Current evidence shows no improvement in survival and other important measures
Convalescent plasma (a transfusion of blood plasma from someone who has recovered from covid-19) is not recommended for patients with covid-19, says a WHO Guideline Development Group of international experts in The BMJ today.
Despite its initial promise, current evidence shows that it does not improve survival nor reduce the need for mechanical ventilation, and it is costly and time-consuming to administer.
As such, the WHO makes a strong recommendation against the use of convalescent plasma in patients with non-severe illness, and a recommendation against its use in patients with severe and critical illness, except in the context of a randomised controlled trial (RCT).
The recommendations are based on evidence from 16 trials involving 16,236 patients with non-severe, severe, and critical covid-19 infection.
They are part of a living guideline, developed by the World Health Organization with the methodological support of MAGIC Evidence Ecosystem Foundation, to provide trustworthy guidance on the management of covid-19 and help doctors make better decisions with their patients.
Living guidelines are useful in fast moving research areas like covid-19 because they allow researchers to update previously vetted and peer reviewed evidence summaries as new information becomes available.
To make their recommendations, the panel considered a combination of evidence assessing relative benefits and harms, values and preferences, and feasibility issues.
The strong recommendation for patients with non-severe illness reflects the panel’s view that drug treatment in patients with a low risk of mortality and other important clinical outcomes is not justified.
And although convalescent plasma should not be used routinely in any patients, regardless of how severely ill they are, the panel acknowledged that there was sufficient uncertainty in patients with severe and critical illness to warrant continuation of RCTs.
They also noted several practical challenges, such as the need to identify and test potential donors, as well as collect, store and administer donor plasma, which they say further limits its feasibility and applicability.
After thoroughly reviewing all the information, the panel judged that almost all well informed patients would choose not to receive convalescent plasma.
Today’s guidance adds to previous recommendations for the use of interleukin-6 receptor blockers and systemic corticosteroids for patients with severe or critical covid-19; conditional recommendations for the use of neutralising monoclonal antibodies in selected patients and against the use of ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine in patients with covid-19 regardless of disease severity.
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.
On 26 November 2021, WHO designated the variant B.1.1.529 a variant of concern, named Omicron, on the advice of WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on Virus Evolution (TAG-VE). This decision was based on the evidence presented to the TAG-VE that Omicron has several mutations that may have an impact on how it behaves, for example, on how easily it spreads or the severity of illness it causes.
Here is a summary of what is currently known.
Researchers in South Africa and around the world are conducting studies to better understand many aspects of Omicron and will continue to share the findings of these studies as they become available.
Transmissibility: It is not yet clear whether Omicron is more transmissible (e.g., more easily spread from person to person) compared to other variants, including Delta. The number of people testing positive has risen in areas of South Africa affected by this variant, but epidemiologic studies are underway to understand if it is because of Omicron or other factors.
Severity of disease: It is not yet clear whether infection with Omicron causes more severe disease compared to infections with other variants, including Delta. Preliminary data suggests that there are increasing rates of hospitalization in South Africa, but this may be due to increasing overall numbers of people becoming infected, rather than a result of specific infection with Omicron. There is currently no information to suggest that symptoms associated with Omicron are different from those from other variants. Initial reported infections were among university studies—younger individuals who tend to have more mild disease—but understanding the level of severity of the Omicron variant will take days to several weeks. All variants of COVID-19, including the Delta variant that is dominant worldwide, can cause severe disease or death, in particular for the most vulnerable people, and thus prevention is always key.
Preliminary evidence suggests there may be an increased risk of reinfection with Omicron (i.e., people who have previously had COVID-19 could become reinfected more easily with Omicron), as compared to other variants of concern, but information is limited. More information on this will become available in the coming days and weeks.
Effectiveness of vaccines: WHO is working with technical partners to understand the potential impact of this variant on our existing countermeasures, including vaccines. Vaccines remain critical to reducing severe disease and death, including against the dominant circulating virus, Delta. Current vaccines remain effective against severe disease and death.
Effectiveness of current tests: The widely used PCR tests continue to detect infection, including infection with Omicron, as we have seen with other variants as well. Studies are ongoing to determine whether there is any impact on other types of tests, including rapid antigen detection tests.
Effectiveness of current treatments: Corticosteroids and IL6 Receptor Blockers will still be effective for managing patients with severe COVID-19. Other treatments will be assessed to see if they are still as effective given the changes to parts of the virus in the Omicron variant.
At the present time, WHO is coordinating with a large number of researchers around the world to better understand Omicron. Studies currently underway or underway shortly include assessments of transmissibility, severity of infection (including symptoms), performance of vaccines and diagnostic tests, and effectiveness of treatments.
WHO encourages countries to contribute the collection and sharing of hospitalized patient data through the WHO COVID-19 Clinical Data Platform to rapidly describe clinical characteristics and patient outcomes.
More information will emerge in the coming days and weeks. WHO’s TAG-VE will continue to monitor and evaluate the data as it becomes available and assess how mutations in Omicron alter the behaviour of the virus.
As Omicron has been designated a Variant of Concern, there are several actions WHO recommends countries to undertake, including enhancing surveillance and sequencing of cases; sharing genome sequences on publicly available databases, such as GISAID; reporting initial cases or clusters to WHO; performing field investigations and laboratory assessments to better understand if Omicron has different transmission or disease characteristics, or impacts effectiveness of vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics or public health and social measures. More detail in the announcement from 26 November.
