Entries for 3rd edition in 2022 takes total of short films received to nearly 3500 since the initiative launched in 2020 More than 1000 film makers from over 110 countries have submitted short films for the 3rd edition of the WHO Health for All Film Festival (HAFF), on themes ranging from the trauma of war to living with COVID-19. Some 70 films have been chosen for the shortlist, which will be reviewed by international actors and development leaders, before the announcement of the winners in mid-May 2022.
This large participation from patients, health workers, health activists, NGOs, students, public institutions, as well as from professional film makers, demonstrates the potential of the Festival to contribute to health promotion and education. Including the submissions received in 2022, almost 3500 films have been registered by the festival since its launch in 2020, many specifically made for the initiative.
“The success of the WHO Health for All Film Festival mirrors the great interest and heightened awareness globally in the importance of health and ensuring people are able to attain the highest levels of physical and mental well-being,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “The wide range of subjects featured in this year’s submissions, and the high calibre of judges, underscores the growing importance of the festival as a platform to bring urgent health issues to the public’s attention.”
The following distinguished professionals, artists and activists, joined by three WHO senior experts, comprise this year’s festival jury: Sharon Stone (actor from the USA); Emilia Clarke (actor from the UK); Mia Maestro (actor from Argentina); Anita Abada (producer from Nigeria); Eddie Ndopu (UN SDGs Advocate from South Africa), and Dr Eckart von Hirschhausen (TV presenter from Germany).
The 70 shortlisted films are available to view online in six playlists, one for each of the three main competition categories: Universal Health Coverage, Health emergencies, and Better health and well-being, as well as three more on Rehabilitation, Health innovation and Very Short Films.
An additional playlist - out of competition - will be published by the end of March to contribute to the 2022 World Health Day theme of “Our Planet, Our Health”. This playlist will gather submissions from all three HAFF editions, as well as other productions from WHO and other United Nations agencies.
A wide range of health topics are covered by the new 2022 selection: trauma of wars; noncommunicable diseases, including mental health issues; disability; malaria; communicable diseases, including COVID-19, HIV-AIDS; as well as environmental and social factors of health, including gender-based violence, road safety and pollution. The benefits of sports and arts on health are also part of this selection.
The public is encouraged to choose one of the films that they would like to champion and comment about its story / topic, before 10th of May 2022. Comments can be posted in their social media using #Film4health or through the YouTube playlists available from the Festival’s website (link below) as well as WHO’s YouTube channel. Some comments from the public will be featured during the HAFF virtual Awards Ceremony in mid-May.
In the coming weeks, jurors will review the shortlisted films and recommend winners to the WHO Director-General, who will make the final decision. Three “GRAND PRIX” and four special prizes will be announced mid-May during an online Awards Ceremony followed by a series of online discussions with winners and jurors.
For more details on the official selection, the jury composition and further information, please visit https://www.who.int/film-festival
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.
In order to attain self-reliance in the pharmaceutical sector, develop global champions and to retain the position of the country as ‘Pharmacy of the world’, the government has launched two Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes. PLI scheme for promotion of domestic manufacturing of critical Key Starting Materials (KSMs)/ Drug Intermediates (DIs)/ Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs) was launched with a total financial outlay of Rs. 6,940 crore. Under the scheme, 49 applicants have already been approved. The other PLI Scheme for Pharmaceuticals has a total financial outlay of Rs. 15,000 crore. Under this scheme, 55 applicants have been selected. In addition, the department has launched a Scheme for Promotion of Bulk Drug Parks with a total outlay of Rs. 3,000 cr wherein financial assistance is to be provided for creation of Common Infrastructure Facilities in 3 Bulk Drug Parks.
The information was given by the Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Shri Mansukh Mandaviya in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha on 15/03/2022.
14 March 2022 / Ukraine -- Since Russia’s military offensive began in Ukraine on 24 February, WHO has worked around the clock to ensure a constant flow of health supplies so that neighbouring countries have the infrastructure and expertise to meet urgent needs of refugees, and to support Ukraine’s health system to meet the immediate health needs of people within Ukraine’s borders.
