vellum health

WHO’s annual assembly ends with agreement on funding, and an array of health topics

WHO’s 76th health assembly closed Tuesday, May 30, having addressed a vast array of issues, including behavioural sciences; best buys for non-communicable diseases; diagnostics; disabilities; drowning prevention; emergency, critical and operative care; food micronutrients; indigenous health; infection prevention and control; maternal and child health; medical

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How Far We’ve Come: Unveiling the AAAQ Framework and Assessing Kenya’s Healthcare Status

The Constitution of Kenya, 2010 has been heralded as one of the most transformative constitutional frameworks in the world. A key indicator for this global acclaim is the express provision and codification of human rights, with an entire chapter on the same. Specifically, the Constitution

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New WHO guidelines discourage non-sugar sweeteners for weight control

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a new guideline on non-sugar sweeteners (NSS), which recommends against the use of NSS to control body weight or reduce the risk of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). The recommendation is based on the findings of a systematic review of

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WHO and tobacco control partners urge countries not to partner or work with the tobacco industry

WHO is concerned with continued attempts by the tobacco industry and its surrogates to further its interests to influence scientific research, public perception, policy-making, and the media; all aimed to ensure the proliferation and sale of nicotine and tobacco products. The tobacco industry continues to

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Focus on kidney health is key in fighting non-communicable diseases

The enormous negative impact of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) on public health systems across the sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) region today is receiving much more attention on the policy agenda than it did two decades ago. Amid this commendable progress, however, there is an emerging risk that

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Quadripartite call to action for One Health for a safer world

Recent international health emergencies such as Covid-19 pandemic, mpox, Ebola outbreaks, and continued threats of other zoonotic diseases, food safety, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) challenges, as well as ecosystem degradation and climate change clearly demonstrate the need for resilient health systems and accelerated global action. One

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Second high-level interregional meeting on the health of refugees and migrants

Amid the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes in the Syrian Arab Republic and Türkiye over a month ago, as well as the ongoing war in Ukraine now past its one-year mark, three WHO regional offices this week brought together governments, civil society and health partners

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Statement on the update of WHO’s working definitions and tracking system for SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern and variants of interest

WHO has updated its tracking system and working definitions for variants of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, to better correspond to the current global variant landscape, to independently evaluate Omicron sublineages in circulation, and classify new variants more clearly when required. SARS-CoV-2 continues to

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Impact of climate change on health in Kenya and possible way out

Climate change is the significant variation of average weather conditions becoming, for example, warmer, wetter, or drier over several decades or longer. Impacts related to climate change are becoming more evident across regions and in many sectors important to society such as human health, agriculture

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Time is ripe period poverty and period shame in Kenya

Nominated Senator Gloria Orwoba unorthodox bid to raise awareness on the scourge of period shame and period poverty was the talk of the country on Valentine’s Day 2023. Orwoba caused a stir as she attended parliamentary proceedings in a white ‘blood-stained’ suit. The Senator drew

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WHO calls for stern measures against exploitative advertisements by the formula milk industry.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has decried the surge in exploitative marketing tactics used by the formula milk industry and called for a clamp down on the industry.  In a statement on 6th February 2023, WHO faulted the vast economic and political power of the

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African leaders unite in pledge to end AIDS in children

    News Release Ministers and representatives from twelve African countries have committed themselves, and laid out their plans, to end AIDS in children by 2030. International partners have set out how they would support countries in delivering on those plans, which were issued at

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Misuse and abuse of controlled substance: Measures for a drug-free future

A controlled substance is generally a drug or chemical whose manufacture, possession, or use is regulated by a government, such as illicitly used drugs or prescription medications that are designated by law.  They are tightly controlled by the government because they may be abused or

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How well do development partners work together and follow country priorities to achieve the health SDGs?

Views from national governments and relevant authorities 52 national governments and relevant authorities provided their views on how well multilateral agencies and other development partners align to their national priorities and plans and collaborate with each other to increase efficiencies and avoid duplications when providing

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Urgent action needed as acute malnutrition threatens the lives of millions of vulnerable children

12 January 2023/ News release United Nations agencies are calling for urgent action to protect the most vulnerable children in the 15 countries hardest hit by an unprecedented food and nutrition crisis. Conflict, climate shocks, the ongoing impacts of COVID-19, and rising costs of living

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Accelerated action needed to ensure safe drinking-water, sanitation and hygiene for all

14 December 2022 / News release Urgent action is needed globally and locally to achieve safe and sustainably managed water, sanitation and hygiene for all in order to prevent devastating impacts on the health of millions of people. Findings from WHO and UN-Water’s Global Analysis

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WHO Member States agree to develop zero draft of legally binding pandemic accord in early 2023

7 December 2022 / News release / Geneva   Member States of the World Health Organization today agreed to develop the first draft of a legally binding agreement designed to protect the world from future pandemics. This “zero draft” of the pandemic accord, rooted in

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WHO calls on the global community to equalize the HIV response

On 1 December, World AIDS Day 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling on global leaders and citizens to boldly recognize and address the inequalities that are holding back progress in attaining the global goal to end AIDS by 2030. WHO is joining global

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WHO to identify pathogens that could cause future outbreaks and pandemics

WHO is launching a global scientific process to update the list of priority pathogens—agents that can cause outbreaks or pandemics—to guide global investment, research and development (R&D), especially in vaccines, tests and treatments. Starting with a meeting held last Friday, 18 November, WHO is convening

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