WHO expert group’s new analysis reaffirms there is no link between vaccines and autism

New analysis from a WHO global expert committee on vaccine safety has found that, based on available evidence, no causal link exists between vaccines and autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The conclusion reaffirms WHO’s position that childhood vaccines do not cause autism.

Most countries make progress towards universal health coverage, but major challenges remain, WHO–World Bank report finds

Since 2000, most countries – across all income levels and regions – have made concurrent progress in expanding health service coverage and reducing the financial hardship associated with health costs, according to a new joint report from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Bank Group. These two indicators are the foundation of universal health coverage (UHC) – the global commitment that everyone, everywhere can access the care they need without financial hardship by 2030.

The UHC Global Monitoring Report 2025 shows that health service coverage, measured by the Service Coverage Index (SCI), rose from 54 to 71 points between 2000 and 2023. Meanwhile, the share of people experiencing financial hardship due to large and impoverishing out-of-pocket (OOP) health payments declined from 34% to 26% between 2000 and 2022.

However, the report cautions that the poorest populations continue to bear the greatest burden of unaffordable health costs, with 1.6 billion people further pushed into poverty. Overall, an estimated 4.6 billion people worldwide still lack access to essential health services and 2.1 billion people experience financial hardship to access health care, including the 1.6 billion people living in poverty or pushed deeper into it due to health expenses.

"Universal health coverage is the ultimate expression of the right to health, but this report shows that for billions of people who cannot access or afford the health services they need, that right remains out of reach,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “In the context of severe cuts to international aid, now is the time for countries to invest in their health systems, to protect the health of their people and economies. WHO is supporting them to do that.”

Financial hardship in health is defined as household spending more than 40% of its discretionary budget on OOP health expenses. Cost of medicines is a major driver of financial hardship: in three-quarters of countries with available data, medicines account for at least 55% of people’s OOP health expenses. The burden is even greater among people living in poverty who allocate a median of 60% of their OOP health expenses on medicines diverting their scarce resources from other essential needs.

While the burden of OOP health costs falls mostly on poorer people, it also affects better-off segments of the population that allocate a large share of their budgets to health expenses, particularly in middle-income countries where this group of people is growing.

Without faster progress, full-service coverage without financial hardship will remain out of reach for many: the global SCI is projected to reach only 74 out of 100 by 2030, with nearly 1 in 4 people worldwide still facing financial hardship at the end of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) era.

Encouraging progress in low-income countries with largest gaps

Despite positive direction, the global progress rate has slowed since 2015 with only one-third of countries improving in both increasing health coverage and reducing financial hardship. All WHO regions have improved service coverage, but only half – Africa, South-East Asia, the Western Pacific – also reduced financial hardship. Low-income countries achieved the fastest gains in both areas but are still facing the largest gaps.

The global increase in health service coverage has been driven largely by advances in infectious disease programmes. Coverage for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) has shown steady improvement, while gains in reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health have been modest.

The report notes that improved sanitation has supported service coverage gains. At the same time, inclusive economic growth, rising incomes, and stronger social protection mechanisms have driven poverty reduction, especially in low-income countries, contributing to declines in financial hardship. However, health costs have increasingly become a source of financial hardship among the poor.

Inequalities are getting starker

Despite progress, persistent gaps and inequalities are on the rise. In 2022, 3 out of 4 people among the poorest segment of the populations faced financial hardship from health costs, compared with fewer than 1 in 25 among the richest.

Women, people living in poverty, or in rural areas, or with less education, reported greater difficulty accessing essential health services. The gap between women in the richest and poorest quintiles narrowed slightly, from about 38 to 33 percentage points over the past decade. Even in high-performing regions such as Europe, vulnerable groups – including the poorest and people with disabilities – continue to report higher unmet health needs.

These findings likely underestimate the true extent of health inequalities, as the most vulnerable groups – such as displaced populations and people living in informal settlements – are often missing in data sources used to monitor progress toward UHC.