The current estimated number of people impacted in Ukraine is 18 million, of which 6.7 million are internally displaced. Nearly 3 million people have fled the country. Supply chains have been severely disrupted. Many distributors are not operational, some stockpiles are inaccessible due to military operations, medicine supplies are running low, and hospitals are struggling to provide care to the sick and wounded.
WHO is coordinating with partners the provision of humanitarian health assistance, both within Ukraine and on its borders, and providing technical support and surge staff. WHO is providing support across Ukraine through the Country Office, the Regional Office for Europe in Copenhagen, as well as from its headquarters in Geneva.
As the Health Cluster Lead Agency, WHO is working with partners to alleviate shortages of life-saving equipment and medication, such as oxygen and insulin, surgical supplies, anaesthetics, and transfusion kits to collect, test and safely transfuse blood. Oxygen generators, generators to maintain electrical supply in affected health facilities, defibrillators, monitors, anaesthesia drugs, rehydration salts, gauze and bandages are among the medical supplies WHO and partners are shipping into Ukraine to save lives and maintain health services.
· On 5 March approximately 600 doses of anti-tetanus toxoid reached Kyiv, and 36 tonnes of vital medical supplies reached Lviv, from where they are being distributed to health facilities across the country.
· On 8 March WHO delivered 10 tonnes of trauma and emergency surgery kits to Kyiv, to be distributed to warehouses in 7 regions: Kyiv, Poltava, Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa, Zaporizhia, Zhytomyr and Cherkasy.
· On 9–11 March 9 shipments of 10 tonnes each were dispatched to Kharkiv via Poltava; to Sumy via Poltava; to Dnipro; to Kherson via Dnipro; to Mariupol via Dnipro; to Mykolaiv; to Zhytomyr; to Zaporizhia; and to Cherkasy. Each shipment serves 150 trauma patients and 15 000 primary health care patients for 3 months.
· On 12 March 2 ventilators were delivered to hospitals in Kyiv and 14 tonnes or 52 cubic metres of trauma kits and essential medicines for primary health care reached Lviv.
WHO is in constant dialogue with Ukrainian authorities. All supplies are distributed in close coordination with the Ministry of Health, based on WHO critical needs assessments, public health risk, service assessments and logistic capacity. The coming days and weeks will see a constant flow of medical supplies, as part of an effort to ensure people’s access to essential drugs and medical care.
To support operations in and into Ukraine, a WHO support hub is being established in Poland. WHO has also scaled up surveillance and health information dissemination to detect and respond to outbreaks early and better understand needs, threats and health service availability.
WHO and partners have updated the Public Health Situation Analysis for Ukraine, covering health needs and threats to the population. WHO and the Health Cluster also launched the mapping tool 3W, showing who does what and where. Event-based surveillance activities for various potential hazards are also ongoing, including through Epidemic Intelligence from Open Sources (EIOS).
WHO’s mandate for the surveillance of attacks on health care is based on the World Health Assembly Resolution 65.20 adopted in 2012, which requested WHO to provide leadership at global level in collecting and reporting information on attacks on health care. WHO created the Attacks on Health Care initiative to systematically collect evidence on attacks, to advocate for the end of such attacks, and to promote best practices for safeguarding health care from attacks. We report through the Surveillance System for Attacks on Health Care.
As of 12 March WHO had verified a total of 31 attacks on health care between 24 February and 11 March 2022, resulting in 12 deaths and 34 injuries, of which 8 of the injured and 2 of those killed were health workers. More attacks are being verified.
WHO strongly condemns acts of violence against health care. Every single attack deprives people of life-saving services. Attacks on health care are violations of international humanitarian law and human rights.
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.
13 March 2022 -- Geneva / New York -- “Today, we call for an immediate cessation of all attacks on health care in Ukraine. These horrific attacks are killing and causing serious injuries to patients and health workers, destroying vital health infrastructure and forcing thousands to forgo accessing health services despite catastrophic needs.
"To attack the most vulnerable – babies, children, pregnant women, and those already suffering from illness and disease, and health workers risking their own lives to save lives – is an act of unconscionable cruelty.
