Tag: WHO

Watch | WHO shares inside view of Gaza’s largest hospital that is now an ’empty shell’

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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A World Health Organization (WHO) led mission has finally managed to access Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City amidst the ongoing crisis. This comes after multiple failed attempts since March 25, as reported by the United Nations health agency.

Al-Shifa Hospital, once the backbone of the health system in Gaza, now stands as an “empty shell”, with grim remnants of the recent siege, the WHO said.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, taking to X on April 6, expressed profound concern over the devastating state of the hospital. He reported that the team witnessed at least five dead bodies during their assessment.

The scene at Al-Shifa Hospital is one of utter devastation, he noted. He shared a video and some images of the destroyed hospital.

.@WHO and partners managed to reach Al-Shifa — once the backbone of the health system in #Gaza, which is now an empty shell with human graves after the latest siege. The team witnessed at least five dead bodies during the mission.

Most of the buildings in the hospital complex… pic.twitter.com/jSKVfZkR5f

— Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) April 6, 2024

“Most of the buildings in the hospital complex are extensively destroyed and the majority of assets are damaged or reduced to ashes. Even restoring minimal functionality in the short term seems implausible,” his post read.

Ghebreyesus emphasised the urgent need for an in-depth assessment by a team of engineers to determine the safety of the remaining structures for future use.

He said the recent efforts by WHO and its partners to support the revival of basic services at Al-Shifa have now been nullified, leaving the population once again deprived of access to life-saving healthcare services.

It said this dire situation is exacerbated by a looming threat of famine, the spread of disease outbreaks, and the increasing number of trauma injuries.

In light of these challenges, WHO has issued an urgent plea for immediate action. The organisation has called for the protection of remaining health facilities in Gaza, as well as the safeguarding of health and humanitarian workers. Additionally, WHO has urged for the opening of additional land crossings to facilitate access into and across north Gaza, the establishment of a functional deconfliction mechanism, and unimpeded access to humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.

WHO emphasised the necessity of a ceasefire to halt further devastation and loss of life.

Israeli forces had pulled out of Al-Shifa hospital on April 1 after a two-week military operation, during which they claimed to have engaged Palestinian “militants” within the hospital complex. This withdrawal paved the way for the WHO-led mission to finally access the site.

According to WHO reports, out of Gaza’s 36 main hospitals, only 10 remain even partially functional, underscoring the urgent need for immediate intervention to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Delhi world’s most polluted capital city again, says report

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Bihar’s Begusarai emerged as the world’s most polluted metropolitan area while Delhi was identified as the capital city with the poorest air quality, according to a new report.

With an average annual PM2.5 concentration of 54.4 micrograms per cubic metre, India had the third worst air quality out of 134 countries in 2023 after Bangladesh (79.9 micrograms per cubic metre) and Pakistan (73.7 micrograms per cubic metre), according to the World Air Quality Report 2023 by Swiss organisation IQAir.

In 2022, India was ranked as the eighth most polluted country with an average PM2.5 concentration of 53.3 micrograms per cubic metre.

Begusarai stood out as the most polluted metropolitan area globally with an average PM2.5 concentration of 118.9 micrograms per cubic metre. The city did not even figure in the 2022 rankings.

Delhi’s PM2.5 levels worsened from 89.1 micrograms per cubic metre in 2022 to 92.7 micrograms per cubic metre in 2023.

The national capital was ranked the most polluted capital city in the world four times on the trot starting 2018.

It is estimated that 1.36 billion people in India experience PM2.5 concentrations exceeding the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended annual guideline level of 5 micrograms per cubic metre, the report said.

Also, 1.33 billion people, 96% of the Indian population, experience PM2.5 levels more than seven times the WHO annual PM2.5 guideline. This trend is reflected in city-level data, with more than 66% of the country’s cities reporting annual averages greater than 35 micrograms per cubic metre.

