World Health Organization

World Patient Safety Day 2024: History, significance, theme and more

World Health Organisation established World Patient Safety Day in 2019 to address the issue of patient safety and take actions to promote safety in healthcare

Health ministry issues advisory to states, UTs on measures against 'Mpox'

The advisory also directed the states to review public health preparedness particularly at health facility level at the state and districts by senior officials

Higher price of mpox vaccine to pose key hurdle in Africa order talks

But with a shot significantly pricier than many other vaccines commonly used for immunisation in Africa, costs remain a key barrier to getting more orders in place

Congo receives its first mpox vaccine shipment to combat outbreak

With a population of around 100 million, the Congo is currently at the centre of the outbreak

Wasn't polio wiped out? Here's why it is still problem in some countries

Polio was eliminated from most parts of the world as part of a decadeslong effort by the World Health Organisation and partners to wipe out the disease. But polio is one of the world's most infectious diseases and is still spreading in a small number of countries. The WHO and its partners want to eradicate polio in the next few years. Until it is gone from the planet, the virus will continue to trigger outbreaks anywhere children are not fully vaccinated. The recent polio infection in an unvaccinated baby in Gaza is the first time the disease has been reported in the territory in more than 25 years. What is polio? Polio is an infection caused by a virus that mostly affects children under 5. Most people infected with polio don't have any symptoms, but it can cause fever, headaches, vomiting and stiffness of the spine. In severe cases, polio can invade the nervous system and cause paralysis within hours, according to the WHO. The UN agency estimates that 1 in 200 polio cases results i

As Israel-Hamas war escalates, polio strikes Gaza for first time in 25 yrs

Born into the devastating Israel-Hamas war, 10-month-old Abdel-Rahman Abuel-Jedian started crawling early. Then one day, he froze his left leg appeared to be paralyzed. The baby boy is the first confirmed case of polio inside Gaza in 25 years, according to the World Health Organization. Abdel-Rahman was an energetic baby, said the child's mother, Nevine Abuel-Jedian, fighting back tears. Suddenly, that was reversed. Suddenly, he stopped crawling, stopped moving, stopped standing up, and stopped sitting. Health care workers in Gaza have been warning of the potential for a polio outbreak for months, as the humanitarian crisis unleashed by Israel's offensive on the strip only grows. Abdel-Rahman's diagnosis confirms health workers' worst fears. Before the war, Gaza's children were largely vaccinated against polio, the WHO says. But Abdel-Rahman was not vaccinated because he was born just before Oct. 7, when Hamas militants attacked Israel and Israel launched a retaliatory offensive

Learning from Covid pandemic experience to contain the Mpox outbreak

Although there is no need to raise the alarm at this stage, the government should focus on raising awareness among the public and prepare contingency plans

Health secretary reviews preparedness to tackle Monkeypox challenge in J&K

Though no case of Monkeypox was reported from anywhere in Jammu and Kashmir, the authorities here on Tuesday reviewed the preparedness of public health agencies to meet the challenge posed by the infectious viral disease in the Union Territory, an official said. Health Secretary Syed Abid Rasheed Shah chaired a meeting of the officers in the light of recent declaration of Monkeypox as an emergency by the World Health Organization (WHO), the official said. He said that Shah directed all stakeholders to take proactive measures to ensure full preparedness to handle any situation. All the institutions across Jammu and Kashmir were directed to maintain high vigil for any exigency, the officials said. They said the Health Secretary also asked all heads of departments to conduct mock drills across the Union Territory and to impart training to all the health officials regarding logistics and transportation concerned with potential situations. Shah ordered all the HODs to dedicate isolatio

Monkeypox outbreak: Causes, symptoms, and cases outside Africa

WHO calls for surveillance, sharing of vaccines to combat mpox outbreak

Recently, Sweden confirmed the first case of mpox Clade I, a viral infection that spreads through close contact

After Sweden, Pakistan logs suspected case of deadly mpox virus: 10 updates

Mpox cases latest: Before Pakistan, the first international case of this virus in 2024 was detected in Sweden a day ago, triggering fears of its potential spread outside the continent of Africa

WHO declares mpox public health emergency of international concern

The mpox has been detected in 10 African nations this year, the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said

Mpox vaccines maybe months away even as WHO, Africa CDC discuss emergency

Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention declared public health emergency of continental concern for first time ever, and today, a WHO-led panel meets to decide if it represents global threat

World ORS Day 2024: How a simple oral solution is saving millions globally

Over the past decades, the number of children dying from diarrhoeal diseases has significantly decreased, dropping by two-thirds since 1990, with ORS playing a significant role

What is Chandipura virus: All you need to know about how it spreads?

Fifteen kids were reported dead in Gujarat after they were infected with the Chandipura virus. Safeguarding children from this infection has become the priority. The virus was first recognised in 1965

Risk of developing Long Covid falls, but remains substantial, shows study

The World Health Organization says tens of thousands of Covid cases are being reported globally. The actual number of infections is likely to be significantly higher

Health officials tell US doctors to be alert for dengue as cases ramp up

U.S. health officials on Tuesday warned doctors to be alert for dengue cases as the tropical disease breaks international records. The virus, which is spread by mosquitoes, has been surging worldwide, helped by climate change. In barely six months, countries in the Americas have already broken calendar-year records for dengue cases. The World Health Organization declared an emergency in December, and Puerto Rico declared a public health emergency in March. Dengue remains less common in the continental United States, but in the 50 states so far this year there have been three times more cases than at the same point last year. Most were infections that travelers got abroad, and officials note there is no evidence of a current outbreak. But they also warn that local mosquitos pose a threat. In its health alert Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advised doctors to know the symptoms, ask questions about where patients recently traveled and consider ordering dengue .

Groundwater to heat over 3 degrees C by century end, risking safety: Report

Groundwater is projected to warm by 2-3.5 degrees Celsius before the turn of this century, potentially risking water quality and safety, apart from threatening ecosystems depending on the resource, a new research has found. The "world's first global groundwater temperature model" predicted the highest warming rates in Central Russia, Northern China and parts of North America, and the Amazon rainforest in South America. A team of researchers, led by those from the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Germany, said while a lot of focus on climate change concerns weather events and water availability, we also need to think about how it impacts groundwater, critical to life on the planet. Warming of groundwater can adversely impact ecosystems relying on them, they said. "Rivers rely on groundwater to keep flowing during dry times. Warm waters hold less dissolved oxygen," explained study co-author Gabriel Rau from the University of Newcastle, UK. The model also estimated that by 2100, 60

Covid-19 effect: Global healthy life expectancy slumps to 2012 level

According to WHO's latest report, global life expectancy and healthy life expectancy dropped to 2012 levels of 1.8 and 1.5 years, respectively, eradicating a decade of progress

India to showcase Ayushman Bharat digital mission at World Health Assembly

India will highlight its universal coverage through Ayushman Bharat, public health emergency preparedness and digital health transformations in the country at the World Health Assembly to be held in Geneva from May 27, official sources said on Wednesday. It will also showcase the Arogya Maitri Disaster Management Cube -- an indigenous portable hospital -- equipped with several innovative tools designed to enhance disaster response and medical support at the annual event organized by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The 77th session of the World Health Assembly (WHA) will be held in Geneva from May 27 to June 1. Indian delegation from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is being led by Union Health Secretary Apurva Chandra. Representatives from 194 countries will participate in the event to structure the global health ecosystem. The theme for this year's WHA is "All for Health, Health for All". The WHA comprises sessions in three main committees -- Plenary, Committee A and