Ms.Universe 2018 Catriona Gray is Real Beauty w/ a Purpose: "We're In This Together"

MANILA, Philippines — Catriona's single for Young Focus Philippines titled "We're in This Together" entered Spotify's "Viral 50 Philippines" list of most viral tracks in the country.

As of Thursday afternoon, Catriona's song is second only to Ariana Grande's "Thank U, Next." Other songs in the list are Juan Karlos Labajo's "Buwan," Lavaado's "Switch It Up" and King of Little Sweden's "I'll be Waiting."

The beauty queen's debut single was released last November 23 on digital platforms in partnership woth Young Focus International. All proceeds of the track will go to the non-profit organization

https://www.philstar.com/entertainment/2018/12/20/1878605/catriona-grays-debut-single-enters-spotify-viral-50-philippines-list



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Global coalition calls for better care and stronger legislation to save babies on the brink of death. Nearly 30 million sick and premature newborns in dire need of treatment every year -WHO

Nearly 30 million babies are born too soon, too small or become sick every year and need specialized care to survive, according to a new report by a global coalition that includes UNICEF and WHO.

“When it comes to babies and their mothers, the right care at the right time in the right place can make all the difference,” said Omar Abdi, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director. “Yet millions of small and sick babies and women are dying every year because they simply do not receive the quality care that is their right and our collective responsibility.”

The report, Survive and Thrive: Transforming care for every small and sick newborn, finds that among the newborn babies most at risk of death and disability are those with complications from prematurity, brain injury during childbirth, severe bacterial infection or jaundice, and those with congenital conditions. Additionally, the financial and psychological toll on their families can have detrimental effects on their cognitive, linguistic and emotional development.

“For every mother and baby, a healthy start from pregnancy through childbirth and the first months after birth is essential,” said Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Deputy Director General for Programmes at WHO. “Universal health coverage can ensure that everyone – including newborns – has access to the health services they need, without facing financial hardship. Progress on newborn health care is a win-win situation – it saves lives and is critical for early child development thus impacting on families, society, and future generations.”

Without specialized treatment, many at-risk newborns won’t survive their first month of life, according to the report. In 2017, some 2.5 million newborns died, mostly from preventable causes. Almost two-thirds of babies who die were born premature. And even if they survive, these babies face chronic diseases or developmental delays. In addition, an estimated 1 million small and sick newborns survive with a long-term disability.

With nurturing care, these babies can live without major complications. The report shows that by 2030, in 81 countries, the lives of 2.9 million women, stillborns and newborns can be saved with smarter strategies. For example, if the same health team cares for both mother and baby through labour, birth and beyond, they can identify problems early on.

In addition, almost 68 per cent of newborn deaths could be averted by 2030 with simple fixes such as exclusive breastfeeding; skin-to-skin contact between the mother or father and the baby; medicines and essential equipment; and access to clean, well-equipped health facilities staffed by skilled health workers. Other measures like resuscitating a baby who cannot breathe properly, giving the mother an injection to prevent bleeding, or delaying the cutting of the umbilical cord could also save millions.

According to the report, the world will not achieve the global target to achieve health for all unless it transforms care for every newborn. Without rapid progress, some countries will not meet this target for another 11 decades. To save newborns, the report recommends:

· Providing round-the-clock inpatient care for newborns seven days a week.

· Training nurses to provide hands-on care working in partnership with families.

· Harnessing the power of parents and families by teaching them how to become expert caregivers and care for their babies, which can reduce stress, help babies gain weight and allow their brains to develop properly.

· Providing good quality of care should be a part of country policies, and a lifelong investment for those who are born small or sick.

· Counting and tracking every small and sick newborn allows managers to monitor progress and improve results.

· Allocating the necessary resources, as an additional investment of US$ 0.20 cents per person can save 2 of every 3 newborns in low- and middle-income countries by 2030.

Almost three decades ago, the Convention on the Rights of the Child guaranteed every newborn the right to the highest standard of health care, and it is time for countries around the world to make sure the legislative, medical, human and financial resources are in place to turn that right into a reality for every child, the report says.

Note to editors

On 13 December, key findings of the report was launched at the Partners’ Forum of the Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH) in New Delhi, hosted by the Government of India, where 130 countries decided on better policies for newborns.

The report was produced by a coalition of organizations that support countries to implement the Every Newborn Action Plan. These organizations include, among others, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, USAID, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Save the Children, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, International Pediatrics Association (IPA), Council of International Neonatal Nurses (COINN), the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM), European Foundation for the Care of Newborn Infants, Preterm Birth Initiative, Sick Kids Centre for Global Health, Every Preemie at Scale and Little Octopus.












13 December 2018

News Release



NEW DELHI/ GENEVA /NEW YORK

https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/13-12-2018-nearly-30-million-sick-and-premature-newborns-in-dire-need-of-treatment-every-year

Health benefits far outweigh the costs of meeting climate change goals -WHO

Meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement could save about a million lives a year worldwide by 2050 through reductions in air pollution alone. The latest estimates from leading experts also indicate that the value of health gains from climate action would be approximately double the cost of mitigation policies at global level, and the benefit-to-cost ratio is even higher in countries such as China and India.

A WHO report launched today at the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP24) in Katowice, Poland highlights why health considerations are critical to the advancement of climate action and outlines key recommendations for policy makers.

Exposure to air pollution causes 7 million deaths worldwide every year and costs an estimated US$ 5.11 trillion in welfare losses globally. In the 15 countries that emit the most greenhouse gas emissions, the health impacts of air pollution are estimated to cost more than 4% of their GDP. Actions to meet the Paris goals would cost around 1% of global GDP.

“The Paris Agreement is potentially the strongest health agreement of this century,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO. “The evidence is clear that climate change is already having a serious impact on human lives and health. It threatens the basic elements we all need for good health - clean air, safe drinking water, nutritious food supply and safe shelter - and will undermine decades of progress in global health. We can’t afford to delay action any further.”

The same human activities that are destabilizing the Earth’s climate also contribute directly to poor health. The main driver of climate change is fossil fuel combustion which is also a major contributor to air pollution.