IQAir said the data utilised to create this report was aggregated from the global distribution of more than 30,000 regulatory air quality monitoring stations and low-cost air quality sensors operated by research institutions, governmental bodies, universities and educational facilities, non-profit non-governmental organisations, private companies and citizen scientists.

The 2022 World Air Quality Report included data from 7,323 locations in 131 countries, regions and territories. In 2023, those numbers have grown to include 7,812 locations in 134 countries, regions and territories.

Causing an estimated one in every nine deaths worldwide, air pollution is the greatest environmental threat to human health.

According to the WHO, air pollution is responsible for an estimated seven million premature deaths worldwide every year.

Exposure to PM2.5 air pollution leads to and exacerbates numerous health conditions, including but not limited to asthma, cancer, stroke and lung disease.

Exposure to elevated levels of fine particles can impair cognitive development in children, lead to mental health issues, and complicate existing illnesses, including diabetes.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

International Epilepsy Day 2024: Meaning, causes, prevention and more

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Epilepsy is one of the several diseases that impact the human brain. Since the importance and awareness about the disease is crucial, organisations such as the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) and the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) have set a day for it.

According to the World Health Organisation’s official website, International Epilepsy Day has been observed on the second Monday of February every year since 2015. In 2024, the world will observe the International Epilepsy Day on February 12.

The day provides a platform to educate and create awareness among people. Let us know more about epilepsy along with its symptoms, causes, and prevention.

About Epilepsy

As the World Health Organisation (WHO) states on its official site, epilepsy is a non-communicable neurological disease that affects around 50 million people across the world. In epilepsy, the affected individual gets recurrent seizures, sometimes in a brief episode that consists of involuntary movement. It sometimes gets critical when people get unconscious and lose control of bowel and bladder functions.

Causes and symptoms

Epilepsy is a non-communicable disease. Different factors lead to or cause epilepsy. These categories include structural, genetic, infectious, metabolic, immune, and unknown.

Some of the most common causes are brain damage from prenatal or perinatal reasons; congenital abnormalities or genetic conditions with associated brain malformations; a severe head injury; a stroke; certain genetic syndromes; and a brain tumour.

However, the symptoms of epilepsy can have the characteristics of seizures depending on the region in the brain where the disturbance first starts, and how far it spreads. There are temporary symptoms such as loss of awareness or consciousness, and disturbances of movement, sensation (including vision, hearing, and taste), mood, or other cognitive functions.

Prevention

According to the World Health Organisation, as much as 25% of epilepsy cases are potentially preventable. It involves certain criteria, such as preventing head injury, taking adequate perinatal care, and avoiding the use of drugs or other methods that create hallucinations.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

World Cancer Day 2024: Meaning, types, causes, prevention and everything you need to know

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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World Cancer Day is observed on February 4 to educate the masses regarding the intensity of the disease. The day aims to create awareness, including the prevention of cancer. Cancer is a large group of diseases that can impact different organs or tissues altogether. In other words, cancer is a disease wherein it affects the body by growing cells abnormally which then divides uncontrollably.

Let us take a brief look into the types, causes, symptoms, and prevention of this life-threatening disease.

Types of cancer

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are over 120 types of cancer and related hereditary syndromes. Based on its formation and diagnosis, the treatment of the same is undertaken by the doctors. Here are some of the most crucial and common cancers across the world:

Bladder cancer is caused by smoking, genetic mutations, and even exposure to certain chemicals.
Breast cancer has become one of the most common kinds of cancers found across the globe. It is caused due to several lifestyle practices as well.
Liver cancer is yet another common one that can be prevented through vaccines against hepatitis B and avoiding drinking much.
Lung cancer is also a kind of disease that occurs mainly due to smoking, polluted environment, and other environmental causes.
Skin cancer has recently become very common because of the exposure to the ultraviolet or UV rays.

