WHO & Regionals [to 30 January 2016]

Increased breastfeeding could save 800,000 children and US$ 300 billion
29 January 2016 — New studies find that despite strong health and economic benefits from breastfeeding, few children are exclusively breastfed until 6 months, as recommended by WHO. Globally, an estimated 1 in 3 infants under 6 months are exclusively breastfed – a rate that has not improved in 2 decades.

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Libya conflict leaves nearly 2 million in need of health care
January 2016 — Peace talks have stalled in Libya, leaving millions of people in urgent need of health care. A total of US$ 50 million is required to meet critical health needs.

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Weekly Epidemiological Record (WER) 29 January 2016, vol. 91, 4 (pp. 33–52) –
Contents:
33 Malaria vaccine: WHO position paper – January 2016

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Disease Outbreak News (DONs)
:: 29 January 2016 – Zika virus infection – United States of America – United States Virgin Islands
:: 29 January 2016 – Circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus – Lao People’s Democratic Republic
:: 29 January 2016 – Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Thailand
:: 27 January 2016 – Lassa Fever – Nigeria
:: 27 January 2016 – Zika virus infection – Dominican Republic
:: 26 January 2016 – Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Saudi Arabia
:: 26 January 2016 – Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – United Arab Emirates
:: 26 January 2016 – Human infection with avian influenza A(H5N6) virus – China

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:: WHO Regional Offices
WHO African Region AFRO
:: Workshop on Exchange of Best Practices to Reaching Every District/Community, equity and integration of child survival interventions in ESA commences
Cape Town, 25 January 2016 – A historic five-day workshop organized jointly by WHO, UNICEF and JSI, MCSP/USAID on Exchange of Best Practices to Reaching Every District/Community (REC), equity and integration of child survival interventions in East and Southern African (ESA) kicked off on Monday 25 January, 2016 in Cape Town, South Africa.

WHO Region of the Americas PAHO
:: New evidence in The Lancet shows more benefits of breastfeeding (01/30/2016)
:: PAHO urges governments to implement public policies that can prevent more than one-third of cancers (01/29/2016)
:: PAHO Director briefs global health authorities on Zika virus in the Americas (01/28/2016)

WHO South-East Asia Region SEARO
:: Thailand confirms MERS CoV in traveler, WHO cautions against continued risk of importation 24 January 2016:

WHO European Region EURO
:: Zika virus: risk of importation increases, but risk of spread in Europe remains extremely low during winter 29-01-2016
:: Food marketing, children’s rights and Professor Cyrus Cooper on the life-course approach in the latest Public Health Panorama 28-01-2016
:: Statement – After causing the 2009 pandemic, A(H1N1) circulates as a seasonal human influenza virus. The influenza vaccine will protect against it 26-01-2016
:: Global recommendations to stop childhood obesity launched 25-01-2016

WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region EMRO
:: Optimism on Pakistan’s progress on polio 30 January 2016
:: WHO acknowledges Saudi progress in control of Middle East respiratory syndrome 26 January 2016

WHO Western Pacific Region
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