaneously strengthen health systems as outlined in the 2022 WHO Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan.
Bridging the vaccine equity gap is the best way to boost population immunity and insulate against future waves.
But, it’s not just vaccines.
Over the past two years, WHO has continued to update its clinical management of COVID-19 guidelines and hone its recommendations based on the latest science.
Treatments including oxygen, corticosteroids and antivirals are helping to further break the link between COVID-19 infection and death.
Diagnostics are also improving and becoming more accessible.
However, just as I said last year that trickle down vaccination is not an effective strategy for fighting a deadly respiratory virus; trickle-down treatment and testing are similarly reckless.
Diagnosing at-risk patients early enough for new antivirals to be effective is essential and should be available to everyone, everywhere.
In addition, higher testing and sequencing rates will be vital for tracing existing and identifying new variants as they emerge.
WHO scientists continue to work with thousands of experts around the world to track and monitor the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
At present there are a number of Omicron sub-lineages we’re following closely, including BA.2, BA.4 and BA.5 and another recombinant detected, made up of BA.1 and BA.2.
This virus has over time become more transmissible and it remains deadly especially for the unprotected and unvaccinated that don’t have access to health care and antivirals.
The best way to protect yourself is to get vaccinated and boosted when recommended.
Continue wearing masks – especially in crowded indoor spaces. And for the indoors, keep the air fresh by opening windows and doors, and invest in good ventilation.
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And just as we continue to respond to the current pandemic, WHO is preparing for the next.
I have spoken before about the need for a generational agreement that would ignite the investments, collaboration and engagement we need to protect our planet and our people.
Our Member States are currently negotiating this and WHO has opened up the conversation to the world through public hearings.
I am encouraged by the rich diversity of people from around the world that raised their voices at the public hearing of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB), which is tasked with developing a new instrument to prepare the world for future health threats.
Everyone has been affected by this pandemic and every voice matters. There will be further opportunities to engage in the process throughout the year.
A new pandemic accord is our best collective defence against known virus’s and of course the next disease X.
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Tomorrow marks 50 days since Russia invaded Ukraine.
In that time, 4.6 million refugees have left the country.
Thousands of civilians have died, including children.
There have been 119 verified attacks on health care.
Health services continue to be severely disrupted, particularly in the East of the country.
For the sake of humanity, I urge Russia to come back to the table and to work for peace.
In the meantime, humanitarian corridors must be established so that medical supplies, food and water can be delivered and civilians can move to safety.
To date, WHO has received almost 53% of its funding requirement for Ukraine for the first three months.
I would like to thank Canada, Ireland, Japan, Norway, the Novo Nordisk Foundation, Switzerland and the UN Central Emergency Response Fund for their timely contributions.
I would also like to thank ECHO, Germany, Saudi Arabia KSRelief and the United States for committing additional support to the health response in Ukraine and neighboring countries.
But additional resources will be required to cover longer-term needs.
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In Tigray, it is now three weeks since a truce was called.
After one of the longest blockades in history, there is a need for 100 trucks per day containing life saving supplies to Tigray.
Since the truce, there should have been at least 2,000 trucks going into Tigray.
But there has been only 20 trucks in total – representing one percent of the need.
In effect, the siege by the Ethiopian and Eritrean forces continues.
To avert the humanitarian calamity and hundreds of thousands more people from dying, we need unfettered humanitarian access from those reinforcing the siege.
As well as medicines, the immediate need is for food and fuel and other basics to be allowed into the region.
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On World Health Day last week, I wrote about the multidimensional crisis that humanity is facing.
War, the climate crisis and COVID-19 are driving up food and fuel prices.
The Horn of Africa and Sahel are at high risk of famine and many people are already starving or food insecure and increasingly on the move.
I am deeply concerned about the impact this will have not only on health but on overall national and regional security.
Peace underscores our ability to make developmental progress on all fronts and conflict conversely makes it all harder.
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Yesterday, WHO began the global roll out of an online training to increase understanding and promotion of the human rights and recovery of people living with mental health conditions.
The course, available in 11 languages, has been completed by nearly 30,000 people, and our goal is that by the end of 2024, that number will be 5 million.
