This is the News in Brief from the United Nations.
Human Rights Council hears call for immediate release of Myanmar’s Suu Kyi
The UN Human Rights Council debated a call on Friday for the immediate release of Myanmar’s democratically elected leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, along with other senior officials.
In a special session at the Geneva-based Council, which is the pre-eminent forum for international rights issues, the United Kingdom and European Union presented a draft resolution condemning last week’s military takeover.
The draft text urges the lifting of restrictions on the internet and unimpeded humanitarian access.
Here’s Nada Al-Nashif, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights:
“Let us be clear: the indiscriminate use of lethal or less-than-lethal weapons against peaceful protestors is unacceptable. More violence against Myanmar’s people will only compound the illegitimacy of the coup, and the culpability of its leaders.”
Special Rapporteur on the human rights situation in Myanmar, Thomas Andrews, also urged the international community not to recognise the country’s military leaders.
Arbitrary detentions and intimidation are increasing, the independent rights expert continued, adding that political leaders were “targets”, as well as community and civil society leaders”.
Constellation’ of post-COVID symptoms will impact global healthcare, says WHO
A “constellation” of sometimes debilitating symptoms among people who’ve recovered from COVID-19, is set to impact on global health systems.
That’s the message from the World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday, which said that post-COVID-19 Condition can occur after the acute illness had passed.
Symptoms include neurological and physical problems and these have prevented sufferers from returning to work, occurring up to six months after the initial recovery period, said Dr Janet Diaz, head of Health Care Readiness at the UN agency.
Although comprehensive data is not yet available, Dr Diaz insisted that “these (symptoms) were real”.
“We are concerned obviously with the numbers of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus that the numbers…just by the magnitude of the pandemic, will impact health systems…We are concerned obviously with the numbers of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 virus that the numbers, even if it’s - we don’t know how common it is or how uncommon it is - but the numbers just by the magnitude of the pandemic will impact health systems…“Some reports are showing that some of the more common symptoms of the post-COVID-19 condition can be fatigue, post-exertional malaise, and cognitive dysfunction and so and sometimes you may be hearing patients describe that as ‘brain fog’.”
Dr Diaz added that the condition had also been reported among people who had not been hospitalised for acute infection, after the acute illness had passed.
Starvation risk for Yemen’s children threatens 400,000 without urgent treatment: UN agencies
Acute malnutrition now threatens half of children under five in Yemen in 2021 and 400,000 could die if they do not receive treatment urgently, UN humanitarians have warned.
According to four UN agencies, nearly 2.3 million youngsters are likely to suffer acute malnutrition this year throughout the country, which has been at war for six years.
In their latest report on the crisis, the humanitarians warned that malnutrition damages a child's physical and mental development, especially during the first two years of life.
It is largely irreversible, perpetuating illness, poverty and inequality, added the Food and Agriculture Organization, UN Children's Fund, the World Food Programme and the World Health Organization.
Preventing malnutrition and addressing its devastating impact starts with good maternal health, yet around 1.2 million pregnant or breastfeeding women in Yemen are projected to be acutely malnourished in 2021, according to latest UN data.
Daniel Johnson, UN News.