“In Ukraine, since the start of the war, 31 attacks on health care have been documented via the WHO’s Surveillance System for Attacks on Health Care (SSA). According to these reports, in 24 incidents health care facilities were damaged or destroyed, while in five cases ambulances were damaged or destroyed. These attacks have led to at least 12 deaths and 34 injuries, and affected access to and availability of essential health services. WHO is verifying further reports, as attacks continue to be reported despite the calls for protection of health care.
“Attacks on health care and health workers directly impact people’s ability to access essential health services – especially women, children and other vulnerable groups. We have already seen that the health care needs of pregnant women, new mothers, younger children and older people inside Ukraine are rising, while access to services is being severely limited by the violence.
“For example, more than 4,300 births have occurred in Ukraine since the start of war and 80,000 Ukrainian women are expected to give birth in next three months. Oxygen and medical supplies, including for the management of pregnancy complications, are running dangerously low.
“The health care system in Ukraine is clearly under significant strain, and its collapse would be a catastrophe. Every effort must be made to prevent this from happening.
“International humanitarian and human rights law must be upheld, and the protection of civilians must be our top priority.
“Humanitarian partners and health care workers must be able to safely maintain and strengthen essential health service delivery, including immunization against COVID-19 and polio, and the supply of life-saving medicines for civilians across Ukraine as well as to refugees crossing into neighbouring countries. Health services should be systematically available at border crossings, including rapid care and referral processes for children and pregnant women.
“It is critical that humanitarian actors have safe and unimpeded access to reach ALL civilians in need wherever they may be. UNICEF, UNFPA and WHO are working with partners to scale up life-saving services and support to meet urgent health needs. We must be able to safely deliver emergency medical supplies – including those required for obstetric and neonatal care – to health centers, temporary facilities and underground shelters.
“Health care and services should be protected from all acts of violence and obstruction. Amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which has already put health systems and health care workers under enormous strain, such attacks have the potential to be even more devastating for the civilian population. For the sake of health workers, and for all people in Ukraine who need access to the lifesaving services they provide, attacks on all health care and other civilian infrastructure must stop.
“Finally, we call for an immediate ceasefire, which includes unhindered access so that people in need can access humanitarian assistance. A peaceful resolution to end the war in Ukraine is possible.”
Signatures:
UNICEF Catherine Russell, Executive Director
UNFPA Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director
WHO Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General
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.
Access to safe abortion critical for health of women and girls: WHO
GENEVA, March 9th, 2022 -- The World Health Organization (WHO) is releasing new guidelines on abortion care today, in a bid to protect the health of women and girls and help prevent over 25 million unsafe abortions that currently occur each year.
“Being able to obtain safe abortion is a crucial part of health care,” said Craig Lissner, acting Director for Sexual and Reproductive Health and Research at WHO. “Nearly every death and injury that results from unsafe abortion is entirely preventable. That’s why we recommend women and girls can access abortion and family planning services when they need them.”
Based on the latest scientific evidence, these consolidated guidelines bring together over 50 recommendations spanning clinical practice, health service delivery, and legal and policy interventions to support quality abortion care.
When abortion is carried out using a method recommended by WHO, appropriate to the duration of the pregnancy and assisted by someone with the necessary information or skills, it is a simple and extremely safe procedure.
Tragically, however, only around half of all abortions take place under such conditions, with unsafe abortions causing around 39,000 deaths every year and resulting in millions more women hospitalized with complications. Most of these deaths are concentrated in lower-income countries – with over 60 percent in Africa and 30 percent in Asia - and among those living in the most vulnerable situations.
The guideline includes recommendations on many simple primary care level interventions that improve the quality of abortion care provided to women and girls. These include task sharing by a wider range of health workers; ensuring access to medical abortion pills, which mean more women can obtain safe abortion services, and making sure that accurate information on care is available to all those who need it.
For the first time, the guidelines also include recommendations for use where appropriate of telemedicine, which helped support access to abortion and family planning services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Alongside the clinical and service delivery recommendations, the guidelines recommend removing medically unnecessary policy barriers to safe abortion, such as criminalization, mandatory waiting times, the requirement that approval must be given by other people (e.g., partners or family members) or institutions, and limits on when during pregnancy an abortion can take place. Such barriers can lead to critical delays in accessing treatment and put women and girls at greater risk of unsafe abortion, stigmatization, and health complications, while increasing disruptions to education and their ability to work.
