UN News - Global perspective Human stories | Health
Updated: 17 hours 38 min ago
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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WHO research shows COVID vaccines still crucial in preventing severe illness
Up-to-date vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent severe COVID-19 illness, new research from the World Health Organization (WHO) shows, even as the pandemic has officially ended.
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Sudan civil war: Health system ‘on the verge of collapse’
The war in Sudan has been tearing the country apart for almost 1,000 days, putting the country’s health system under intolerable pressure. The World Health Organization (WHO) is reporting widespread disease outbreaks, severe shortages, malnutrition and rising deaths.
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Calming the mind and promoting global peace on World Meditation Day
Meditation, which has its roots in religious, yogic and secular traditions from various civilisations, calls for living in the present moment.
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Can traditional medicine strengthen modern healthcare? An expert weighs in
Ginger and cinnamon are more than just ingredients. Along with other spices, their medicinal value is gaining both attention and legitimacy.
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World News in Brief: Progress on hunger in Asia-Pacific, key Gaza pipeline repaired, flu hits Europe hard
While the Asia and Pacific region has made notable progress in reducing hunger, persistent challenges remain in addressing malnutrition, food insecurity and unequal access to healthy diets, a new UN report published on Wednesday concludes.
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World News in Brief: Landmark disease and mental health declaration, Afghan hunger deepens, DR Congo refugee crisis
World leaders meeting at the UN General Assembly have adopted a historic global declaration to tackle noncommunicable diseases and mental health conditions together, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Tuesday.
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New influenza variant is surging, but vaccination still our best bet: WHO
Amid an early start to the Northern Hemisphere influenza season a new variant of the virus is rapidly gaining ground - but vaccination remains the “most effective defence”, the UN health agency said on Tuesday.
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Gaza’s maternal and newborn health system ‘decimated’, UN warns
Gaza’s health system for mothers and newborns has been “decimated”, the UN said on Thursday, with Israeli attacks destroying almost all hospitals, cutting off medical supplies and driving sharp rises in maternal deaths, miscarriages and newborn fatalities amid mass displacement and hunger.
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WHO expert group reaffirms no link between vaccines and autism
A World Health Organization (WHO) expert committee has again confirmed that there is no causal link between vaccines and autism spectrum disorders (ASD), following a new review of global scientific evidence.
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Traditional medicine use is now a global reality: WHO
The vast majority of World Health Organization (WHO) member States say 40 to 90 per cent of their populations now use traditional medicine.
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First Person: Small acts, lasting impact, boost dignity for women in Lao PDR
Supporting colleagues facing potential sexual exploitation or abuse (PSEA) in the workplace, may start with small acts of recognition but can have lasting positive impacts, according to a UN member of staff working in the Southeast Asian country, Lao People's Democratic Republic.
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African football legends join forces to give a red card to polio
Six African football legends are urging the continent to unite and step up efforts to vaccinate every child against the life-threatening polio virus.
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Malaria: Drug resistance and underfunding threaten progress towards eliminating killer disease
The authoritative World Health Organization (WHO) World Malaria Report, published on Thursday, shows that resistance to antimalarial drugs now poses one of the most acute risks to control efforts across Africa and beyond.
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HIV and AIDS: Despite funding setbacks, prevention sees progress
Pooja Mishra’s health kept worsening until she began treatment for HIV at age 19, two years after her diagnosis. From wondering if she’d ever be able to live a normal life, today she is youth coordinator at a coalition for people with the disease in India.
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WHO backs wider use of weight-loss medicines, calling obesity a chronic disease
The UN World Health Organization (WHO) has issued its first guideline on the use of a new class of weight-loss medicines, marking a significant shift in global health policy as obesity rates continue to rise.
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‘Every step a struggle:’ Nigerian woman with disabilities leads push for dignity and inclusion
A woman living with disabilities in a camp for displaced people in Nigeria is demonstrating why it is essential that people like her are included in society and how dignity can be protected even in the harshest places.
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