Symptoms and causes of cancer

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), cancer is caused by the transformation of normal cells into tumour cells in a multi-stage process. It generally progresses from a pre-cancerous lesion to a malignant tumour. These changes are caused by an interaction between a person’s genetic factors and three major categories of external agents. They are:

The physical carcinogens, such as ultraviolet and ionizing radiation;
The chemical carcinogens including asbestos, components of tobacco smoke, alcohol, aflatoxin, and arsenic;
The biological carcinogens, such as infections from certain viruses, bacteria, or parasites.

Prevention of cancer

All types of cancer are not possible to prevent as most of them are caused by one or the other reasons. However, one can consider avoiding the habit that can hamper the human body from the core. According to WHO, there are certain practices that one can follow in the prevention of cancer. They are:

Avoid the intake of tobacco and reduce the consumption of alcohol.
By maintaining a healthy body weight and following a suitable diet including fruit and vegetables.
By including physical activities such as walking, running, and exercise in daily lifestyle.
By avoiding exposure to ultraviolet radiation and using sun protection measures.
By considering getting routine check-ups.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Poonam Pandey dies of cervical cancer: Know causes, symptoms of the deadly disease

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Model and actress Poonam Pandey died due to cervical cancer at the age of 32, her manager informed on Friday. Pandey passed away on Thursday night at her family home in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, her team told News18.

“This morning is a tough one for us. Deeply saddened to inform you that we have lost our beloved Poonam to cervical cancer. Every living form that ever came in contact with her was met with pure love and kindness. In this time of grief, we would request privacy while we remember her fondly for all that we shared,” read a statement shared by Pandey’s team on her official Instagram handle.

Cervical cancer, the fourth most common cancer among women worldwide, develops in the cervix. In 2018, around 5,70,000 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer across the world, while an estimated 3,11,000 died from the disease, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Among cervical cancer patients, maximum cases (99%) are linked to infection with high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPV), which is transmitted through sexual contact and is an extremely common virus.

As per WHO, cervical cancer is among the most curable types of cancer, as long as it is identified early and treated appropriately. Palliative care combined with the right treatment can help control cancers that have been detected in their later stages.

Meanwhile, presenting the Interim Budget on Thursday, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the Centre aims to encourage vaccination for girls between the age groups of 9 to 14 years for the prevention of cervical cancer.

Cervical cancer: Causes

Human papillomavirus or HPV is the main cause of most of the cervical cancer cases around the world. It can affect the skin, genital area and throat. Most of the sexually active people will be infected at some point in their lives, usually without symptoms, WHO states.

While, in maximum cases the immune system clears HPV from the body, persistent infection with high-risk HPV can cause abnormal cells to develop, which later transform into cancer. Usually it takes 15–20 years for the abnormal cells to become cancerous. However, in women with weakened immune systems, this process can be faster and take 5–10 years.

Among those at a high risk of developing cervical cancer are young mothers, hormonal contraceptive users and smokers, among others.

Cervical cancer: Symptoms

As per the WHO, the common symptoms for cervical cancer are:

1. Unusual bleeding between periods, after menopause, or after sexual intercourse.

2. Increased or foul-smelling vaginal discharge.

3. Persistent pain in the back, legs, or pelvis.

4. Weight loss, fatigue and loss of appetite.

5. Vaginal discomfort.

6. Swelling in the legs.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Tobacco consumption drops globally, despite industry lobbying: WHO

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Global tobacco use has tumbled in a generation with one in five people smoking versus one in three in 2000, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday.

The drop comes despite what the UN global health agency said were ongoing efforts by Big Tobacco to seek to influence global health policies to its own advantage.

“Good progress has been made in tobacco control in recent years, but there is no time for complacency,” said Dr Ruediger Krech, Director of WHO Department of Health Promotion. “I’m astounded at the depths the tobacco industry will go to pursue profits at the expense of countless lives.”