“The true cost of climate change is felt in our hospitals and in our lungs. The health burden of polluting energy sources is now so high, that moving to cleaner and more sustainable choices for energy supply, transport and food systems effectively pays for itself,” says Dr Maria Neira, WHO Director of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health. “When health is taken into account, climate change mitigation is an opportunity, not a cost.”

Switching to low-carbon energy sources will not only improve air quality but provide additional opportunities for immediate health benefits. For example, introducing active transport options such as cycling will help increase physical activity that can help prevent diseases like diabetes, cancer and heart disease.

WHO’s COP-24 Special Report: health and climate change provides recommendations for governments on how to maximize the health benefits of tackling climate change and avoid the worst health impacts of this global challenge.

It describes how countries around the world are now taking action to protect lives from the impacts of climate change – but that the scale of support remains woefully inadequate, particularly for the small island developing states, and least developed countries. Only approximately 0.5% of multilateral climate funds dispersed for climate change adaptation have been allocated to health projects.

Pacific Island countries contribute 0.03% of greenhouse gas emissions, but they are among the most profoundly affected by its impacts. For the Pacific Island countries, urgent action to address climate change — including the outcome of COP24 this week — is crucial to the health of their people and their very existence.

“We now have a clear understanding of what needs to be done to protect health from climate change – from more resilient and sustainable healthcare facilities, to improved warning systems for extreme weather and infectious disease outbreaks. But the lack of investment is leaving the most vulnerable behind,” said Dr Joy St John, Assistant Director-General for Climate and Other Determinants of Health.

The report calls for countries to account for health in all cost-benefit analyses of climate change mitigation. It also recommends that countries use fiscal incentives such as carbon pricing and energy subsidies to incentivize sectors to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases and air pollutants. It further encourages Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to remove existing barriers to supporting climate-resilient health systems.

WHO is working with countries to:
Assess the health gains that would result from the implementation of the existing Nationally Determined Contributions to the Paris Agreement, and the potential for larger gains from the more ambitious action required to meet the goals of limiting global warming to 2oC or 1.5oC.
Ensure climate-resilient health systems, especially in the most vulnerable countries such as small island developing states (SIDS); and to promote climate change mitigation actions that maximize immediate and long-term health benefits, under a special initiative on climate change and health in SIDS, launched in partnership with the UNFCCC Secretariat and the Fijian Presidency of COP-23 and operationalized by the Pacific Islands Action Plan on Climate Change and Health.
Track national progress in protecting health from climate change and gaining the health co-benefits of climate change mitigation measures, through the WHO/UNFCCC Climate and Health country profiles, currently covering 45 countries, with 90 due for completion by the end of 2019.
WHO’s COP24 Special Report: health and climate change
Recommendations

Parties to the UNFCCC could advance climate, health and development objectives by:
Identifying and promoting actions that both cut carbon emissions and reduce air pollution, and by including specific commitments to cut emissions of Short Climate Pollutants in their National Determined Contributions.
Ensuring that the commitments to assess and safeguard health in the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement are reflected in the operational mechanisms at national and global levels.
Removing barriers to investment in health adaptation to climate change, with a focus on climate resilient health systems, and climate smart healthcare facilities.
Engagement with the health community, civil society and health professionals, to help them to mobilize collectively to promote climate action and health co-benefits.
Promoting the role of cities and sub-national governments in climate action benefiting health, within the UNFCCC framework.
Formal monitoring and reporting of the health progress resulting from climate actions to the global climate and health governance processes, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Inclusion of the health implications of mitigation and adaptation measures in economic and fiscal policy.

https://www.who.int/news-room/detail/05-12-2018-health-benefits-far-outweigh-the-costs-of-meeting-climate-change-goals

Measles cases spike globally due to gaps in vaccination coverage - WHO News Release 29 Nov 2018 Geneva

"Measles is a serious and highly contagious disease. It can cause debilitating or fatal complications, including encephalitis (an infection that leads to swelling of the brain), severe diarrhoea and dehydration, pneumonia, ear infections and permanent vision loss. Babies and young children with malnutrition and weak immune systems are particularly vulnerable to complications and death." - WHO

29 November 2018 

News Release 

Geneva/Atlanta/New York

Reported measles cases spiked in 2017, as multiple countries experienced severe and protracted outbreaks of the disease. This is according to a new report published today by leading health organizations.






Because of gaps in vaccination coverage, measles outbreaks occurred in all regions, while there were an estimated 110 000 deaths related to the disease.


Using updated disease modelling data, the report provides the most comprehensive estimates of measles trends over the last 17 years. It shows that since 2000, over 21 million lives have been saved through measles immunizations. However, reported cases increased by more than 30 percent worldwide from 2016.





The Americas, the Eastern Mediterranean Region, and Europe experienced the greatest upsurges in cases in 2017, with the Western Pacific the only World Health Organization (WHO) region where measles incidence fell.





“The resurgence of measles is of serious concern, with extended outbreaks occurring across regions, and particularly in countries that had achieved, or were close to achieving measles elimination,” said Dr Soumya Swaminathan, Deputy Director General for Programmes at WHO. “Without urgent efforts to increase vaccination coverage and identify populations with unacceptable levels of under-, or unimmunized children, we risk losing decades of progress in protecting children and communities against this devastating, but entirely preventable disease.”





Measles is a serious and highly contagious disease. It can cause debilitating or fatal complications, including encephalitis (an infection that leads to swelling of the brain), severe diarrhoea and dehydration, pneumonia, ear infections and permanent vision loss. Babies and young children with malnutrition and weak immune systems are particularly vulnerable to complications and death.




The disease is preventable through two doses of a safe and effective vaccine. For several years, however, global coverage with the first dose of measles vaccine has stalled at 85 percent. This is far short of the 95 percent needed to prevent outbreaks, and leaves many people, in many communities, susceptible to the disease. Second dose coverage stands at 67 percent.





“The increase in measles cases is deeply concerning, but not surprising,” said Dr Seth Berkley, CEO of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. “Complacency about the disease and the spread of falsehoods about the vaccine in Europe, a collapsing health system in Venezuela and pockets of fragility and low immunization coverage in Africa are combining to bring about a global resurgence of measles after years of progress. Existing strategies need to change: more effort needs to go into increasing routine immunization coverage and strengthening health systems. Otherwise we will continue chasing one outbreak after another.”





