WHO urges attention to UN flash appeal for Philippines, sends emergency supplies
MANILA, 22 December 2011 – The World Health Organization (WHO) urges the international community to respond affirmatively to the United Nations' flash appeal for USD 28.6 million of emergency relief for the flood-ravaged southern Philippines.
The tropical storm that struck the area on 16-18 December 2011 left devastation in its wake, mostly in Cagayan de Oro and Iligan cities on northern Mindanao island. More than 641 000 people have been affected by the ensuing floods, of whom more than 1000 have died, approximately 44 000 are living in evacuation centres and approximately 266 000 are living with relatives or in makeshift shelters.
"The United Nations team and the Government of the Philippines have worked hard to prepare an authoritative assessment of priority needs," says Dr Shin Young-soo, WHO's Regional Director for the Western Pacific. "We appeal to the Member States and our international partners to help the people of the southern Philippines in their hour of suffering and deprivation."
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World AIDS Day message of Dr Shin Young-soo, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific
MANILA, 1 December 2011 – On the occasion of the 24th World AIDS Day, Dr Shin Young-soo, the World Health Organization's Regional Director for the Western Pacific, says that "together we can and must work towards the vision of 'Getting to zero – zero new HIV infections, zero AIDS-related deaths and zero discrimination'".
Click here to view his video statement.
Click here to read the transcript.
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Polio now survives only among the world's poorest and most marginalized communities, where it stalks the most vulnerable children. The Initiative's goal is to reach every last child with polio vaccine and ensure a polio-free world for future generations.
Fact file
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 More than 346 million people worldwide have diabetes, and more than 80% of diabetes deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. Healthy diet, regular physical activity, maintaining a normal body weight and avoiding tobacco use can prevent or delay the onset of the most common type of diabetes.
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Fiji launches Western Pacific Region's first health system profile
SUVA, Fiji, 29 November 2011 – Policy-makers can now gain easy access to information about Fiji's health system with the launch today of its Health in Transition (HiT) publication, a comprehensive review of the country's health profile.
Fiji's HiT, the first country profile published by the Asia Pacific Observatory of Health Systems and Policies, provides key information, such as on health financing, physical and human resources, health service delivery mechanisms and principle directions in health sector reform, of particular importance to the country's decision-makers.
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