While most countries permit abortion under specified circumstances, about 20 countries provide no legal grounds for abortion. More than 3 in 4 countries have legal penalties for abortion, which can include lengthy prison sentences or heavy fines for people having or assisting with the procedure.
“It’s vital that an abortion is safe in medical terms,” said Dr Bela Ganatra, Head of WHO’s Prevention of Unsafe Abortion Unit. “But that’s not enough on its own. As with any other health services, abortion care needs to respect the decisions and needs of women and girls, ensuring that they are treated with dignity and without stigma or judgement. No one should be exposed to abuse or harms like being reported to the police or put in jail because they have sought or provided abortion care."
Evidence shows that restricting access to abortions does not reduce the number of abortions that take place. In fact, restrictions are more likely to drive women and girls towards unsafe procedures. In countries where abortion is most restricted, only 1 in 4 abortions are safe, compared to nearly 9 in 10 in countries where the procedure is broadly legal.
“The evidence is clear – if you want to prevent unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions, you need to provide women and girls with a comprehensive package of sexuality education, accurate family planning information and services, and access to quality abortion care,” Dr Ganatra added.
Following the launch of the guidelines, WHO will support interested countries to implement these new guidelines and strengthen national policies and programmes related to contraception, family planning and abortion services, helping them provide the highest standard of care for women and girls.
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.
Timely and accurate diagnostic testing for SARS-CoV-2 is an essential part of a comprehensive COVID-19 response strategy. Ag-RDTs can be performed by individuals in which they collect their own specimen, perform a simple rapid test and interpret their test result themselves at a time and place of their choosing, termed COVID-19 self-testing. This interim guidance provides a new recommendation that COVID-19 self-testing, using SARS-CoV-2 Ag-RDTs, should be offered as part of SARS-CoV-2 testing services. It also includes implementation considerations that can guide decisions on whether, and how, to adopt self-testing in different contexts, including the populations being prioritized; the disease prevalence in that population; and the impact on accessibility of testing, health care services and result reporting.
During his opening remarks at a media briefing on COVID-19 earlier today, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said:
"Today, WHO has published new guidance on self-testing for COVID-19, recommending that self-tests should be offered in addition to professionally-administered testing services.
This recommendation is based on evidence that shows users can reliably and accurately self-test, and that self-testing may reduce inequalities in testing access.
How countries use self-testing will need to be adapted according to national priorities, local epidemiology, and the availability of resources, with community input.
We hope that our new guidance will also help to increase access to testing, which is too expensive for many low-income countries, where these tools could play an important role in expanding testing.
WHO and its partners in the ACT Accelerator are urgently seeking further funding to ensure that all countries that need self-tests will be able to receive them as quickly as possible.
In readiness for these guidelines, WHO has contacted manufacturers to encourage them to apply for prequalification of self-tests.
To date, WHO has granted emergency use listing to 5 rapid antigen tests for professional use, and we are gathering additional data to support the use of self-tests."
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 TAG-CO-VAC is reviewing available data to optimise vaccine-mediated protection against prevalent circulating variants. The TAG-CO-VAC strongly supports urgent and broad access to current COVID-19 vaccines for primary series and booster doses, particularly for groups at risk of developing severe disease, given that current COVID-19 vaccines continue to provide high levels of protection against severe disease and death, even in the context of the circulation of Omicron.
However, to ensure COVID-19 vaccines provide optimal protection into the future, they may need to be updated as new, antigenically distinct variants emerge. The updated vaccines may be monovalent, targeting the predominant circulating variant, or multivalent, based on different variants.
Ideally, COVID-19 vaccines will prevent infection and transmission, in addition to providing protection against severe disease and death. The development of pan-SARS-CoV-2 or pan-sarbecovirus vaccines, as well as the development of vaccines that are able to elicit mucosal immunity, may be desirable options, but the timeframe for their development and production is uncertain.
