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WHO Update: Environmental risk factors – including air, water and soil pollution; chemical exposures; ultraviolet radiation; and climate change – contribute to more than 100 different diseases and injuries. Climate change and variations particularly impact many aspects of life that are inextricably linked to health

WHO estimates that 12.6 million people die each year as a result of living or working in an unhealthy environment, contributing to nearly one-quarter of deaths globally. Similarly, a WHO assessment concluded that climate change is expected to cause approximately 250 000 additional deaths per year between 2030 and 2050. The health impacts of climate and environmental change are and will continue to be disproportionately greater among vulnerable populations.

Renewed global commitment

Fortunately, there is renewed global commitment to tackle climate change and implement the Paris Agreement, adopted at the UN Climate Change Conference in December 2015.

Opportunities exist not only to tackle environmental health risk factors, including air safety, food security and water and sanitation, but also to transform the development of health care delivery systems by using low-carbon, more environmentally-friendly approaches. For example, access to health care can be made more reliable in resource-constrained settings through renewable energy sources that can supply power for lifesaving procedures that might not otherwise be possible. This could be game changing for people who rely on the between 200,000 and 400,000 hospitals and health clinics in developing countries that lack or have unreliable electricity supplies.

Source: World Health Organization

WHO & DOH Stop Smoke Program: opens “Quit Line” for Filipinos who wish to stop smoking

"Quitline is a phone and mobile-centered support service under the Stop Smoke Program of the Department of Health (DOH) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Those who want to join the program can register through their mobile phones by texting “STOPSMOKE” to 09290165364.
They will receive a computer-generated instruction which they need to follow and answer a few questions
After completing the registration, the sender will receive a daily text message from Quitline.
Another way to join the program is by calling  165-364.
A quitter can talk to an operator from the Lung Center who will advise him or her on how to quit smoking.
DOH Sec. Paulyn Ubial said, “This particular strategy has long been proven in other countries so we are evidence based in terms of how we moved the tobacco agenda forward off course it is more successful if it is done in conglomeration with other strategies.”
DOH says, the Quitline will greatly help lessen the number of smokers in the country.
Based on data, 30% of Filipinos quit smoking in 2009, and the figure declined by 6% in 2015.
That 6% is translated to more than 1 million cigarette smokers in the country.
Quitline is free and is operational 24/7.
“Our face to face counseling and services are free in government hospitals, we now have a network in all NCR and hopefully Lung Center will start training other LGU’s as well as DOH hospitals,” Ubial added.
Emer Rojas has quit smoking a few years ago. He admits it is not easy to quit smoking.
But with free services that the government provides, it will now be easier for smokers to quit.
“The success rate of quitters is low but it is much better because we have Quitline, this will help Filipinos quit smoking,” New Vois Association Pres. Emer Rojas said.
The Health Department is aiming to lower the percentage of cigarette smokers in the country by 15% in 2022. – Mon Jocson | UNTV News and Rescue

The post DOH opens “Quit Line” for Filipinos who wish to stop smoking appeared first on UNTV News."



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WHO | World No Tobacco Day 2017: Beating tobacco for health, prosperity, the environment and national development

GENEVA - Action to stamp out tobacco use can help countries prevent millions of people falling ill and dying from tobacco-related disease, combat poverty and, according to a first-ever WHO report, reduce large-scale environmental degradation.

On World No Tobacco Day 2017, WHO is highlighting how tobacco threatens the development of nations worldwide, and is calling on governments to implement strong tobacco control measures. These include banning marketing and advertising of tobacco, promoting plain packaging of tobacco products, raising excise taxes, and making indoor public places and workplaces smoke-free.

Tobacco’s health and economic costs

Tobacco use kills more than 7 million people every year and costs households and governments over US$ 1.4 trillion through healthcare expenditure and lost productivity.

"Tobacco threatens us all," says WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan. "Tobacco exacerbates poverty, reduces economic productivity, contributes to poor household food choices, and pollutes indoor air."

Dr Chan adds: "But by taking robust tobacco control measures, governments can safeguard their countries' futures by protecting tobacco users and non-users from these deadly products, generating revenues to fund health and other social services, and saving their environments from the ravages tobacco causes."

All countries have committed to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which aims to strengthen universal peace and eradicate poverty. Key elements of this agenda include implementing the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, and by 2030 reducing by one third premature death from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), including heart and lung diseases, cancer, and diabetes, for which tobacco use is a key risk factor.

Tobacco scars the environment

The first-ever WHO report, Tobacco and its environmental impact: an overview, also shows the impact of this product on nature, including:

Tobacco waste contains over 7000 toxic chemicals that poison the environment, including human carcinogens.
Tobacco smoke emissions contribute thousands of tons of human carcinogens, toxicants, and greenhouse gases to the environment. And tobacco waste is the largest type of litter by count globally.
Up to 10 billion of the 15 billion cigarettes sold daily are disposed in the environment.
Cigarette butts account for 30–40% of all items collected in coastal and urban clean-ups.
Tobacco threatens women, children, and livelihoods

Tobacco threatens all people, and national and regional development, in many ways, including:

Poverty: Around 860 million adult smokers live in low- and middle-income countries. Many studies have shown that in the poorest households, spending on tobacco products often represents more than 10% of total household expenditure – meaning less money for food, education and healthcare.
Children and education: Tobacco farming stops children attending school. 10%–14% of children from tobacco-growing families miss class because of working in tobacco fields.
Women: 60%–70% of tobacco farm workers are women, putting them in close contact with often hazardous chemicals.
Health: Tobacco contributes to 16% of all noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) deaths."



