Breastfeeding is a cornerstone of healthy infant nutrition, development and survival. It is critical for countries* to improve breastfeeding rates in order to achieve global targets for newborn and child health and survival, as well as economic growth and environmental sustainability
Las enfermedades no transmisibles (ENT) (por ejemplo, las enfermedades cardiovasculares, el cáncer, la diabetes y las enfermedades respiratorias crónicas) y los problemas de salud mental (por ejemplo, la enfermedad de Alzheimer y las demencias relacionadas, la depresión, la ansiedad y los trastor...nos del espectro autista) son la principal causa mundial de enfermedades prevenibles, discapacidad y muerte. En este informe se examinan los riesgos que plantean las actuales tasas crecientes de ENT y problemas de salud mental en América del Sur, más allá de los riesgos para la salud, y se ponen de manifiesto sus considerables efectos negativos en el crecimiento económico. Se concibió un modelo analítico que proyecta los efectos macroeconómicos de las ENT y los problemas de salud mental durante el período 2020-2050 en 10 países de América del Sur: Argentina, Bolivia (Estado Plurinacional de), Brasil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Perú, Uruguay y Venezuela (República Bolivariana de). Los resultados revelan que el impacto macroeconómico de las ENT y los problemas de salud mental en América del Sur se traduce en déficits económicos importantes. En términos generales, la pérdida total de PIB en América del Sur asciende a US$ 7,3 billones (US$ internacionales del 2022) en el período 2020-2050, lo que equivale al 4% del PIB total de la región. Es decir, si se eliminaran estas enfermedades y problemas, el PIB anual sería cerca de un 4% mayor cada año durante 30 años
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In November 2022, WHO launched a strategy to address antimalarial drug resistance in Africa, emphasizing the need for stronger surveillance. While regional monitoring networks have been active in other regions, most in Africa have not convened since 2017–2018. To renew collaboration, WHO organized... a meeting bringing together countries from the African and Eastern Mediterranean regions. Participants shared recent data on antimalarial efficacy and resistance. While artemisinin-based combination therapies remain highly effective, some sites in Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania reported lower-than-expected efficacy of artemether–lumefantrine. Delayed parasite clearance linked to Plasmodium falciparum Kelch-13 mutations was noted in Eritrea, Rwanda, Uganda and the United Republic of Tanzania. Discussions highlighted challenges in therapeutic efficacy studies, molecular marker surveillance and the need for improved genotyping to distinguish relapses from new infections.
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The WHO Mekong Malaria Elimination programme hosted a two-day workshop in Nha Trang City, Viet Nam, from 31 October to 1 November 2024, gathering representatives from the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries of Cambodia, China, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Thailand and Viet Nam, as we...ll as technical experts. The workshop focused on reviewing malaria surveillance, progress towards elimination and prevention of re-establishment of malaria transmission.
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In June 2021, a virtual workshop on ECAMM and NCAMM for malaria microscopists was held, with participants from ten South-East Asian countries in attendance. The workshop covered topics such as microscopy training and quality assurance, as well as the challenges posed by the pandemic, including asses...sment disruptions and limited national reference laboratory capacity. Key recommendations emphasised the importance of improving diagnostic quality, building national and peripheral microscopy capacity, providing regular refresher training and using digital tools to support malaria elimination efforts.
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The poster is a public health communication tool designed to prevent the transmission of diseases such as chikungunya, dengue and Zika. The poster emphasises that Aedes mosquitoes bite aggressively during the day and sometimes at night, and recommends the key prevention strategies.
Accessed on 27.../08/2025.
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The 'Mosquito Bite Prevention Poster – Kids' is an educational public health resource designed to teach children how to protect themselves from mosquito bites. Using clear, simple instructions and visual cues, the poster engages young audiences by emphasising practical prevention strategies, such ...as correctly applying insect repellent, wearing protective clothing and avoiding standing water where mosquitoes breed. This tool serves as a preventive guide for children and caregivers alike, encouraging health-conscious behaviours within the community.
Accessed on 27/08/2025.
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Early Adolescent Skills for Emotions (EASE) is an evidence-based group psychological intervention to help 10–15-year-olds affected by internalizing problems (e.g. stress and symptoms of anxiety, depression) in communities exposed to adversity. Published by the World Health Organization (WHO) and U...nited Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), EASE aims to support adolescents and their caregivers with skills to reduce distress. The EASE training manual accompanies the EASE intervention manual and is designed to be used to train EASE helpers (those who deliver the EASE intervention to adolescents and caregivers) and EASE trainers/supervisors (those who will go on to train/supervise future EASE helpers).
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In line with the Defeating meningitis by 2030: a global road map, the WHO guidelines on meningitis diagnosis, treatment and care Executive Summary provides a summary of the evidence-based recommendations for the clinical management of children and adults with community-acquired meningitis, including... acute and long-term care. Meningitis poses a significant public health threat, despite successful efforts to control the disease globally. The burden of morbidity and mortality from meningitis remains high, particularly in low- and middle-income countries and in settings experiencing large-scale, disruptive epidemics.