The TAG-CO-VAC continues to encourage COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers to generate and provide data to WHO on the performance of current and variant-specific COVID-19 vaccines so that they can be considered as part of a broad decision-making framework on COVID-19 vaccine composition, allowing the TAG-CO-VAC to issue more specific advice to WHO on adjustments needed to COVID-19 vaccine strain composition.
The World Health Organisation, with the support of the Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Composition (TAG-CO-VAC), continues to review and assess the public health implications of emerging SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern (VOC) on the performance of COVID-19 vaccines. Since the publication of the interim statement on COVID-19 vaccines on 11 January 2022, Omicron has become the dominant VOC globally, rapidly replacing other circulating variants. This statement highlights the global epidemiological situation and challenges of updating vaccine composition and provides the current position of the TAG-CO-VAC.
The current global epidemiological situation is characterised by rapid and relatively synchronous dominance of the Omicron variant in all six WHO regions. While global cases are declining, there are reduced testing resources and capacities in some areas, and the epidemiological situation remains heterogeneous, with a number of regions and countries reporting increases in new weekly cases, while others are now reporting declines.
Omicron is comprised of several genetically related sublineages, including BA.1, BA.2, and BA.3, each of which is being monitored by WHO and partners. At a global level, BA.1 has been the predominant Omicron lineage; however, the proportion of reported sequences designated as BA.2 has been increasing relative to BA.1 in recent weeks and is the predominant Omicron lineage in several countries. BA.1 and BA.2 have some genetic differences, which may make them antigenically distinct. Reinfection with BA.2 following infection with BA.1 has been documented; however, initial data from population-level studies suggest that infection with BA.1 provides substantial protection against reinfection with BA.2, at least for the limited period for which data are available. For more details on the Omicron sublineages, please refer to the statement by WHO on the Omicron sublineage BA.2, published on 22 February 2022.
The public health goal of COVID-19 vaccination prioritises protection against severe disease and death. Current vaccines appear to confer high levels of protection against severe disease outcomes associated with Omicron infection. The TAG-CO-VAC therefore strongly supports urgent and broad access to current COVID-19 vaccines for primary series and booster doses, particularly for groups at risk of developing severe disease. The near- and medium-term supply of the available vaccines has increased substantially; however, vaccine equity remains an important challenge, and all efforts to address such inequities are strongly encouraged.
The first interim statement from the TAG-CO-VAC highlighted the need for the development of vaccines that provide protection against infection and prevent transmission, in addition to the protection from severe disease and death, as a means to achieve a greater public health impact from COVID-19 vaccination. In this context, vaccines that are able to elicit mucosal immunity, in addition to systemic immunity, are an important goal. One of the options proposed in the first statement was the development of pan-SARS-CoV-2 or pan-sarbecovirus vaccines. Such vaccines would provide protection that would effectively be variant-proof, and work in this area should be accelerated.
Current vaccines are based on the virus that circulated early in the pandemic (ancestral virus, e.g., GISAID: hCoV-19/Wuhan/WIV04/2019). Since then, there has been continuous and substantial virus evolution, and it is likely that this evolution will continue, resulting in the emergence of new variants. The composition of current COVID-19 vaccines may therefore need to be updated. Any update to the current COVID-19 vaccine composition would aim to, at a minimum, retain protection against severe disease and death while ensuring the breadth of the immune response against circulating and emerging variants, which may be antigenically distinct.
The TAG-CO-VAC considered a number of issues, all of which are important in any decision on COVID-19 vaccine composition:
There are heterogeneous levels of population immunity between countries due to different waves of VOCs and different types, levels, and timing of vaccination, but robust data on the global immunologic landscape are limited. The performance of any updated vaccine(s) may vary depending on the nature and magnitude of previously acquired immunity.
When updated vaccines become available, a substantial proportion of the global population will have been exposed to SARS-CoV-2, either as a result of vaccination and/or prior infection.
As above, the performance of any updated vaccine(s) may vary depending on the nature and magnitude of previously acquired immunity.
There are also considerable uncertainties as to how the virus will continue to evolve and the antigenic characteristics of future variants. Given widespread transmission of Omicron globally, the possibility of its continued evolution is high, and a new variant may emerge before an updated vaccine can be produced and delivered at scale.
