"PUBLIC HEALTH"

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the COVID-19 pandemic is “a long way from over,” but stressed that with a “concerted effort to apply public health measures alongside equitable vaccination, we could bring this pandemic under control in a matter of months.” WHO

Transmitted by the blood-sucking triatomine bug called Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), Chagas disease, a neglected disease, currently affects between 6 and 7 million people worldwide and kills an estimated 10,000 people annually. UNITAID

The UN World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Friday that a critical shortage of vaccines has left some countries unable to start their COVID-19 inoculation campaigns. UNTV CH

Ahead of World Health Day, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed that COVID-19 has “exacerbated” inequalities both between and within countries and said, “While we have all undoubtedly been impacted by the pandemic, the poorest and most marginalized have been hit hardest - both in terms of lives and livelihoods lost.” WHO

Yemen received 360 000 COVID-19 vaccine doses shipped via the COVAX Facility today, a partnership between the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, UNICEF and the World Health Organization (WHO). UNICEF

A new report by UN-Habitat published on Tuesday demonstrated how cities can reduce the impact of future pandemics and become more equitable, healthy and environmentally friendly. UNTV CH

UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland told Security Council that he is “deeply concerned by continued Israeli settlement expansion, particularly into highly sensitive areas, which entrench the Israeli occupation, erode the possibility of a contiguous, independent and viable Palestinian State and further threaten the prospect of achieving a two-State solution.” UNIFEED

Amidst the ongoing COVID-19 crisis, the World TB Day (24 Mar) marks the occasion for the international community to call for more action to eliminate tuberculosis (TB) as a public health burden by 2030. UNITAID

UN Acting Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Myanmar Andrew Kirkwood said the “future of the country is at stake” adding that the current crisis also has “important regional implications.” UNIFEED

Briefing by Stephane Dujarric, Spokesperson for the Secretary-General.