Women in Europe: lingering inequalities affect health
08 March 2010
Unequal power in relationships, poverty and discrimination prevent women from attaining and maintaining the best possible health. On International Women’s Day 2010, the United Nations calls for “Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities: Progress for All”.
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Respiratory disease kills 1 in every 2000 babies in Europe
02 March 2010
In some countries in the WHO European Region, 1–5 infants per 1000 still die from respiratory diseases, with the highest rates in the east. Children’s exposure to contributing environmental factors, such as outdoor and indoor air pollution, remains unacceptably high. This issue will be discussed at the Fifth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health, to be held in Parma, Italy on 10–12 March 2010.
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Pandemic (H1N1) 2009: no phase change
24 February 2010
Based on Emergency Committee discussions yesterday, the WHO Director-General, Dr Margaret Chan, has determined that the pandemic phase has not changed, so the pandemic alert level remains at phase six. All countries in the WHO European Region report low or medium intensity of influenza activity.
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More physically active children in Europe, but obesity rates still rising
19 February 2010
Although children are more physically active, overweight and obesity rates continue to rise, particularly in boys. Renewed efforts are needed to prevent and reverse obesity trends in the European Region. This issue will be discussed at the Fifth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health, to be held in Parma, Italy on 10–12 March 2010.
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Former WHO Regional Director for Europe Dr Jo E. Asvall dies
16 February 2010
WHO/Europe is sad to announce that Dr Jo Eirik Asvall, Regional Director for Europe from 1985 to 2000, died on 10 February 2010. A leading public health expert, one of his most notable achievements was implementing the ‘Health for All’ strategy in Europe, mobilizing health professionals, politicians and the mass media to promote the health of all people. Readers can pay tribute to Dr Asvall by e-mail (condolences@euro.who.int).
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European roads too dangerous for young people
15 February 2010
Road traffic injuries kill about 100 children and young people in the WHO European Region every day. For every death, there are on average 35 non-fatal injuries, often with long-term effects on victims’ health. This issue will be discussed at the Fifth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health, to be held in Parma, Italy on 10–12 March 2010.
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Rise in access to safe water in Europe
09 February 2010
Further work is needed to continue improving access to safe drinking-water at home, sewerage systems and safe bathing water throughout the European Region. Surveillance systems to assess outbreaks of waterborne diseases must be extended and improved, as most outbreaks go undetected. These issues will be discussed at the Fifth Ministerial Conference on Environment and Health, to be held in Parma, Italy on 10–12 March 2010.
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40% of cancer cases can be prevented
04 February 2010
People can significantly reduce their cancer risk by adopting a healthy lifestyle: not smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, reducing exposure to the sun and eating a balanced diet. Governments must continue to raise public awareness and put early detection measures in place. World Cancer Day 2010 focuses on prevention.
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Updated health figures
02 February 2010
WHO/Europe has updated its European Health for All and mortality databases. With over 600 indicators, plus mortality from 67 causes, they provide a wide range of basic health statistics on the 53 countries in the WHO European Region. For example, cancer caused on average 171 deaths per 100 000 population in 2008.
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New leader for WHO/Europe
01 February 2010
Today, Mrs Zsuzsanna Jakab takes up her post as the new WHO Regional Director for Europe. A native of Hungary, she will work with governments and other partners to improve the health of the 890 million people in the 53 countries in the WHO European Region. She succeeds Dr Marc Danzon.
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Sixty years of WHO in Europe
25 January 2010
How has WHO/Europe responded to changing health priorities in Europe? As Dr Marc Danzon’s 10 years as WHO Regional Director for Europe draw to a close, WHO/Europe publishes his account of how WHO/Europe has worked to improve the health of the people in the vast region it serves.
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Earthquake in Haiti: guidance on disaster response from WHO
18 January 2010
The earthquake that struck last week also hit Haiti’s health system hard. At least eight health facilities are damaged or destroyed when health services are needed most. WHO/the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is supporting the Haitian Government to coordinate international assistance on health.
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Donated pandemic (H1N1) 2009 vaccine arrives in Azerbaijan
08 January 2010
Today, Azerbaijan received its first shipment of donated pandemic (H1N1) 2009 vaccine. Vaccination will target health care workers, the staff of life support services, pregnant women, people with a history of chronic lung disease and children aged 14–17. The pre-qualified, inactivated adjuvanted vaccine is produced by GlaxoSmithKline.
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New issue of The Bridge
08 January 2010
The newsletter features an interview with the outgoing Regional Director; describes activities in Kyrgyzstan, the Republic of Moldova, Slovakia and Tajikistan; and includes articles on health systems financing, immunization, human resources for health, HIV/AIDS surveillance, climate change, pandemic (H1N1) 2009 influenza, smoke-free environments, environment and health equity, and the South-eastern Europe (SEE) Health Network.
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Pandemic (H1N1) 2009 activity continues despite declining clinical trends
05 January 2010
While pandemic (H1N1) 2009 activity remains high in four countries, Georgia, Poland, Serbia and Ukraine, and some regions of the Russian Federation, clinical respiratory disease activity has declined over the past 3 weeks in 16 countries. A shipment of donated pandemic (H1N1) 2009 vaccine is due to arrive in Azerbaijan this week.
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