| No images? Click here  Wednesday, 18 September 2024 MEDIA ADVISORY Virtual press conference on global health issues When: Thursday, 19 September, 2024 at 15:00 CEST (Geneva time) Hosted by: Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, WHO Subject: Global health issues Connect by Zoom: https://who.zoom.us/j/95133951138 Phone: International numbers available: https://who.zoom.us/u/amB7cBdL9 Webinar ID: 951 3395 1138 Numeric passcode for phone access: 906618864 Notes to journalists: Please ensure you enter your name and media outlet (use name/outlet). Kindly note, only questions from media (one per journalist) are allowed. When you sign in you will be automatically put in the meeting room. WHO reserves the right to remove any participant whose behaviour causes any disruption. The event is also broadcast on WHO social media channels and you can follow it there.To ask a question, please click "raise hand" and this will enter you into the queue for questions (it can be found under the tab: participants).Please make sure you have a microphone connected or active on your computer. Do not ask questions via the chat as we cannot guarantee that we can incorporate them into the Q&A session. Media contacts:  You are receiving this NO-REPLY email because you are included on a WHO mail list.  |
Wednesday, September 18, 2024
MEDIA ADVISORY: Virtual press conference on global health issues, Thursday, 19 September, 2024 at 15:00 CEST (Geneva time)
JOINT NEWS RELEASE: FIFA and World Health Organization launch global concussion awareness campaign
| No images? Click here  Wednesday, 18 September 2024 JOINT NEWS RELEASE FIFA and World Health Organization launch global concussion awareness campaign18 September 2024
In line with the Strategic Objectives for the Global Game: 2023–2027 and following on from the announcement at the IFAB AGM in March 2024, FIFA is launching Suspect and Protect: No Match is Worth the Risk, a concussion awareness campaign, in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO). The campaign aims to raise awareness of the fact that concussion is a traumatic brain injury and is a risk to every player on the pitch. It has been endorsed by players, coaches and team doctors from around the world. Developed through extensive consultation with FIFA Medical and WHO brain health experts, the Suspect and Protect campaign aims to increase sign and symptom recognition among players, coaches and medical staff, as well as the general public. The campaign highlights that symptoms may take up to 72 hours to appear and offers guidance on how to return to play safely following a suspected or confirmed concussion. These tailored resources are designed to empower national team stakeholders, professional clubs and leagues and grassroots and amateur communities. Suspect and Protect will be delivered at a global level across FIFA channels, while toolkits are being distributed to the 211 FIFA Member Associations for delivery at a national, regional and local level. “Concussion is a brain injury and should always be taken seriously. Playing football should be something enjoyed safely, by everyone, everywhere,” FIFA President Gianni Infantino said. “By knowing the signs of concussion, by being aware of the risks, and by treating a concussion correctly, you can help to put player safety first. “A big thank you to FIFA’s member associations for their efforts in launching with us and for following the advice provided by our colleagues at the World Health Organization.” “Concussion is a public health issue of concern at all levels of football, and many other sports, requiring greater levels of awareness and action,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “That is why WHO is proud to team up with FIFA on the Suspect and Protect campaign to promote ways to protect the brains of footballers, young and old, around the world from the risks of concussion.” The campaign is built upon three main action points for audiences within national teams, professional clubs and leagues and amateur and grassroots communities. BE AWARE: Whether a player, coach, team doctor, parent or carer, it is important to understand that concussion is a traumatic brain injury and should always be taken seriously. Everyone should know the common signs of concussion as well as when to seek urgent medical advice. SUSPECT: Anyone who sustains a direct or indirect impact to their head, face, neck or body, should be assessed for concussion symptoms. Symptoms may take up to 72 hours to present. They include headache or ‘pressure’ sensation, nausea or vomiting, problems with balance, dizziness or being unsteady on feet, distorted/blurry or double vision, sensitivity to light and/or noise, memory problems (difficulty recalling the traumatic event, and/or events before or after), feeling drowsy, confused or unable to focus, sleep problems. PROTECT: Anyone presenting with one or more concussion symptoms should leave the pitch immediately. A doctor must be seen as soon as possible and within 24 hours. The symptoms of a concussion can change or evolve within the minutes, hours, days and even weeks after the traumatic event. Some symptoms require urgent medical attention. Players should follow medical guidance on return to play. No match is worth the risk. Editor's notes Suspect and Protect will be available through FIFA channels in Arabic, English, French, German, Portuguese (Brazilian) and Spanish and will be adapted by Member Associations in additional languages. WHO's work on brain health: The WHO works with countries to promote optimal brain development and function, neurological health, and well-being across the life course. Key activities include strengthening policies, service delivery, health information systems, research and technology, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries; providing technical assistance to develop integrated and person-centred approaches to brain health that prioritize promotion, prevention, treatment, care, and rehabilitation; and promoting increased investment, inter-agency collaboration, and engagement across a range of sectors globally. More about WHO's work on brain health
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Tuesday, September 17, 2024
WHO EPI-WIN Webinar: Treatment and medical support for patients with mpox, and their families, Wednesday, 18 September, 13:00 CEST