Also Read: Pharma Q3FY24 outlook: What the Street anticipates

The global report said 1.25 billion people aged 15 or over used tobacco in 2022 versus 1.36 billion in 2000. Tobacco use is set to fall further by 2030 to around 1.2 billion people even as the world’s population grows, the study said.

One example of tobacco companies’ efforts to win influence cited by the WHO was their offers of technical and financial support to countries ahead of a major WHO meeting on tobacco control in Panama in February.

The regions with the biggest portion of smokers are Southeast Asia and Europe, the WHO said, with roughly a quarter of the population. In a handful of countries, tobacco use is still rising, including in Egypt, Jordan and Indonesia, according to the study.

The report published every two years gave some preliminary data on the prevalence of vaping on which the WHO is urging governments to apply tobacco-style control measures.

It said there were at least 362 million adult users of smokeless tobacco products globally but admitted this might be an underestimate due to missing data.

Also Read: WEF 2024: India is the volume leader of vaccines, making progress on innovation, says Bill Gates

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

As COVID-19 cases rise, WHO asks countries to strengthen surveillance

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged countries in South-East Asia to strengthen surveillance in view of the increasing cases of respiratory diseases, including due to COVID-19 and its new sub-variant JN.1, and influenza.

The WHO also urged people to take protective measures.

“The COVID-19 virus continues to evolve, change, and circulate in all countries globally. While current evidence suggests the additional public health risk posed by JN.1 is low, we must continue to track the evolution of these viruses to tailor our response.

“For this, countries must strengthen surveillance and sequencing, and ensure sharing of data,” said Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, regional director, WHO South-East Asia.

WHO has classified JN.1 as a variant of interest following its rapid global spread. In recent weeks, JN.1 was reported in multiple countries, and its prevalence has been rapidly increasing globally.

Considering the limited available evidence, the additional public health risk posed by JN.1 is currently evaluated as low at the global level, Singh said.

It is anticipated that this variant may cause an increase in COVID-19 cases amid surge of infections of other viral and bacterial infections, especially in countries entering the winter season.

“As people travel and gather for festivities during the holiday season, spending a lot of time together indoors where poor ventilation facilitates transmission of viruses that cause respiratory diseases, they must take protective measures and seek timely clinical care when unwell,” said Dr Khetrapal Singh.

The regional director also emphasised on the importance of vaccination against COVID-19 and influenza, especially for people at high risk.

“All WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccines continue to protect against severe diseases and deaths from all variants including JN.1,” she said.

In May, following sustained decline in the trajectory of COVID-19 cases, hospitalisations and deaths, and high levels of population immunity to SARS-CoV2, WHO declared that COVID-19 no longer constituted a public health emergency of international concern.

While considerable progress has been made in establishing and strengthening a global system to detect and rapidly assess risks posed by SARS-CoV2, testing and reporting of COVID-19 cases has decreased.

With COVID-19 continuing to circulate at high levels globally, countries must strengthen surveillance, sequencing, and reporting to effectively manage respiratory diseases and to protect people’s health, the regional director said.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Drug regulator plans ‘Responsible Person’ in pharma firms

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The Indian drug regulator plans to order all pharma companies to name an in-house ‘responsible person’ (RP) accountable for day-to-day affairs and to serve as a single point of contact for both state and central licensing authorities.

The Drug Controller General of India’s (DCGI) move has been prompted by difficulties in obtaining information from companies with many shifting the blame to avoid scrutiny and hence it becomes difficult to prosecute the companies in court.

The DCGI move is in line with multiple measures taken by the government to crack down on poor compliance after several incidents of substandard cough syrups being linked to the deaths of children in Gambia and Uzbekistan rocked the pharma industry.

The RP will be the point person who will help with information on products licensed to the company, manufactured by it, and data routinely sought by the authorities.

Meanwhile, a Reuters report stated that India is close to finishing a probe into a ‘comprehensive and exhaustive’ complaint that a state drug regulator, in return for a bribe, helped switch samples of cough syrups linked to deaths of children in Gambia before the samples were tested in India.