Actions leading to 2030

Achieving the UHC goal by 2030 is central to realizing the human right to health. With five years remaining on the SDG agenda, urgent action is now needed to drive progress. The report underscores the critical role of political commitment in every country and community, and calls for action in six core areas:

• ensure essential health care is free at the point of care for people living in poverty and vulnerable situations;
• expand public investments in health systems;
• address high out-of-pocket spending on medicines;
• accelerate access to essential NCD services, especially as the disease burden rises;
• strengthen primary health care to promote equity and efficiency; and
• adopt multisectoral approaches, recognizing that determinants of health and UHC drivers extend beyond the health sector.

Editor’s note

This edition of the UHC Global Monitoring Report 2025 reflects the first round of UHC tracking to incorporate revised SDG indicators for health service coverage (SDG 3.8.1) and financial hardship (SDG 3.8.2), introduced in 2025. Using the revised indicators, and reproduction of the full time series, the report has presented global and regional trends in service coverage from 2000 to 2023, based on time series data for 195 countries or territories, and global and regional trends in financial hardship from 2000 to 2022, based on primary country time series for 168 countries. More about monitoring universal health coverage.

The Report is presented at the UHC High-Level Forum, jointly hosted by the Government of Japan, the World Bank Group, and WHO, in Tokyo, Japan. The Forum will also mark the official launch of the UHC Knowledge Hub in Tokyo, established by WHO and the World Bank Group with the support of the Government of Japan. The Hub offers capacity strengthening programmes for Ministries of Health and Finance to support health financing reforms. More about the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) High-level Forum 2025.

WHO, the World Bank Group, UHC2030 and the Joint Learning Network for Universal Health Coverage will organize a technical webinar “Tracking Universal Health Coverage: 2025 Global Monitoring Report” on 8 December 2025, at 8:00–9:30am EST | 14:00–15:30 CET. You can join the webinar through this link. (Passcode: .W1MJT=@r3)

Countries to reconvene sooner to accelerate progress on WHO Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing system negotiations

WHO Member States today ended their latest round of intensive negotiations on the world’s first Pathogen Access andBenefit Sharing (PABS) system. Countries decided to resume deliberations in January in a reflection of the shared commitment and urgency needed to help make the world safer from future pandemics.

Countries convened for the fourth meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group (IGWG) on the WHO Pandemic Agreement in Geneva from 1–5 December 2025. They requested to extend the current fourth round of negotiations, agreeing to resume from 20–22 January 2026.

The World Health Assembly established the IGWG to undertake several tasks, including, as a priority, to draft and negotiate the PABS annex to the WHO Pandemic Agreement. Member States requested the establishment of a PABS platform to operate as a global system to share pathogens and their genetic information, along with the benefits that arise from their use, in a timely, fair and transparent way. This would pave the way for a more effective and equitable response to the next pandemic.

“As we cross the halfway mark in negotiations on the Pathogen Access and Benefit-Sharing (PABS) system, I am encouraged by the progress we’ve made towards enabling a faster and more equitable global response to future pandemics," said IGWG Bureau co-chair Mr Matthew Harpur of the United Kingdom. "Member States have demonstrated real commitment to finding common ground and bridging differences, as we work to deliver a strong PABS system by the next World Health Assembly.”

IGWG Bureau co-Chair Ambassador Tovar da Silva Nunes, of Brazil, said: “WHO Member States have shown their dedication to finishing this important task. The progress achieved on access, benefit-sharing and core governance areas provides the foundation to move the process forward. We are confident we can build a strong and balanced PABS system that will benefit all people.” 

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus added: “This is both a generational opportunity and a generational responsibility. I thank Member States and the IGWG Bureau for rising to the occasion. As we get ready to close out this year, we are in a strong position to forge consensus, finalize the draft, and prepare for adoption at next year’s World Health Assembly. Together, we are moving toward a world that is better prepared for future pandemics."  

Before this fourth session, the IGWG Bureau organized informal dialogues with stakeholders, including representatives from the private sector, academia, laboratories and sequence information databases. Similar focused dialogues will continue over the following weeks, in preparation for the resumed session in January. The fifth IGWG meeting will take place on 9–14 February 2026.

New tools saved a million lives from malaria last year but progress under threat as drug resistance rises

This year’s report provides a critical and up-to-date snapshot of efforts to control and eliminate malaria across 80 countries. The report also presents the threat posed by antimalarial resistance and its impact.