WHO is tracking lineages under the ‘umbrella’ of Omicron, including BA.1 and BA.2. Though data are emerging, additional antigenic and virologic characterisation of these lineages is needed both independently and in comparison to the other lineages.
While the body of evidence on the immune response to Omicron following infection is rapidly growing, data on the breadth, magnitude, and durability of humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to variants from variant-specific candidate vaccines using different vaccine platforms remain limited.
In addition to the current COVID-19 vaccines, there are many other COVID-19 vaccines in various stages of clinical and preclinical development. Any decision from the TAG-CO-VAC on COVID-19 vaccine composition would apply primarily to current COVID-19 vaccines.
The TAG-CO-VAC welcomes, where feasible, the development and initiation of clinical trials on variant-specific candidate vaccines against WHO-designated VOCs, including Omicron. In this context, the TAG-CO-VAC is seeking evidence of robust homologous immune responses in primed and unprimed individuals and cross-reactivity data in primed individuals. The TAG-CO-VAC encourages collection of data following one and two doses of any modified vaccine across a variety of relevant vaccine platforms.
The TAG-CO-VAC continues to encourage COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers to generate and provide data to WHO on the performance of current and variant-specific candidate COVID-19 vaccines, including the breadth, magnitude, and durability of humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to variants through monovalent and/or multivalent vaccines. The TAG-CO-VAC will carefully consider these data as part of a broader decision-making framework on COVID-19 vaccine composition, allowing the TAG-CO-VAC to issue more specific advice on any adjustments that may be needed to COVID-19 vaccine strain composition, developed either as a monovalent vaccine targeting the predominant circulating variant(s) or a multivalent vaccine derived from different variants.
The TAG-CO-VAC recognises the independent role and procedures of relevant regulatory authorities in establishing the necessary requirements for evaluation under the currently established regulatory pathways and the role of WHO in ensuring alignment, collaboration, and a continuous exchange of information between WHO and its expert groups, the TAG-CO-VAC, regulatory authorities, and COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers.
The statement reflects the current vaccine performance and landscape of vaccine development. The statement will therefore be updated as data become available.
The World Health Organisation 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 to provide a further billion people with better health and well-being.
The heads of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank Group, World Health Organization, and World Trade Organization held high-level consultations with UNICEF, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Global Lead Coordinator for the COVID-19 Vaccine Country Readiness and Delivery and the CEOs of leading vaccine manufacturers on 1 March 2022 aimed at ensuring the rapid delivery of vaccines to where they are needed the most and putting those vaccines into arms.
The Multilateral Leaders Task Force issued the following statement:
"In the past few months, we have seen unprecedented levels of disease transmission across the world due to the Omicron variant. Still, unequal access to COVID-19 vaccines, tests and treatments is rampant, prolonging the pandemic. 23 countries are yet to fully vaccinate 10% of their populations, 73 countries are yet to achieve 40% coverage and many more are projected to miss the 70% target by middle of this year.
The biggest challenges are in low-income countries (LICs), which are concentrated in Africa. Only 7% of people in LICs have been fully vaccinated, compared with 73% in high-income countries. Safeguarding the health of people living in the world’s poorest countries in the face of a changing pandemic is a key priority. We must and can ensure that these countries have the access, the means, and the capacity to vaccinate their populations, especially those who are most at risk.
Despite the challenges, there has been progress. The vaccine supply constraints from last year have eased, and export restrictions are not currently an issue. Our efforts must now focus on supporting countries to increase vaccination rates. There is no "one-size-fits-all" approach as each country faces different political, administrative, and capacity challenges.
Insufficient health care infrastructure, including warehouses, cold chain capacity; lack of trained vaccinators; complexities associated with the management of multiple vaccines; lack of data systems to support vaccination campaigns; and misinformation and vaccine hesitancy are common hurdles that governments must confront. But we have good lessons to draw on from countries around the world that have managed to overcome obstacles and rollout vaccination campaigns, including from low-income countries.
