"HEALTH"

Updating reporters today on the situation in Ukraine, a UN spokesperson said that fighting and hostilities over the weekend killed and injured civilians, while critical facilities, including several hospitals, were damaged on both sides of the frontline. UNIFEED

Commenting on guidelines expected to be issued by Taliban authorities to allow women to work in humanitarian operations in Afghanistan, the United Nations top humanitarian official said “Let’s see if these guidelines do come through. Let's see if they are beneficial. Let's see what space there is for the essential and central role of women in our humanitarian operations.” UNIFEED

The World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General said today that COVID-19 remains a global health emergency, even though, as the world enters the fourth year of the pandemic, “there is no doubt we are in a far better situation now than we were a year ago, when the Omicron wave was at its peak.” WHO

Ahead of the Africa launch of the “Global Alliance to end Aids in children” on 1 February in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania, UNAIDS warned today of a “forgotten generation of children” grappling with HIV that are not receiving any treatment. UNTV CH

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk conducted a two-day official mission to Colombia from Tuesday 24 to Wednesday 25 January, at the invitation of the Government. OHCHR

UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed told the Security Council, “The world is facing the highest number of violent conflicts since the Second World War. Two billion people, one quarter of humanity, live in places affected by conflict”. UNIFEED

According to a new UN report, world output growth is projected to decelerate from an estimated 3 percent in 2022 to 1.9 percent in 2023, marking one of the lowest growth rates in recent decades. UNIFEED

The United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, Geir O. Pedersen, told the Security Council that the scale of needs inside Syria is “at the worst level since the conflict began”. UNIFEED

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “Since the beginning of December, the number of weekly reported deaths from COVID-19 has been increasing, adding that “the actual number of deaths is much higher.” WHO

The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East appealed today for 1.6 billion (USD) to fund core operations this year, as the people it helps face hitting “rock bottom”. UNTV CH