Countries should continue to implement the effective public health measures to reduce COVID-19 circulation overall, using a risk analysis and science-based approach. They should increase some public health and medical capacities to manage an increase in cases. WHO is providing countries with support and guidance for both readiness and response.
In addition, it is vitally important that inequities in access to COVID-19 vaccines are urgently addressed to ensure that vulnerable groups everywhere, including health workers and older persons, receive their first and second doses, alongside equitable access to treatment and diagnostics.
The most effective steps individuals can take to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus is to keep a physical distance of at least 1 metre from others; wear a well-fitting mask; open windows to improve ventilation; avoid poorly ventilated or crowded spaces; keep hands clean; cough or sneeze into a bent elbow or tissue; and get vaccinated when it’s their turn.
WHO will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available, including following meetings of the TAG-VE. In addition, information will be available on WHO’s digital and social media platforms.
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.
Only 27% of health workers in Africa have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, leaving the bulk of the workforce on the frontlines against the pandemic unprotected, a preliminary analysis by World Health Organization (WHO) shows.
Analysis of data reported from 25 countries finds that since March 2021, 1.3 million health workers were fully vaccinated, with just six countries reaching more than 90%, while nine countries have fully vaccinated less than 40%. In sharp contrast, a recent WHO global study of 22 mostly high-income countries reported that above 80% of their health and care workers are fully vaccinated.
“The majority of Africa’s health workers are still missing out on vaccines and remain dangerously exposed to severe COVID-19 infection. Unless our doctors, nurses and other frontline workers get full protection we risk a blowback in the efforts to curb this disease. We must ensure our health facilities are safe working environments,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
It is important to have high vaccine coverage among health workers not only for their own protection but also for their patients and to ensure health care systems keep operating during a time of extreme need. Africa’s shortage of health workers is acute and profound, with only one country in the region having the required health workers (10.9 per 1000 population) to deliver essential health services. Sixteen countries in the region have less than one health worker per 1000 population. Any loss of these essential workers to COVID-19 due to illness or death therefore heavily impacts on service provision capacity.
Based on data reported to WHO by countries in the African Region, since March 2020, there have been more than 150 400 COVID-19 infections in health workers, accounting for 2.5% of all confirmed cases and 2.6% of the total health work force in the region. Five countries account for about 70% of all the COVID-19 infections reported in health workers: Algeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
After almost four months of a sustained decline, COVID-19 cases in the general population in Africa have plateaued. For the first time since the third wave peak in August, cases in Southern Africa have increased, jumping 48% in the week ending on 21 November compared with the previous week.
The risk of health worker infection rises whenever cases surge. This is a pattern that has been observed during the previous three waves of the pandemic. With a fourth wave likely to hit after the end-of-year travel season, health workers will again face risks amid low vaccination coverage.
To date, more than 227 million vaccine doses have been administered in Africa. In 39 countries which provided data, 3.9 million doses have been given to health workers.
“With a new surge in cases looming over Africa following the end-of-year festive season, countries must urgently speed up the rollout of vaccines to health care workers,” said Dr Moeti.
Vaccine shipments have been on the rise over the past three months. Africa has received 330 million doses from the COVAX Facility, the African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team and bilateral agreements since February 2021. Of these 83% have been delivered since August alone. As vaccine supply picks up, addressing uptake bottlenecks and accelerating rollout become more critical.
All countries in Africa have prioritized health workers in their vaccination plans. The low coverage is likely due to the availability of vaccination services, especially in rural areas, as well as vaccine hesitancy. Recent studies found that only around 40% of health workers intended to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in Ghana and less than 50% in Ethiopia. Concerns over vaccine safety and the adverse side effects of the vaccines have been identified as the main reasons for their hesitancy. Health workers are key sources of information for the general population and their attitudes can influence vaccine uptake.
“The COVID-19 vaccine stands among humanity’s extraordinary scientific feats. In Africa, we’re gradually overcoming supply constraints. Now is not the time to stumble over vaccine mistrust,” said Dr Moeti.
Supporting national efforts to drive up health worker vaccination, WHO is coordinating trainings and dialogue on vaccine safety and efficacy to help address doubts or misconceptions around the COVID-19 vaccine as well as advocating open and honest communication about the benefits and side effects of vaccination.
Dr Moeti spoke during a virtual press conference today facilitated by APO Group. She was joined by Dr Apetsianyi Yawa, Coordinator, Technical Working Group for the Deployment of COVID-19 vaccines, Togo, and Mr Michael Ekuma Nnachi, National President, National Association of Nigeria Nurses/Midwives, Nigeria.
Also on hand to respond to questions were Dr Richard Mihigo, Coordinator, Immunization and Vaccines Development Programme, WHO Regional Office for Africa, and Dr Thierno Balde, Regional COVID-19 Deputy Incident Manager, WHO Regional Office for Africa.
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.
FIFA and the World Health Organization have teamed up to raise awareness about domestic violence and support those at risk, during the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. The campaign kicks off on today’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and will run until Human Rights Day on Friday 10 December.
“Violence is never the answer, especially at home, which should be a safe environment for everyone, and particularly for women and children,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “It is FIFA’s statutory obligation to respect all internationally recognized human rights and as an organization, FIFA shall strive to promote the protection of these rights. The #SafeHome campaign is now in its second year, and FIFA will continue to make football’s voice heard to amplify this message until these acts are no longer part of our society.”
