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Learning More About WHO

United Nations  World  Health  Organization

7 April 1948 - 7 April 2023 

Courtesy, United Nations

 World Health Organization building from the South-East

Geneva, Switzerland

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7 April 1948 - 7 April 2023 

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Following Quote Courtesy, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus: 8th Director-General of WHO

"WHO’s own story began 75 years ago, and it is still being written. The challenges we face today are very
different to those in 1948, but our vision
remains unchanged: the highest
possible standard of health, for all people. . . "

THE WORK CONTINUES!

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Courtesy, WHO

Learn more on the following web pages:

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WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION

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THE GLOBAL FAMILY OF HUMANITY 
THANKS THE
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION
TOGETHER WITH ALL OF ITS
DEDICATED HEALTH AND
CARE WORKERS . . .
INCLUDING GENEROUS WHO 
SUPPORTERS AROUND THE WORLD.

- EPACHA Foundation -

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Scroll Further Down to Learn More . . .

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GLOBAL

HEALTH

ISSUES

** Important Announcements **

COVID-19 over as a global health emergency.

5 May 2023

"Yesterday, the Emergency Committee met for the 15th time and recommended to me that I declare an end to the public health emergency of international concern. I have accepted that advice.

 

It is therefore with great hope that I declare COVID-19 over as a global health emergency.

However, that does not mean COVID-19 is over as a global health threat."

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GLOBAL

HEALTH

ISSUES

Read Full Transcript [Opening Remarks] on the following web page:

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DIRE SITUATION IN SUDAN

 WHO Director-General Tedros:

"PEACE IS THE ONLY SOLUTION."

 20 April 2023

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WHO Emergency Appeal: Sudan and neighbouring

countries, June-December 2023

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Learn more on the following web page:

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URGENT HEALTH-HUMANITARIAN NEEDS

8 June 2023

UKRAINE

WHO Director-General

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

" . . . Ukraine, where the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam has caused widespread devastation and human suffering, leading to severe flooding, displacement of communities and significant infrastructure and environmental damage. 

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The impact on the region’s water supply, sanitation systems and public health services cannot be underestimated. 

WHO has rushed in to support the authorities and health care workers in preventive measures against waterborne diseases and to improve disease surveillance. 

Our team is in the field, continuously reviewing health needs to support those affected. 

 

In the coming days, WHO will deliver additional supplies to strengthen access to health services."

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HAITI

". . Haiti, where the humanitarian situation has been deteriorating. Recent torrential rain, flooding and earthquakes have added to a toxic mix of poverty, hunger, violence and disease. 

4.9 million people —almost half the population— are expected to face crisis levels of hunger this year

With armed gangs controlling large areas, insecurity in parts of the country have reached levels comparable to countries at war. 

Hundreds have been killed in the violence, and rape and other forms of sexual violence are rampant. 

Hunger and disease go hand-in-hand. The cholera outbreak, which began in October last year, continues to simmer, with more than 45 thousand cases and 700 deaths reported

Other diseases, such as TB, measles and polio, present an active risk. 

Essential health services such as routine immunization for children have been severely disrupted. In 2021, only 41% of children had been fully immunized against measles , and we expect that number to be even lower now. 

Children are particularly at risk of the deadly combination of hunger and disease. Severely malnourished children are many times more likely to die of diseases like cholera and measles. 

Due to problems of insecurity and violence, patients and health personnel have difficulty accessing hospitals and health services, while health facilities are unable to function normally due to fuel shortages. 

WHO is working to address the immediate needs of the population in areas affected by the resurgence of cholera, as well as protecting the most vulnerable groups impacted by violence, insecurity and rising poverty levels. 

WHO has asked for 37 million U.S. dollars to reach 1.8 million of those in need in 2023." 

Text - Quotes Courtesy, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

Read more at:

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Second United Nations high-level meeting on

the fight to end tuberculosis

Save the Date:  22 September 2023

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Learn more on the following web page:

Make Sure to Visit:  Flagship Initiative to #ENDTB

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WHO:  6 February 2023 Earthquake in Syria and Turkiye 

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 Virtual Press Conference by WHO Director-General

Dr. Tedros on response and needs for

Syrian Arab Republic and Türkiye Earthquakes

12 February 2023

Must See Video:  Click to View

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" The Earthquake in Türkiye and the Syrian Arab Republic, Marburg in Equatorial Guinea, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and the global mpox outbreak all point to the need for all countries to build health systems that can withstand the shock of emergencies and deliver the care people need when they need it most. "

Quote: WHO Director-General's opening remarks

at the media briefing  – 15 February 2023

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GLOBAL

HEALTH

ISSUES

"Good morning, good afternoon and good evening.  

First, as the northern hemisphere winter approaches, we continue to see concerning trends for COVID-19.