| No images? Click here  Tuesday, 17 September 2024 MEDIA ADVISORY WHO EPI-WIN Webinar: Treatment and medical support for patients with mpox, and their families WHEN: Wednesday, 18 September 2024 at 13:00–14:15 CEST (Geneva time) WHERE: Register here CONTEXT The global mpox outbreak, which began in 2022, has resulted in over 100,000 confirmed cases reported to the WHO. The rapid spread of the new Clade 1B strain, particularly in eastern DRC and neighbouring countries and its recent detection in Sweden and Thailand, underscores the growing threat. This escalating situation led to the declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern on 14 August 2024. WHO in partnership with international and regional organisations is leading the global response by providing strategic leadership, including through providing clinical expertise to improve supportive care both in hospitals and at home; developing and updating response guidance for the control of Mpox that includes infection prevention control measures, how to screen, triage and isolate patients and how to manage mild and complicated Mpox including skin lesions, complications with eyes, pain, good nutrition and hydration. The purpose of the webinar is to provide a rapid overview of the Mpox situation and to give practical guidance on treatment of mild and severe patients based on the WHO Interim guidelines developed in 2022. This includes guidance in the African context – where recognition of the Mpox rash and home care can be challenging. SPEAKERS Dr Maria D. Van Kerkhove, Director (a.i), Department of Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention, WHO Prof. Lucille Blumberg, ID Consultant ,medical microbiologist, South Africa Dr Andy Bulabula, CDC Ethiopia Dr Steve Woolley, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, UK Dr Nerissa Moodley, Dermatologist, South Africa Dr Steve Yeh, Opthalmologist, UNMC, USA  Media contact:  You are receiving this NO-REPLY email because you are included on a WHO mail list.  |
NEWS RELEASE: “Get it right, make it safe!”: WHO highlights safe diagnosis during global campaign for patient safety
| No images? Click here  Tuesday, 17 September 2024 NEWS RELEASE “Get it right, make it safe!”: WHO highlights safe diagnosis during global campaign for patient safety17 September 2024, Geneva - Recognizing the urgent need for a broad-based effort globally to reduce errors in medical diagnosis, the World Health Organization (WHO) is calling on all stakeholders to “Get it right, make it safe!” as part of the World Patient Safety Day campaign on 17 September. The theme ‘improving diagnosis for patient safety’ was selected in consultation with a wide range of stakeholders – from patients to policy-makers – to highlight how everyone has a vital role to play in reducing the risks and impact of errors in diagnosis. “The right diagnosis, at the right time, is the basis of safe and effective health care. By contrast, diagnostic errors can lead to serious harm, and even death,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Reducing this risk takes collaboration between health workers and managers, policymakers and regulators, civil society and the private sector, and importantly, patients and their families.” Each year, diagnostic errors account for an estimated 16% of preventable harm in health care, with tremendous human and economic consequences. Data suggest that most adults will experience at least one diagnostic error in their lifetime, which can result in prolonged ill health, increased health care costs, or even preventable death. Diagnostic error is when a diagnosis is delayed, incorrect, missed, or miscommunicated and can occur at any stage of a patient’s journey. Targeted interventions by policy-makers, health care leaders, health workers, medical product regulators and manufacturers, with the active engagement of patients, their families and civil society can help reduce the risk of error. Policy-makers should ensure appropriate national guidelines, protocols and regulations exist and are implemented, and necessary budget and resources are allocated. Health facility and programme managers should create safe and conducive working environments, promote continuous improvement, and ensure adequate systems, standards and processes are in place. Health facility and programme managers should also ensure that diagnostic tools and technologies are well-maintained, sharing user feedback with the manufacturer quickly to improve systems. At the individual level, patients and their families should proactively participate in the diagnostic process by sharing their symptoms and full medical history, asking questions, raising concerns and following up on test results. Health workers should actively engage their patients while integrating excellence into every stage of the diagnostic process. WHO is developing a model to support the implementation of diagnostic safety interventions. On 10–12 September the WHO-convened World Patient Safety 2024 Global Consultation brought together patients, patient advocates, health workers, health care facility managers, policy-makers, diagnostic safety experts, and academic and research institutions to provide input on the implementation model. Participants also discussed the progress and challenges in implementing the Global Patient Safety Action Plan (GPSAP) 2021–2030. The GPSAP serves as an action framework for stakeholders to work towards the goal of safe and high-quality health care for all patients. The recently published Global Patient Safety Report 2024 highlighted progress made by many countries towards the GPSAP goals, but also underscored the huge scope for further improvement. The implementation model for improving diagnostic safety will be released in 2025 as one of the range of WHO tools and practical resources to help stakeholders drive progress towards the goals set in the GPSAP. Note to the editorWorld Patient Safety Day was established in 2019 to promote measures needed to improve patient safety globally. Each year a new theme is selected to highlight a priority area. More information about 2024 World Patient Safety Day Campaign can be found on the WHO website. Related links Fact sheet: Patient safety  WHO media contact:  You are receiving this NO-REPLY email because you are included on a WHO mail list.  |
Saturday, September 14, 2024
SITUATION REPORT: Multi-country outbreak of mpox, External situation report #36- 14 September 2024
| No images? Click here  Saturday, 14 September 2024 SITUATION REPORT Multi-country outbreak of mpox, External situation report #36- 14 September 2024OverviewThis is the 36th situation report for the multi-country outbreak of mpox, which provides details on the latest epidemiological trends and operational updates. On 14 August 2024, the WHO Director-General declared the resurgence of mpox to be a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC), requiring a coordinated international response. This report focuses on the reporting period 1 January – 8 September 2024, as the latest complete epidemiological week, for the African continent.  Media contacts:  You are receiving this NO-REPLY email because you are included on a WHO mail list.  |
