World Health Organization (WHO)

Reports of attacks on civilians in #Ethiopia's Amhara and Tigray regions are deeply disturbing. Among those reportedly killed in the Jaari 2 displacement camp in Amhara were children, including a newborn. In another attack in Rama, Tigray, several people were reportedly killed while trying to get food. While these are the latest incidents, drone attacks and civilian casualties have tragically become frequent across Ethiopia. The violence in northern Ethiopia is pushing an already fragile health system closer to collapse. Hospitals face shortages of health workers, medicines, and equipment. Ambulance services are severely limited. Insecurity is obstructing the delivery of life-saving medical supplies to some areas. @WHO and @UN partners are working around the clock to deliver additional much needed medical supplies to all the affected regions. As fighting continues, more people are likely to lose access to essential health care, including emergency services, maternal and child health care, and treatment for diseases. Civilians must be protected. Health workers and humanitarian supplies must be allowed to reach those in need. The most courageous choose peace. The best medicine is peace. reuters.com/world/africa/str…

Half the people in Haiti are struggling to feed themselves and their families and it’s expected to get worse. @pahowho is supporting the country efforts to prevent and treat medical complications in severely malnourished children. But the needs are much larger. We call for urgent humanitarian access and donor support to scale up the response. No one should have to live in hunger. Above all, what the people of Haiti need is peace. nitter.cf/theIPCinfo/status/2115…

As we mark the first African Medicines Agency (AMA) Week, I urge all remaining countries to ratify its treaty, and Member States and partners to provide sustained political and financial support. A strong AMA means faster access to safe, effective and quality-assured health products, and stronger African health security. @WHO remains committed to supporting AMA and building a healthier, safer and fairer Africa.

More than 10,000 people been infected and reported with #Ebola in the #DRC, and, sadly, close to half have died. In some families, more than one life has been lost. The devastation is immense. It remains clear that the government-led and partner supported response must continue to scale up and out across all affected areas as well as those at risk. But there are encouraging signs of progress: -Close to 2700 people have recovered so far and over 1000 are currently receiving clinical care; -Science, collaboration and communities are offering new vaccine and treatment candidates to prevent and treat Ebola caused by the Bundibugyo virus. @WHO is working with partners on several clinical trials currently underway; -Capacity to provide optimised clinical care to Ebola patients by protected health workers has expanded to over 2100 beds across 109 Ebola transit and treatment centres; -Engagement of private health service providers, traditional healers and community leaders into the response is opening up new opportunities to detect patients early; -With the outbreak spreading to hard to reach and conflict affected areas, we are expanding our operations through rapid response teams who can reach communities where they are. These efforts and progress give us more than hope, the outbreak can and will be brought under control and ended. We call for continued global solidarity and support to sustain the response. We will not let up.

My first mission as @WHO Director-General in 2017 was to #Yemen, where I said that the only solution was a political one. Nine years on, that remains the case in Yemen and in so many other trouble spots across the @WHOEMRO Eastern Mediterranean Region. There can be no health without peace.