"It’s a real pleasure to be here in Washington, D.C., on #WorldHealthDay. Over the past few days, I’ve had a series of very productive meetings with representatives of the Administration, senators, house members and other leaders"-@DrTedros
@DrTedros "We renewed old friendships & forged new ones. We discussed #COVID19, the war in #Ukraine, and WHO’s 5 major priorities for the next 5 years, incl. supporting countries to make a paradigm shift towards promoting health and preventing disease, not just treating it"-@DrTedros
@DrTedros "...
radically reorienting health systems towards primary health care;
strengthening global capacities for pandemic preparedness and response;
harnessing the power of science, research, innovation, data and digital technologies for health"-@DrTedros
@DrTedros "#WorldHealthDay marks the day that the Constitution of the World Health Organization came into effect, on the 7th of April 1948"-@DrTedros
@DrTedros "Although our headquarters are in 🇨🇭, in one way, WHO was born here in the 🇺🇸.
It was in 1945, during the Conference to establish the United Nations in San Francisco, that the idea of an international health organization was first proposed"-@DrTedros
@DrTedros "And at the International Health Conference in New York City the following year, the Constitution of the World Health Organization was adopted by 51 Members of the @UN, including the 🇺🇸"-@DrTedros
@DrTedros@UN "For the past 75 years, the 🇺🇸 has been a strong partner in global health. The 🇺🇸 played a pivotal role in eradicating smallpox – which remains one of the greatest achievements in the history of global health"-@DrTedros
@DrTedros@UN "The 🇺🇸 has continued to be a leader in global health, through @PEPFAR, as well as its support for the response to malaria, tuberculosis, polio and many other diseases"-@DrTedros
@DrTedros@UN@PEPFAR "The 🇺🇸 has also been a strong supporter of WHO’s work to respond to health emergencies, including the war in #Ukraine"-@DrTedros
@DrTedros@UN@PEPFAR "With support from the 🇺🇸, WHO is working with #Ukraine’s Ministry of Health to keep the country’s health system running, and we’re working with neighbouring countries to support access to care for refugees"-@DrTedros
@DrTedros@UN@PEPFAR "WHO and our partners have so far delivered more than 180 metric tonnes of medical supplies to the hardest hit areas in #Ukraine, and we are preparing to deliver more"-@DrTedros
@DrTedros@UN@PEPFAR "We are outraged that attacks on health care are continuing. Today, we crossed a grim milestone of over 100 attacks – as of now, WHO has verified 103 incidents of attacks on health care, with 73 people killed & 51 injured, including health workers and patients"-@DrTedros#Ukraine
@DrTedros@UN@PEPFAR "Attacks on health care are a violation of international humanitarian law.
Peace is the only way forward. I again call on the Russian Federation to stop the war"-@DrTedros#Ukraine
@DrTedros@UN@PEPFAR@SecBecerra@ACTAccelerator "I'm painfully aware that #COVID19 has taken a heavy toll in the 🇺🇸. I offer my deep condolences to all Americans who have lost someone they love; & my deep appreciation to every 👩⚕️👨⚕️ who has put themselves in harm’s way to serve others in the course of the pandemic"-@DrTedros
@DrTedros@UN@PEPFAR@SecBecerra@ACTAccelerator "The #COVID19 pandemic has highlighted the intimate links between the health of humans, animals, and our environment. And yet we are rapidly making the 🌍 on which all life depends uninhabitable. Which is why #WorldHealthDay 2022’s theme is: Our planet, our health"-@DrTedros
@DrTedros@UN@PEPFAR@SecBecerra@ACTAccelerator "Systems that produce highly processed, unhealthy foods are driving a wave of obesity, increasing cancer and heart disease, and generating one-third of greenhouse gas emissions"-@DrTedros
@DrTedros@UN@PEPFAR@SecBecerra@ACTAccelerator "There are solutions at hand. WHO’s Manifesto for a Healthy Recovery from #COVID19 recommends more than 80 concrete actions governments can take in 6 policy areas, with dividends for the health of our planet and the health of humans"-@DrTedros
@DrTedros@UN@PEPFAR@SecBecerra@ACTAccelerator "This #WorldHealthDay, as the 🌍 recovers & rebuilds from #COVID19, we have a choice. We can go back to the way things were or we can change course. We can create societies, economies & products that nurture health & well-being, & stop subsidising those that destroy it"-@DrTedros
Today is #WorldHealthDay!
Environmental factors - including climate change - claim 13 million lives every year.
Stop burning fossil fuels like oil, coal and natural gas for a #HealthierTomorrow
Climate change is a threat to human health, driving diseases like cancer, asthma, heart disease, and mosquito-borne diseases like dengue bit.ly/WorldHealthDay…
Shocking!
99% - or almost the entire world's population breathes air with unhealthy levels of fine particulate matter & nitrogen dioxide, and threatens their health.
More: bit.ly/3uW6wfC
Over 6,000 cities in 117 countries are now monitoring air quality, but the people living in them are still breathing air that exceeds WHO air quality limits, with people in low & middle-income countries suffering the highest exposures bit.ly/3uW6wfC
Particulate matter, especially PM2.5, is capable of penetrating deep into the lungs & entering the bloodstream, causing cardiovascular, cerebrovascular (stroke) & respiratory impacts bit.ly/3uW6wfC
Today is World Autism Awareness Day. With appropriate support from caregivers, the health and education sectors and society at large, autistic people can live happy, fulfilled lives.
The abilities and needs of autistic people vary and evolve over time. Health-care services need to be designed with the participation of autistic people
to promote personalized care and respond to their evolving needs.
WHO urges quality care for women & newborns in critical first six weeks after childbirth - critical time to ensure survival, support healthy development of the baby as well as the mother’s overall mental & physical recovery and wellbeing bit.ly/3iKPgV9
Postnatal contacts are recommended for healthy women & newborns between 48 and 72 hours, between seven and 14 days, and during week six after birth.
If health risks are identified, more contacts will likely be required.
Worldwide, more than 3 in 10 women & babies do not currently receive postnatal care in the first days after birth - the period when most maternal and infant deaths occur bit.ly/3iKPgV9
In 2022 WHO already responded to 7⃣4⃣ emergencies 🚨 around the 🌎🌍🌏
WHO launches an urgent appeal for funding to support:
✅ ongoing health emergencies
✅ humanitarian needs
✅ millions amongst the most vulnerable to lead dignified, healthier lives
In 2021 WHO:
✅ responded to 76 health emergencies
✅ delivered supplies & maintained essential health services in Ethiopia, Afghanistan, Syria & Yemen
✅ helped fight #COVID19
✅ coordinated emergency response with over 1600 partners
✅ & much more
Funding is 🔑 to sustain these efforts, amidst ongoing crises globally.
The appeal for US$2.7 billion represents financial requirements for WHO in 2022 to cover all 6 Regions, & country-level emergency response operations, including for #COVID19.