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The objective of this guideline is to present the complete set of all WHO recommendations and best practice statements relating to abortion. While legal, regulatory, policy and service-delivery contexts may vary from country to country, the recommendations and best practices described in this docume...nt aim to enable evidence-based decision-making with respect to quality abortion care.
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This publication provides an overview of evidence and guidance on the growing challenge of workplace heat stress in the context of climate change. It highlights the health and productivity risks faced by billions of workers, especially in manual labor sectors. The report details the physiological, s...ocioeconomic, and mental health impacts of heat stress and outlines evidence-based strategies for prevention and mitigation. It emphasizes the need for occupational heat action programmes, stakeholder collaboration, and tailored interventions to protect vulnerable workers, reduce productivity losses, and support sustainable development in a warming world.
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The brief on key findings from the 2025 edition of the WHO anaemia estimates provides a snapshot of the current status of anaemia among women aged 15–49 years at the country, regional, and global levels, along with progress toward achieving the global anaemia target by 2030, in alignment with the ...Sustainable Development Goals.
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Al afrontar la amenaza común que supuso el coronavirus del síndrome respiratorio agudo severo de tipo 2 (SARS CoV 2), los países y las instituciones de todo el mundo se vieron rápidamente desbordados por la monumental tarea de responder a un problema que avanzaba rápidamente y que les obligó a... idear estructuras y alianzas ad hoc para ampliar las medidas de respuesta. En este sentido, el Grupo Independiente de Preparación y Respuesta frente a las Pandemias señaló:
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The eEML is a comprehensive, freely accessible online database containing information on essential medicine
The 2022 report reviews the global malaria diagnostics market and technological landscape to support Unitaid’s 2023–2027 strategy for quality malaria case management. The report highlights the stalled progress of malaria control efforts, the gaps in access to diagnostics and the public health im...plications of P. falciparum HRP2/3 gene deletions, which compromise the accuracy of the widely used HRP2-detecting rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs). The report analyses the malaria RDT market, noting supplier diversification, price trends and production shifts resulting from the pandemic. It also addresses the emerging point-of-care G6PD testing market, which is required to ensure the safe radical cure of P. vivax infections. It surveys technological innovation, including digital microscopy, hemozoin tests, nucleic acid detection and biosensors, while emphasising that RDTs and microscopy will remain the mainstay of case management in the near term. The report identifies market shortcomings, access barriers and opportunities to improve malaria case management and diagnostic coverage.
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The annual bulletin of the Mekong Malaria Elimination (MME) programme is a yearly report that reviews ongoing efforts to combat multidrug resistance and eliminate malaria in the 6 countries of the Greater Mekong subregion (GMS): Cambodia, China (Yunnan province), Lao People's Democratic Republic, My...anmar, Thailand and Viet Nam.
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The Mekong Malaria Elimination (MME) programme is an initiative aimed at supporting Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) countries – Cambodia, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Thailand, Viet Nam, and Yunnan (China) – in achieving the goal of malaria elimination by 2030. Data for this epidemi...ological summary were compiled from country reports. Between July and September 2024, 48 115 malaria cases were reported. During that period, GMS countries recorded 44% fewer cases, with P. falciparum + mixed and P. vivax cases declining by 81% and 36%, respectively. Meanwhile, testing declined by 25% when compared to the same period in 2023.
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Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and malaria remain significant public health challenges in the WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR). In 2021, the region reported 1.7 million sepsis-related deaths, with 373,000 associated with bacterial AMR. High antibiotic consumption, particularly in high-income c...ountries, combined with rising usage in middle-income countries, has accelerated the emergence of drug-resistant infections. Malaria management is further complicated by biological threats, including vector insecticide resistance, PFHRP2/3 gene deletions, and antimalarial drug resistance, alongside insufficient trained personnel and limited molecular surveillance capacity. Effective strategies to address these challenges include strengthening regional and cross-border surveillance networks, designating WHO collaborating centers for molecular monitoring, enforcing national treatment policies, and raising public and healthcare provider awareness about rational antimalarial and antibiotic use. These measures, coupled with sustainable funding and enhanced therapeutic efficacy studies, are essential to reduce the development and spread of drug-resistant malaria and improve overall health outcomes in the EMR.
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The 2024 World Malaria Report shows that the malaria burden remains overwhelmingly concentrated in Africa. The continent accounted for 94% of global cases and 95% of malaria-related deaths in 2023. Although the number of malaria cases increased globally from 204 million in 2000 to 246 million in 202...3, the number of deaths declined from 805,000 to 569,000. Children under five are still the most affected group, accounting for 76% of malaria deaths in Africa. A few countries, particularly Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, carry the highest burden. Since 2000, Africa has significantly reduced malaria incidence and mortality, averting over 1.7 billion cases and 12 million deaths. Nevertheless, malaria continues to pose a significant health challenge, necessitating ongoing action and investment.
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This guidance synthesizes current evidence on dengue laboratory testing and diagnostics and provides practical recommendations for laboratories, clinicians, public health officials, and programme managers involved in dengue diagnosis, surveillance, and control, in the context of the global emergency.... It includes a diagnostic algorithm for suspected cases, outlining appropriate testing methods based on days post symptom onset.
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