WHO issues global guideline on the use of GLP-1 medicines in treating obesity

To address the growing global health challenge of obesity, which affects more than 1 billion people, WHO has released its first guideline on the use of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) therapies for treating obesity as a chronic, relapsing disease.

New prevention tools and investment in services essential in the fight against AIDS

On World AIDS Day, the World Health Organization (WHO) calls on governments and partners to rapidly expand access to new WHO-approved tools including lenacapavir (LEN) to drive down infections and counter disruption to essential health services caused by cuts to foreign aid.

Despite dramatic funding setbacks, the global HIV response has gained a remarkable momentum in 2025 with the introduction and WHO approval of twice-yearly injectable lenacapavir for HIV prevention. LEN, a highly effective, long-acting alternative to oral pills and other options, is a transformative intervention for people who face challenges with regular adherence and stigma in accessing health care. WHO released in July this year new guidelines recommending the use of lenacapavir as an additional pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) option for HIV prevention.

Sharp and sudden reductions in international funding this year led to disruptions in HIV prevention, treatment and testing services, with essential community-led programmes, including pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and harm reduction initiatives for people who inject drugs, being scaled back or shut down entirely in some countries.

“We face significant challenges, with cuts to international funding, and prevention stalling," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “At the same time, we have significant opportunities, with exciting new tools with the potential to change the trajectory of the HIV epidemic. Expanding access to those tools for people at risk of HIV everywhere must be priority number one for all governments and partners.”

Marking World AIDS Day under the theme “Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response”, WHO is urging a dual track approach – solidarity and investment in innovations to protect and empower communities most at risk.

After decades of progress, the HIV response stands at a crossroads. In 2024:

• HIV prevention efforts stagnated, with 1.3 million new infections, disproportionately impacting key and vulnerable populations;
• UNAIDS data reveal that almost half (49%) of new HIV infections occurred among key populations – including sex workers, men who have sex with men, transgender women, and people who inject drugs – and their sexual partners;
• while sex workers and transgender women face a 17-fold higher risk of acquiring HIV, men who have sex with men face an 18-fold higher risk, and people who inject drugs – a 34-fold higher risk;
• underlying drivers include stigma, discrimination, and legal, social and structural barriers these groups face to access HIV care; and
• globally, an estimated 40.8 million people were living with HIV, and 630 000 people died from HIV-related causes.

While the full scale of the impact of foreign aid cuts is still being assessed, access to PrEP is believed to have declined dramatically. The AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition estimates that, as of October 2025, 2.5 million people who used PrEP in 2024 lost access to their medications in 2025 due solely to donor funding cuts. Such disruptions could have far-reaching consequences for the global HIV response, jeopardizing efforts to end AIDS by 2030.

Momentum for innovation

“We are entering a new era of powerful innovations in HIV prevention and treatment,” said Dr Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Department for HIV, TB, Hepatitis and STIs. “By pairing these advances with decisive action, supporting communities, and removing structural barriers, we can ensure that key and vulnerable populations have full access to life-saving services.”

WHO prequalified LEN for HIV prevention on 6 October 2025, followed by national regulatory approvals that will increase access in South Africa (on 27 October), Zimbabwe (27 November) and Zambia (4 November). WHO’s Collaborative Registration Procedure (CRP) supported these approvals. WHO is also working closely with partners such as CIFF, the Gates Foundation, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and Unitaid to enable affordable access to LEN in countries. Ensuring that long-acting HIV medicines for prevention and treatment reach priority populations must be a global priority.

Integrating HIV services into primary health care

WHO emphasizes that ending the AIDS epidemic depends on a fully integrated, evidence-based and rights-driven approach under the umbrella of primary health care. WHO will continue working with partners and leaders to put those most affected at the centre of the HIV response. Despite funding setbacks, the resilience and leadership of communities offer a clear path forward. By strengthening health systems, increasing domestic investment, and protecting human rights, countries can safeguard gains and ensure no one is left behind.

WHO issues first global guideline on infertility

The World Health Organization (WHO) today called on countries to make fertility care safer, fairer and more affordable for all in its first-ever global guideline for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of infertility.Infertility is estimated to affect 1 in 6 people of reproductive age at some point in their lives.