There is no health without mental health.
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I would now like to hand over to Professor Didier Houssin, chair of the COVID-19 IHR Emergency Committee for a few remarks.
Professor Didier Houssin takes the floor
I thank you, Professor Didier Houssin.
Back to you, Fadela.
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.
Members and Advisors of the Emergency Committee were convened by videoconference.
The Director-General welcomed the Committee members and advisers. The Director-General explained that the world has tools to limit transmission, save lives, and protect health systems. He expressed hope in the current epidemiological situation, noting that the world is currently experiencing the lowest number of reported deaths in two years. However, the unpredictable behavior of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and insufficient national responses are contributing to the continued global pandemic context. The Director-General emphasized the importance of States Parties using available medical countermeasures and public health and social measures (PHSM). He highlighted the publication of the updated Strategic Preparedness, Readiness, and Response Plan which provides a roadmap for how the world can end the COVID-19 emergency in 2022 and prepare for future events.
Representatives of the Office of Legal Counsel (LEG) and the Department of Compliance, Risk Management, and Ethics (CRE) briefed the members on their roles and responsibilities. The Ethics Officer from CRE provided the members and advisers with an overview of the WHO Declaration of Interests process. The members and advisers were made aware of their individual responsibility to disclose to WHO, in a timely manner, any interests of a personal, professional, financial, intellectual or commercial nature that may give rise to a perceived or direct conflict of interest. They were additionally reminded of their duty to maintain the confidentiality of the meeting discussions and the work of the Committee. Each member who was present was surveyed. No conflicts of interest were identified.
The Secretariat turned the meeting over to the Chair, Professor Didier Houssin, who reviewed the objectives and agenda of the meeting.
The Secretariat presented on the current status of the COVID-19 pandemic and a vision for how to optimize the ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic for 2022. The presentation focused on:
the global epidemiological context and factors that continue to drive transmission;
updates on international traffic as well as COVID-19 proof of vaccination and test result certificates;
the status of COVID-19 vaccination; and
the strategic objectives for countries to incorporate in their COVID-19 response.
The Committee discussed key issues including SARS-CoV-2 variants; use and equitable access to antivirals; vaccine protection and global shifts in the supply and demand for COVID-19 vaccines; hybrid immunity; potential future scenarios for SARS-CoV-2 transmission and challenges posed by concurrent health emergencies; and how Member States are responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Committee also noted with concern the growing fatigue among communities worldwide in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and challenges posed by the lack of trust in scientific guidance and governments.
The Committee recognized that SARS-CoV-2 is a novel respiratory pathogen that has not yet established its ecological niche. SARS-CoV-2 continues to have unpredictable viral evolution, which is compounded by its wide-spread circulation and intense transmission in humans, as well as widespread introduction of infection to a range of animal species with potential for animal reservoirs to be established. SARS-COV-2 is continuing to cause high levels of morbidity and mortality, particularly among vulnerable human populations. In this context, the Committee raised concerns that the inappropriate use of antivirals may lead to the emergence of drug-resistant variants. In addition, Committee members acknowledged national, regional, and global capacities to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic context, but noted with concern that some States Parties have relaxed PHSM and reduced testing, impacting thus the global ability to monitor evolution of the virus. The Committee also noted with concern the inconsistency of global COVID-19 requirements for international travel and the negative impact that inappropriate measures may have on all forms of international travel. In this context, the Committee noted that offering vaccination to high-risk groups of international travelers on arrival could be considered a means to mitigate the risk of severe disease or death due to COVID-19 among these individuals.
The Committee stressed the importance of maintaining PHSM to protect vulnerable populations, and maintaining the capacity to scale up PHSM if the epidemiological situation changes. States Parties are advised to regularly adjust their response strategies by monitoring their epidemiological situation (including through use of rapid tests), assessing their health system capacity, and considering the adherence to and attributable impact of individual and combined PHSM.