Among the relatively few countries that report them, both hospitalizations and ICU admissions have increased in the past 28 days, particularly in the Americas and Europe.

Meanwhile, vaccination levels among the most at-risk groups remain worryingly low.

Two-thirds of the world’s population has received a complete primary series, but only one-third has received an additional, or “booster” dose.

COVID-19 may no longer be the acute crisis it was two years ago, but that does not mean we can ignore it.

Countries invested so much in building their systems to respond to COVID-19.

We urge countries to sustain those systems, to ensure people can be protected, tested and treated for COVID-19 and other infectious threats.

That means sustaining systems for collaborative surveillance, community protection, safe and scalable care, access to countermeasures and coordination.

Now to cholera.

Last week, WHO published new data showing that cases reported in 2022 were more than double those in 2021.

Preliminary data for this year suggest 2023 is likely to be even worse. So far, 28 countries have reported cases this year, compared with 16 during the same period last year.

The countries with the most concerning outbreaks right now are Ethiopia, Haiti, Iraq and Sudan.

Significant progress has been made in countries in Southern Africa, including Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, but these countries remain at risk as the rainy season approaches.

The worst affected countries and communities are poor, without access to safe drinking water or toilets.

They also face shortages of oral cholera vaccine and other supplies, as well as overstretched health workers, who are dealing with multiple disease outbreaks and other health emergencies.

WHO is providing essential supplies, coordinating the on-the-ground response with partners, supporting countries to detect, prevent and treat cholera, and informing people how to protect themselves.

To support this work, we have appealed for 160 million U.S. dollars, and we have released over 16 million dollars from the WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies.

But the real solution to cholera lies in ensuring everyone has access to safe water and sanitation, which is an internationally recognized human right.

Now to Libya, which is no longer in the headlines, but remains in a state of crisis following the devastating floods a few weeks ago.

Officially, more than 4000 people are dead, more than 8500 are missing, and more than 30,000 have been displaced.

Only a third of hospitals and half of primary health centres remain fully functional due to structural damage to health facilities and hospitals, lack of medicine and medical equipment and shortages of health workers.

Affected communities are facing the threat of mosquito- and water-borne diseases, and acute mental distress.

WHO is working closely with Libya’s Ministry of Health to assess the needs on the ground, provide supplies, and restore primary health care services, especially for routine immunization and mental health.

To support this work, we have appealed for 11 million U.S. dollars, and released 2.3 million dollars from the Contingency Fund for Emergencies.

Now to the United Nations General Assembly in New York last week, where world leaders gathered for a record three high-level meetings dedicated to health issues.

At each, they approved political declarations containing strong commitments.

At the first meeting, on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, they committed to conclude negotiations on the pandemic accord and amendments to the International Health Regulations by May next year;

To ensure equitable access to vaccines and other medical countermeasures;

To address mis- and disinformation;

To strengthen the global health workforce;

To invest in strengthening WHO;

And more.

The second High-Level Meeting was on universal health coverage, which all countries have committed to achieving by 2030 in the Sustainable Development Goals.

In the lead-up to the meeting, WHO and the World Bank published new data showing that half the world’s population are not fully covered by essential health services, and that 2 billion people face financial hardship due to out-of-pocket health spending, including 1.3 billion who are impoverished by it.

In the political declaration, countries made more than 50 commitments to progressively expand access to essential health services;

To reverse the trend of catastrophic out-of-pocket health spending;

To strengthen primary health care;

To expand access to essential medicines;

To promote active and healthy lifestyles;

To ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health services;

And much more.

The third High-Level Meeting was on tuberculosis.

TB kills more than 1 million people every year.

In the political declaration, countries committed to reach 90 percent of people with TB prevention and care;

To use the WHO-recommended rapid test as the first method of diagnosis; 

To provide social benefit packages to ALL people with TB so they don't endure financial hardship;

To close funding gaps for TB implementation and research;

And to license at least one new TB vaccine.

Developing a new vaccine is especially important. In that regard, WHO has established a TB Vaccine Accelerator Council, led by health ministers, which held its first meeting during the General Assembly.

We thank Member States for the three political declarations. Now is the time to act. We look forward to supporting all countries to turn these commitments into realities.

Finally, to cervical cancer.

WHO’s commitment to universal health coverage means we are working to address all causes of death for all people in all countries.

But we are particularly focused on the most significant causes of death and disease for the most vulnerable groups.

Every two minutes, a woman dies of cervical cancer, 90% of them in low- and middle-income countries.

Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death among women in Africa.

But it’s the one cancer we can eliminate, thanks to vaccines against human papillomavirus, which is responsible for the vast majority of cases.

Almost three years ago, WHO launched a global initiative to eliminate cervical cancer, by expanding access to vaccination, screening and treatment for women in all countries.

Last year, WHO recommended that one dose of vaccine offers comparable protection to two doses for girls and women under 21 years of age – meaning the global supply of vaccines can be used to protect many more women and girls.