“The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated many health challenges and inequities, including violence against women,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “We all must come together to end all forms of violence and discrimination. WHO is pleased to team up with FIFA and football stars around the world to help prevent violence against women and children, support survivors, and make our societies safer and healthier for all.”
Violence against women remains devastatingly pervasive and starts alarmingly young, according to data from WHO. Across their lifetime, one in three women aged 15 and over, around 736 million, are subjected to physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner or sexual violence from a non-partner – a number that has remained largely unchanged over the past decade.
This violence starts early: one in four young women (aged 15-24 years) who have been in a relationship will have already experienced violence by an intimate partner by the time they reach their mid-twenties. Data suggests women’s exposure to violence has likely increased during the COVID-19 pandemic due to lockdowns and disruptions to vital support services.
Violence – in all its forms – can have an impact on a person’s health and well-being throughout their life. It is associated with increased risk of injuries, depression, anxiety disorders, unplanned pregnancies, sexually-transmitted infections including HIV and many other health problems, and comes with tremendous costs to households, communities and societies as a whole.
The five-part #SafeHome video campaign, which supports the WHO’s message to end violence against women and children, is being published in seven languages during the next 16 days. The campaign raises awareness of the risks and highlights actions that can be taken to prevent and mitigate these risks through survivor advice and support. There is also content that addresses perpetrator risk and calls for additional governmental effort to support those who are in a vulnerable situation.
#SafeHome passes messages from 23 past and present footballers, many of whom have previously voiced their condemnation of violence against women and children.
Emmanuel Amuneke (NGA)
Álvaro Arbeloa (ESP)
Rosana Augusto (POR)
Vítor Baía (POR)
Diego Benaglio (SUI)
Sarah Essam (EGY)
Khalilou Fadiga (SEN)
Matthias Ginter (GER)
David James (ENG)
Annike Krahn (GER)
Rabah Madjer (ALG)
Marco Materazzi (ITA)
Milagros Menéndez (ARG)
Lúcia Moçambique (MOZ)
Geremi Njitap (CMR)
Asisat Oshoala (NGA)
Noemi Pascotto (ITA)
Graham Potter (ENG)
Mikaël Silvestre (FRA)
Kelly Smith (ENG)
Óliver Torres (ESP)
Clémentine Touré (CIV)
Abel Xavier (POR)
These players will publish their #SafeHome contribution on their channels, while the campaign will also feature on various FIFA and WHO digital platforms. Graphical toolkits are also being provided to the 211 FIFA member associations to further amplify messages in their territories.
“Once again, we call upon FIFA member associations to pro-actively publish details of national or local helplines and support services that can help anyone who feels threatened by violence,” added the FIFA President. “In this regard, we also call upon our members to review their own safeguarding measures using the FIFA Guardians toolkit, to ensure that football is fun and safe for everyone in our game, especially the youngest members of the football community. This is what FIFA stands for, and it is what all of football has to stand for.”
The World Health Organization (WHO) and FIFA signed a four-year collaboration in 2019 to promote healthy lifestyles through football globally. More information on the WHO-FIFA memorandum of understanding can be found here, while previous campaigns include #ReachOut prior to World Mental Health Day, Pass the message to kick out coronavirus and #BeActive on the UN International Day of Sport for Development and Peace.
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.
United Nations agencies have announced their strong support for an international coalition aiming to rapidly improve the nutrition, health and education of school-age children around the world following pandemic-driven school closures.
In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic caused extensive disruption to schools and education worldwide and millions of children were unable to get their school meals or benefit from school-based health and nutrition services such as deworming, vaccination and psycho-social support. Globally, more than 150 million children are still missing out on meals and essential health and nutrition services.
In a joint declaration, five agencies committed to assisting the School Meals Coalition, a grouping of more than 60 countries led by France and Finland, whose vision is to give every child in need the opportunity to receive a nutritious meal in school by 2030. The coalition is also committed to ‘smart’ school meals programmes, which combine regular meals in school with complementary health and nutrition interventions for children’s growth and learning.
“School health and nutrition programmes are impactful interventions to support schoolchildren and adolescents’ growth and development”, the UN agencies’ leaders said in their declaration. “They can help to combat child poverty, hunger and malnutrition in all its forms. They attract children to school and support children’s learning, and long-term health and well-being.”
School children are not the only ones who benefit. The leaders of the five agencies noted that school meals can serve as “springboards” for food system transformation. Where possible, they can use locally grown food, supporting national and local markets and food systems, improving opportunities for smallholder farmers and local catering businesses, many led by women. These programmes can contribute to the achievement of at least seven of the SDGs.
Each of the five UN agencies -- the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), UNICEF, the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) -- will bring a specific set of expertise to the coalition. More than 50 partners, including NGOs, civil society, foundations, and other organizations have said they will also provide support.
The coalition will work to restore the school meals and other health and nutrition programmes that were in place before the COVID-19 pandemic, expand these to reach 73 million children who were not covered before COVID, and raise their quality in part by establishing standards and linking them to local food production where possible.
In their declaration of support, the leaders of the five UN agencies committed to work with governments to achieve the coalition’s goals, providing technical and operational support where it was needed, as well as advocating for funding and helping gather better data about the impact of school health and nutrition programmes.