'via Blog this' SOURCE: WHO | World No Tobacco Day 2017: Beating tobacco for health, prosperity, the environment and national development: "

WHO: World No Tobacco Day 2017

Watch the video Share Tweet Forward Action to stamp out tobacco use can help countries prevent millions of people falling ill and dying from tobacco-related disease, combat poverty and, according to to a first-ever WHO report, reduce large-scale environmental degradation. On World No Tobacco Day 2017, WHO is highlighting how tobacco threatens development of nations worldwide, and is calling on governments to implement strong tobacco control measures, including banning marketing and advertising of tobacco products, promoting plain-packaging, raising excise taxes and making indoor public places smoke-free.

World No Tobacco Day 2017 Read the news release

"WHO stands ready to help governments introduce innovative approaches to tackle tobacco use," said Dr Margaret Chan, Director-General of WHO. "We have taken off our gloves and entered the ring on the side of the countries working to advance tobacco control, and we are going to fight tobacco tooth and nail."

WHO | Ending preventable deaths from pneumonia and diarrhoea by 2025

 "The Integrated Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Pneumonia and Diarrhoea (GAPPD), by WHO/UNICEF, goes to the heart of the challenge by recognizing that the only way to combat these two preventable diseases is to not address them separately, but fight them together in an integrated approach.

We already know interventions that work, such as: exclusive breastfeeding for up to six months; vaccines; handwashing; drinking water; and appropriate treatments to name a few. To reduce preventable deaths, children most affected must have access to these interventions.

The GAPPD integrated approach will reduce the numbers of children under five years of age falling ill and dying by bringing more efficient and effective use of often scarce health resources. The goal is to see a drop in deaths from pneumonia to fewer than 3 children in 1000 live births, and from diarrhoea to less than 1 in 1000 by 2025.

This goal can only be achieved by engaging a wide range of actors, sectors and by attaining national political will. National governments are urged to take the lead and implement the GAPPD approach to move significantly in achieving the Millennium Development Goal to save children under the age of five (MDG4) as well as successfully implementing the UN Global Strategy for Women’s and Children’s Health and Every Woman Every Child, and A Promise Renewed commitment to child survival."



WHO | Ending preventable deaths from pneumonia and diarrhoea by 2025:10 April 2013 | Geneva -- Pneumonia and diarrhoea together account for 29% of all child deaths globally, resulting in the deaths of more than two million children each year. Children living in poor or remote communities are most at risk and evidence shows children are dying from these preventable diseases because effective interventions are not provided equitably across all communities. Countries most affected can end this staggering and unnecessary death toll.'via Blog this'

WHO | WHO calls for immediate action to save lives in Somalia

WHO is concerned by the chronic shortage of funding for life-saving work in Somalia in response to the ongoing drought that has plunged the country further towards famine, disease, and health insecurity. Drought in Somalia led to the destruction of crops and livestock, leaving more than 3.3 million people hungry every day. If the current situation continues, famine could soon be a reality, creating a devastating cycle of hunger and disease as the health of people deteriorates and they become more susceptible to infection. Drought has also led to lack of clean water and the largest outbreak of cholera Somalia has seen in the last 5 years, with more than 36 000 cases and almost 690 deaths so far in 2017 alone. With the beginning of the expected rainy season and floods this month, these numbers are expected to increase to 50 000 cases by the end of June. Cases of measles are also on the rise, with nearly 6 500 cases reported this year, 71% of them children under the age of 5 years.

"History has shown the terrible consequences of inaction, or action that comes too late. More than a quarter of a million lives – half of them children – were lost as a result of the devastating famine of 2011. This year, a much larger percentage of the population is now at risk. We will not stand by and watch millions of already vulnerable men, women, and children become victims of an avoidable catastrophe," said Dr. Peter Salama, WHO Executive Director for Emergencies.

WHO commends the Government of the United Kingdom for its leadership in hosting an international conference today to tackle the country’s most urgent challenges, and calls on the international community to take decisive action to help avoid a humanitarian catastrophe. So far in 2017, health sector requirements of US$ 103 million are only 23% funded and WHO has received less than 10% of US$ 25 million required for an organizational response. WHO urgently appeals for additional support from the international community to ensure the health response can continue and expand, to save lives and alleviate the suffering of millions of Somalis.

Background

Whilst the operating environment in Somalia remains challenging, and humanitarian access restricted as a result of ongoing conflict and violence in many parts of the country, WHO and health partners continue to scale up their response, with coordination hubs established in Mogadishu, Garowe, Hargeisa and Baidoa. In March and April 2017, WHO delivered nearly 50 tons of medicines and medical supplies to provide life-saving support for almost 4.3 million people. Cholera treatment centres are now operational in 40 districts, and the numbers of surveillance sites for epidemic-prone diseases have been increased across the country, with Rapid Response Teams deployed to support investigation and response activities. In March, WHO and partners conducted the first national oral cholera vaccination campaign in Somalia, reaching over 450 000 vulnerable people. A second campaign is ongoing in South West State and Middle Shebelle, targeting 463 000 vulnerable people.

Media contacts

Tarik Jašarević
World Health Organization
Telephone: +41 22 791 5099
Mobile: +41 79 367 6214
Email: jasarevict@who.int"



WHO | WHO calls for immediate action to save lives in Somalia: "WHO calls for immediate action to save lives in Somalia News release 11 MAY 2017 | GENEVA - 'via Blog this'