Over the past week, North Kordofan state recorded more than a dozen attacks in and around the towns of El Obeid, Bara, Rahad and Um Rawaba. In South Kordofan, suspected drone strikes hit health facilities in the state capital, Kadugli, and in Kuweik town, reportedly killing four medical workers, injuring more than 20 people. Concerns over the conflict continue to deepen after a report today […]
This is occurring as the risk from pandemics, drug-resistant infections and fragile health services are on the rise, said the WHO Director-General. Addressing the WHO Executive Board in Geneva, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed the impact of workforce reductions last year due to “significant cuts to our funding,” which have had significant consequences. “Sudden and severe […]
The UN agency’s new global guidance on evidence-based policies and interventions shows that healthy food in schools can help children develop healthy dietary habits for life. “The food children eat at school, and the environments that shape what they eat, can have a profound impact on their learning, and lifelong consequences for their health and well-being,” […]
As climate negotiations continue in the Amazonian city of Belém, Brazil, governments, UN agencies and partners have adopted the Belém Health Action Plan, placing an emphasis on addressing healthcare inequalities. For updates on all the action and UN News coverage so far, head to our dedicated page here. A planet heading to ‘intensive care’ The adoption […]
The special report on health and climate change, published by the UN World Health Organization (WHO) and the Brazilian Government, warns that one in 12 hospitals could face climate-related shutdowns. It calls for urgent action to protect health systems in a rapidly warming world. This follows Thursday’s launch of the Belém Health Action Plan, a […]
Speaking from the capital Kyiv which was rocked by some of the deadliest attacks of the war last week – and following a visit to the frontline region of Sumy – UN Women’s Representative in Ukraine Sabine Freizer Gunes described to UN News’s Nathalie Minard both the emotional exhaustion and the resilience she had witnessed. The […]
Disorders such as anxiety and depression are exacting a heavy toll on individuals, families and economies, yet most countries are failing to provide adequate support. Mental health problems are widespread across every society and age group and remain the second leading cause of long-term disability. They drive up healthcare costs for families and governments while […]
Attacks against health facilities doubled between 2023 and 2024, and more than 900 health workers were killed last year, the agency reported. Humanitarian aid workers were also killed in record numbers in 2024. Yet, 2025 is outpacing even these dark statistics at a time when funding for humanitarian work is shrinking and support services established […]
Rubella – which is commonly known as German measles – is a highly contagious viral infection, and particularly serious for pregnant women as it can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth or a range of debilitating birth defects. Safe and cost-effective vaccines have made it highly preventable. “Nepal’s success reflects the unwavering commitment of its leadership, persistent […]
Fewer than half of Gaza’s hospitals and under 38 per cent of primary healthcare centres are partially functioning – or are doing so at minimal levels – said Dr. Rik Peeperkorn, World Health Organization (WHO) Representative for the West Bank and Gaza. Bed occupancy in major facilities is exceeding limits by large margins – Shifa […]
Sunamganj is a district in the wetland ecosystem in northeast Bangladesh, which is particularly vulnerable to climate change. Floods arrive quickly and suddenly and can last for weeks. They disrupt life, displace families and cut off access to services. For the over 670,000 women of reproductive age living in the area, increasingly extreme weather events […]
As conflict between rival militaries rages on, millions of people keep on being displaced. While the UN and its partners continue to provide assistance to newly displaced families in North Darfur, “nearly 60 per cent of displaced families still lack adequate shelter support,” said Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General, Farhan Haq, at a daily press […]
The 2025 High-Level Political Forum, or HLPF, follows two recent successful UN conferences focused on vital development issues: one in June in Nice, France, dedicated to ocean protection, and another held in Sevilla, Spain, centred on boosting financing for sustainable initiatives. The Sevilla meeting ended with a strong call to action: to urgently address the […]
Across the Gaza Strip, as people desperately search for food, mass casualty incidents are reported almost daily, UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric, told reporters at his regular briefing in New York. Hospitals, already under immense strain, are struggling to cope and lack of essential supplies – including fuel and medicines – is placing even greater pressure […]
The warning, issued jointly by UN agencies and the regional socio-economic bloc SAARC on Wednesday, underscores South Asia’s status as the “global epicentre” of anaemia among adolescent girls and women. An estimated 259 million already suffer from the condition, which impairs the body’s ability to carry oxygen, contributing to chronic fatigue, poor maternal outcomes, and […]
Loneliness is linked to approximately 100 deaths every hour – more than 871,000 deaths annually. By contrast, strong social connections are associated with better health and longer life, the UN health agency said on Monday. WHO defines social connection as the ways in which people relate to and interact with one another. Loneliness is the […]
“Definitely, people get shot,” said Gaza-based medic Dr. Luca Pigozzi, WHO Emergency Medical Team Coordinator. “They are victim of blast injuries as well and bodily injuries.” The WHO official’s comments follow reports of another mass casualty incident on Thursday, this time involving a strike on a market in the central city of Deir al Balah. More […]
This powerful message of International Yoga Day, observed annually on 21 June, reverberated through UN Headquarters in New York on Friday as hundreds gathered to embrace the ancient, holistic practice. A familiar tradition now each year, the North Lawn once again transformed into an open-air yoga studio overlooking the East River. Following a stretch of […]
Speaking at the regular Friday press briefing in Geneva for humanitarian agencies, she warned that as wealthier nations make deep spending cuts, both international aid and national health systems are facing serious disruption. Dr. Chalkidou highlighted recent decisions by the United States, several European governments, and EU bodies to freeze or scale down health aid. WHO […]
Europe is warming faster than any other WHO region, and the impact on people’s health is growing more severe. From rising death rates to increasing climate-related anxiety, nearly every health indicator linked to climate has worsened in recent years. In response, WHO/Europe on Wednesday launched a new initiative – the Pan-European Commission on Climate and Health (PECCH) […]