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.
On November 14, 2021, leading policy advocates, artists, and researchers from cultural organizations, healthcare centers, government, and the United Nations will convene at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in a call to action to acknowledge and act on the evidence base for the health benefits of the arts.
The day-long Healing Arts Symposium, presented in partnership with the World Health Organization, and produced by CULTURUNNERS in partnership with the Creative Arts Therapies Consortium at NYU Steinhardt, the NeuroArts Blueprint, an initiative of the International Arts + Mind Lab at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, and the Health, Medicine, and Society Program at The Aspen Institute, and the Open Mind Project positions the arts as necessary to physical, mental, and social health across the lifespan. The event will be live streamed.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, commented about the symposium, “We are particularly pleased that Museums like The Met are rethinking their missions to see themselves not simply as repositories of valuable objects, but as centres of creative engagement with their communities in the pursuit of promoting the wellbeing, and health, of the public.”
The event will be centered around three themed panels exploring the intersection of research, cultural practice, and global policy in the arts and health. Opening remarks by Max Hollein, Marina Kellen French Director of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, and Audrey Azoulay, UNESCO Direct-General, will frame the panels which are being hosted by Heidi Holder, The Met's newly appointed Frederick P. and Sandra P. Rose Chair of Education; Nisha Sajnani, Founding Director of Arts & Health @ NYU; and Susan Magsamen, Executive Director of the International Arts + Mind Lab. Participating artists include soprano and arts and health advocate Renée Fleming; American singer, actress, and founding member of Black Theatre United, Vanessa Williams; and Syrian-American artist and architect Mohamad Hafez. Also participating are Aduke Gomez, Chairperson for Art4Health in the Ministry for Health in Lagos, Nigeria; Patrick J. Kennedy, former congressman and mental health advocate; Sunil Iyengar, Director of the Office of Research & Analysis at the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA); and Emmeline Edwards, Director of the Division of Extramural Research of the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH).
Christopher Bailey, Arts & Health Lead, World Health Organization, comments, “With a growing body of evidence that embedding the arts into systems and places of healing can improve health outcomes, lower costs and support recovery from illness and injury, now is the time for a ‘healing arts revolution’ that improves the wellbeing of millions of people worldwide.”
The program will shine a special light on arts and health interventions on the ground, and highlight projects on the “frontline” of the pandemic where the crisis has exacerbated pre-existing threats to the environment, equity and access, economy, public health, political stability, and human rights.
The Healing Arts Symposium marks the culmination of Healing Arts New York, the last of a series of 2021 city activations, produced by CULTURUNNERS, to convene global arts and health researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. As the world emerges from the greatest health crisis in a generation, Healing Arts aims to affirm what artists have always known and research is now proving—that the arts can heal.
This program is made possible, in part, by donors to The Met’s Education Department in honor of the Museum’s 150th anniversary.
These events will be produced in accordance with institutional and City COVID-19 protocols to ensure the health and safety of presenters.
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.
November 9 – Glasgow, Scotland. A group of 47 countries have committed to develop climate-resilient and low-carbon health systems at the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow (COP26), in response to growing evidence of the impact of climate change on people’s health.
The governments of these 47 countries, which include some of those most vulnerable to the health harms caused by climate change as well as some of the world’s biggest carbon emitters, have committed to take concrete steps towards creating climate-resilient health systems.
Forty-two of these countries have also committed to transform their health systems to be more sustainable and low-carbon. Twelve have set a target date to reach net zero carbon emissions on or before 2050.
The commitments were made as part of the COP26 Health Programme, a partnership between the UK government, the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Climate Champions and health groups, such as Health Care Without Harm.
“The future of health must be built on health systems that are resilient to the impacts of epidemics, pandemics and other emergencies, but also to the impacts of climate change, including extreme weather events and the increasing burden of various diseases related to air pollution and our warming planet,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization.
“Health systems must also be part of the solution, by reducing carbon emissions. We applaud those countries that have committed to building climate-resilient and low-carbon health systems, and we hope to see many others following their lead in the near future.”
Countries that have committed to achieving low-carbon, sustainable health systems include Argentina, Fiji, Malawi, Spain, the United Arab Emirates, the United States of America and 36 others. Countries that have committed to enhance the climate resilience of their health systems include Bangladesh, Ethiopia, the Maldives, the Netherlands, and 42 others.
The government of Fiji, for example, is responding to the increase in cyclones, flash floods, and rising sea levels causing lack of drinking water due to saltwater intrusion, by building more climate-resilient health infrastructure, strengthening the health workforce, and providing health care facilities with sustainable energy services.
“The message from WHO and health professionals around the globe is clear: climate change is a huge health challenge and we need to act now. I’m really pleased to see so many countries prioritising this issue through the COP26 Health Programme and their level of ambition. Strong leadership from the health sector is vital to make sure we protect our populations from the impacts of climate change by enhancing the climate resilience of health systems, and by reducing emissions from the health sector,” said Wendy Morton, Minister for Europe and Americas, in the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
The country commitments come off the back of a WHO survey, launched this week, which shows that the majority of countries now include health in their national climate plans to the Paris Agreement, but that plans often still lack detailed health actions or support mechanisms.
“These government commitments exemplify the growing global health movement for climate action. Around the world doctors, nurses, hospitals, health systems and ministries of health are reducing their climate footprint, becoming more resilient and advocating for a just transition that puts health at the centre of a decarbonized civilization,” said Josh Karliner, International Director of Program and Strategy of Health Care Without Harm.