Sustained investment in geographically diversified manufacturing capacity and new technologies for vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics is key for ensuring more equitable, affordable, and timely access to tools for developing countries. In this context, we welcome the work of the leading vaccine manufacturers in exploring and undertaking new partnerships and call for them to work closely with international organizations (IOs) and countries to capitalize on practical solutions, sharing licenses, technology and know-how.
A top priority to end the pandemic is deploying financing quickly to accelerate the development, production, and equitable access to COVID-19 tests, treatments and vaccines in low- and middle-income countries. Fully funding the Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator is critical.
As vaccine supply increases in 2022, close coordination among all stakeholders will be crucial to aligning supply with demand, reducing supply fragmentation, and deploying vaccines in the most effective way. We must adjust to constantly evolving challenges and keep working together. As the late Dr Paul Farmer said: "Any time there's a new tool developed – whether they are vaccines or therapeutics – there must also be a delivery plan."
Let us acknowledge the importance of delivery, as this is where lives are saved, families are kept whole, children continue their education, communities stay strong, and economies grow."
This joint initiative of the International Monetary Fund, World Bank Group, World Health Organization, and World Trade Organization aims to support the roll out of COVID-19 tools by leveraging multilateral finance and trade solutions, particularly for low and middle-income countries. It supports the goals of the ACT-Accelerator and complementary initiatives in the delivery of COVID-19 diagnostics, vaccines, therapeutics, and PPE.
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.
Various shots, staff in front of WHO warehouse in Lviv
Various shots, staff working inside warehouse with WHO health supplies in Lviv
SOUNDBITE (English) Tarik Jarasevic, WHO spokesperson: “We are here in Lviv, western Ukraine, in a newly established WHO warehouse that we put in place immediately after the beginning of the military offensive in Ukraine. This place will serve us to receive medical supplies that we will then, hopefully, be able to deliver to health facilities across the country.
Already in the first few days we brought 36 metric tonnes of medical material, mainly needed to treat wounded people and perform surgeries. As well, there were some essential medicines for other sorts of diseases. Right now we are talking with the Ministry of Health to define exact needs because in the first place we are trying to bring in as much supplies as possible, but then we need to get an exact list of medicines that are needed from health authorities, so we have more targeted deliveries in the coming days and weeks. And just today we have received, for example, two generators that will help health facilities in those areas where electricity may be an issue.”
Med shots, generators inside warehouse.
Various shots, setting up Samaritans Purse field hospital in a parking lot in Lviv.
SOUNDBITE (English) John Troke, Samaritan’s Purse: “We’re setting up a hospital that will treat over 100 to 200 patients per day. It’s got 50-70 bed capacity - an inpatient capacity - a trauma room, a triage, four wards - two male, two female wards - and then we have four ICU beds as well as two operating room theaters.
Various shots, setting up Samaritan’s Purse field hospital in a parking lot in Lviv.
SOUNDBITE (English) John Troke, Samaritans Purse: “One of the biggest needs is medical supplies, as well as staffing. And as patient loads pick up, and more patients come, they are really going to need facilities. So our goal here is to take, to take really the pressure off the facilities that are there right now, and really be able to unburden them of the patients they are having.
Wide shot, outside Lviv Central Station
Various shots, Ukrainians heading to the Lviv Central Station to leave for Poland.
Various shots, interior of Lviv Central Station; trains arriving
Med shot, people affix sign to lamppost reading “Free buses to Poland”
Various shots, a volunteer-led space in Lviv Central Station above the main platform where women and young children can rest, warm up and have a meal before continuing on to Poland.
On March 7 2022, in Lviv, Ukraine, health support is arriving in a number of ways.
At a warehouse on the outskirts of the city, recently arrived World Health Organization (WHO) health supplies are readied for onward distribution.
