Latest news with #TedrosAdhanomGhebreyesus
Gulf Today
28 minutes ago
- Health
- Gulf Today
‘Drones hit paramilitary locations in west Sudan'
Three drone strikes have hit key paramilitary positions in western Sudan, witnesses said on Sunday, as fighting between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) escalates in the war-torn region. The strikes in Nyala, the South Darfur state capital, targeted a hotel and a medical unit in the city centre and RSF-held positions on the eastern outskirts, residents said. 'We saw ambulances transporting the wounded to several hospitals,' one resident told reporters in a message. RSF bombarded the key southern city of El Obeid on Friday, killing six people in a hospital, as doctors in the capital Khartoum fought to contain a cholera outbreak. World Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said they were 'appalled' by the latest strike, adding: 'Attacks on health must stop. We call for protection of all health infrastructure and health personnel. The best medicine is peace.' An army source told reporters the drone strike on the Social Insurance Hospital, which also wounded 12, was part of a simultaneous strike on residential areas of the city with heavy artillery. The bombardment had also hit a second hospital in the city centre, the source added. A medical source at El Obeid Hospital, the city's main facility, confirmed the toll. El Obeid, a strategic city 400 kilometres southwest of Khartoum, was besieged by the RSF for nearly two years before the regular army broke the siege in February. It was one of a series of counteroffensives that later saw the army recapture Khartoum. The RSF has controlled much of Nyala since the conflict began in April 2023 between army chief Abdel Fattah Al Burhan and his former deputy, RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo. Air strikes on RSF positions have intensified, hitting Nyala airport - a key RSF base - and other targets. In early May, army planes bombed RSF sites in Nyala and the West Darfur capital, El Geneina, destroying depots and equipment, a military source said. Agencies
Forbes
14 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
U.S. Departure From WHO Leaves Void Which China Is Partly Filling
World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus looks on during a press conference ... More on the World Health Organization's 75th anniversary in Geneva, on April 6, 2023. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP) (Photo by FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images) At the May annual meeting of the World Health Organization's members in Geneva, Switzerland, officials and delegates spoke of the potential disruption that could be caused by the organization's budget crisis. They expressed concerned about possible program cuts that could lead to substantial increases in burden of disease and deaths globally. The biggest source of the financial difficulties is the United States, as under President Trump the country is pulling its long-standing funding from the WHO and other global health initiatives, including ones like the U.S. Agency for International Development which was established 64 years ago. In Jan., Trump signed an executive order that begins the process of withdrawing the U.S. from the WHO. Terminating U.S. membership severely challenges the WHO's ability to carry out its global public health mission. This is because of the important role the U.S. has played in funding the organization. Throughout the 77-year history of the WHO, the U.S. has been by far its most important sponsor. The U.S. contributed $1.2 billion to the WHO in 2023. For the two-year budget ending in 2025, the U.S. donated $958 million, or nearly 15%, of the WHO's budget. Under U.S. law, the country must give the WHO one year's notice and must meet its financial obligations to the organization for 2025. And so, the U.S. is set to formally exit the WHO in 2026. This has led to the WHO cutting its 2026–2027 budget by 20% to $4.2 billion. In turn, this opens the door for China to become the world's largest funder of WHO. China announced it would give $500 million, in part to fill the void the U.S. has left. Its previous contribution was just $39 million. The WHO is also raising mandatory member contributions by 20%. At the same time, others are attempting to close the funding gap. WHO said it has secured over $170 million in new commitments from multiple countries and organizations. Drug maker Novo Nordisk, for example, is pledging almost $58 million through its philanthropy foundation. The WHO is a subsidiary organ of the United Nations. As a specialized U.N. agency, the WHO is responsible for international public health. Here, its role is to coordinate with all 194 member states in a wide range of public health activities, such as managing disease outbreaks and surveillance, vaccination campaigns, water sanitation projects and support for countries dealing with health emergencies. International cooperation has proven vital for managing pandemics and other global health threats. From its inception in 1948, the WHO has spearheaded numerous programs that have saved tens of millions of lives. One of the first major projects the WHO was involved in was a global immunization campaign that eventually led to the eradication of smallpox in 1980. And since 1977, the WHO Essential Medicines List—which is revised and updated every two years—has been a vital guide for many nations in their medication procurement policies. Essential medicines are intended to be available in all healthcare systems, at all times, in adequate amounts, and in the appropriate dosage forms. Currently, no other organization