Measles deaths down 88% since 2000, but cases surge

Global immunization efforts have led to an 88% drop in measles deaths between 2000 and 2024, according to a new report from the World Health Organization (WHO). Nearly 59 million lives have been saved by the measles vaccine since 2000.

Lifetime toll: 840 million women faced partner or sexual violence

Violence against women remains one of the world’s most persistent and under-addressed human rights crises, with very little progress in two decades, according to a landmark report released today by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UN partners.

Nearly 1 in 3 women – estimated 840 million globally – have experienced partner or sexual violence during their lifetime, a figure that has barely changed since 2000. In the last 12 months alone, 316 million women – 11% of those aged 15 or older – were subjected to physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner. Progress on reducing intimate partner violence has been painfully slow with only 0.2% annual decline over the past two decades.

For the first time, the report includes national and regional estimates of sexual violence by someone other than a partner. It finds 263 million women have experienced non-partner sexual violence since age 15, a figure experts caution is significantly under-reported due to stigma and fear.

"Violence against women is one of humanity’s oldest and most pervasive injustices, yet still one of the least acted upon," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. "No society can call itself fair, safe or healthy while half its population lives in fear. Ending this violence is not only a matter of policy; it is a matter of dignity, equality and human rights. Behind every statistic is a woman or girl whose life has been forever altered.  Empowering women and girls is not optional, it's a prerequisite for peace, development and health. A safer world for women is a better world for everyone."

Efforts face funding cuts amidst mounting needs

The new report, released ahead of the International day for the elimination of violence against women and girls observed on 25 November, represents the most comprehensive study on the prevalence of these two forms of violence against women. It updates 2018 estimates released in 2021. It analyses data between 2000 and 2023 from 168 countries, revealing a stark picture of a deeply neglected crisis and critically underfunded response.

Despite mounting evidence on effective strategies to prevent violence against women, the report warns that funding for such initiatives is collapsing – just as when humanitarian emergencies, technological shifts, and rising socio-economic inequality are further increasing risks for millions of women and girls. For instance, in 2022, only 0.2% of the global development aid was allocated to programmes focused on prevention of violence against women, and funding has further fallen in 2025.

Widespread and lifelong risks

Women subjected to violence face unintended pregnancies, a higher risk of acquiring sexually transmitted infections and experiencing depression. Sexual and reproductive health services are an important entry point for survivors to receive the high-quality care they need.

The report underscores the reality that violence against women begins early and risks persist throughout life. For example, in the past 12 months alone, 12.5 million adolescent girls 15-19 years of age or 16% have experienced physical and/or sexual violence from an intimate partner.

While violence occurs in every country, women in least-developed, conflict-affected, and climate-vulnerable settings are disproportionately affected. For example, Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand) reports 38% prevalence of intimate partner violence in the past year – more than 3 times the global average of 11%.

A call for action – and accountability

More countries than ever are now collecting data to inform policies, yet significant gaps remain – particularly on non-partner sexual violence, marginalized groups such as indigenous women, migrants, and women with disabilities, as well as data from fragile and humanitarian settings. 

Progress has been achieved in countries where there is political commitment to do so. For example, Cambodia is implementing a national project that will update legislation on domestic violence, improve service delivery, quality and access, refurbish shelters and leverage digital solutions in schools and communities to promote prevention especially with adolescents.

Ecuador, Liberia, Trinidad and Tobago and Uganda have developed costed national action plans. Legislative and advocacy actions in these countries have contributed to some domestic financing for this issue, signalling increased political commitment at a time of decreasing aid budgets. 

To accelerate global progress and deliver meaningful change for the lives of affected women and girls, the report calls for decisive government action and funding to:

• scale up evidence-based prevention programmes
• strengthen survivor-centred health, legal and social services
• invest in data systems to track progress and reach the most at-risk groups
• enforce laws and policies empowering women and girls.

The report is accompanied by the launch of the second edition of the RESPECT Women: preventing violence against women framework, offering updated guidance for violence prevention, including for humanitarian contexts.

There can be no more silence or inaction. We need leaders to commit and act towards ending violence against women and girls now.