Responding to the recent outbreaks, health agencies are calling for sustained investment in immunization systems, alongside efforts to strengthen routine vaccination services. These efforts must focus especially on reaching the poorest, most marginalized communities, including people affected by conflict and displacement.





The agencies also call for actions to build broad-based public support for immunizations, while tackling misinformation and hesitancy around vaccines where these exist.





“Sustained investments are needed to strengthen immunization service delivery and to use every opportunity for delivering vaccines to those who need them,” said Dr Robert Linkins, Branch Chief of Accelerated Disease Control and Vaccine Preventable Disease Surveillance at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Measles & Rubella Initiative Management Team Chair.





The Measles and Rubella Initiative is a partnership formed in 2001 of the American Red Cross, CDC, the United Nations Foundation, UNICEF, and WHO.

Notes

‘Progress Toward Regional Measles Elimination — Worldwide, 2000–2017’ is a joint publication of WHO and CDC. It is published within the WHO Weekly Epidemiological Record and in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.


Launched in 2001, the Measles & Rubella Initiative (M&RI) is led by the American Red Cross, the United Nations Foundation, CDC, UNICEF and WHO. M&RI is committed to ensuring that no child dies from measles or is born with congenital rubella syndrome, and achieving the Global Vaccine Action Plan goal of measles and rubella elimination in at least five WHO regions by 2020.





Measles elimination is defined as the absence of endemic measles virus transmission in a region or other defined geographical area for more than 12 months. Conversely, a country is no longer considered to be measles free if the virus returns and transmission is sustained continuously for more than a year.

Further information


The report is available in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report as of November 29 2018 and in WHO’s Weekly Epidemiological Record from November 30 2018.


Further information on immunization progress is also contained within the 2018 Assessment Report of The Global Vaccine Action Plan by the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on Immunization, published in November 2018.

Air pollution and child health: prescribing clean air- WHO Report

Overview

This report summarizes the latest scientific knowledge on the links between exposure to air pollution and adverse health effects in children. It is intended to inform and motivate individual and collective action by health care professionals to prevent damage to children’s health from exposure to air pollution. Air pollution is a major environmental health threat. Exposure to fine particles in both the ambient environment and in the household causes about seven million premature deaths each year. Ambient air pollution (AAP) alone imposes enormous costs on the global economy, amounting to more than US$ 5 trillion in total welfare losses in 2013.



The evidence is clear: air pollution has a devastating impact on children’s health.

says the report

This public health crisis is receiving more attention, but one critical aspect is often overlooked: how air pollution affects children in uniquely damaging ways. Recent data released by the World Health Organization (WHO) show that air pollution has a vast and terrible impact on child health and survival. Globally, 93% of all children live in environments with air pollution levels above the WHO guidelines. More than one in every four deaths of children under 5 years is directly or indirectly related to environmental risks. Both AAP and household air pollution (HAP) contribute to respiratory tract infections that resulted in 543 000 deaths in children under 5 years in 2016.

Although air pollution is a global problem, the burden of disease attributable to particulate matter in air is heaviest in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), particularly in the WHO African, South-East Asia, Eastern Mediterranean and Western Pacific regions. LMICs in these regions – especially the African Region – have the highest levels of exposure to HAP due to the widespread use of polluting fuels and technologies for basic daily needs, such as cooking, heating and lighting (6). Poverty is correlated with high exposure to environmental health risks. Poverty can also compound the damaging health effects of air pollution, by limiting access to information, treatment and other health care resources.



Children are uniquely vulnerable to the damaging health effects of air pollution.

says the report

Children are society’s future. But they are also its most vulnerable members. The immense threat posed to their health by air pollution demands that health professionals respond with focused, urgent action. Although more rigorous research into how air pollution affects children’s health will continue to be valuable, there is already ample evidence to justify strong, swift action to prevent the damage it clearly produces. Health professionals must come together to address this threat as a priority, through collective, coordinated efforts. For the millions of children exposed to polluted air every day, there is little time to waste and so much to be gained.

Download
Air pollution and child health: prescribing clean air - advance copy (final version still in process)
pdf, 6.33Mb
Summary
Summary in other languages
Arabic
Chinese
French
Russian
Spanish

Source: 

http://www.who.int/ceh/publications/air-pollution-child-health/en/
Air pollution and child health: prescribing clean air
WHO reference number: WHO/CED/PHE/18.01
Publication date: 2018
Languages: English.
Summary: Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish

WHO Declaration of Astana: New global commitment to primary health care for all at Astana conference

Declaration of Astana charts course to achieve universal health coverage, 40 years since declaration on primary health care in Alma-Ata

25 October 2018
News Release
Astana, Kazakhstan

Countries around the world today agreed to the Declaration of Astana, vowing to strengthen their primary health care systems as an essential step toward achieving universal health coverage. The Declaration of Astana reaffirms the historic 1978 Declaration of Alma-Ata, the first time world leaders committed to primary health care.

“Today, instead of health for all, we have health for some,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO). “We all have a solemn responsibility to ensure that today’s declaration on primary health care enables every person, everywhere to exercise their fundamental right to health.”

While the 1978 Declaration of Alma-Ata laid a foundation for primary health care, progress over the past four decades has been uneven. At least half the world’s population lacks access to essential health services – including care for noncommunicable and communicable diseases, maternal and child health, mental health, and sexual and reproductive health.

“Although the world is a healthier place for children today than ever before, close to 6 million children die every year before their fifth birthday mostly from preventable causes, and more than 150 million are stunted,” said Henrietta Fore, UNICEF Executive Director. “We as a global community can change that, by bringing quality health services close to those who need them. That’s what primary health care is about.”

The Declaration of Astana comes amid a growing global movement for greater investment in primary health care to achieve universal health coverage. Health resources have been overwhelmingly focused on single disease interventions rather than strong, comprehensive health systems – a gap highlighted by several health emergencies in recent years.