In addition, the Committee reinforced the continued need for international cooperation and coordination for surveillance, as well as for robust and timely reporting to global systems (such as the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System) to inform national, regional, and global response efforts. Surveillance activities require coordination between the human and animal sectors and more global attention on the detection of animal infections and possible reservoirs among domestic and wild animals. Timely and systematic monitoring and data sharing on SARS-CoV-2 infection, transmission and evolution in humans and animals will assist global understanding of the virus epidemiology and ecology, the emergence of new variants, their timely identification, and assessment of their public health risks. Continued provision of technical support and guidance from all three levels of the WHO can enable States Parties’ adjustment of COVID-19 surveillance and its integration into respiratory pathogen surveillance systems.
The Committee acknowledged that COVID-19 vaccination is a key tool to reduce morbidity and mortality and reinforced the importance of vaccination (primary series and booster doses, including through heterologous vaccine schedules). The Committee expressed appreciation for WHO and partners’ work to enhance global vaccine supply and distribution. Committee members highlighted the challenges posed by limited vaccination protection, particularly in low-income countries, as well as by waning population-level immunity. As outlined in the SAGE roadmap, vaccination should be prioritized for high-risk groups such as health workers, older adults, and immune-compromised populations, refugees, and migrants. To enhance vaccine uptake, States Parties are encouraged to address national and sub-national barriers for vaccine deployment and to ensure COVID-19 response measures align with and strengthen immunization activities and primary health services.
In addition, the Committee noted the continued importance of WHO’s provision of guidance, training, and tools to support States Parties’ recovery planning process from the COVID-19 pandemic and future respiratory pathogen pandemic preparedness planning.
The Committee unanimously agreed that the COVID-19 pandemic still constitutes an extraordinary event that continues to adversely affect the health of populations around the world, poses an ongoing risk of international spread and interference with international traffic, and requires a coordinated international response. The Committee stressed the importance for States Parties to prepare for future scenarios with the assistance of WHO and to continue robust use of the essential tools (e.g. vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics). The Committee concurred that the COVID-19 pandemic remains a PHEIC and offered its advice to the Director-General.
The Director-General determined that the COVID-19 pandemic continues to constitute a PHEIC. He accepted the advice of the Committee and issued the Committee’s advice to States Parties as Temporary Recommendations under the IHR.
The Emergency Committee will be reconvened within three months or earlier, at the discretion of the Director-General. The Director-General thanked the Committee for its work.
The Committee identified the following actions as critical for all countries:
NEW: Strengthen national response to the COVID-19 pandemic by updating national preparedness and response plans in line with the priorities and potential scenarios outlined in the 2022 WHO Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (SPRP). States Parties should conduct assessments (e.g. intra action and after action reviews) to inform current and future response and preparedness efforts. WHO Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (SPRP)
MODIFIED: Achieve national COVID-19 vaccination targets in line with global WHO recommendations of at least 70% of all countries’ populations vaccinated by the start of July 2022. States Parties are requested to support global equitable access to vaccines and to prioritize vaccination of high-risk populations through a primary series and booster schedule. These populations include health workers, older people, people with underlying conditions, immune-compromised, refugees, migrants, people living in fragile settings, and individuals with insufficient access to treatment. States Parties should continually assess their vaccine coverage and epidemiological situation in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic and modify their national responses accordingly. WHO SAGE Prioritization Roadmap
MODIFIED: Continue to use evidence-informed and risk-based PHSM. State Parties should be prepared to scale up PHSM rapidly in response to changes in the virus and the population immunity, if COVID-19 hospitalizations, intensive care admissions, and fatalities increase and compromise the health system’s capacity. States Parties are advised to continue the risk-based use of basic PHSM (e.g. wearing masks, staying home when sick, increased hand washing, and improving ventilation of indoor spaces, even in periods of low circulation of SARS-CoV-2). Considerations for implementing and adjusting public health and social measures in the context of COVID-19
MODIFIED: Take a risk-based approach to mass gathering events by evaluating, mitigating, and communicating risks. Recognizing that there are different drivers and risk tolerance for mass gatherings, it is critical to consider the epidemiological context (including the prevalence of variants of concern and the intensity of transmission), surveillance, contact tracing and testing capacity, as well as adherence to PHSM when conducting this risk assessment and planning events, in line with WHO guidance. Key planning recommendations for mass gatherings in the context of COVID-19