In addition to the national commitments, 54 institutions from 21 countries representing more than 14,000 hospitals and health centres have joined the UNFCCC Race to Zero and committed to achieving net zero emissions.
A record number of health leaders are participating at the COP26 UN climate conference, and more than 45 million health professionals, representing two thirds of the world’s health workforce, have signed a letter urging governments to take stronger action, noting that “hospitals, clinics and communities around the world have already been responding to the health harms caused by climate change”.
The countries that have joined the COP26 Health Programme include:
Argentina
Bahamas
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belize
Bhutan
Cape Verde
Central African Republic
Colombia
Costa Rica
Dominican Republic
Egypt
Ethiopia
Fiji
Germany
Ghana
Ireland
Jamaica
Jordan
Kenya
Lao PDR
Madagascar
Malawi
Maldives
Morocco
Mozambique
Nepal
Netherlands
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Panama
Peru
Rwanda
Sao Tome and Principe
Sierra Leone
Spain
Sri Lanka
Tanzania
Togo
Tunisia
Uganda
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
United States of America
Yemen
“The health co-benefits from climate actions are well evidenced and offer a strong argument for transformative changes.” Director of Public Health, Dr. Morenike Alex-Okoh, MoH, Nigeria.
“The government of Malawi recognizes the essential role of the health sector to ensure a successful COP26, and has committed to strengthen the climate resilience of its health systems, while developing low carbon health systems… as a way of contributing to the targets of the Paris Agreement,” Hon. Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda, Minister of Health Malawi.
"The climate change extreme effects and damages on the public health of Sao Tome and Principe population, require urgent multisectoral integrated measures and actions alongside the communities engagement with partners, to be low carbon ensuring and to increase the resilience, both on the National Health System" - Edgar Manuel Agostinho Azevedo das Neves, Health Minister, Sao Tome and Prinicpe.
“In the midst of the pandemic, we had to recover from extreme weather events and manage the resulting health impacts. [It] has shown us that health systems and facilities are the main line of defense in protecting populations from emerging threats … and that now is the time to increase our commitment to a safer, and more sustainable and inclusive future for all.” Hon. Ifereimi Waqainabete, Minister for Health and Medical Services, Fiji.
“This commitment is an important step for us to continue ongoing efforts and speed up the implementation of the adaptation and mitigation actions” Phonepaseuth Ounaphom, Director Department of Hygiene and Health Promotion, Ministry of Health, Lao PDR.
“The Maldives Health Sector is fully committed to executing the National Green Climate Smart Hospital Policy and Strategy to establish a climate change resilient health system with environment friendly technologies resulting in energy efficient services and a low-carbon footprint.” Ahmed Naseem, Minister of Health, Maldives.
“Ministry of Health and Prevention, in partnership with WHO, launched a comprehensive, multisectoral National Framework for Action on Climate Change and Health to develop sector-specific adaptation plan. UAE is also working towards reducing emissions and developing an action plan for a low-carbon health system” HE Dr. Hussain Abdulrahman Al Rand, Assistant Undersecretary for Public Health, Ministry of Health and Prevention, United Arab Emirates.
“Climate change is a health crisis of recent times in Nepal and a moral issue as per the fundamental rights of Nepalese people to enjoy good health. Enhancement of climate resilience and environmental sustainability of health services and facilities, and commitment to act together in building climate resilient health systems are imperative to minimize the impacts of climate change on health.”– Dr. Samir Kumar Adhikari, Chief of Multisectoral Coordination, Ministry of Health and Population, Nepal.
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.
3 November 2021, Geneva: Today, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued an emergency use listing (EUL) for COVAXIN® (developed by Bharat Biotech), adding to a growing portfolio of vaccines validated by WHO for the prevention of COVID-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2.
WHO’s EUL procedure assesses the quality, safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines and is a prerequisite for COVAX vaccine supply. It also allows countries to expedite their own regulatory approval to import and administer COVID-19 vaccines.
“This emergency use listing expands the availability of vaccines, the most effective medical tools we have to end the pandemic,” said Dr Mariângela Simão, WHO Assistant-Director General for Access to Medicines and Health Products. “But we must keep up the pressure to meet the needs of all populations, giving priority to the at-risk groups who are still waiting for their first dose, before we can start declaring victory.”
COVAXIN® was assessed under the WHO EUL procedure based on the review of data on quality, safety, efficacy, a risk management plan and programmatic suitability. The Technical Advisory Group (TAG), convened by WHO and made up of regulatory experts from around the world, has determined that the vaccine meets WHO standards for protection against COVID-19, that the benefit of the vaccine far outweighs risks and the vaccine can be used globally.
The vaccine is formulated from an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 antigen and is presented in single dose vials and multidose vials of 5, 10 and 20 doses.
COVAXIN® was also reviewed on 5 October by WHO’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE), which formulates vaccine specific policies and recommendations for vaccines’ use in populations (i.e. recommended age groups, intervals between doses, specific groups such as pregnant and lactating women).
The SAGE recommended use of the vaccine in two doses, with a dose interval of four weeks, in all age groups 18 and above. COVAXIN® was found to have 78% efficacy against COVID-19 of any severity, 14 or more days after the second dose, and is extremely suitable for low- and middle-income countries due to easy storage requirements.