Quotes from partners

"Ending violence against women and girls requires courage, commitment, and collective action. Advancing gender equality is how we build a more equal, safer world for everyone, where every woman and every girl can live a life free from violence.” Dr Sima Bahous, Executive Director, UN Women

"Violence against women inflicts deep and lasting harm that affects their lives, health and dignity. For many, violence is compounded by discrimination based on poverty, disability and other factors, exposing them to even higher risk. The devastating cycle of abuse often ripples through families and communities and across generations. The data paint a grim picture of the toll of inaction. This must change now. We must act urgently together to end this violence and ensure that every woman and girl, in all her diversity, can exercise her rights, realize her potential and contribute fully to more just, equal and prosperous societies.” Diene Keita, Executive Director, UNFPA

“The data shows that many women first experience violence from a partner when they are adolescents. And many children grow up watching their mothers being pushed, hit or humiliated, with violence a part of daily life. The key is to break this pattern of violence against women and girls.” UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell

Notes to the editors

About the report

The report, Global, regional and national prevalence estimates for intimate partner violence against women and non-partner sexual violence against women, 2023 was developed by WHO and the UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction (HRP) on behalf of, and with the United Nations Inter-Agency Working Group on Violence Against Women Estimation and Data. The Working Group includes representatives from WHO, UN Women, UNICEF, UNFPA, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and the United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD).

Modelling is used to enhance comparability of estimates across countries and regions to the extent allowed by existing data. All surveys likely underestimate the actual prevalence of violence against women as there will always be women who do not disclose these experiences, especially where this violence is highly stigmatized. Sexual violence is particularly underreported in many settings. Poorly designed or implemented surveys in some places further exacerbate this underestimation.

About regional and country estimates

The report and database present regional data in the following categories: Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) regions, WHO regions, Global Burden of Disease (GBD) regions, UNFPA regions and UNICEF regions. Data is also presented for 168 countries and areas for women aged 15-49 years old. The report presents data on both lifetime and past 12 months prevalence estimates.

The rates of the Past 12 months prevalence of intimate partner violence among ever-married/-partnered women 15 years and older among the United Nations SDG regional and subregion classifications are ranked below from highest to lowest prevalence:

• Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand): 38%
• Central and Southern Asia: 18%
  • Southern Asia – 19%
• Least Developed Countries – 18%
• Sub-Saharan Africa – 17%
• Small Island Developing States – 17%
• Northern Africa and Western Asia – 14%
  • Northern Africa – 16%
• Oceania (including Australia and New Zealand) – 13%
• Eastern and South-Eastern Asia – 8%
• Latin American and the Caribbean – 7%
• Europe and Northern America – 5%

About RESPECT

RESPECT stands for:  Relationship skills strengthening, Empowerment of women and girls, Services ensured, Poverty reduced, Enabling environments (i.e. schools, workplaces, public places), Child and adolescent abuse prevented, and Transformed gender attitudes, beliefs and norms. RESPECT women is endorsed by 13 agencies and is aimed at policy makers.

More countries report rising levels of drug-resistant gonorrhoea, warns WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that gonorrhoea, a sexually transmitted infection, is becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotics, according to new data from its Enhanced Gonococcal Antimicrobial Surveillance Programme (EGASP), which monitors the spread of drug-resistant gonorrhoea. 

The report highlights the need to strengthen surveillance, improve diagnostic capacity and ensure equitable access to new treatments for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The release of the new data coincides with World Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Awareness Week, reinforcing the importance of global action against drug-resistant infections. EGASP, launched by WHO in 2015, collects laboratory and clinical data from sentinel sites around the world to track AMR and inform treatment guidelines.

“This global effort is essential to tracking, preventing, and responding to drug-resistant gonorrhoea and to protecting public health worldwide,” said Dr Tereza Kasaeva, Director of the WHO Department for HIV, TB, Hepatitis & STIs. “WHO calls on all countries to address the rising levels of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and integrate gonorrhoea surveillance into national STI programmes.” 

Between 2022 and 2024, resistance to ceftriaxone and cefixime, the primary antibiotics used to treat gonorrhoea, rose sharply from 0.8% to 5% and from 1.7% to 11% respectively, with resistant strains detected in more countries. Resistance to azithromycin remained stable at 4%, while resistance to ciprofloxacin reached 95%. Cambodia and Viet Nam reported the highest resistance rates.