MODIFIED: Adjust COVID-19 surveillance to focus on the burden and impact and prepare for sustainable integration with other surveillance systems. States Parties should collect and publicly share indicators to monitor the burden of COVID-19 (e.g. new hospitalizations, admissions to intensive care units, and deaths). States Parties should integrate respiratory disease surveillance by leveraging and enhancing the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS). States Parties should be encouraged to 1) maintain representative testing strategies; 2) focus on early warning and trend monitoring, such as use of wastewater surveillance; 3) monitor severity in vulnerable groups; and 4) enhance genomic surveillance to detect potential new variants and monitor the evolution of SARS-COV-2. Guidance for surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 variants; WHO global genomic surveillance strategy for pathogens with pandemic and epidemic potential 2022–2032
MODIFIED: Ensure availability of essential health, social, and education services. States Parties should enhance access to health, including through the restoration of health services at all levels and strengthening of social systems to cope with the impacts of the pandemic, especially on children and young adults. Within this context, States Parties should maintain educational services by keeping schools fully open with in-person learning. In addition, essential health services, including COVID-19 vaccination, should be provided to migrants and other vulnerable populations as a priority. Building health systems resilience for universal health coverage and health security during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond: WHO position paper; The State of the Global Education Crisis | UNICEF
MODIFIED: Lift international traffic bans and continue to adjust travel measures, based on risk assessments. The failure of travel bans introduced after the detection and reporting of Omicron variant to limit international spread of Omicron demonstrates the ineffectiveness of such measures over time. The implementation of travel measures (such as vaccination, screening, including via testing, isolation/quarantine of travelers) should be based on risk assessments and should avoid placing the financial burden on international travelers, in accordance with Article 40 of the IHR. WHO advice for international traffic in relation to the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant
MODIFIED: Do NOT require proof of vaccination against COVID-19 for international travel as the only pathway or condition permitting international travel. States Parties should consider a risk-based approach to the facilitation of international travel. Interim position paper: considerations regarding proof of COVID-19 vaccination for international travelers; Policy considerations for implementing a risk-based approach to international travel in the context of COVID-19
MODIFIED: Address risk communications and community engagement challenges, proactively counter misinformation and disinformation, and include communities in decision making. To re-build trust and address pandemic fatigue, States Parties should explain clearly and transparently changes to their response strategy. WHO risk communications resources
MODIFIED: Support timely uptake of WHO recommended therapeutics. Local production and technology transfer should be encouraged and supported as increased production capacity can contribute to global equitable access to therapeutics. States Parties should provide access to COVID-19 treatments for vulnerable populations, particularly immunosuppressed people as this can also reduce the likelihood of new variants’ emergence. Therapeutics and COVID-19: living guideline
MODIFIED: Conduct epidemiological investigations of SARS-CoV-2 transmission at the human-animal interface and targeted surveillance on potential animal hosts and reservoirs. Investigations at the human animal interface should use a One Health approach and involve all relevant stakeholders, including national veterinary services, wildlife authorities, public health services, and the environment sector. To faciliate international transparency, and in line with international reporting obligations, findings from joint investigations should be reported publicly.
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.
To support emergency health needs in Ukraine, World Health Organization (WHO) today gave 20 all-terrain ambulances able to function in even the most damaged and inaccessible areas to the Ministry of Health of Ukraine.
“We bring not just supplies but support based on your needs. Today we are handing to you 20 ambulances, along with generators and blood refrigerators to hospitals wherever they are needed.'' said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO Director-General handing over the keys to the Deputy Minister of Health Iryna Mykychak in Lviv, Ukraine. “But the most important thing we want to see delivered is peace.”
“Today, as we consolidate our efforts with WHO, we need to strengthen our national health care system. And these are very effective ways to support our doctors, who heroically provide medical care in Ukraine in difficult times. Today we received modern off-road vehicles from the WHO to ensure medical evacuation. These ambulances can drive to the most important places available, even where the roads have been most damaged” said Deputy Minister Mykychak as she looked over the new addition to the emergency relief team’s fleet. “We are infinitely grateful to all our international partners for such important and significant support of Ukraine. We worked closely with the WHO team in Ukraine for a long time, long before the war in health care reform in Ukraine. I am confident that together we will provide necessary support people of Ukraine and address health needs. We need peace.”
