UN News - Global perspective Human stories | Health
Updated: 4 hours 38 min ago
Nearly 5 million children are still dying annually before their fifth birthday: Here’s why
An estimated 4.9 million children died before their fifth birthday in 2024, including 2.3 million newborns, according to new United Nations estimates released on Tuesday – highlighting a worrying slowdown in global progress on child survival.
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Middle East crisis: UN health agency releases emergency funds for Lebanon, Iraq, Syria
The UN World Health Organization (WHO) is releasing another $2 million in emergency funds to support health systems in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria as strikes against Iran by the US and Israeli continue amid counterstrikes across the Gulf and wider region by Tehran.
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World News in Brief: Afghan-Pakistan border clashes latest, murder of Iraqi women’s rights activist condemned, Chile leprosy milestone
Clashes along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border have continued for a seventh straight day, with humanitarian access to affected areas still restricted, the UN said on Wednesday.
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World News in Brief: Epstein scandal highlights ‘silencing’ of women, Danish breakthrough on HIV transmission, Belarus rights update
UN human rights chief Volker Türk warned on Friday that the Epstein and Gisèle Pellicot scandals are an illustration of intensifying threats to women and girls forced to suffer in silence.
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UN drug alert stops shipment that could have made 1.6 billion lethal fentanyl doses
An international early warning system blocked a shipment of chemicals used to make fentanyl that could have produced up to 1.6 billion potentially lethal doses, the UN narcotics control body said on Thursday.
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South Sudan fighting displaces nearly 280,000; UN warns of ‘perfect storm’
Renewed fighting in South Sudan’s Jonglei state has displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians in recent weeks, damaged health facilities, fuelled the spread of cholera and prompting the UN relief chief to warn of a “perfect storm” of conflict, climate shocks and deprivation.
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Maternal deaths spike during war and instability, new report warns
Nearly two thirds of all maternal deaths worldwide occur in countries marked by conflict or fragility, according to a report released on Tuesday by the World Health Organization (WHO) and partners.
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New recombinant mpox strain detected in UK and India, WHO urges continued monitoring
The detection of a newly identified recombinant mpox virus containing genetic material from two known strains underscores the need for continued genomic surveillance, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said on Saturday, as the overall global public health risk assessment remains unchanged.
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Measles cases drop in 2025 across Europe and Central Asia, but outbreak risks remain
Measles cases across Europe and Central Asia declined by 75 per cent in 2025 compared to 2024, according to preliminary data released on Wednesday by the World Health Organization (WHO), which warned of remaining outbreak risks.
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UN lauds $6 billion US funding approval towards ending HIV/AIDS
The UN agency leading the global effort to end HIV/AIDS worldwide welcomed legislative approval from the United States on Thursday for a $6 billion spending package to help tackle the disease, following nearly a year of sharp aid cuts.
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‘We are dying’: Gaza’s cancer patients plead for a way out
As World Cancer Day is marked on Wednesday, thousands of patients in Gaza face worsening illness, untreated pain and closed crossings – despite the limited opening of the vital route through Rafah this week.
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Nearly 40 per cent of cancer cases could be prevented, UN study finds
Up to four in 10 cancer cases globally could be prevented, new analysis has revealed, highlighting the need for stronger tobacco control and other measures to reduce risks and save lives.
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Building healthy bridges towards peace: WHO launches $1 billion appeal
The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday launched its 2026 global appeal for nearly $1 billion to ensure that millions of people living in humanitarian crises and conflicts can access healthcare.
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Global health systems ‘at risk’ as funding cuts bite, warns WHO
The UN World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Monday that cuts to international aid and persistent funding gaps are undermining the global health system.
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From lunch tray to lifelong health: WHO sets global standards for school meals
For the first time ever, the World Health Organization (WHO) is providing recommendations for healthy and nutritious food in schools around the world.
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US withdrawal from WHO ‘risks global safety’, agency says in detailed rebuttal
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a detailed statement regretting the United States decision to leave the UN agency, and declaring that it will leave both the US and the world less safe as a result.
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Increase taxes on sugary drinks and alcohol to save lives, urges WHO
Beverages like sugary drinks and alcohol are too accessible and cost too little in most of the world – helping fuel obesity, diabetes, cancer and injury, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Tuesday.
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Sudan war leaves millions hungry and displaced as health system nears collapse
Sudan’s protracted conflict has spiralled into one of the world’s most severe humanitarian crises, with hunger, displacement and the collapse of basic services exacting a daily toll on civilians.
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A woman dies from cervical cancer every two minutes, UN says
A flood of questions drowned Jeanette in thought after she was diagnosed with cervical cancer. Would she be unable to conceive a child? Would she have to enter menopause at the early age of 31?
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Health advances marked 2025 as wars and funding cuts strained systems
From eliminating deadly infections to expanding access to lifesaving vaccines, 2025 delivered meaningful progress for global health, according to the UN World Health Organization (WHO), offering cautious optimism at the close of a year marked by both breakthroughs and strain.
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