This week, the Expert Group on Cervical Cancer Elimination met to review progress and advise on the future direction for the initiative.

To say more, I’m pleased to welcome the co-chairs, Professor Groesbeck Parham, who is joining us here in Geneva.

Professor Parham, thank you for your leadership on this vital issue. You have the floor.

[PROF PARHAM ADDRESSED THE MEDIA]

Thank you, Professor Parham, for your leadership on this vital issue.

I look forward to working with both of you in the months and years ahead as we work towards our vision of ending cervical cancer. . . "

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See Also:

ACT-Accelerator:  Access to COVID-19 Tools

ACT-Accelerator Strategic Plan & Budget: Oct 2021 to Sep 2022

ACT Accelerator Facilitation Council

African Vaccine Acquisition Trust [AVAT]

BCG Vaccine

COVAX Global Vaccines Facility

COVID-19 IHR Emergency Committee

COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator

COVID-19 Technology Access Pool [C-TAP]

Emergency Medical Teams

Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System

Global Preparedness Monitoring Board

Global Vaccine Market Report [2022]

Immunization Agenda 2030

Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB)

International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11)

International Conference on Public Health in Africa

International Coordinating Group [ICG] on Vaccine Provision

International Health Regulations

Joint Advisory Group on COVID-19 Therapeutics Prioritization

Medicines Patent Pool

PAHO [WHO Regional Office for the Americas]

R&D Blueprint for Epidemics

SAGO [Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens]

SARS-CoV-2

Solidarity Trial Vaccines

Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization

2023 - 2025 Updated: WHO Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan

2021 WHO Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan

Technical Advisory Group for COVID-19 Vaccine Composition

Technical Advisory Group for Virus Evolution

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]

WHO Bio Hub System

WHO Emergency Use Listing

WHO, Germany Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence in Berlin

WHO Global Clinical Data Platform

WHO-PAHO [Pan American Health Organization]

WHO - World Health Assembly [WHA]

WHO Solidarity PLUS Trial

Prescriptions for a healthy, green recovery

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Looking back as the world moves
forward with the . . .
Global COVID-19 Pandemic over
as a global health emergency
as of 5 May 2023!

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Around the World . . .

" COVID-19:  A Global Crisis"

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WHO declares the new coronavirus

outbreak a Public Health Emergency

of International Concern

January 30, 2020

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Courtesy, UN - WHO

Learn more / get latest UPDATES & INFO

on the following web page:

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Opening remarks of the Secretary-General's appeal for global ceasefire - 23 March 2020

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres 5a

. . . This is crucial . . . 

To help create corridors for life-saving aid. To open precious windows for diplomacy.  To bring hope to places among the most vulnerable to COVID-19.  

 

Let us take inspiration from coalitions and dialogue slowly taking shape among rival parties in some parts to enable joint approaches to COVID-19.  But we need much more. 

End the sickness of war and fight the disease that is ravaging our world. 

It starts by stopping the fighting everywhere. Now. 

That is what our human family needs, now more than ever.  

Important Reminder on . . .

Human Rights and COVID-19

Response and Recovery

23 April 2020

Learn more at:

GLOBAL HUMANTARIAN RESPONSE PLAN COVID-1

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On the Frontlines of COVID-19 . . .

Let's All Support Global Health Workers

During this Global Health Emergency!

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2021: Year of Health and Care Workers 

2021 INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF HEALTH AND CA
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2021 INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF HEALTH AND CA

Learn more on the following web page: 

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Detained children at ‘grave risk’ of contracting COVID-19 – UNICEF chief 

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Courtesy, United Nations / UNICEF/Giacomo Pirozzi

Two young [child] prisoners stand behind bars in a jail in Abomey, Benin

Children . . . Must not be forgotten!

Learn more on the following web pages:

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Q  U  E  S  T  I  O  N

Who Started . . .

W H O ?

Courtesy, United Nations - WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, it has six regional offices and 150 field offices worldwide.

The WHO was established on 7 April 1948. The first meeting of the World Health Assembly (WHA), the agency's governing body, took place on 24 July of that year. The WHO incorporated the assets, personnel, and duties of the League of Nations' Health Organization and the Office International d'Hygiène Publique, including the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). Its work began in earnest in 1951 after a significant infusion of financial and technical resources.

The WHO's mandate seeks and includes: working worldwide to promote health, keeping the world safe, and serve the vulnerable. It advocates that a billion more people should have: universal health care coverage, engagement with the monitoring of public health risks, coordinating responses to health emergencies, and promoting health and well-being. It provides technical assistance to countries, sets international health standards, and collects data on global health issues. A publication, the World Health Report, provides assessments of worldwide health topics. The WHO also serves as a forum for discussions of health issues.

