Health

El Salvador has made a monumental stride in public health, becoming the first country in Central America and the second in the Americas to be validated by the World Health Organization (WHO) for eliminating trachoma as a public health problem. This achievement signifies the eradication of the world's leading infectious cause of blindness within its borders, following a rigorous multi-year assessment. The success is attributed to a robust, multisectoral approach that integrated strengthened primary health care, improved water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) services, and dedicated eye health programs, supported by international partners like PAHO and Canada. This milestone offers a powerful blueprint for other nations combating neglected tropical diseases and contributes significantly to global efforts for disease elimination.

The World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), has released a sobering report projecting a near-doubling of annual cancer cases to nearly 35 million by 2050. This alarming forecast is compounded by persistent and widening inequities in access to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, leaving millions without vital care. While some progress in prevention has been noted, the report emphasizes that survival rates are often dictated by a person's geography and economic status. The WHO is now calling for a fundamental, people-centred shift in cancer control strategies, urging unified action and sustained investment to mitigate this escalating global health crisis.

The World Health Organization has taken a decisive step in the global fight against emerging infectious diseases by adding the first molecular diagnostic test for the Ebola Bundibugyo virus (BDBV) to its Emergency Use Listing (EUL). This move comes as the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda grapple with the largest recorded outbreak of BDBV, which was declared a public health emergency of international concern in May 2026. The rapid approval process underscores a commitment to accelerating access to vital health tools, empowering affected nations to enhance early detection, improve patient care, and strengthen overall outbreak response capabilities.

The WHO-sponsored PARTNERS clinical trial has officially enrolled its first patients in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, testing MBP134 and remdesivir as the first potential treatments for the deadly Bundibugyo virus disease.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a landmark report urging countries to rapidly expand newborn screening. With birth defects accounting for nearly 8% of all under-five deaths globally, early detection offers a critical opportunity to prevent lifelong disability and improve child survival rates.

In response to ongoing outbreaks and lessons learned from decades of public health emergencies, the World Health Organization (WHO) has published its inaugural comprehensive guidelines for the clinical management of all filovirus diseases. This landmark document, which covers Ebola and Marburg viruses, highlights 16 evidence-based recommendations, primarily stressing the critical role of early, optimized supportive care in dramatically improving patient outcomes and survival rates, especially for strains without specific licensed vaccines or treatments. The move aims to harmonize global clinical approaches and bolster preparedness against these highly fatal diseases.

In an urgent open letter, international health leaders have called on the heads of the G7, G20, and BRICS nations to intervene politically and finalize the stalled Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) annex of the WHO Pandemic Agreement ahead of the critical July negotiations.

The World Health Organization's latest status report highlights a dual reality in the global blood supply. While total donations increased by 19% over a decade and voluntary contributions reached historic highs, systemic inequalities, underfunding, and weak regulatory frameworks continue to compromise patient care in lower-income nations.

The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization have unveiled a unified $518 million continental response plan to halt the spread of the Bundibugyo Ebola virus, targeting cross-border coordination, community trust, and health system resilience over the next six months.

The World Health Organization’s landmark 2026 update reveals a devastating global food safety crisis, causing 866 million illnesses and 1.5 million deaths annually. Young children face three times the risk of adults, while chemical contaminants have emerged as the leading driver of food-related fatalities.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are grappling with a new outbreak of Ebola disease caused by the Bundibugyo virus, a strain for which no licensed vaccine or specific treatment currently exists. A high-level joint mission to Ituri Province underscores a collaborative, community-centric strategy to contain the rapidly spreading disease, which has affected multiple health zones across Ituri, North Kivu, and South Kivu. Despite the unique challenges posed by the Bundibugyo strain, authorities are leveraging DRC's extensive experience in managing previous Ebola outbreaks, intensifying surveillance, patient care, and community engagement while pushing for rapid trials of candidate interventions. The response also emphasizes strengthening long-term health system resilience and maintaining essential primary healthcare services amid the crisis.