Available data on vaccination of pregnant women with the vaccine are insufficient to assess vaccine safety or efficacy in pregnancy; studies in pregnant women are planned, including a pregnancy sub-study and a pregnancy registry.
The emergency use listing (EUL) procedure assesses the suitability of novel health products during public health emergencies. The objective is to make medicines, vaccines and diagnostics available as rapidly as possible to address the emergency while adhering to stringent criteria of safety, efficacy and quality. The assessment weighs the threat posed by the emergency as well as the benefit that would accrue from the use of the product against any potential risks.
The EUL pathway involves a rigorous assessment of late phase II and phase III clinical trial data, as well as substantial additional data on safety, efficacy, quality and a risk management plan. These data are reviewed by independent experts and WHO teams who consider the current body of evidence on the vaccine under consideration, the plans for monitoring its use, and plans for further studies.
As part of the EUL process, the company producing the vaccine must commit to continue to generate data to enable full licensure and WHO prequalification of the vaccine. The WHO prequalification process will assess additional clinical data generated from vaccine trials and deployment on a rolling basis to ensure the vaccine meets the necessary standards of quality, safety and efficacy for broader availability.
SAGE is the principal advisory group to WHO for vaccines and immunization. It is charged with advising WHO on overall global policies and strategies, ranging from vaccines and immunization technology, research and development, to delivery of immunization and its linkages with other health interventions. SAGE is concerned not just with childhood vaccines and immunization, but all vaccine-preventable diseases.
SAGE assesses evidence on safety, efficacy, effectiveness, impact and programmatic suitability, considering both individual and public health impact. SAGE Interim recommendations for EUL products provide guidance for national vaccination policy makers. These recommendations are updated as additional evidence becomes available and as there are changes to the epidemiology of disease and the availability of additional vaccines and other disease control interventions..
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.
More than 5 million deaths have now been reported, and we know the real number is higher. Last week, 56 countries, from all regions, reported an increase in deaths from COVID-19 of more than 10%.
Yesterday we added another new tool, with the Emergency Use Listing of Covaxin, the 8th vaccine to receive WHO validation for safety, efficacy and quality. We continue to call on manufacturers of vaccines that already have WHO Emergency Use Listing to prioritize COVAX, not shareholder profit. No more vaccines should go to countries that have already vaccinated more than 40% of their population, until COVAX has the vaccines it needs to help other countries get there too.
The world was not prepared for COVID-19 – and we knew we weren’t prepared. In 2018, WHO and the World Bank formed the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board – the GPMB – an independent panel of experts to identify gaps in the world’s defences, and make recommendations on how to close them.
The GPMB published its third report last week. Instead of making more recommendations, the GPMB is calling the world to act on the recommendations it has already made, which are more relevant now than before the pandemic, but on which there remains little action.
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Good morning, good afternoon and good evening.
22 months since the first cases of COVID-19 were reported, and almost a year since the first vaccines were approved, reported cases and deaths from COVID-19 are increasing again.
More than 5 million deaths have now been reported, and we know the real number is higher. We are still losing more than 50 thousand of our sisters and brothers every week.
Last week, 56 countries, from all regions, reported an increase in deaths from COVID-19 of more than 10%.
We hear reports from many countries about lack of ICU beds, lack of supplies, overwhelmed health workers, and hospitals deferring other needed procedures.
Let me be very clear: this should not be happening. We have all the tools to prevent transmission and save lives, and we continue to call on all countries to use those tools.
Yesterday we added another new tool, with the Emergency Use Listing of Covaxin, the 8th vaccine to receive WHO validation for safety, efficacy and quality.
Emergency Use Listing contributes to vaccine equity, by enabling countries to expedite their own regulatory approval to import and roll out vaccines.
We encourage all vaccine manufacturers who have not yet received Emergency Use Listing to contact WHO to discuss how to accelerate the process through rolling submissions.
We continue to call on manufacturers of vaccines that already have WHO Emergency Use Listing to prioritize COVAX, not shareholder profit.
We continue to hear excuses about why low-income countries have only received 0.4% of the world’s vaccines.
One is that low-income countries can’t absorb vaccines. That’s not true. With the exception of a few fragile, conflict-affected and vulnerable countries, most low-income countries are ready to go.
The problem is simply that they cannot get the vaccines.
Another excuse from manufacturers is that low-income countries have not placed orders for vaccines. Most low-income countries are relying on COVAX, which has the money and the contracts to buy vaccines on their behalf. But manufacturers have not played their part.
We still don’t know when the manufacturers will deliver.
We continue to call on all manufacturers to prioritise their contracts with COVAX and the Africa Vaccines Acquisition Trust, or AVAT.
No more vaccines should go to countries that have already vaccinated more than 40% of their population, until COVAX has the vaccines it needs to help other countries get there too.
No more boosters should be administered, except to immunocompromised people. Most countries with high vaccine coverage continue to ignore our call for a global moratorium on boosters, at the expense of health workers and vulnerable groups in low-income countries who are still waiting for the first doses.
We cannot end the pandemic without vaccines, but vaccines alone will not end the pandemic. Vaccines do not replace the need for public health and social measures – they complement them.
Physical distancing, avoiding crowded spaces, masks, ventilation, hand hygiene and other effective public health measures remain important in every country.
