health

UN global health report card: flu threat remains, progress made on TB, polio

21 December 2007
The continued looming threat of a flu pandemic, outbreaks of Ebola, Marburg and other infectious diseases, and high female mortality rates during pregnancy and childbirth in developing countries are among the issues that mark 2007, according to the United Nations health agency.

UN-backed meeting in Asia forges commitment to reproductive health

2 November 2007
Experts, advocates and activists meeting at a United Nations-backed meeting in Asia have called for efforts to reduce maternal deaths, enable young people to avoid HIV and make family planning more accessible on the continent.

UN-backed drive aims to boost birth and death registrations worldwide

29 October 2007
A new initiative backed by the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) aims to help countries know how many people are born and die each year and the main causes of their deaths – key information for well-functioning health systems.

Migiro urges better coordination of efforts to advance global public health

26 October 2007
Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro has called for all those working to make inroads in global public health to pool their efforts, stating that the world already has the resources and the know-how to enable people to lead long, healthy lives.

UN rights expert unveils draft guidelines for drug companies on vital medicines

25 October 2007
Noting that nearly two billion people worldwide lack access to essential medicines, a United Nations independent expert on health today introduced into the General Assembly draft human rights guidelines for pharmaceutical companies to expand that reach.

New UN guidelines to help assess health of children and youth

24 October 2007
Aiming to help parents and policymakers, the United Nations World Health Organization (WHO) today published the first internationally agreed classification code for assessing the health of children.

Migiro calls for greater investment to prevent maternal deaths

18 October 2007
With one woman dying every single minute from complications during pregnancy or childbirth, United Nations Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro today urged greater investment to improve women’s health, including reducing maternal deaths.

Progress in slowing maternal deaths too slow, UN agencies warn

15 October 2007
The number of women who die in pregnancy and childbirth is not declining fast enough to achieve the global target of reducing maternal deaths by three quarters by 2015, United Nations agencies warn.

Ban Ki-moon calls for scaling up resources for mental health services

10 October 2007
More than 60 per cent of people globally who suffer from mental disorders are not receiving treatment, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today, urging an increase in resources devoted to mental health care.

Secretary-General urges global cooperation to secure better health for all

27 September 2007
Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called on countries to work together to strengthen health systems around the world, and enable more people to access them, citing the link between health, security and development.