has the capacity to coordinate international rapid response efforts, to share medical research and innovation and to disseminate critical intelligence. This includes among other activities, the entity's instrumental work on multiple Ebola crises in Africa and worldwide measles outbreaks, as well as seasonal influenza strain sequencing used to develop annual flu shots. The WHO is also indispensable in efforts to eradicate HIV, malaria, tuberculosis and dozens of neglected tropical diseases, such as leishmaniasis, Dengue fever and river blindness. NTDs refer to a diverse group of parasitic and bacterial diseases that cause significant morbidity and mortality in more than one billion people around the globe, which disproportionately affect poor and marginalized populations. The WHO's roadmap for NTDs, drawn up in London in 2012, contains goals on public-private partnership commitments with respect to the distribution of existing treatments, drug donation programs and R&D funding of new pharmaceutical development. There has been significant progress in the implementation of large-scale prevention of disease and treatment of patients suffering from NTDs. This improvement could be reversed in the face of budget cuts. The U.S. became a WHO member through a 1948 joint resolution passed by both houses of Congress. According to Lawrence Gostin, expert in public health law, Trump's action notifying the U.N. that the U.S. is withdrawing violates American law because it does not have explicit approval of Congress to leave WHO. Nonetheless, there doesn't appear to be anything stopping the Trump administration from moving ahead with its plan. Perhaps the administration is motivated by the fact that many Republicans in Congress maintain their opposition to the WHO, saying it hasn't adopted needed reforms. Lawmakers point to the organization's alleged inability to demonstrate independence from the political influence of certain WHO member states, ironically including China, which will now wield more power. Legislators also objected to the U.S. signing on to the world's first pandemic treaty, a proposed legally binding agreement designed to prevent, prepare for and respond to future global pandemics. As the U.S. retreats from international health entities like the WHO, it appears that China is stepping in. China looks to supplant the U.S. leadership role with respect to influencing global health policy.
Qatar Tribune
a day ago
- Health
- Qatar Tribune
World Health Organization wants flavoured tobacco products banned
In light of the number of young tobacco users, the World Health Organization (WHO) on Saturday urgently called on governments to ban flavoured tobacco and nicotine products. The organization specifically mentioned flavours such as menthol, bubble gum and cotton candy. Such flavours turn toxic products into youth-friendly bait, the WHO wrote in a statement for World No Tobacco Day, which is on Saturday. The products are also linked to severe lung diseases, the organization added. Flavours, stylish packaging for e-cigarettes, and advertising on social media are specifically aimed at young users, the WHO said. In 2022, 12.5% of minors in the WHO European Region, which includes 53 countries, used e-cigarettes, compared to 2% of adults. Flavours are designed to spark curiosity among children and adolescents, encouraging them to experiment, which can lead to addiction. A ban could protect young people, the international health agency said. 'Flavours are fuelling a new wave of addiction, and should be banned,' said WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus in a statement. 'They undermine decades of progress in tobacco control. Without bold action, the global tobacco epidemic, already killing around 8 million people each year, will continue to be driven by addiction dressed up with appealing flavours,' he added. Some existing bans The WHO highlighted some promising developments: flavoured tobacco products are banned in more than 50 countries, and over 40 countries have prohibited electronic cigarettes. He cited Belgium, Denmark, and Lithuania as countries that are taking action. The organization stressed that all tobacco products, including those where the tobacco is only heated, expose users to toxic and carcinogenic chemicals and should be strictly regulated. (DPA)
NDTV
2 days ago
- Health
- NDTV
World No Tobacco Day 2025: Date, History, Theme And All You Need To Know
World No Tobacco Day 2025: To draw global attention to the tobacco epidemic and the preventable deaths and diseases it causes, World No Tobacco Day is observed every year on May 31. Tobacco products expose users to cancer-causing chemicals and despite being extremely harmful, the product is consumed worldwide. As per official data, tobacco kills more than 8 million people each year, including an estimated 1.3 million non-smokers who are exposed to second-hand smoke. History of World No Tobacco Day World No Tobacco Day was first incorporated in 1987 by the member states of the World Health Organization (WHO). The World Health Assembly passed Resolution WHA40.38, calling for April 7, 1988 to be a "a world no-smoking day." In 1988, Resolution WHA42.19 was passed, calling for the celebration of World No Tobacco Day, every year on May 31. Theme of World No Tobacco Day This year's theme for World No Tobacco Day is: "Unmasking the Appeal: Exposing Industry Tactics on Tobacco and Nicotine Products,' which aims to focus on exposing the tactics that the tobacco and nicotine enterprises employ to make their harmful products seem attractive. WHO has focused its attention on flavoured tobacco products that companies have been selling to children. As per the UN agency, flavours are often cited as the number one reason for initiation of nicotine and tobacco product use. 