Every country must continue to adjust and adapt its strategy. To support countries to do that, WHO has developed a tool called the intra-action review, which countries can use to evaluate what’s working, and what’s not.
More than 100 intra-action reviews have now been conducted by 68 countries.
Several countries have conducted multiple reviews, including South Africa, which has done 10, making it a central component of its response.
Several key lessons emerge from these reviews:
The need for strong and active national leadership at the highest levels;
Flexibility and adaptability, by adjusting and repurposing existing systems, guidelines and resources;
Multi-sectoral cooperation;
And, in the case of vaccine roll-out, the need for adequate cold chain capacity and real-time monitoring of vaccine stock.
Ending the pandemic as rapidly as possible must remain the central focus for every country.
At the same time, we owe it to those who have lost their lives to this virus to learn the lessons it is teaching us, and take whatever action is necessary to prevent a future disaster on this scale.
The world was not prepared for COVID-19 – and we knew we were not prepared.
In 2018, WHO and the World Bank formed the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board – the GPMB – an independent panel of experts to identify gaps in the world’s defences, and make recommendations on how to close them.
We did not know then when the next global crisis would arise, or what it would be. But we knew that disease X would come eventually.
The GPMB published its first report in September 2019, just months before the pandemic hit. It identified many of the vulnerabilities that COVID-19 has exposed and exploited:
The lack of political leadership and commitment; the lack of health system readiness; the lack of trust with communities; and the lack of international cooperation.
The second GPMB report, released in the middle of the pandemic last year, incorporated hard-won insights, with calls for predictable and sustained financing; equitable access for vaccines and other life-saving tools; and global governance for preparedness.
The GPMB published its third report last week. Instead of making more recommendations, the GPMB is calling the world to act on the recommendations it has already made, which are more relevant now than before the pandemic, but on which there remains little action.
We have no shortage of reports, reviews and recommendations, but we have a shortage of action. It’s clear what needs to happen:
Better governance for global health security, including a binding treaty on pandemic preparedness and response;
Better financing, to strengthen the capacities of all countries, especially the most vulnerable;
Better systems and tools to prepare for, prevent, detect and respond rapidly to outbreaks with epidemic or pandemic potential;
And a strengthened, empowered and sustainably financed WHO at the centre of the global health architecture.
To say more about its latest report, I’m delighted to welcome my friend and brother Mr Elhadj As Sy, the GPMB co-chair, and the former Secretary General of the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
As Sy, thank you for your leadership. You have the floor.
[ELHADJ AS SY ADDRESSED THE MEDIA]
Thank you very much, my brother As Sy. I will quote from what you said: if COVID is not the catalyst for change, what will it be? That’s true.
Thank you for your clear call to action. We can only hope the international community acts on that call.
As you said, we know what needs to happen. What we need now is action, urgency and ambition.
Thank you so much again for your leadership.
Tarik, 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.
Re-opening call for applications from 1 to 3 November 2021
WHO is re-opening the call for applications for three additional days to encourage additional applications from the fields of social science/anthropology/ethics/political science and biosafety/biosecurity.
The call will open from 1-3 November 2021, closing at 24:00CET 3 November. Applications require a Curriculum Vitae, a cover letter, and signed DOI form.
Please note applicants who have already submitted an expression of interest for the SAGO do not need to re-apply; this re-opening of applications is intended for new expressions of interest only.
The rapid emergence and spread of SARS-CoV-2 has highlighted the importance of being prepared for any future event, to be able to identify novel pathogens early and to address the risk factors that contribute to their emergence and spread. In May 2020, the World Health Assembly, through resolution WHA73.1, requested the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) to continue to work closely with the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and countries, as part of the One Health approach, to identify the source of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the route of introduction to the human population.
There have been an increasing number of high threat pathogens emerging and reemerging in recent years with, for example, SARS-CoV, MERS-CoV, Lassa, Marburg, Ebola, Nipah, avian influenza, the latest being SARS-CoV-2. There is not only need for robust surveillance and early actions for rapid detection and mitigation efforts, but a need for a robust and systematic processes to establish the study around the emergence of these pathogens and routes of transmission from their natural reservoirs to humans.
To this end, the Director-General has established the WHO Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins on Novel Pathogens (hereinafter referred to as ‘SAGO”). The SAGO will advise the WHO Secretariat on technical and scientific considerations regarding emerging and re-emerging pathogens, and will be composed of experts acting in a personal capacity. It is established in accordance with the WHO Regulations for Study and Scientific Groups, Collaborating Institutions and Other Mechanisms of Collaboration.
In its capacity as an advisory body to WHO, the SAGO will have the following functions:
To advise WHO on the development of a WHO global framework to define and guide studies into the origins of emerging and re-emerging pathogens of epidemic and pandemic potential;
To advise WHO on prioritizing studies and field investigations into the origins of emerging and re-emerging pathogens of epidemic and pandemic potential, in accordance with the WHO global framework described in point (1) above;
To provide information and views to assist the WHO Secretariat in the development of a detailed work plan of the SAGO;
In the context of SARS-CoV-2 origins:
To provide the WHO Secretariat with an independent evaluation of all available scientific and technical findings from global studies on the origins of SARS-CoV-2;
To advise the WHO Secretariat regarding developing, monitoring and supporting the next series of studies into the origins of SARS-CoV-2, including rapid advice on WHO's operational plans to implement the next series of global studies into the origins of SARS-CoV-2, as outlined in the Joint WHO-China Global Study of Origins of SARS-CoV-2:China Part report published on 30 March 2021 and advise on additional studies as needed; and
To provide additional advice and support to WHO, as requested by the WHO SAGO Secretariat, which may include participation in future WHO-international missions to study the origins of SARS-CoV-2 or for other emerging pathogens.
