World Health Assembly opens to discuss major health issues
WHO's Health Assembly, the world's largest health policy-making body, opened its 66th Session on 20 May in Geneva with around 3000 participants from around the world. Major health issues to be discussed include protecting more children from vaccine-preventable diseases; intensifying efforts to eradicate polio; and monitoring of progress countries are making towards the Millennium Development Goals.
Improving people’s health through immunization
This year, the exhibits at the World Health Assembly reflect the Organization’s shift to the areas of work as defined in the 12th General Programme of Work, thus showing Member States that their vision is moving ahead under our programme of reform.
As such, vaccine-preventable diseases falls under WHO’s priority area of work in Category 1: communicable diseases which includes HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Neglected Tropical Diseases and Tuberculosis.
Yellow fever vaccination booster not needed
The yellow fever ‘booster’ vaccination given ten years after the initial vaccination is not necessary, according to the World Health Organization. An article published in WHO’s Weekly Epidemiological Record reveals that the Organization’s Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on immunization (SAGE) has reviewed the latest evidence and concluded that a single dose of vaccination is sufficient to confer life-long immunity against yellow fever disease.
Thirty-one priority countries eliminated maternal and neonatal tetanus
Tetanus, one of the most deadly diseases a mother and her newborn can face, has been eliminated in over half of 59 priority countries, the Maternal and Neonatal Tetanus Elimination Initiative partners announced today.
The countries are: Bangladesh, Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, China, Comoros, Congo, Cote d' Ivoire, Egypt, Eritrea, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Iraq, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Timor Leste, Togo, Turkey, Uganda, Viet Nam, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