“Adoption of the Declaration at this global conference in Astana will set new directions for the development of primary health care as a basis of health care systems,” said Yelzhan Birtanov, Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan. “The new Declaration reflects obligations of countries, people, communities, health care systems and partners to achieve healthier lives through sustainable primary health care.”

UNICEF and WHO will help governments and civil society to act on the Declaration of Astana and encourage them to back the movement. UNICEF and WHO will also support countries in reviewing the implementation of this Declaration, in cooperation with other partners.


Notes to editors:

The Global Conference on Primary Health Care is taking place from 25-26 October in Astana, Kazakhstan, co-hosted by WHO, UNICEF and the Government of Kazakhstan. Participants include ministers of health, finance, education and social welfare; health workers and patient advocates; youth delegates and activists; and leaders representing bilateral and multilateral institutions, global health advocacy organizations, civil society, academia, philanthropy, media and the private sector.


The Declaration of Astana, unanimously endorsed by all WHO Member States, makes pledges in four key areas: (1) make bold political choices for health across all sectors; (2) build sustainable primary health care; (3) empower individuals and communities; and (4) align stakeholder support to national policies, strategies and plans.

http://www.who.int/news-room/detail/25-10-2018-new-global-commitment-to-primary-health-care-for-all-at-astana-conference

SDG: Governments, businesses ‘walk the talk’ for investment in sustainable development: UN forum

Business and government leaders from around the world have gathered at a major United Nations conference in Geneva, in search of innovative and strategic solutions to complex investment and development challenges.


The 2018 World Investment Forum, organized by UNCTAD, the primary UN agency on trade and development, comes against the backdrop of declining investment flows around the world and concern over how that is affecting sustainable development, according to the agency.

It is now time “to walk the talk” and scale up private investments in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) said UNCTAD Secretary-General Mukhisa Kituyi, welcoming over 6,000 participantsfrom more than 160 countries, to the Forum.

“The remarkable turnout at this year’s Forum bears witness to the critical need for this global platform to tackle investment in sustainable development.”

In his remarks, Mr. Kituyi also underscored that continued engagement between governments is vital for refining international economic policies, especially when the support for multilateralism “is not always evident.”

Mutual solutions to shared problems, must “supersede” narrow interests, he stressed, calling on governments, the private sector, and all other stakeholders, to help ensure that good ideas and policies can be turned into action on the ground.


Our purpose is shared, we are working to build a sustainable inclusive future – this means, our efforts must be mutual — UNCTAD chief Mukhisa Kituyi

“Our purpose is shared, we are working to build a sustainable inclusive future – this means, our efforts must be mutual,” said the head of UNCTAD.

Also speaking at the opening of the Forum, María Fernanda Espinosa, the President of the 73rd session of the General Assembly underscored the importance of partnership with the private sector, urging them to make “responsible investments” that respect human rights, environmental regulations and fiscal regulations.

“By fulfilling its moral and legal imperative, the sector can have a positive impact on the socio-economic conditions of a country; boost employment, productive investments, and knowledge and technology transfer,” she said.

Held from 22-26 October, at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, the 2018 edition of the biennial World Investment Forum features several high-profile events, including an investment summit, a global “sustainable stock exchanges” dialogue, a conference on investment agreements, thematic discussions, and other side events.

The opening day of the Forum also saw agencies from Bahrain, India, Lesotho and South Africa win top laurels at the UN Investment Promotion Awards for excellence in advancing investments in critical socio-economic sectors.

According to an UNCTAD news release, the Bahrain Economic Development Board, Invest India, Lesotho National Development Corporation, and InvestSA from South Africa won awards for boosting technology education, promoting renewable energy, employment, and waste-to-nutrient recycling, respectively.
INVESTMENT|SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/10/1023802

UN Day: ‘Never give up’: UN chief urges all who serve, marking UN Day

Marking the 2018 United Nations Day, which falls on 24 October, Secretary-General António Guterres is urging the men and women of the UN, and those they serve, to “never give up” tackling the world’s many challenges.


In a video released in advance of UN Day, Mr. Guterres said that, despite the odds and obstacles, and growing inequality “we don’t give up because we know by reducing inequality we increase hope and opportunity and peace around the world.”

The UN chief made clear the Organization’s determination to implement climate action, fight for human rights and the life of peace that everyone deserves to enjoy: “On United Nations Day, let us reaffirm our commitment. To repair broken trust. To heal our planet. To leave no one behind. To uphold dignity for one and all, as united nations.”

UN day commemorates the anniversary of the entry into force of the UN Charter in 1945. With the ratification of this founding document by the majority of its signatories, including the five permanent members of the Security Council, the United Nations officially came into being.

Between October and November, visitors to UN Headquarters can see a photo exhibition called “People on the Move,” which is being displayed in the Visitor’s Lobby of the General Assembly building, in connection with 2018 UN Day.

The exhibition captures moments in time from the last seven decades of the millions of those who have, for one reason or another, become people on the move.

You can find out more about the UN charter, the history of the Organization and how to visit UN headquarters in Geneva here.



UN DAY

https://news.un.org/en/story/2018/10/1023862

International lead poisoning prevention week of action 21–27 October 2018- WHO

The issue

Lead poisoning is preventable, yet the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (1) has estimated that, based on 2016 data, lead exposure accounted for 540 000 deaths and 13.9 million years lost to disability and death due to long-term health effects, with the highest burden in developing regions. Of particular concern is the role of lead exposure in the development of intellectual disability in children.

Even though there is wide recognition of the harmful effects of lead and many countries have taken action, exposure to lead, particularly in childhood, remains of key concern to health care providers and public health officials worldwide.

An important source of domestic lead exposure, particularly in children, is paint containing high levels of lead. These paints are still widely available and used in many countries for decorative purposes, although good substitutes without lead are available.

At the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002, governments called for lead paint to be phased out. The Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint (Lead Paint Alliance) was formed in 2011 to promote the phase-out of the manufacture and sale of paints containing lead and eventually to eliminate the risks that such paints pose. A key requirement for achieving this is the establishment of appropriate national regulatory frameworks to stop the manufacture, import, export, distribution, sale and use of lead paints and products coated with lead paints. In its Business Plan, the Lead Paint Alliance set a target that by 2020 all countries should have in place such a regulatory framework. In a survey carried out by WHO and the United Nations Environment Programme, (UN Environment), which jointly coordinate the Lead Paint Alliance, as of 30 June 2018 only 69 governments confirmed that they have legally binding control measures on lead paint.

