World Health Organization

A girl receives the Ebola vaccine in Beni, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Doctors Without Borders Calls For More Transparency In Distribution Of Ebola Vaccine

5:47pm September 23, 2019

by Paolo Zialcita

The international humanitarian group says the World Health Organization is restricting access to the vaccine in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the current outbreak has killed more than 2,100.

The Taliban say the Red Cross may resume its work in Afghanistan, more than five months after threatening the group. In this photo from March, an orthopedic technician walks past artificial limbs in a workshop at the International Committee of the Red Cro

World News

Taliban Lift Ban On Red Cross, Pledge To Protect Aid Workers In Afghanistan

2:11pm September 16, 2019

by Bill Chappell

"We welcome the acknowledgment of our humanitarian principles and renewal of security guarantees," says the Red Cross leader in Afghanistan.

The World Health Organization says more than 1,650 people have died from the current outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

WHO Declares Ebola Outbreak In Congo An International Health Emergency

4:31pm July 17, 2019

The current outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo has killed more than 1,650 people, according to the World Health Organization. About 12 new cases are reported daily.

The WHO says the current Ebola outbreak is an emergency in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the region — but not on the international level. Here, people arriving from the DRC on Friday wash their hands with chlorinated water to prevent the spre

Health & Safety

WHO Says Ebola Outbreak Is Not An International Public Health Emergency

5:34pm June 14, 2019

by Bill Chappell

The agency says that while the outbreak in central Africa is taking a heavy toll, there is still a low threat that it will spread beyond its current region.

People crossing the border have their temperature taken to check for symptoms of Ebola, near Kasindi, eastern Congo, on Wednesday.

World News

WHO Weighs Declaring Global Health Emergency As Ebola Spreads In Africa

12:09pm June 13, 2019

by Scott Neuman

The latest outbreak has killed nearly 1,400 people in Democratic Republic of the Congo, but new cases in neighboring Uganda have raised further concern at the World Health Organization.

Uganda has reported its first death from Ebola. Here, a health worker takes a woman's temperature at a border crossing between Uganda and Democratic Republic of the Congo, part of an effort to screen for Ebola and prevent its spread.

5-Year-Old Dies In Uganda As Ebola Spreads From Democratic Republic Of The Congo

10:44am June 12, 2019

by Bill Chappell

Uganda's Ministry of Health says the dead boy's brother, 3, and grandmother, 50, also tested positive for Ebola. The 5-year-old and his mother had been in Democratic Republic of the Congo days ago.

The black mamba is a large venomous snake found in Africa. The World Health Organization estimates that up to 138,000 people die from a snakebite each year.

Snakebites And Kissing Bugs Among Surprise Items On World Health Agenda

3:01pm May 28, 2019

by Brian Simpson

Unpredictable moments involved the cost of drugs, the fight against snakebites and kissing bugs ... and reproductive rights.

Which Countries Are Best At Preventing Low Birth Weight? Which Need To Do More?

9:43pm May 15, 2019

by Michaeleen Doucleff

For the first time, the World Health Organization has estimated how well the world is doing to prevent low-weight births. The progress is too slow, researchers say.

Immunizations are one of the most cost-effective health interventions. Yet some vaccines are too expensive to be distributed in low- and middle-income countries.

Why Astronomical Drug Prices Are Bad For Health — And Profits

8:23pm April 12, 2019

by Jason Beaubien

Fatima Suleman, a professor of pharmaceutical sciences, hopes that WHO's Fair Pricing Forum can help lower drug costs — and benefit drug manufacturers.

Sodul Amin, 30, is one of tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees who've gotten chickenpox since December. The highly contagious disease spreads easily in the overcrowded refugee camps.

Chickenpox, The Latest Burden On The Rohingya Refugees

2:03pm April 11, 2019

by Jason Beaubien

At the largest refugee camp in the world, Rohingya refugees and aid agencies face numerous challenges. Now they're also dealing with an outbreak of chickenpox.