SOUNDBITE (English) Tarik Jarasevic, WHO spokesperson: “We are here in Lviv, western Ukraine, in a newly established WHO warehouse that we put in place immediately after the beginning of the military offensive in Ukraine. This place will serve us to receive medical supplies that we will then, hopefully, be able to deliver to health facilities across the country. Already in the first few days we brought 36 metric tonnes of medical material, mainly needed to treat wounded people and perform surgeries. As well, there were some essential medicines for other sorts of diseases. Right now we are talking with the Ministry of Health to define exact needs because in the first place we are trying to bring in as much supplies as possible, but then we need to get an exact list of medicines that are needed from health authorities, so we have more targeted deliveries in the coming days and weeks. And just today we have received, for example, two generators that will help health facilities in those areas where electricity may be an issue.”
Meanwhile, an emergency medical team from non-governmental organization and WHO partner Samaritan’s Purse is setting up a field hospital in a parking lot to relieve pressure on the city’s health system.
SOUNDBITE (English) John Troke, Samaritans Purse: “One of the biggest needs is medical supplies, as well as staffing. And as patient loads pick up, and more patients come, they are really going to need facilities. So our goal here is to take, to take really the pressure off the facilities that are there right now, and really be able to unburden them of the patients they are having.
WHO is working closely with its offices in Ukraine and neighbouring countries, as well as with health partners, to rapidly respond to the emergency in Ukraine and to minimize disruptions to the delivery of critical health services.
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 ninth update of WHO’s guideline on therapeutics includes a recommendation that casirivimab-imdevimab not be used for patients infected with the Omicron variant
Geneva, 3 March 2022 | WHO has updated its living guidelines on COVID-19 therapeutics to include a conditional recommendation on molnupiravir, a new antiviral medicine.
This is the first oral antiviral drug to be included in the treatment guidelines for COVID-19. As this is a new medicine, there is little safety data. WHO recommends active monitoring for drug safety, along with other strategies to mitigate potential harms.
Because of these concerns and data gaps, molnupiravir should be provided only to non-severe COVID-19 patients with the highest risk of hospitalization. These are typically people who have not received a COVID-19 vaccination, older people, people with immunodeficiencies and people living with chronic diseases.
Children, and pregnant and breastfeeding women should not be given the drug. People who take molnupiravir should have a contraceptive plan, and health systems should ensure access to pregnancy testing and contraceptives at the point of care.
Under the care of a health care provider, molnupiravir, an oral tablet, is given as four tablets (total 800 mg) twice daily for five days; within 5 days of symptom onset. Used as early as possible after infection, it can help prevent hospitalization.
Today’s recommendation is based on new data from six randomized controlled trials involving 4,796 patients. This is the largest dataset on this drug so far.
Along with a recommendation on molnupiravir, this ninth update of WHO’s living guideline on therapeutics includes an update on casirivimab-imdevimab, a monoclonal antibody cocktail. Based on evidence that this combination of drugs is ineffective against the Omicron variant of concern, WHO now recommends that it is only given when the infection is caused by another variant.
Molnupiravir is not widely available but steps have been taken towards increasing access, including the signing of a voluntary licensing agreement. The Access to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator (ACT-A) is making a limited supply available to countries with access constraints.
WHO has also invited manufacturers to submit their products for prequalification, with a number of manufacturers of molnupiravir going through assessment now. WHO evaluates the quality, safety and efficacy of medical products for United Nations and other large suppliers to low- and middle-income countries. More WHO quality-assured manufacturers mean that countries have a greater choice of products and more competitive prices.
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 WHO shipment of life-saving medical supplies has arrived in Warsaw for delivery to Ukraine. 36 tonnes of supplies arrived from WHO’s warehouse in Dubai and more is en route as the need continues rising across Ukraine.
This shipment includes trauma supplies to meet the needs of 1,000 patients requiring surgical care, and other medical supplies to meet the needs of a population of 150,000 people.
Health facilities and health workers in Ukraine are in dire need of supplies to continue treating casualties as well as people who are ill from other conditions. WHO strongly calls for safe passage for these and other humanitarian and health deliveries.
Interview: Flavio Salio, WHO Emergency Medical Teams Network Leader
“I’m here in Poland where 36 metric tonnes of medical supplies have just landed, destined for Ukraine. We have surgical supplies to treat the wounded, as well as medicine for all other diseases that do not stop for war.”
“The supplies will be moved into trucks to the border with Ukraine, and then further, to support the affected health system.”
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.