But WHO has 194 Member States, so there is still, a significant gap to achieving the 2020 goal set by the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead paint that all countries should have banned lead paint.

In eliminating lead paint countries will contribute to the achievement of the following Sustainable Development Goal targets:
3.9: By 2030 substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water, and soil pollution and contamination.
12.4 By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle, in accordance with agreed international frameworks, and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment.
The objectives

During the campaign week, the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint aims to:
Raise awareness about health effects of lead poisoning;
Highlight countries and partners' efforts to prevent particularly childhood lead poisoning; and
Urge further action to eliminate lead paint through regulatory action at country level.
Related links
Report on 2017 campaign outcomes
pdf, 2.02Mb
Countries with legally binding controls on lead paint
Read more about Lead

Official website of the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Painthttp://www.who.int/ipcs/lead_campaign/objectives/en/

WHO and partners are developing a renewed Global Influenza Strategy.Influenza is an ever-evolving disease, so the work on prevention, preparedness and response has to adapt continuously to keep up with these changes

At the start of the flu season in the Northern hemisphere, WHO launched today an in-depth multimedia package on influenza, including the lessons we can learn from previous flu pandemics, how prepared we are for another one, and how work on seasonal flu can help countries to prepare for future pandemics.

The flu comes around every year, everywhere - and children are among some of the most vulnerable. We asked children all over the world to illustrate this spotlight on flu, which includes 5 Things To Do If You Have The Flu and 5 Ways to Avoid Getting The Flu.

Influenza: are we ready?















When 100 passengers on a flight from Dubai to New York in September 2018 fell ill with respiratory symptoms, health officials were concerned that they might be carrying a serious respiratory illness called MERS-CoV (Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus) and quarantined the plane until further health checks could be completed. Testing showed that several were positive for the influenza virus, which can be easily spread when people are in close contact or in contained spaces such as airports and planes for several hours.




Influenza may not always be thought of by most people as a serious illness – the symptoms of headaches, runny nose, cough and muscle pain can make people confuse it with a heavy cold. Yet seasonal influenza kills up to 650 000 people every year. That is why influenza vaccinations are so important, especially to protect young children, older people, pregnant women, or people who have vulnerable immune systems (click here for a Facebook live with Dr Martin Friede on the flu vaccine).




What most of us think of as ‘the flu’ is seasonal influenza, so called because it comes around in the coldest season twice a year (once in the Northern hemisphere’s winter, and once in the Southern hemisphere’s winter) in temperate zones of the world, and circulates year-round in the tropics and subtropics.




The influenza virus is constantly mutating – essentially putting on ever-changing disguises – to evade our immune systems. When a new virus emerges that can easily infect people and be spread between people, and to which most people have no immunity, it can turn into a pandemic. "Another pandemic caused by a new influenza virus is a certainty. But we do not know when it will happen, what virus strain it will be and how severe the disease will be,” said Dr Wenqing Zhang, the manager of WHO’s Global Influenza Programme. “This uncertainty makes influenza very different to many other pathogens,” she said.




2018 marks the 100th anniversary of one of the most catastrophic public health crises in modern history, the 1918 influenza pandemic known colloquially as “Spanish flu”. This Spotlight focuses on the lessons we can learn from previous flu pandemics, how prepared we are for another one, and how work on seasonal flu can boost capacity for pandemic preparedness.

5 myths about the flu vaccine
Free WHO online courses on flu
Stay connected

5 things to do if you have the flu



Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing



Wash your hands regularly



Drink plenty of water and rest



If you have a vulnerable immune system, you may need antivirals


Don't take antibiotics - they don't work against cold or flu viruses

5 ways to avoid getting the flu



Get the flu vaccine every year - even if you do get the flu, your symptoms will be milder


Avoid being around people who are sick


Try not to touch your eyes, nose or mouth - germs are most likely to enter your body this way


Clean and disinfect surfaces if you are sharing a home with someone who is sick



Wash your hands regularly

The 1918 flu pandemic
The intensity and speed with which the 1918 influenza pandemic struck were almost unimaginable – infecting one-third (around 500 million people) of the Earth’s population. By the time the pandemic subsided two years later, more than 50 million people are estimated to have died. Globally, the death toll eclipsed that of the First World War, which was around 17 million.

There was actually nothing “Spanish” about the 1918 pandemic. While it had already taken a big toll in France and the USA, it was not made public in those countries because of wartime censorship. French doctors even referred to it by the code name “maladie onze”, meaning "disease 11”. When the disease surfaced in Spain, which was neutral during the war, the country had no censorship in place and so made the first public reports of the pandemic. The name stuck.

A unique disease



Pathogens ignore national borders, social class, economic status, and even age. While influenza is typically more deadly in very young or elderly people, the 1918 influenza pandemic, for instance, was unusually fatal among men aged 20 to 40 years.

Pandemics disrupt the economy and social functions like school, work and other mass gatherings. An influenza pandemic would also likely have significant impacts on the overall functioning of a country's health system, as it would draw heavily on resources and health workers.

Just as with many other diseases, influenza pandemics impact poor and socially marginalized communities the hardest. A study in The Lancet looking at the potential impact of a 1918-like pandemic on the modern world found that "the countries and regions that can least afford to prepare for a pandemic will be affected the most."





The world looks very different than it did 100 years ago, however. Unlike the world affected by the 1918 influenza pandemic, we now have antivirals, vaccines, diagnostic tests, and modern surveillance techniques. Many of these advances were spearheaded by WHO in close collaboration with other agencies and national and regional institutions. We also have learned from subsequent pandemics in the 20th and 21st century.

As this Spotlight will show, we have more tools to combat pandemics than ever before. These include the development of a global influenza surveillance system that constantly monitors the evolution of circulating influenza strains, the development of an unprecedented agreement to ensure sharing of flu viruses and data alongside strengthening global preparedness capacities, efforts to continuously improve the effectiveness of the seasonal influenza vaccine, and powerful new antivirals. However, for the next influenza pandemic, there are still challenges ahead and in particular ensuring optimum global collaboration between all countries in the world and defining mechanisms that allow equitable access to vaccines, treatments and diagnostics for everyone, everywhere.

