WHO Regional Offices [to 22 November 2014]
WHO African Region AFRO
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WHO Region of the Americas PAHO
:: ‘No child should die from a preventable cause,’ says PAHO/WHO on Universal Children’s Day
In the Americas, under-5 mortality has fallen more than two-thirds since 1990, but not all children have benefited equally from this progress
Washington, D.C., 19 November, 2014 (PAHO/WHO) — Despite impressive progress in child survival in the Americas over the past quarter-century, vulnerable children—especially those from indigenous, rural and low-income families—remain more likely to die before age 5 than other children.
On Universal Children’s Day, celebrated on November 20 each year, the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) is calling on its member countries to address inequities in child health so that no child dies from a preventable cause, regardless of their ethnicity, their family’s income level, or where they live…
:: PAHO, OAS and IDB explore joint action on outbreak response in the Americas
Washington, D.C., 18 November 2014 (PAHO/WHO) – The Director of the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), Dr. Carissa F. Etienne, met this week with Secretary-General of the OAS José Miguel Insulza and President of the Inter-American Development Bank Luis Alberto Moreno to explore joint action to strengthen the capacity of countries in the Americas to respond to disease outbreaks and epidemics.
In their meeting, at IDB headquarters in Washington, D.C., the heads of the three inter-American organizations discussed the health and economic challenges posed to the region by new diseases such as chikungunya, which was first detected in the Caribbean in December 2013, and Ebola, which to date has only been reported in one country of the Western Hemisphere, the United States.
The leaders agreed to explore the possible establishment of an inter-American fund for outbreak preparedness, which would support strengthening for surveillance systems and health services to ensure rapid and effective response to outbreaks in the region.
They also agreed that the three organizations would contribute to strengthening country capacities to respond to disease and other health risks in the framework of the International Health Regulations (IHR), an international legal instrument that has been signed by WHO Member States to help prevent and respond to public health risks that can cross borders and threaten countries around the world…

WHO South-East Asia Region SEARO
:: World Toilet Day 2014
Inadequate sanitation is impacting health and economies of countries in South-East Asia. Good sanitation is proven to prevent water sources being contaminated, protect the environment, prevent infectious diseases and help reduce malnutrition, stunting and mental stress.
– The health and economic cost of poor sanitation – Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh
– World Toilet Day 2014 – Improving sanitation would deliver enormous economic benefits

WHO European Region EURO
:: Consultation on sustainable access to vaccines in middle-income countries 24–25 November 2014, Istanbul, Turkey
:: Workshop on immunization financing and graduation from GAVI support 25–28 November 2014, Istanbul, Turkey

WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region EMRO
:: Haemophilus influenzae vaccine introduced in all national immunization programmes
20 November 2014

WHO Western Pacific Region WPRO
:: Let’s use antibiotics responsibly
ANILA, 21 November 2014 – Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global public health threat. The rapid rise and spread of AMR—especially antibiotic resistance—places the well-being of the Western Pacific Region’s 1.8 billion people at risk. During Antibiotic Awareness Week (17–23 November 2014), the World Health Organization (WHO) urges everyone to use antibiotics responsibly, so these drugs can continue to protect our families and communities from harmful bacteria…
:: WHO leads meeting to strengthen health security in the Pacific
20 November 2014 SUVA, Fiji – Health leaders from 21 Pacific island countries and areas will meet in Nadi, Fiji to discuss progress in the implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR) in the Pacific. Preparedness to respond to the deadly Ebola virus, should the virus be imported into the Pacific region by a traveller returning from West Africa, will be a key item for discussion…