5 million children died before their fifth birthday in 2021, 1.9 million stillborn: UN reports
A death of child or youth every 4.4 seconds; many could have been prevented with equitable access to high-quality healthcare
Pandemic treaty draft negotiations to begin in February 2023
Ensuring equity and solidarity, promoting preparedness while respecting sovereignty will form the crux of this document
WHO’s updated priority pathogen list to be out by early 2023
The current list includes COVID-19, Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever, Ebola and Marburg
Progress against malaria continues to plateau: Report
Africa continues to carry the highest burden: It accounted for 94% of the world’s malaria cases and deaths in the last 20 years
Consider updating COVID-19 vaccine composition to include omicron: WHO to authorities
The only other precedent we have for updating vaccines regularly based on the circulating strain is for flu. But the comparison may not be fair
Global pandemic treaty: Soumya Swaminathan promises draft in 18 months
WHO chief scientist says most countries on board for pact to ensure fair sharing of vaccines, data during future pandemics
China takes more actions to control air pollution, India lags behind
From strengthening of existing monitoring systems to making hard policy decisions, China has handled the problem with an iron hand
Efforts to increase access to vaccines delayed
Developed countries question the move of developing countries to introduce amendments in the Global Vaccine Action Plan
Government backtracks on decision to have bigger pictorial warnings on tobacco products
Health activists and experts believe the government has succumbed to pressure from industry
‘We could eradicate malaria by 2040’ says expert after revolutionary vaccine is approved by WHO
R21/Matrix vaccine was developed by Oxford University together with the Serum Institute of India and can reduce malaria by 75%
WHO launches global facility for pathogen storage, sharing and analysis
The sharing of pathogens is currently done bilaterally between countries; WHO BioHub will expedite the process
WHO’s Ebola vaccination strategy ineffective in DRC: MSF
The aid agency has also called for an independent, international committee to manage Ebola vaccine stocks and their use
Minister claims no data for pollution-related deaths in India, studies say otherwise
Dr Harsh Vardhan said in Parliament on Friday that there is no conclusive data available in the country to establish direct correlation …
Existing polio vaccines may not always prevent infection
Antibodies normally produced in response to infection are unable to block mutant polio virus
Coordinated international response must to eradicate polio, says WHO
Since May 2014, there has been new spread of poliovirus in central Asia and a poliovirus originating in Central Africa was reported from the Americas
Tax hiked on tobacco products for human and fiscal health
Economic cost of diseases caused by tobacco is 12 per cent more than the money spent by Centre and state together on healthcare in India, says a study
Palliative care not available for majority in developing countries: WHO
Only 20 countries across the world have palliative care well integrated into their health-care systems, says report
Nestle adds almost 3 grams of sugar in every serving of baby food Cerelac sold in India
WHO guidelines against adding honey or sugar in food for infants violated only in Asian, African and Latin American countries, finds …
Benin, Mali in Africa defeat trachoma as public health problem
Fifth and sixth countries to defeat eye-infection disease in WHO African region
Omicron may already be in most countries, WHO warns
People dismissing omicron infection as mild may fuel spread, says WHO
Over half of prescribed antibiotics in India can lead to AMR, finds National Centre for Disease Control
High use of antibiotics found; recommends defined policies and monitoring consumption
‘Focus of leprosy control programmes has to shift to address new challenges’
Yohei Sasakawa, chairperson of the non-profit The Nippon Foundation and also the World Health Organization (WHO) goodwill ambassador for leprosy …
Uncertain outcome, high cost: Why WHO doesn’t recommend convalescent plasma therapy for COVID-19
Studies published in late 2020 and early 2021 made a case for plasma therapy in treating COVID-19
Wealthy nations starved the developing world of vaccines. Omicron shows the cost of this greed
10 high-income countries will be sitting on more than 870 million excess doses by end of 2021