"We have the ability, now more than ever, to mitigate the impact of diseases, save lives and reduce economic and social costs. But countries' preparedness efforts should be maintained and should integrate innovative lifesaving interventions," said Dr Sylvie Briand, director of WHO’s department of Infectious Hazard Management.

Predictably unpredictable
Pandemic influenza outbreaks are unpredictable. One million people around the world died in a 1957 outbreak that started in China but spread globally. In 1968, another outbreak took an estimated 1-3 million lives. In 2003, the re-emergence of A(H5N1) or so-called avian influenza, highlighted how the virus could pass from animals to people, but it did not reach the pandemic stage because it could not pass sustainably from person to person.


Map: Deaths from the 2009 influenza pandemic



Factsheet on avian influenza
Feature: Zoonotic influenza

The 2009 “Swine flu” A(H1N1) pandemic started in Mexico where it caused severe illness in previously healthy adults and spread rapidly to over 214 countries and overseas territories or communities. Between 105 000 and 395 000 people are thought to have died. Even so, the world was relatively lucky: it turned out to be milder than some seasonal epidemics, which can kill twice that number.


An international committee convened by WHO reviewed the response to the 2009 pandemic and found that “The world is ill-prepared to respond to a severe influenza pandemic or to any similarly global, sustained and threatening public-health emergency.” The committee called for not only the strengthening of core public-health capacities, but also increased research, a multisectoral approach, strengthened health-care delivery systems, economic development in low and middle-income countries and improved health status.

Feature
Lessons learned from the 2009 influenza pandemic.
Read the story

Types of flu
Seasonal, pandemic and zoonotic flu.
Read more

Preparing the world for the next pandemic

Q&A on influenza preparedness

In 1947, a year before WHO`s constitution came into force, the WHO Interim Committee of the United Nations established a Global Influenza Programme to track changes in the virus. The sharing of viruses and data between different nations in order to have up-to-date vaccines thus became one of the core tools in the fight against both seasonal and pandemic influenza.

In 1952, WHO launched the Global Influenza Surveillance Network with 26 collaborating laboratories around the world. Today, renamed the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS), the 66-year old network comprises 153 institutions in 114 countries. It constantly monitors influenza viruses causing seasonal outbreaks in people, zoonotic outbreaks, and potential pandemics and makes vaccine selection decisions twice a year, for the northern and southern hemisphere influenza seasons. Countries with National Influenza Centres share virus samples and data to support this continuous monitoring.

"GISRS is the frontline in the fight against influenza. It is one of the oldest and most significant examples of international cooperation for public health,” said Dr Zhang. "Confidence, trust and sharing, with commitment from Member States, is critical to pandemic preparedness."



"Pandemic influenza is a significant public health issue that we are unable to prevent or eliminate, given our current technology and knowledge. So much of our work managing the pandemic has to be when it occurs, to impact on health and society," said Dr Zhang. "Seasonal influenza epidemics provide real opportunities to prepare for the next pandemic. To achieve the best possible outcome now and in the future, there are three critical factors: timeliness and quality of virus and information sharing, research and innovation, and global coordination. For pandemic influenza, the world has to work as one team," she said.

Every week, countries report newly detected influenza cases to WHO through a system called FluNet. Another system, FluID, looks at the epidemiology of the circulating viruses associated with influenza. WHO is also developing a pandemic influenza severity assessment tool (PISA) to provide baselines so that there is a barometer by which to compare the virulence of the virus as new strains emerge.“What's unique about influenza is it is constantly changing. So for seasonal viruses, these viruses continue to evolve and change and escape the ability of existing vaccines to protect the population,” said Dr Jacqueline Katz, Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for the Surveillance, Epidemiology and Control of Influenza, Atlanta, USA. “We're really concerned about being ahead of the game for detecting a virus that could cause the next global pandemic."




Pandemic preparedness
The re-emergence in 2004 of a highly virulent influenza virus with pandemic potential triggered global discussions about access to pandemic vaccines by developing countries. Some countries, affected by high numbers of human infections, voiced concern that they were sharing virus samples with GISRS, while knowing that if a pandemic were to occur, they might not have access to the vaccines made using information and materials from those samples. To strengthen the sharing of influenza viruses with human pandemic potential and to increase the access of developing countries to vaccines and other critical pandemic response supplies, the Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) Framework was set up in 2011 by the 194 Member States of WHO. This framework would help countries in need to access vaccines, antivirals, and diagnostics at the time of a pandemic.

Two of the main benefits of the agreement are: first, vaccine manufacturers that receive vaccine viruses from GISRS must commit to provide to WHO about 10% of their future pandemic vaccine production, so that it can be distributed to countries in need at the time of the next pandemic. Second, influenza product manufacturers that use GISRS are expected to contribute US$28 million a year to WHO that then uses the funds to bolster the ability of countries to respond to pandemics.


Feature: Pandemic Influenza Preparedness
"By working with industry partners, we can strengthen global preparedness capacities in countries where they are weak. In return, countries are enabling the GISRS network to perform a thorough risk assessment by sharing influenza viruses with pandemic potential," said Anne Huvos, manager of the PIP Framework secretariat at WHO.

Are we ready for the next pandemic?
Influenza is an ever-evolving disease, so the work on prevention, preparedness and response has to adapt continuously to keep up with these changes.

WHO and partners are developing a renewed Global Influenza Strategy to be launched this year. This will support countries in developing seasonal influenza prevention and control capacities. These national efforts, in turn, will build greater global preparedness for the next pandemic. The strategy focuses on three priorities, strengthening pandemic preparedness, expanding seasonal influenza prevention and control and research and innovation. Research and innovation includes improved modelling and forecasting of influenza outbreaks, along with the development of new vaccines, including a possible universal influenza vaccine that would work against all influenza virus strains.




However, developing and distributing a vaccine during a pandemic could take up to a year. This means that non-pharmaceutical measures - the same as those needed to stop seasonal flu - will be critical. Some of these are actions that individuals can take, including staying home when sick and washing hands frequently.