The SAGO shall meet regularly. The first meeting will be held in November 2021. SAGO meetings may be held in person or virtually (at WHO headquarters in Geneva or another location, as determined by WHO), via video or teleconference. SAGO meetings may be held in open and/or closed session, as decided by the Chairperson in consultation with WHO. The working language of the group will be English. WHO may, at its sole discretion, invite external individuals from time to time to attend the open sessions of an advisory group, or parts thereof, as “observers”. The SAGO may decide to establish smaller working groups (sub-groups of the SAGO) to work on specific issues. SAGO members are expected to attend meetings. Reports of each meeting shall be submitted by the SAGO to the WHO Director-General. All recommendations from the SAGO are advisory to WHO, who retains full control over any subsequent decisions or actions regarding any proposals, policy issues or other matters considered by the SAGO. The SAGO shall normally make recommendations by consensus.
The SAGO will be multidisciplinary, with members who have a range of technical knowledge, skills and experience relevant to emerging and re-emerging pathogens.
WHO welcomes expressions of interest from individuals with significant expertise in one or more of the following technical disciplines in order to ensure a One Health approach:
infectious disease epidemiology and conducting epidemiological studies;
field research;
virology;
ecology;
molecular epidemiology;
sero-epidemiology;
medicine;
bioinformatics;
outbreak analytics;
health statistics;
microbiology;
veterinary medicine;
food safety;
bacteriology;
environmental science;
biosafety;
biosecurity;
occupational health and safety;
laboratory safety and security;
ethics and social sciences;
or other activities related to the emergence or re-emergence of pathogens of pandemic potential.
To register your interest in being considered for the SAGO, please submit the following documents by 3 November 2021 24:00 CET to SAGO@who.int using the subject line “Expression of interest for the SAGO”:
A cover letter, indicating your motivation to apply and how you satisfy the selection criteria (maximum 500 words). Please note that, if selected, membership will be in a personal capacity. Therefore do not use the letterhead or other identification of your employer);
Your curriculum vitae; and
A signed and completed Declaration of Interests (DOI) form for WHO Experts, available at https://www.who.int/about/ethics/declarations-of-interest. After submission, your expression of interest will be reviewed by WHO. Due to an expected high volume of interest, only selected individuals will be informed.
As noted above, if you have already submitted an expression of interest for the SAGO, no further action is required on your part; this re-opening of nominations is intended for new expressions of interest only.
Members of WHO advisory groups must be free of any real, potential or apparent conflicts of interest. To this end, applicants are required to complete the WHO Declaration of Interests for WHO Experts, and the selection as a member of the SAGO is, amongst other things, dependent on WHO determining that there is no conflict of interest or that any identified conflicts could be appropriately managed (in addition to WHO’s evaluation of an applicant’s experience, expertise and motivation and other criteria).
All SAGO members will serve in their individual expert capacity and shall not represent any governments, any commercial industries or entities, any research, academic or civil society organizations, or any other bodies, entities, institutions or organizations. They are expected to fully comply with the Code of Conduct for WHO Experts. SAGO members will be expected to sign and return a completed confidentiality undertaking prior to the beginning of the first meeting.
At any point during the process, telephone interviews may be scheduled between an applicant and the WHO Secretariat to enable WHO to ask questions relating to the applicant’s experience and expertise and/or to assess whether the applicant meets the criteria for membership in the relevant AG.
The selection of members of the SAGO will be made by WHO in its sole discretion, taking into account the following (non-exclusive) criteria: relevant technical expertise; experience in international and country policy work; previous participation in WHO international missions on studying the emergence of emerging and re-emerging pathogens; communication skills; and ability to work constructively with people from different cultural backgrounds and orientations. The SAGO members will also take account of the need for diverse perspectives from different regions, especially from low and middle-income countries, and for gender balance.
If selected by WHO, proposed members will be sent an invitation letter and a Memorandum of Agreement. Appointment as a member of the SAGO will be subject to the proposed member returning to WHO the countersigned copy of these two documents.
WHO reserves the right to accept or reject any expression of interest, to annul the open call process and reject all expressions of interest at any time without incurring any liability to the affected applicant or applicants and without any obligation to inform the affected applicant or applicants of the grounds for WHO's action. WHO may also decide, at any time, not to proceed with the establishment of the SAGO, disband an existing technical advisory group or modify the work of the SAGO.
WHO shall not in any way be obliged to reveal, or discuss with any applicant, how an expression of interest was assessed, or to provide any other information relating to the evaluation/selection process or to state the reasons for not choosing a member.
WHO may publish the names and a short biography of the selected individuals on the WHO internet.
SAGO members will not be remunerated for their services in relation to the SAGO or otherwise. Travel and accommodation expenses of SAGO members to participate in SAGO meetings will be covered by WHO in accordance with its applicable policies, rules and procedures.
The appointment will be limited in time as indicated in the letter of appointment.
If you have any questions about this “Call for experts”, please write to SAGO@who.int well before the applicable deadline.
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.