All articles tagged with #who
A group of experts has urged the WHO to replace surgical masks with respirator-level masks for healthcare workers, citing inadequate protection from surgical masks against airborne pathogens like COVID-19, and emphasizing that respirators offer significantly better filtration and safety.
France confirmed its first cases of MERS in over a decade, with 19 cases globally in 2025, highlighting ongoing risks of this deadly virus, which is primarily transmitted from camels and has a high fatality rate. The WHO emphasizes the need for strengthened surveillance and infection control to prevent further spread, especially as the virus re-emerges in Europe amid ongoing COVID-19 recovery efforts.
In 2025, WHO achieved significant milestones including the first Pandemic Agreement, disease elimination efforts, progress in vaccination and health system equity, and strengthened global preparedness for health emergencies, despite funding challenges and ongoing health threats worldwide.
Brazil has been validated by the WHO for eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV, marking a significant public health achievement driven by strong healthcare systems, political commitment, and community engagement, making it the largest country in the Americas to reach this milestone.
The WHO's TAG-CO-VAC recommends updating COVID-19 vaccine antigens to monovalent LP.8.1 to better target circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants, while noting that existing JN.1 lineage vaccines remain suitable. Ongoing surveillance and data collection are emphasized to adapt vaccine strategies as the virus evolves.
A new influenza A(H3N2) subclade K is spreading globally, first detected in August 2025, with increasing cases in over 34 countries. While it does not appear to cause more severe symptoms, health officials are closely monitoring its evolution. Seasonal flu vaccines continue to offer protection against severe illness and hospitalization, and ongoing surveillance is essential to track the virus's spread and impact.
The WHO has issued its first guidelines on GLP-1 medications for obesity, emphasizing that these drugs should be part of a comprehensive approach including lifestyle changes, and highlighting the need for increased global access and long-term care strategies. While effective, GLP-1 therapies are not a cure-all and should be used with caution, especially considering their rising popularity and social implications.
The World Health Organization has issued new guidelines recommending GLP-1 drugs for long-term obesity treatment in adults, emphasizing their role as a scientific breakthrough and a new chapter in understanding obesity as a treatable chronic disease, while highlighting the need for equitable access and comprehensive care.
The WHO highlights the potential of weight loss drugs like Mounjaro as a significant breakthrough in treating obesity, emphasizing the need for increased access, affordability, and comprehensive support, while noting these medications are not a standalone solution and should be part of broader lifestyle changes.
The World Health Organization has issued its first guideline on using GLP-1 medicines to treat obesity, emphasizing that these therapies can support long-term management of obesity alongside lifestyle changes, but should be part of a comprehensive approach. The guideline highlights the importance of equitable access, health system readiness, and multisectoral strategies to address the global obesity crisis, which affects over 1 billion people and causes millions of deaths annually.
The World Health Organization warns that less than 10% of those who could benefit from obesity medications like Wegovy have access to them, citing high costs and supply issues, and calls for increased equitable access globally to combat the rising obesity epidemic projected to affect over two billion people by 2030.
Despite progress in reducing TB incidence and deaths, global efforts are threatened by stagnant funding and inequitable access to care, risking reversal of gains in the fight against TB, which remains a major health threat with over 1.2 million lives lost annually.
The WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2025 provides an updated assessment of the TB epidemic worldwide, highlighting progress in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment based on data from 184 countries, covering over 99% of the global population affected by TB.
The US is linking its health aid to countries' agreement to share pathogen data, potentially undermining WHO's existing systems and negotiations on equitable benefit-sharing, with a focus on disease outbreak detection and response, especially in Africa.
The WHO has issued new guidance to help countries cope with severe cuts in external health funding, which threaten essential health services. The guidance emphasizes prioritizing health, protecting budgets, improving efficiency, and fostering global solidarity, with examples of countries taking proactive measures. It aims to support countries in transitioning towards sustainable, self-reliant health financing systems amidst projected aid reductions of up to 40% in 2025.