Organizations could also take measures such as such as implementing policies to limit gatherings where the virus may be easily spread; WHO is currently developing guidance on such measures. These new guidelines will draw on evidence as well as experience from the 1918 and 2009 pandemics. However, even with the best infection prevention and control measures, some people will still fall ill with influenza – for people with severe influenza, there are effective antivirals to cure it.


Today, less than half of all countries have a national influenza pandemic preparedness plan; of those, few have updated their plans to take into account the lessons learned from 2009. Not surprisingly, low-income countries, which are struggling to bolster their own primary health care systems, often lack the resources or bandwidth to develop and implement pandemic preparedness plans.


At the core of effective pandemic response is a strong, well-resourced health system that includes adequately trained and paid health workers; functioning water, sanitation, and hygiene systems; quality laboratory services for rapid diagnosis; access to medical products including vaccines; and reliable systems for tracking and reporting cases of the disease.


"We still have challenges with improving international coordination and mobilizing sufficient and sustainable resources for preparedness and research to make better vaccines, antivirals and diagnostics," said Dr Briand. "Most importantly, these counter-measures need to be available to all countries, particularly those communities with the least resources as they will be the most vulnerable in the next flu pandemic."

“Pandemic influenza is a significant public health issue that we are unable to prevent or eliminate, given our current technology and knowledge. So our work has to be managing the pandemic when it occurs, and limiting its impact on health and society,” said Dr Zhang. “Seasonal influenza epidemics provide real opportunities to prepare for the next pandemic. To achieve the best possible outcome now and in the future, there are three critical factors: timeliness and quality of sharing, research and innovation, and global coordination. For pandemic influenza, the world has to work as one team,” she said.

Some of this content first appeared in Pandemic influenza: an evolving challenge.

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https://www.who.int/influenza/spotlight

WHO kicks off global initiative to treat children with cancer

The aims of the Initiative are two-fold: to increase prioritization of childhood cancer through awareness raising at global and national levels and to expand the capacity of countries to deliver best practice in childhood cancer care. Concretely, WHO will support governments to assess current capacities in cancer diagnosis and treatment including the availability of medicines and technologies; set and cost priority cancer diagnosis and treatment programmes; and integrate childhood cancer into national strategies, health benefits packages and social insurance schemes.

Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer

In September 2018 WHO announced a new effort – the WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer – with the aim of reaching at least a 60% survival rate for children with cancer by 2030, thereby saving an additional one million lives. This new target represents a doubling of the global cure rate for children with cancer.

Cancer is a leading cause of death for children, with 300,000 new cases diagnosed each year among children aged 0-19 years. Children with cancer in low- and middle-income countries are four times more likely to die of the disease than children in high-income countries. This is because their illnesses are not diagnosed, they are often forced to abandon treatment due to high costs, and the health professionals entrusted with their care lack specialized training.

The WHO Global Initiative for Childhood Cancer, which involves development of a WHO technical package to help scale-up capacities within national health systems, will be achieved with support from a host of partners. Among them is St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in the United States, the first WHO Collaborating Centre on childhood cancer, which has committed US$ 15,000,000 to supporting implementation of the initiative.

“Too many children have their lives cut short by cancer, and survival rates in poor countries are scandalously lower than those in wealthy countries,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “We hope our partnership with St Jude will be a step towards redressing that injustice.”

The Initiative is announced on the heels of the Third Global High-Level Meeting on Noncommunicable Diseases, which convened dozens of heads of state and ministers from all countries to prompt more urgent action on noncommunicable diseases – among them cancer, diabetes, heart and lung diseases - which kill 41 million people each year. The event is a milestone in furthering achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in particular SDG target 3.4 to reduce premature mortality from noncommunicable diseases by one third by 2030.

WHO new global action plan to help countries scale up policy actions to promote physical activity from 2018 - 2030

Regular physical activity is proven to help prevent and treat noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and breast and colon cancer. It also helps prevent hypertension, overweight and obesity and can improve mental health, quality of life and well-being. Yet, much of the world is becoming less active.



WHO has developed a new global action plan to help countries scale up policy actions to promote physical activity. It responds to the requests by countries for updated guidance, and a framework of effective and feasible policy actions to increase physical activity at all levels.



The plan sets out four objectives and recommends 20 policy actions that are applicable to all countries and address the cultural, environmental and individual determinants of inactivity.



A key feature of this new plan is its call for a ‘’systems-based’’ approach where effective implementation will require bold leadership combined with cross-government and multisectoral partnerships at all levels to achieve a coordinated, whole-of-system response.



Working in partnerships, WHO will support countries to implement a whole-of-community approach to increase levels of physical activity in people of all ages and abilities. Global, regional and national coordination and capacity will be strengthened to respond to needs for technical support, innovation and guidance.




The global action plan on physical activity 2018 - 2030







The goal: To reduce physical inactivity






How


The plan sets out four objectives and recommends 20 policy actions. The four objectives are:







1

Create an active society – social norms and attitudes


Create a paradigm shift in all of society by enhancing knowledge and understanding of, and appreciation for, the multiple benefits of regular physical activity, according to ability and at all ages.





2

Create active environments – spaces and places


Create and maintain environments that promote and safeguard the rights of all people, of all ages, to have equitable access to safe places and spaces, in their cities and communities, in which to engage in regular physical activity, according to ability.



3

Create active people – programmes and opportunities
Create and promote access to opportunities and programmes, across multiple settings, to help people of all ages and abilities to engage in regular physical activity as individuals, families and communities.



4

Create active systems – governance and policy enablers
Create and strengthen leadership, governance, multisectoral partnerships, workforce capabilities, advocacy and information systems across sectors, to achieve excellence in resource mobilization and implementation of coordinated international, national and subnational action to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour.






The global action plan proposes solutions to strengthen leadership, governance, workforce capabilities, and advocacy. It recognises the need for stronger global, regional and national coordination and the need for a social movement and paradigm shift to address the complex problem of physical inactivity.