In 2024, 12 EGASP countries in five WHO regions provided data, an increase from just four countries in 2022. This is a positive development reflecting growing commitment to track and contain drug-resistant infections in countries and regions. The countries- Brazil, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Malawi, the Philippines, Qatar, South Africa, Sweden, Thailand, Uganda and Viet Nam reported 3615 cases of gonorrhoea.

Over half of all cases of symptomatic gonorrhoea in men (52%) were reported from countries in the WHO Western Pacific Region, including the Philippines (28%), Viet Nam (12%), Cambodia (9%) and Indonesia (3%). Countries of the WHO African Region accounted for 28% of cases, followed by countries in the South-East Asia Region (13%, Thailand), the Eastern Mediterranean Region (4%, Qatar) and the Region of the Americas (2%, Brazil).

The median patient age was 27 years (range: 12–94). Among cases, 20% were men who have sex with men, and 42% reported multiple sexual partners within the past 30 days. Eight percent reported recent antibiotic use, and 19% had travelled recently. 

Strengthening and expanding global surveillance

In 2024, WHO advanced genomic surveillance, with nearly 3000 samples sequenced from eight countries. Landmark studies on new treatments such as zoliflodacin and gepotidacin, as well as studies on tetracycline resistance, were conducted by WHO’s Collaborating Centre on AMR in STI in Sweden, in coordination with WHO. These are helping guide future gonorrhoea control and doxycycline-based prevention (DoxyPEP) strategies. 

EGASP continued to expand its reach in 2024, with Brazil, Côte d’Ivoire and Qatar joining the programme, and India beginning implementation and data reporting starting in 2025 under its National AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases Control Programme.

Despite notable progress, EGASP faces challenges, including limited funding, incomplete reporting, and gaps in data from women and extragenital sites. WHO calls for urgent investment, particularly in national surveillance systems, to sustain and expand global gonococcal AMR surveillance.

World marks cervical cancer elimination day as countries accelerate action

Today marks the first World Cervical Cancer Elimination Day – mandated by the World Health Assembly – a historic milestone in global efforts to end a preventable cancer.

WHO promotes lifesaving intervention for small and preterm babies on first official World Prematurity Day

The World Health Organization (WHO) is marking its first official observance of World Prematurity Day with the launch of a new global clinical practice guide for Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) – a simple, proven and life-saving intervention that significantly improves survival for preterm and low birth weight babies.

Each year, an estimated 15 million babies are born too soon (before 37 weeks of pregnancy), and complications from preterm birth are the leading cause of death among children under five years of age. In the poorest countries, most extremely preterm babies die within days – whereas in high-income countries, almost all survive.

KMC – which combines prolonged skin to skin contact with breast-milk feeding – has been shown to dramatically improve outcomes for small and preterm newborns, and to be feasible and cost-effective in all settings. Among other positive impacts, it is associated with a more than 30% reduction in newborn deaths, a close to 70% reduction in hypothermia and a 15% reduction in severe infections – as well as improved weight gain and better longer-term health and cognitive development.

“KMC is not just a clinical intervention – it empowers mothers and families and transforms newborn care,” said Dr Jeremy Farrar, WHO’s Assistant Director-General for Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Care. “It should now be universal clinical practice for all small and preterm babies, ensuring they have the best chance to survive and thrive.”

A lifesaving intervention for all babies born early or small

Geared at health workers, facility managers as well as caregivers, the new WHO guide offers detailed, step-by-step, adaptable guidance for initiating, maintaining, and monitoring KMC. It states that all preterm or low birth weight newborns should receive KMC starting immediately after birth - unless they are unable to breathe on their own or their blood pressure and circulation drops to dangerously low levels, requiring urgent treatment.

While mothers should typically be the primary providers, fathers and other family members can also give KMC if the mother is unable – as well as providing critical emotional and practical support. KMC can be practiced at all levels of health facilities – from the labour room or the operating theatre to postnatal wards and special or intensive newborn care units – and can be continued at home.