The WHO has played a leading role in several public health achievements, most notably the eradication of smallpox, the near-eradication of polio, and the development of an Ebola vaccine. Its current priorities include communicable diseases, particularly HIV/AIDSEbolaCOVID-19malaria and tuberculosisnon-communicable diseases such as heart disease and cancer; healthy diet, nutrition, and food securityoccupational health; and substance abuse. Its World Health Assembly, the agency's decision-making body, elects and advises an executive board made up of 34 health specialists. It selects the director-general, sets goals and priorities, and approves the budget and activities. The current director-general is Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of Ethiopia.

The WHO relies on contributions from member states (both assessed and voluntary) and private donors for funding. Its total approved budget for 2020–2021 is over $7.2 billion, of which the majority comes from voluntary contributions from member states. Since the late 20th century, the rise of new actors engaged in global health such as the World Bank, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and dozens of public-private partnerships for global health have weakened the WHO's role as a coordinator and policy leader in the field.

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Special Announcements

Second United Nations high-level meeting

on the fight to end tuberculosis

Save the Date:  22 September 2023

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Courtesy, WHO

Learn more on the following web page:

Make Sure to Visit:  Flagship Initiative to #ENDTB

The 76th World Health Assembly

Save the Dates:  21 to 30 May 2023

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Learn more on the following web page:

SEE ALSO:

WORLD HEALTH SUMMIT 2022

Dates:  16 - 18 October

Text / Video Courtesy, World Health Summit

The World Health Organization looks forward to co-organizing this year’s World Health Summit (WHS), 16-18 October in Berlin, Germany.

The 2022 World Health Summit aims to  stimulate innovative approaches to health challenges worldwide; reaffirm the position of global health as a key political issue, foster health and well-being of all, and strengthen the international exchange of information.

The WHS 2022 will create synergies and combine forces by engaging all relevant global health leaders and stakeholders from all sectors in all regions of the world.

Learn more on the following web page:

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  Important Announcement

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Dr. Tedros Re-elected to Lead the World Health Organization

The Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday [24 May 2022], re-elected Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to serve a second five-year term as Director-General of the world’s leading public health agency.

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Courtesy, WHO

Learn more on the following web page:  https://www.who.int/about/governance/world-health-assembly

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World Health Assembly Special Session

The WHA normally meets each May. This special session (the second in the history of the WHO) was called for in a decision adopted by the Member States at the Seventy-fourth World Health Assembly: Decision WHA74(16).

Must See Video - November 29, 2021

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71st World Health Assembly Delegates Agree to a

New Five-Year Strategic Plan

23 May 2018 - News Release - Geneva

Courtesy, United Nations - WHO

World Health Assembly delegates today agreed an ambitious new strategic plan for the next five years. The Organization’s 13th General Programme of Work (GPW) is designed to help the world achieve the Sustainable Development Goals – with a particular focus on SDG3: ensuring healthy lives and promoting wellbeing for all at all ages by 2030.

It sets three targets: to ensure that by 2023, 1 billion more people benefit from universal health coverage; 1 billion more people are better protected from health emergencies; and 1 billion more people enjoy better health and wellbeing. WHO estimates that achieving this “triple billion” target could save 29 million lives.

Speaking to the Health Assembly, Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told delegates that the new strategic plan was ambitious because "it must be".

Delegates noted that the Organization will need to make a number of strategic shifts in order to achieve these targets, notably to step up its public health leadership; focus on impact in countries; and ensure that people can access authoritative and strategic information on matters that affect people’s health. 

Above Text Courtesy, WHO

Learn more by clicking on the below web links:

WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

Courtesy, United Nations - WHO

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Reminder

WHO definition of Health

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

 

The correct bibliographic citation for the definition is:

 

Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York, 19-22 June, 1946; signed on 22 July 1946 by the representatives of 61 States (Official Records of the World Health Organization, no. 2, p. 100) and entered into force on 7 April 1948.

 

The Definition has not been amended since 1948.

Above Definition Courtesy, WHO

Learn more about the work of WHO at:

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http://www.who.int/en/

EPACHA Foundation Extends

Sincere Thanks to

UNITED NATIONS

for allowing use of images and print

presented herein.

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If you’ve missed the work of EPACHA in its Phase I duration, please be encouraged to click on the below web links.

Sincerest Thanks are Extended to http://archive.org/web/ for having made possible an archived viewing of

 

EPACHA Foundation’s entire volume of its Phase I web pages:

https://web.archive.org/web/20180321225044/http://www.epacha.org/Pages/Home_Page_BkUp3.aspx

Complete List of EPACHA - Phase I web pages:

https://web.archive.org/web/20180321224129/http://www.epacha.org/Pages/Site_Map_List_of_EPACHAs_Web_Pages.aspx

A P R I L   2 0 1 8   -   U P D A T E D   -   S E P T E M B E R   2 0 2 3

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