Promoting physical activity requires collaboration with all sectors; private companies, NGOs, community organisations, and individuals must work together to engage in local solutions. Solutions at national, sub-national and city levels are detailed in the above figure, which shows the interrelated nature of a comprehensive response to inactivity.



Policy responses must be selected and implemented according to national priorities and context, and take into account a diverse range of capabilities. WHO will work with partners to identify and implement early wins, share best practices within and between countries, and drive strategic partnerships across sectors.



Document download
http://www.who.int/ncds/prevention/physical-activity/gappa/action-plan

Noncommunicable diseases and their risk factors: 1 in 4 adults are inactive- WHO

5 SEPTEMBER 2018 - New data published in The Lancet Global Health today show that more than one in four adults globally (28% or 1.4 billion people) are physically inactive. However this can be as high as one in three adults inactive in some counties.


The paper, authored by four World Health Organization experts, reports data that update 2008 estimates on levels of activity and, for the first time, reports trend analyses showing that overall, the global level of inactivity in adults remains largely unchanged since 2001.


Women were less active than men, with an over 8% difference at the global level (32% men vs 23%, women). High income countries are more inactive (37%) compared with middle income (26%) and low income countries (16%).


These data show the need for all countries to increase the priority given to national and sub-national actions to provide the environments that support physical activity and increase the opportunities for people of all ages and abilities, to be active every day.


The new Global Action Plan on Physical Activity sets the target to reduce physical inactivity by 10% by 2025 and 15% by 2030.


Regular physical inactivity increases peoples risk of poor health, including cardiovascular disease, several types of cancer and diabetes, falls, as well as mental health conditions. Publication of levels of participation in children and young people are forthcoming.

World Humanitarian Day, 19 August

Every year on 19 August, World Humanitarian Day brings citizens of the world together to rally support for people living in crises and to pay tribute to the aid workers who help them.

Emergencies cause immense suffering for millions of people – usually the world's poorest, most marginalized and vulnerable individuals. Humanitarian aid workers, including health care workers, strive to provide life-saving assistance and long term rehabilitation to disaster-affected communities, regardless of where they are in the world and without discrimination based on nationality, social group, religion, sex, race or any other factor.

Join the #NotATarget movement and demand world leaders do everything in their power to protect all civilians and healthcare workers in conflict.

"Health is a fundamental human right, and attacks on health care are a blatant violation of that right." Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of WHO.


WHO Director-General video statement:




Health care is under attack



The sanctity of health care, the right to health care, and international humanitarian law are threatened: patients are shot in their hospital beds, medical personnel are menaced or attacked, facilities are bombed, depriving people of urgently needed care, endangering health care providers, undermining health systems and long term public health goals, and contributing to the deterioration in the health and wellbeing of affected populations.

Essential life-saving health services must be provided to emergency-affected populations unhindered by any form of violence or obstruction.

Attacks on health care.


Even one attack on health care is too many



Attacks on health facilities, health workers and ambulances continue with alarming frequency. According to the data systematically collected by WHO through the Surveillance System on Attacks on Health Care, in the first half of 2018, 107 people died following 354 attacks on health facilities or transportation in 5 countries or territories (Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syrian Arab Republic, West Bank and Gaza Strip).

Every hospital destroyed and every health worker killed or injured takes health services away from the people who need them most, often taking many years to replace. Stop attacks on health care.

WHO's work on attacks on health care.

WHO salutes humanitarian health partners who continue to work in vulnerable settings



“We want protection, like anyone... We are clearly marked with high visibility vests when we work, and when we go forward to help people who have been injured we put our arms in the air as a sign to the soldiers that we are not any threat to them. Still we continue to be targeted.” Rami – a 29-year-old volunteer first responder and mental health support worker.


Stories from Gaza.

Health workers put themselves at risk to provide care




Health workers face danger and adversity in order to help others under challenging circumstances, whether it be in a conflict, natural disaster, disease outbreak or resource-poor settings.

Bringing Ebola vaccine to remote communities in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Statement on attack on health workers in Pakistan.


Surveillance System of Attacks on Health Care



WHO is developing a body of evidence to better understand the extent and nature of the problem and its consequences to health care delivery. The SSA is a global standardized and systemic approach to collecting data of attacks on health care. This system uses the same methodology across countries to address the knowledge gap of the extent and nature of attacks on health care.

Surveillance System of Attacks on Health Care.





People need reliable access to health care




Attacks on health too often mean that communities lose access to services at a time when they need them most. Reliable access to health care – especially for the most vulnerable – is vital to achieving universal health coverage and to reaching the Sustainable Development Goals.

WHO seeks to ensure that:
Health workers are protected and can provide health care in a safe and protected environment;
Patients have access to health care when they need it most;
Parties to conflict understand and uphold their responsibilities under International Humanitarian Law;
Health care delivery is not disrupted by attacks; and
All forms of violence against health care stop.


Attacks on health care
Health workers are #NotATarget





WHO condemns attacks on health care in the strongest terms and demands that all parties to conflict ensure that health is #NotATarget.

Violence against health workers providing care in conflict is prohibited by international law, and has therefore been globally condemned. As well as destroying human life, such attacks inhibit the ability of humanitarian agencies to respond to health emergencies, increasing the vulnerability of civilians in conflict.

This World Humanitarian Day WHO demands that leaders:
Do not target health workers, facilities, health transport or patients.
Respect the right of all wounded and sick persons to receive medical care.
Adopt and promote the UN Secretary-General’s recommendations on the protection of medical care in armed conflict.








Source: http://www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/world-humanitarian-day-19-august

"Health is a fundamental human right, and attacks on health care are a blatant violation of that right." Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO

World Humanitarian Day 2018 #NotATarget

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"Health is a fundamental human right, and attacks on health care are a blatant violation of that right." Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO

Emergencies cause immense suffering for millions of people - often the world's poorest, most marginalized and vulnerable individuals. Humanitarian aid workers, including health care workers strive to provide life-saving assistance and long term rehabilitation to disaster-affected communities, regardless of where they are in the world and without discrimination. On 19 August, World Humanitarian Day brings citizens of the world together to rally support for people living in crises and to pay tribute to the aid workers who help them. Join the #NotATarget movement and demand world leaders do everything in their power to protect all civilians and health care workers in conflict.