The 79th World Health Assembly celebrated six global health champions, highlighting their dedication to advancing primary health care, reducing inequities, and working towards health for all. The awards underscore the critical role of grassroots efforts and scientific excellence in addressing global health challenges, while also commemorating the enduring legacy of former WHO Director-General Dr. LEE Jong-wook.

The 79th World Health Assembly is making crucial strides towards fortifying global health security, particularly focusing on the contentious Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) Annex of the WHO Pandemic Agreement. Amid reports from the Director-General and discussions on public health emergencies, the Assembly underscored the urgency of translating lessons from crises like COVID-19 into sustained investments and more equitable systems. The ongoing negotiations for the PABS Annex, deemed vital for the broader Pandemic Agreement's activation, highlight the complex balance between national interests and collective global health responsibilities, setting the stage for decisive discussions in the coming months.

The 79th World Health Assembly has concluded a pivotal session, endorsing major resolutions to reshape global health priorities. Delegates approved plans for a post-2030 tuberculosis strategy, recognized steatotic liver disease as a growing NCD burden, committed to closing equity gaps for haemophilia and other bleeding disorders, and addressed health mis- and disinformation as a critical public health threat. These decisions underscore a comprehensive and evolving strategy to confront both enduring and emerging health challenges worldwide.

The 79th World Health Assembly (WHA) concluded a pivotal day, highlighting the global health community's dual focus on immediate humanitarian crises and long-term systemic reforms. Against a backdrop of ongoing challenges, delegates celebrated significant contributions to public health while reaffirming commitments to regions in distress and charting a new course for managing pervasive noncommunicable diseases and mental health conditions.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a dire warning, revealing that at least 40 million children globally are using tobacco products, a figure exacerbated by the rapid rise in e-cigarette and nicotine pouch consumption among young people. Ahead of World No Tobacco Day, the WHO is urgently calling on governments worldwide to implement robust measures to protect adolescents from what it describes as a new generation being deliberately targeted and hooked by the tobacco and nicotine industry. The organization highlights aggressive marketing strategies, including appealing flavors, social media influencers, and lifestyle branding, which circumvent existing regulations and threaten public health.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has convened expert groups, including its R&D Blueprint technical advisory groups and the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization (SAGE), to assess potential countermeasures for the ongoing Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD) outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. In a crucial decision, these advisory bodies have recommended that all identified candidate vaccines and therapeutics for BVD must be evaluated exclusively within rigorously designed clinical trials. This directive underscores the absence of any currently licensed treatments or vaccines specifically targeting BVD, highlighting the urgent need for robust scientific data to ensure the safety and efficacy of these promising products.

In an unprecedented and deeply personal message, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has called for an immediate ceasefire in the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ituri province, grappling with a new and particularly dangerous Ebola outbreak. Unlike previous strains, this resurgence is driven by Ebola Bundibugyo, for which there are currently no approved vaccines or treatments. With over 90% of cases reported in Ituri, a region already devastated by armed conflict, displacement, and multiple health crises, the WHO chief's appeal underscores the critical need for unhindered humanitarian access and community trust to avert a catastrophe.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has officially designated the ongoing Ebola Bundibugyo virus disease (BVD) epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC). This declaration, made in May 2026, underscores the severe risk posed by the BDBV strain, for which no approved vaccines or therapeutics currently exist. The WHO Director-General, supported by the IHR Emergency Committee, issued temporary recommendations to affected and preparing nations, emphasizing immediate public health interventions amidst challenging operational environments.

At the 79th World Health Assembly, Member States approved critical initiatives to modernize global health architecture, manage the geopolitical and digital shifts of the 2020s, and address urgent public health issues, including a landmark stroke resolution and guidelines on AI-integrated healthcare.

The 79th World Health Assembly in Geneva concluded with significant advancements across the global health landscape. Member States adopted numerous resolutions and decisions, initiating reforms to the global health architecture and updating crucial policies. Key outcomes include the first major revision in 16 years to the WHO Code on ethical international recruitment of health personnel, a new strategy linking economic systems to health for all, a comprehensive approach to radiation protection, and a renewed Global Action Plan to combat the escalating threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), targeting a 10% reduction in associated deaths by 2030.