Dr Tedros has been in Ukraine for 3 days of meetings with senior government leaders and to assess the current health needs in Ukraine. During this time he visited health facilities damaged during the war and spoke with health care workers who worked tirelessly, providing care by torchlight and eventually evacuating all patients when it became too dangerous to continue.
Two months into the war, the medical infrastructure in Ukraine has been significantly damaged due to the continuous attacks on health care, and access to health care in many areas has been severely impacted. This donation of 20 ambulances will help bring vital lifesaving care to people in Ukraine and improve the national emergency medical teams' timeliness and quality of health services.
“WHO is committed to supporting people in Ukraine in accessing much-needed health services. The donation of 20 ambulances will bring lifesaving care as Ukraine’s health services have been significantly stretched and access to health care remains a challenge for many people,” said Dr Jarno Habicht, WHO Representative and Head of the WHO Country Office in Ukraine. “One of the health workers we spoke to remembered how during the days of constant shelling in their city, ambulances continued to operate even during curfew to ensure people received the care they needed. We are inspired by the bravery of Ukrainian health workers and hope this donation will contribute to their work.”
WHO has so far delivered 393 metric tonnes of emergency and medical supplies and equipment to Ukraine. Of that amount, 167 metric tonnes have reached their intended destinations, mostly in the east, south and north of the country where the need is greatest.
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 grim milestone has been crossed today in the war in Ukraine – more than 100 attacks on health care verified by WHO since the start of the war on February 24. The attacks so far have claimed 73 lives and injured 51.
Of the current total of 103 attacks, 89 have impacted health facilities and 13 have impacted transport, including ambulances.
“We are outraged that attacks on health care are continuing. Attacks on health care are a violation of international humanitarian law, said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, at a press conference. “Peace is the only way forward. I again call on the Russian Federation to stop the war.”
“It’s a truly sad irony that we are recording this milestone of over 100 attacks on health in Ukraine on World Health Day,” noted Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe who visited the humanitarian hub of Lviv in western Ukraine today. “I have been personally struck by the resilience and fortitude of health care providers and indeed of the health system itself in Ukraine. WHO has been working to ensure supply lines remain open to allow lifesaving health and medical supplies to reach cities and towns nationwide, and continued attacks on health make this effort all the more challenging.”
This milestone of over 100 attacks on health spans barely 42 days since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began. The impact of this violence is not only immediate, in the numbers of deaths and injuries – but also long-term in the consequences for Ukraine’s health care system. It’s a major blow to the country’s efforts to institute health reforms and achieve universal health coverage, a goal it had made significant progress on before the war erupted.
“Across Ukraine, 1000 health facilities are in proximity to conflict areas or in changed areas of control,” explained Dr Jarno Habicht, WHO Representative in Ukraine. “Health workers throughout the country are risking their lives to serve those in need of medical services, and they, and their patients, must never be targeted. Further, when people are prevented from seeking and accessing health care, either because the facilities have been destroyed or out of fear that they may become a target, they lose hope. The mental health toll wreaked by the war cannot be underestimated, affecting civilians and the health workforce alike."
Attacks on health are unfortunately seen amid conflicts globally. Since 1 January 2022, WHO has verified 160 attacks on health care in 11 countries and territories resulting in 97 deaths and 74 injuries. Outside of Ukraine at this time, Sudan is also witnessing a recent increase in attacks on health 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.
Joint Hybrid Press Conference with the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra on World Health Day, Washington DC, United States of America (as delivered)
Thank you, Secretary Becerra, and good afternoon everyone.
I also thank Assistant Secretary for Global Affairs Loyce Pace and Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Sarah Lovenheim.
It’s a real pleasure to be here in Washington, D.C., on World Health Day.
Over the past few days, I’ve had a series of very productive meetings with representatives of the Administration, senators, house members and other leaders.
We renewed old friendships and forged new ones.