The WHO linked syrups made by India’s Maiden Pharma to the deaths of 70 children in Africa last year. The Indian government said tests in an Indian lab showed the syrups were not toxic. Maiden Pharma has said they have not done anything wrong.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

Covid sub-variant JN.1 detected in 21 cases across three states: NITI Aayog Member V K Paul

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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As many as 21 cases of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 have been detected across the country till now, NITI Aayog member (Health) Dr V K Paul said on Wednesday but asserted that there was no need to panic.

He said that the scientific community in India was closely investigating the new variant as he emphasised on the need for states to ramp up testing and strengthen their surveillance systems. Paul highlighted that about 91 to 92% of those infected are opting for home-based treatment.

According to official sources, 19 cases of COVID-19 sub-variant JN.1 have been traced in Goa and one each in Kerala and Maharashtra. Over the past two weeks, 16 deaths related to COVID-19 were recorded with the victims having serious comorbidities.

The Centre has asked states and union territories to maintain a constant vigil amid an uptick in COVID-19 cases and the detection of the new JN.1 variant in the country.

Also Read: WHO classifies JN.1 coronavirus strain as ‘variant of interest’

Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya Wednesday reviewed the preparedness of health facilities across the country and stressed being alert against emerging strains of coronavirus.

Union Health Secretary Sudhansh Pant said that even though cases are increasing, 92.8% of the cases are in home isolation, indicating mild illness. “No increase in hospitalisation rates has been witnessed due to COVID-19. The cases that have been hospitalized were due to other medical conditions and Covid was an incidental finding,” he said.

A rise in the daily positivity rate has been observed in a few states like Kerala, Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and Karnataka. About the new JN.1 variant, Pant said the variant was currently under intense scientific scrutiny but not a cause of immediate concern.

Officials said that no clustering of cases due to the JN.1 variant has been observed in India. All the cases were found to be mild and the patients recovered without any complications, they said.

India recorded 614 new coronavirus infections in a day, the highest since May 21, while the active cases have increased to 2,311, according to the Union Health Ministry data updated on Wednesday.

Also Read: Singapore sees COVID-19 surge, most cases due to JN.1 variant

The World Health Organisation has classified JN.1 as a separate “variant of interest” given its rapidly increasing spread but said that it poses a “low” global public health risk.

The JN.1 variant was previously classified as a variant of interest (VOI) as part of the BA.2.86 sublineages, the parent lineage that is classified as a VOI, the world body said on Tuesday. However, in recent weeks, JN.1 cases continued to be reported in multiple countries and its prevalence has rapidly increased globally.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

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Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow

WHO classifies JN.1 coronavirus strain as ‘variant of interest’

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday classified the JN.1 coronavirus strain as a “variant of interest”, but said it did not pose much threat to public health.

“Based on the available evidence, the additional global public health risk posed by JN.1 is currently evaluated as low,” WHO said.

JN.1 was previously classified as a variant of interest as a part of its parent lineage BA.2.86.

The United Nations agency said current vaccines continue to protect against severe disease and death from JN.1 and other circulating variants of the COVID-19 virus.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) earlier this month said that the subvariant JN.1 makes up about an estimated 15% to 29% of cases in the United States as of Dec. 8, according to the agency’s latest projections.

It added that currently there is no evidence that JN.1 presents an increased risk to public health relative to other currently circulating variants and an updated shot could keep Americans protected against the variant.

JN.1 was first detected in the US in September, according to the CDC.

Last week, China detected seven infections of the COVID subvariant.

Elon Musk forms several ‘X Holdings’ companies to fund potential Twitter buyout

3 Mins Read

Thursday’s filing dispelled some doubts, though Musk still has work to do. He and his advisers will spend the coming days vetting potential investors for the equity portion of his offer, according to people familiar with the matter

KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow