Switzerland

WHO especially worried about Central and South America: WHO chief

GENEVA, June 3 (Xinhua) -- World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Wednesday said that his organization is especially worried about Central and South America, where many countries are witnessing accelerating epidemics.

He said during a virtual press conference that more than 100,000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported to WHO for each of the past five days, and the Americas continues to account for the most cases.

WHO announces launch of WHO Foundation to support critical health needs

GENEVA, May 27 (Xinhua) -- The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday announced the creation of the WHO Foundation, an independent grant-making entity that will support the organization's efforts to address the most pressing global health challenges.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a virtual press conference from Geneva that the idea to support the establishment of the WHO Foundation dated back to February 2018, and "today it gives us enormous pleasure to launch it officially."

UN virus therapy trial pauses hydroxychloroquine testing

GENEVA (AP) — The World Health Organization said Monday that it will temporarily drop hydroxychloroquine — the anti-malarial drug U.S. President Trump says he is taking — from its global study into experimental COVID-19 treatments, saying that its experts need to review all available evidence to date.

Yemen's health system 'has in effect collapsed' as COVID spreads: U.N.

GENEVA (Reuters) - Coronavirus is believed to be spreading throughout Yemen, where the health care system “has in effect collapsed”, the United Nations said on Friday, appealing for urgent funding.

Referring to aid agencies, Jens Laerke, spokesman for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) told a Geneva briefing: “We hear from many of them that Yemen is really on the brink right now. The situation is extremely alarming, they are talking about that the health system has in effect collapsed.”

Wanted: New head of WTO. Must thrive under global pressure and conflict

GENEVA/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Against the backdrop of a global pandemic, steep recession, intensifying U.S-China tensions and rising protectionism, the WTO needs to name a leader. Only the resilient should apply.

Brazilian Director-General Roberto Azevedo surprised the WTO’s 164 members last week by announcing he would quit at the end of August, a year earlier than expected, adding to the tumult facing global agencies amid a backlash against globalisation.

73rd WHA ends with strong global commitment to COVID-19 response

GENEVA, May 19 (Xinhua) -- The 73rd World Health Assembly (WHA), the first of its kind that held virtually since the World Health Organization (WHO) was founded in 1948, ended on Tuesday with a strong global commitment to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in his closing remarks that the focus of his organization now is fighting the pandemic with every tool at their disposal.

"At the end of the day, what matters is life. That should be at the center of everything we do, and everything we say," he said.

WHO bows to calls from countries for independent virus probe

GENEVA (AP) — The World Health Organization bowed to calls Monday from most of its member states to launch an independent probe into how it managed the international response to the coronavirus, which has been clouded by finger-pointing between the U.S. and China over a pandemic that has killed over 300,000 people and leveled the global economy.

WHO kicks off international meet amid US-China tensions

GENEVA, May 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The World Health Organization on Monday kick off its first ever virtual assembly, but fears abound that US-China tensions could derail the strong action needed to address the COVID-19 crisis.

The World Health Assembly, which has been trimmed from the usual three weeks to just two days, Monday and Tuesday, is expected to focus almost solely on COVID-19, which in a matter of months has killed more than 310,000 globally, and infected nearly 4.7 million.

WHO to kick off international meet amid US-China tensions

18 May 2020; AFP: The World Health Organization will on Monday kick off its first ever virtual assembly, but fears abound that US-China tensions could derail the strong action needed to address the COVID-19 crisis.

The World Health Assembly, which has been trimmed from the usual three weeks to just two days, Monday and Tuesday, is expected to focus almost solely on COVID-19, which in a matter of months has killed more than 310,000 globally, and infected nearly 4.7 million.

WHO reports increase in confirmed COVID-19 cases of over 89,000 in 24 hours

GENEVA, May 17. /TASS/: The number of confirmed coronavirus cases globally increased by 89,269 over the past 24 hours to more than 4.43 mln, while the death toll rose by 5,037 people to over 302,000, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported on Saturday.

As of May 16, there have been 4,434,653 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including 302,169 deaths, reported to WHO.

Subscribe to Switzerland