'Flavours are fuelling a new wave of addiction, and should be banned,' said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO. 'They undermine decades of progress in tobacco control. Without bold action, the global tobacco epidemic, already killing around 8 million people each year, will continue to be driven by addiction dressed up with appealing flavours.' Significance of World No Tobacco Day With tobacco responsible for millions of deaths every year and causing health issues to a significantly larger population, the day is a stark reminder that there is a long battle against the harmful product. Raising awareness helps individuals understand the consequences of using tobacco products and empowers them to make informed decisions. The day also highlights the work done by health organisations and helps them push for stricter and stronger tobacco control policies. To those addicted to tobacco, the day is a reminder that the best time to quit the product is today,
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
RSF drone strike kills 6 in Sudan hospital as cholera rages
The United Nations says the conflict in Sudan has created the world's biggest hunger and displacement crises. (EPA Images pic) KHARTOUM : Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) bombarded the key southern city of El-Obeid yesterday, killing six people in a hospital, as doctors in the capital Khartoum fought to contain a cholera outbreak. World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said they were 'appalled' by the latest strike, adding: 'Attacks on health must stop. We call for protection of all health infrastructure and health personnel. The best medicine is peace.' An army source told AFP the drone strike on the Social Insurance Hospital, which also wounded 12, was part of a simultaneous strike on residential areas of the city with heavy artillery. The bombardment had also hit a second hospital in the city centre, the source added. A medical source at El-Obeid Hospital, the city's main facility, confirmed the toll. El-Obeid, a strategic city 400km southwest of Khartoum, was besieged by the RSF for nearly two years before the regular army broke the siege in February. It was one of a series of counter-offensives that later saw the army recapture Khartoum. The city, which the RSF has repeatedly bombarded, is a key staging post on the army's supply route to the west, where the besieged city of El-Fasher is the only state capital in the vast Darfur region still under its control. The RSF and the army have clashed repeatedly along the road between El-Obeid and El-Fasher in recent weeks. On Thursday, the paramilitaries said they retook the town of Al-Khoei, around 100km west of El-Obeid, after the army recaptured it earlier this month. The war between army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and his former deputy, RSF commander Mohamed Hamdan Daglo, has killed tens of thousands of people and uprooted 13 million since it erupted in April 2023. The United Nations says the conflict has created the world's biggest hunger and displacement crises. In Khartoum, where a cholera outbreak has killed dozens this week, doctors struggled to treat patients with dwindling supplies as the disease rapidly spread. 'We are using all available means to limit its spread and treat infected patients,' Dr Hamad Adel, with Doctors Without Borders (MSF), told AFP from Bashair Hospital. Patients lay on rusted metal beds, receiving IV drips in a makeshift isolation centre fashioned out of a tent in the sweltering 40°C heat, AFPTV footage showed. In a dedicated section, children lay side by side, emaciated and exhausted in the midst of what aid groups warn is a public health disaster. Cholera, an acute diarrhoeal illness caused by ingesting contaminated water or food, is easily preventable and treatable with clean water, sanitation and medical care – all now in short supply in Khartoum. In other overwhelmed hospitals across the war-ravaged capital, medics have been forced to lay patients on floors in hallways and courtyards. The outbreak has been blamed on power outages caused by RSF drone attacks on the capital's power stations, which cut access to clean water for millions across the city this month. Cholera is endemic to Sudan, but outbreaks have become worse and more frequent since the war has decimated the country's already fragile health system. Up to 90% of hospitals in the conflict's main battlegrounds have at some point been forced shut, according to the doctors' union. The war has effectively split Sudan in two, with the army holding the centre, east and north, while the paramilitaries and their allies control nearly all of Darfur and parts of the south. The RSF has failed to seize El-Fasher, which would consolidate its hold on Darfur, but has continued to pound the city, with starving civilians trapped inside. The UN World Food Programme said Thursday its facility had been 'hit and damaged by RSF repeated shelling'. The US – which has sanctioned both Burhan and Daglo – has condemned the bombing. 'Safe, sustained humanitarian access is critical and violations that endanger civilians and relief efforts demand serious attention,' said senior Africa adviser Massad Boulos. Since losing Khartoum in March, the RSF has adopted a two-pronged strategy: long-range drone strikes on army-held cities accompanied by a counter-offensive in the south. On Thursday, the paramilitaries announced they had captured Dibeibat in South Kordofan state. Swathes of South Kordofan are controlled by a rebel group allied with the RSF.
