This section's articles

• World Health Organization and H5N1 Influenza

  WHO concerned that new H5N1 influenza research could undermine the 2011 Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework

  31 December 2011 Temoignages.re

  «H5N1 influenza viruses are a significant health risk to people for several reasons. Although this type of influenza does not infect humans often, when it does, approximately 60% of those infected die. In addition, because these viruses can cause such severe illness in people, scientists are especially concerned that this type of influenza could one day mutate so it spreads easily between people and causes a very serious influenza pandemic. Research which can improve the understanding of (...)

• World Health Organization

  Malaria Deaths Are Down But Progress Remains Fragile

  14 December 2011 Temoignages.re

  However, WHO warns that a projected shortfall in funding threatens the fragile gains and that the double challenge of emerging drug and insecticide resistance needs to be proactively addressed. "We are making significant progress in battling a major public health problem. Coverage of at-risk populations with malaria prevention and control measures increased again in 2010, and resulted in a further decline in estimated malaria cases and deaths," says Dr Margaret Chan, WHO Director-General. (...)

• HIV/AIDS

  World Health Organization : Unparalleled Global Progress in HIV Response

  30 November 2011 Temoignages.re

  "It has taken the world ten years to achieve this level of momentum," says Gottfried Hirnschall, Director of WHO's HIV Department. "There is now a very real possibility of getting ahead of the epidemic. But this can only be achieved by both sustaining and accelerating this momentum over the next decade and beyond." Advances in HIV science and programme innovations over the past year add hope for future progress. In times of economic austerity it will be essential to rapidly apply (...)

• Noncommunicable diseases for over 63% of deaths in the world today

  New WHO Study Details Low-cost Solutions to Help Curb The Tide on Noncommunicable Diseases

  19 September 2011 Temoignages.re

  A new World Health Organization (WHO) study reveals that low income countries could introduce a core set of strategies to prevent and treat cancer, heart disease, diabetes and lung disease for just US$1.20 per person per year. "Noncommunicable diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide, killing ever more people each year. Nearly 80 per cent of these deaths occur in low and middle income countries," says Dr Ala Alwan, Assistant Director-General for Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental (...)

• Cancer, heart disease and stroke, lung disease and diabetes

  WHO Maps Noncommunicable Disease Trends
In All Countries

  17 September 2011 Temoignages.re

  "This report indicates where each government needs to focus to prevent and treat the four major killers: cancer, heart disease and stroke, lung disease and diabetes," says Dr Ala Alwan, Assistant Director-General for Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health at WHO. The report includes details of what proportion of each country's deaths are due to noncommunicable diseases. Using graphs in a page-per country presentation format, the report provides information on prevalence, trends (...)

• World Health Organization

  Landmark agreement improves global preparedness for influenza pandemics

  18 April 2011

  17 April, after a week of negotiations continued through Friday night and into Saturday morning, an open-ended working-group meeting of Member States successfully agreed upon a Framework that ensures that in a pandemic, influenza virus samples will be shared with partners who need the information to take steps to protect public health. The working-group meeting was convened under the authority of the World Health Assembly and coordinated by the World Health Organization (WHO). The new (...)

• World Health Organization

  Three Regional Immunization Weeks Set to Kick Off

  23 April 2010

  The simultaneous immunization weeks, which began in the Americas in 2003, expanded to the European Region in 2005, and start this year in the Eastern Mediterranean, promote national and cross-border activities in a collaborative effort to prevent disease and save lives. Many countries are working to eliminate measles, and most are expanding vaccination to reach those who have been excluded up to now. In Europe, organizers say, "The European Region is experiencing stalling momentum in (...)

• Volcanic explosion in Iceland

  WHO : Patients with Respiratory conditions more susceptible to effects of ash

  19 April 2010

  "Particulate matter is identified according to its diameter. The small particulates less than 10 microns in size are more dangerous because they can penetrate deeper into the lungs," says Dr Maria Neira, Director of Public Health and Environment Department at the World Health Organization. Analysis of the ash is ongoing and so far it is estimated about 25% of the particles are less than 10 microns in size. People with chronic respiratory conditions like asthma, emphysema or bronchitis may (...)