The guide includes practical tips on how to secure the baby in the KMC position, whether using simple cloth wraps, elastic binders or specially designed garments. It also outlines how health facilities create enabling environments for KMC through supportive policies and training staff. Family-friendly approaches are crucial for successful implementation, the guide notes – including ensuring mothers can always be together in the same room as their babies.

All small and sick newborns need dedicated medical care and attention

On this World Prematurity Day, with the theme ‘A strong start for a hopeful future’, WHO is calling on governments, health systems and partners to prioritize quality care for preterm and low birth weight babies. This means ensuring dedicated wards or facilities with specially trained neonatal staff providing round-the-clock care for small and sick newborns, as well as universal access to essential equipment and medicines like antibiotics.

Because they have less time in the womb, many preterm babies have underdeveloped lungs, brains, immune systems and capacity for temperature regulation. This increases risks from infections, hypothermia, heart problems, respiratory distress, and other life-threatening complications.

“No newborn should die from preventable causes,” said Dr Per Ashorn, WHO’s Unit Head for Newborn and Child Health and Development. “It’s time to ensure every baby gets the attention they need, by investing in special care for small or sick babies, alongside quality maternity services that can prevent many occurrences of preterm birth.”

WHO and Brazil urge swift action on Belém Health Action Plan at COP30

The COP30 Special report on health and climate change: delivering the Belém Health Action Plan, notes that rising temperatures and collapsing health systems are claiming more lives, and calls for immediate and coordinated action to protect health in a rapidly warming world. It follows the launch of the Belém Health Action Plan, a flagship initiative of Brazil’s COP 30 Presidency, unveiled on the dedicated Health Day of COP30 – 13 November 2025.

WHO launches global guidelines on diabetes during pregnancy on World Diabetes Day

The World Health Organization (WHO) today released its first global guidelines for the management of diabetes during pregnancy, a condition affecting about one in six pregnancies – or 21 million women annually. The new recommendations provide a critical roadmap to tackle this growing health challenge and prevent serious complications for both women and their children.

Global gains in tuberculosis response endangered by funding challenges

Tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the world’s deadliest infectious killers, claiming over 1.2 million lives and affecting an estimated 10.7 million people last year, according to the WHO Global Tuberculosis Report 2025, released today.

Egypt becomes the seventh country in the Eastern Mediterranean Region to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem

The World Health Organization (WHO) today announced that Egypt has successfully eliminated trachoma as a public health problem, marking a historic public health milestone for the country and WHO’s Eastern Mediterranean Region (WHO EMR). It is the seventh country in WHO EMR to achieve this milestone. The validation of Egypt’s achievement brings the total number of countries that have eliminated trachoma as a public health problem worldwide to 27.

“I congratulate Egypt for reaching this milestone and liberating its people from trachoma,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.  “This demonstrates the effectiveness of sustained national leadership, strong surveillance and community engagement in ending a disease that has afflicted humanity since antiquity.”

Following Egypt’s success, Trachoma remains a public health problem in 30 countries and is responsible for the blindness or visual impairment of about 1.9 million people. Blindness from trachoma is difficult to reverse. Based on April 2025 data, 103 million people live in trachoma endemic areas and are at risk of trachoma blindness.

A century-long journey against trachoma

Trachoma has been documented in Egypt for over 3,000 years. Public health efforts to address its burden began in the early 20th century, when pioneering ophthalmologist Arthur Ferguson MacCallan established Egypt’s first mobile and permanent eye hospitals and laid the groundwork for organized trachoma control globally. Yet by the 1980s, it still blinded many adults and affected over half of all children in some Nile Delta communities.

Since 2002, the Ministry of Health and Population of Egypt, in partnership with WHO and other national and international stakeholders, has pursued trachoma elimination through the WHO-endorsed SAFE strategy, which represents Surgery for trichiasis, Antibiotics to clear the causative organism, Facial cleanliness and Environmental improvement. 

Between 2015 and 2025, extensive mapping and surveillance across all 27 of Egypt’s governorates showed steady reductions in the proportion of children aged 1–9 years affected by active (inflammatory) trachoma, and no significant burden of the blinding complications of trachoma in adults. Both indicators are now below WHO elimination prevalence thresholds nationwide. In 2024, Egypt integrated trachoma surveillance into its national electronic disease reporting system, which should facilitate rapid response to any future cases.

