World Drowning Prevention Day (25 July) serves as an opportunity to highlight the tragic and profound impact of drowning on families and communities and to offer life-saving solutions to prevent it. An estimated 236,000 people drown every year and drowning is among the ten leading causes of death for children aged 5-14 years. More than 90% of drowning deaths occur in rivers, lakes, wells, domestic water storage vessels and swimming pools in low- and middle-income countries - with children and adolescents in rural areas disproportionately affected.
In response to the current outbreaks of avian influenza (also called bird flu), urges countries to work together across sectors to save as many animals as possible and to protect people.
When armed groups attacked her village, seven months pregnant Tantine escaped with her family. Her luck took a turn for the better when she learned about a mobile clinic operating in the camp.
The capacity of the maternal and neonatal ward in the District General Hospital in Matara, Sri Lanka, is increasingly falling short. works to rehabilitate a new hospital to serve the community.
The world is moving faster than ever, but people are moving less. Research has found that one in four adults and over 80 per cent of young people do not meet the recommended minimum activity levels needed for optimum health. Starting with just 30 minutes of movement a day has significant health benefits for hearts, bodies and minds. The International Olympic Committee wants to inspire and enable the world to move more every day. Led by Olympians and created in collaboration with , the Let鈥檚 Move campaign is an invitation to make time every day for movement for better health.
More than 1 in 10 people fall sick each year from foodborne illness, and 420,000 die. The young and the vulnerable are disproportionately affected by the 200 different foodborne diseases that result from unsafe food, most of which are preventable. Prevention of such illnesses requires food safety to be observed at each stage of the food production chain, from primary production right up to the consumer. On 7 June, World Food Safety Day, and host a hybrid high-level event to highlight how food safety standards contribute to saving lives 鈥 live streamed on the
Tobacco growing harms our health, the health of farmers and the planet鈥檚 health. The tobacco industry interferes with attempts to substitute tobacco growing, contributing to the global food crisis. The 2023 campaign for encourages governments to end tobacco growing subsidies and use the savings to support farmers to switch to more sustainable crops that improve food security and nutrition.
A new guideline suggests that non-sugar sweeteners do not confer benefits in reducing body fat 鈥 instead they increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and other noncommunicable diseases.
Around the world, 67 countries still criminalise same sex relations, with 10 imposing the death penalty. 20 countries criminalise gender diversity. Such laws hurt the public health of everyone, costing lives. Public health and human rights go hand in hand. reports that in countries where same sex relations are criminalised, HIV prevalence is five times higher among gay men and men who have sex with men than in countries where same sex relations are not criminalised. Where there have been recent prosecutions, this increases to 12 times higher.
Despite being preventable and treatable, children continue to suffer from Cholera, a potentially fatal disease. works to ensure vaccines and treatments reach the children most in need.
The single most important factor in stopping preventable maternal and newborn deaths: access to midwives. And yet the world is of these essential service providers. Addressing this deficit could prevent two-thirds of maternal and newborn deaths, saving more than by 2035. What鈥檚 necessary now is the political will to expand the ranks and reach of midwives around the world. With that in mind, the theme for the International Day of the Midwife this year is 鈥淎ctioning Evidence: Leading the Way to Enhance Quality Midwifery Care Globally.鈥
Hand hygiene鈥痵aves millions of lives every year when performed at the right moments during health care delivery.鈥疘t is also a smart investment that offers exceptional return for each dollar invested.鈥疌lean care is a sign of respect to those who seek care, and it protects health and other workers who provide that care. Together, on , we can accelerate action to prevent infections and antimicrobial resistance in health care. We can build a culture of safety and quality in which hand hygiene improvement is given high priority.
, celebrated in the last week of April, aims to highlight the collective action needed to protect people from vaccine-preventable diseases. We need to act now to catch-up the millions of children who missed out on vaccines during the pandemic, restore essential immunization coverage to at least 2019 levels, and strengthen primary health care to deliver immunization. The ultimate goal of the observance is for more children, adults and their communities to be protected from vaccine-preventable diseases, allowing them to live happier, healthier lives.
鈥檚 75th鈥痑nniversary year is an opportunity to look back at public health successes that have improved quality of life during the last seven decades. , also celebrates this anniversary and provides an opportunity to motivate action to tackle the health challenges of today and tomorrow. #HealthForAll #WHO75
COVID-19 pushed healthcare systems to their breaking point. works to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 and to minimize the toll on healthcare facilities and workers across Ethiopia.