WHO & Regionals [to 21 November 2015]

WHO calls on countries to protect health from climate change
WHO statement
17 November 2015
Climate change is the defining issue for the 21st century.
According to WHO estimates, climate change is already causing tens of thousands of deaths every year – from shifting patterns of disease, from extreme weather events, such as heat-waves and floods, and from the degradation of air quality, food and water supplies, and sanitation.
The upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP-21) in Paris offers the world an important opportunity to not only reach a strong international climate agreement, but also to protect the health of current and future generations. WHO considers the Paris treaty to be a significant public health treaty – one that has the potential to save lives worldwide…

15 million babies are born prematurely every year
Complications of preterm births are the leading cause of death among children under 5 years of age. Without appropriate treatment, those who survive often face lifelong disabilities, including learning, visual and hearing problems and their quality of life is greatly affected.

Physical inactivity and diabetes
November 2015 — Worldwide, people are less physically active. As physical activity decreases, noncommunicable diseases like diabetes are increasing. In the WHO European Region, one third of adults and two thirds of adolescents are insufficiently active.

Clean water and building toilets improves nutrition in Mali
19 November 2015 — WHO, in collaboration with USAID and UNICEF, are calling for nutrition and water, sanitation and hygiene programmes to work together to maximize nutrition gains. A new report recommends high-impact solutions such as improving access to latrines. Mali has already started implementing some of these recommendations with great success.

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Global Alert and Response (GAR) – Disease Outbreak News (DONs)
:: 20 November 2015 Microcephaly – Brazil
:: 16 November 2015 Acute respiratory syndrome – Republic of Korea

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Weekly Epidemiological Record (WER) 20 November 2015, vol. 90, 47 (pp. 633–644)
Contents
633 Preparedness for outbreaks of meningococcal meningitis due to Neisseria meningitidis serogroup C in Africa: recommendations from a WHO expert consultation
637 Progress towards poliomyelitis eradication: Pakistan, January 2014–September 2015
643 Monthly report on dracunculiasis cases, January- September 2015

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Request for proposals: GAVI transition support consultant
20 November 2015
Terms of reference pdf, 128kb
Deadline for application: 9 December 2015

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:: WHO Regional Offices
WHO African Region AFRO
:: Dr Moeti lauds health development efforts in Chad
N’Djamena, 19 November 2015 – The World Health Organization Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, has commended ongoing efforts in Chad to improve the health and wellbeing of the people. Dr Moeti made the remarks during a courtesy call on the Chadian Prime Minister Kalzeubé Payimi Deubet.During the meeting, the Regional Director observed that the priority that the Chadian government has placed on health is making a difference despite the prevailing challenges. Since 2012 Chad has drastically reduced the occurrences of meningitis and cholera outbreaks. Polio transmission has been stopped as well. Furthermore maternal deaths have been reduced from…

WHO Region of the Americas PAHO
:: PAHO to update its manuals on management of obstetric emergencies (11/18/2015)
:: Antibiotics should be ‘handled with care’ to preserve their life-saving qualities (11/18/2015)
:: MERCOSUR countries create a negotiating mechanism to procure high-cost medicines, with PAHO support (11/16/2015)

WHO South-East Asia Region SEARO
:: Antibiotics, handle with care 16 November 2015

WHO European Region EURO
:: Addressing the largest single cause of preventable deaths in Europe – cardiovascular disease 19-11-2015
:: Efforts must be scaled up in order to halve road traffic deaths by 2020 19-11-2015
:: New WHO report shows comparable antibiotic resistance in EU and non-EU countries in the European Region 16-11-2015

WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region EMRO
:: Launch of first World Antibiotics Awareness Week from 16 to 22 November 2015

WHO Western Pacific Region
:: World Health Organization launches World Antibiotic Awareness Week to promote best practices in the Western Pacific Region
MANILA, 16 November 2015