Accelerating progress on child survival
13 September 2012 -- The pace of reducing child deaths has accelerated sharply since 2000, according to new data released today by UNICEF, WHO, the World Bank and the UN Population Division. An annual report by the UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation shows that in 2011, an estimated 6.9 million children died before their fifth birthday, compared to around 12 million in 1990.
Leprosy on the decline
12 September 2012 -- Over the past 20 years, more than 14 million leprosy patients have been cured, about four million since 2000. This updated fact sheet on leprosy shows how early diagnosis and treatment with multidrug therapy (MDT) remain the key elements in eliminating the disease as a public health concern. MDT treatment has been made available by WHO free of charge to all patients worldwide since 1995.
Strategies for preventing suicide
7 September 2012 -- For World Suicide Prevention Day, 10 September, WHO is releasing a framework for addressing the underlying causes of suicide and for developing action plans to suit each country and its communities. Suicide, though largely preventable, is one of the three leading causes of death among those in the most economically productive age group (15-44 years), and the second leading cause of death of those 15-19. At the other end of the age spectrum, the elderly are also at high risk.
Expanding prepayment key to universal health coverage
4 September 2012 -- Health insurance systems hold untapped potential for achieving universal coverage of health services. A study of countries in Asia and Africa published in this month’s Bulletin of the World Health Organization, found that community and social health insurance schemes in these countries increase financial protection by reducing the need to pay for health services at the point of delivery.
WHO highlights
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September 2012
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome reported
As of 31 August 2012, the National Park Service Office of Public Health has reported six cases of Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) among visitors to Yosemite National Park in California, United States of America. HPS is a rare but serious disease and is caused by a virus that individuals get through contact with the urine, droppings, or saliva of infected rodents.
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August 2012
WHO Technical Working Group on creation of an oral cholera vaccine stockpile
WHO has released the report of a Technical Working Group which was convened in April 2012 to develop an oral cholera vaccine stockpile implementation framework.
Features
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Preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Swaziland
August 2012 -
Ebola in Uganda
August 2012
Events
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World Rabies Day
28 September 2012 -
World Heart Day
29 September 2012 -
World Mental Health Day
10 October 2012
Corporate resources
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The world health report
Report on global public health and key statistics -
World health statistics report
WHO's annual compilation of data from its Member States -
International travel and health
Publication on travel risks, precautions and vaccination requirements -
International Health Regulations (IHR)
Global rules to enhance national, regional and global public health security