We discussed the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and WHO’s five major priorities for the next five years, including supporting countries to make a paradigm shift towards promoting health and preventing disease, not just treating it;
radically reorienting health systems towards primary health care;
strengthening global capacities for pandemic preparedness and response;
harnessing the power of science, research, innovation, data and digital technologies for health;
and continuing to strengthen WHO as the leading and directing authority on global health.
World Health Day marks the day that the Constitution of the World Health Organization came into effect, on the 7th of April 1948.
Although our headquarters are in Switzerland, in one way, WHO was born here in the United States.
It was in 1945, during the Conference to establish the United Nations in San Francisco, that the idea of an international health organization was first proposed.
And at the International Health Conference in New York City the following year, the Constitution of the World Health Organization was adopted by 51 Members of the UN, including the United States.
For the past 75 years, the United States has been a strong partner in global health.
The US played a pivotal role in eradicating smallpox – which remains one of the greatest achievements in the history of global health.
The US has continued to be a leader in global health, through PEPFAR, the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, as well as its support for the response to malaria, TB, polio and many other diseases.
The US has also been a strong supporter of WHO’s work to respond to health emergencies, including the war in Ukraine.
With support from the United States, WHO is working with Ukraine’s Ministry of Health to keep the country’s health system running, and we’re working with neighbouring countries to support access to care for refugees.
WHO and our partners have so far delivered more than 180 metric tonnes of medical supplies to the hardest hit areas in Ukraine, and we are preparing to deliver more.
We are outraged that attacks on health care are continuing.
Today, on the 42nd day of the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, we crossed a grim milestone of more than 100 attacks – as of now, WHO has verified 103 incidents of attacks on health care, with 73 people killed and 51 injured, including health workers and patients.
Attacks on health care are a violation of international humanitarian law.
Peace is the only way forward. I again call on the Russian Federation to stop the war.
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As Secretary Becerra described, the United States has LONG been a strong supporter of the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The United States is the largest financial donor to the ACT Accelerator since it began, and the largest donor of vaccines to COVAX, as Xavier outlined.
And we continue to look to the US for its support to end the pandemic globally, and to address the many other challenges to health we face. Doing this is in the interest of the United States itself.
I am painfully aware that the pandemic has taken a heavy toll here in the US. I offer my deep condolences to all Americans who have lost someone they love.
And I offer my deep appreciation and respect to every health worker who has put themselves in harm’s way to serve others in the course of the pandemic.
COVID-19 is a powerful demonstration that when health is at risk, everything is at risk.
The pandemic has highlighted the intimate links between the health of humans, animals, and THE environment.
And yet we are rapidly making the planet on which all life depends uninhabitable.
Which is why World Health Day 2022’s theme is: Our planet, our health.
The climate crisis is a health crisis.
Air pollution kills 7 million people every year, and 99% of the world’s population breathes unhealthy air, mainly as a result of burning fossil fuels.
Our warming world is facilitating the spread of mosquitoes and the diseases they carry.
Extreme weather events, biodiversity loss, land degradation and water scarcity are displacing people and damaging their health.
Systems that produce highly processed, unhealthy foods are driving a wave of obesity, increasing cancer and heart disease, and generating one-third of greenhouse gas emissions.
There are solutions at hand. WHO’s Manifesto for a Healthy Recovery from COVID-19 recommends more than 80 concrete actions governments can take in six policy areas, with dividends for the health of our planet and the health of humans.
The health sector must lead by example, and I applaud the US, under the leadership of Admiral Rachel Levine for its commitment to decarbonizing its health system, as part of WHO’s COP26 health programme.
At WHO, we have also committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2030.
This World Health Day, as the world recovers and rebuilds from the pandemic, we have a choice.
We can go back to the way things were, or we can change course.
We can create societies, economies and products that nurture health and well-being, and stop subsidising those that destroy it.
Because we cannot afford to pump carbon into the atmosphere at the same rate and still breathe clean air. We must choose.
We cannot afford the same patterns of consumption and expect less diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and cancer. We must choose.
We cannot afford ever-deepening inequalities, and expect continued prosperity. We must choose.
And so this World Health Day, we call on all governments to choose our planet, our health.
Our planet, our health.
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.