“Egypt’s elimination of trachoma as a public health problem underscores the nation’s sustained commitment to equitable healthcare delivery and the transformative impact of initiatives such as Haya Karima, which have expanded access to safe water, sanitation, and primary care services in rural communities,” said Professor Dr. Khaled Abdel Ghaffar, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Health and Population. “This achievement is a collective triumph for Egypt’s health workers, communities, and partners who collaborated to eradicate this ancient disease.”

Trachoma is the second neglected tropical disease (NTD) eliminated in Egypt, as in 2018 the country was validated by WHO for eliminating lymphatic filariasis as a public health problem. In total, 58 countries have eliminated at least one NTD globally, nine of which are in WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region.

“This milestone adds to Egypt’s strong track record in eliminating communicable diseases, including polio, measles, rubella and most recently malaria. It demonstrates what can be achieved when political commitment, strong partnerships and years of sustained public health efforts, led by the Ministry of Health and Population, come together towards a shared vision,” said Dr Nima Abid, WHO Representative to Egypt. "Egypt’s achievement serves as an inspiring example for other countries in the Region and beyond."

Successful collaboration and partnerships 

Eliminating trachoma in Egypt was the result of strong national leadership, coordinated action and broad collaboration across sectors. WHO worked closely with the Ministry of Health and Population to provide technical guidance, monitoring and validation support throughout the elimination process. The achievement was made possible through the technical and financial contributions of many partners including the Haya Karima Foundation, the Eastern Mediterranean Region Trachoma Alliance, the Nourseen Charity Foundation, the International Trachoma Initiative, the Global Trachoma Mapping Project, Sightsavers, CBM, the Kilimanjaro Centre for Community Ophthalmology, the Magrabi Foundation and the Tropical Data global initiative.

“Congratulations to Egypt on this historic achievement in eliminating trachoma as a public health problem,” said Dr Hanan Balkhy, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean. “Together, we have proven that with collaboration and persistence, elimination is achievable. This success reflects years of dedication and the tireless efforts of communities, health workers, and partners who stood firm in the conviction that everyone deserves to live free from preventable disease. Today, Egypt exemplifies what determination can accomplish.” 

Note to the editor

About trachoma and neglected tropical diseases

Trachoma, caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis, is spread through contact with infected eye discharges via hands, clothes, hard surfaces and flies. Repeated infections can lead to scarring of the inner eyelid, turning eyelashes inward to scratch the cornea: a painful condition, known as trachomatous trichiasis, that can result in blindness.

Globally, the disease remains endemic in many vulnerable communities where access to clean water and sanitation is limited. In 1998, WHO launched the WHO Alliance for the Global Elimination of Trachoma by 2020 (GET2020), supported by a network of governments, nongovernmental organizations and academic institutions. WHO continues to support endemic countries to accelerate progress towards the global goal of eliminating trachoma as a public health problem worldwide.

Countries make progress on WHO Pandemic Agreement annex on pathogen access and benefit sharing system

In an important step, Member States started discussing for the first time the proposed draft text of the annex to the WHO Pandemic Agreement that establishes the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) system. The PABS system is a key part of the global agreement adopted earlier in 2025 to make the world safer from future pandemics.

Joint call to strengthen policy and investment for child and youth mental health and well-being

Despite increasing recognition of mental health across UN policy frameworks, children and youth remain largely absent from global commitments, data systems, and financing priorities.

WHO at the 151st IPU Assembly: advancing health, rights and resilience through parliamentary action

WHO joined parliamentary leaders at the 151st Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly, held on 19–23 October 2025 in Geneva, bringing together nearly 1150 delegates, including over 600 members of parliament from 132 countries.

Fifth meeting of the International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee regarding the upsurge of mpox 2024

Concurring with the advice and considerations expressed by the Committee during the meeting, the WHO Director-General, on 5 September 2025, determined that the upsurge of mpox 2024 no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern (PHEIC).

WHO issues guidance to address drastic global health financing cuts

The World Health Organization (WHO) today released new guidance for countries on ways to counter the immediate and long-term effects of sudden and severe cuts to external funding, which are disrupting the delivery of essential health services in many countries.

The new guidance, called “Responding to the health financing emergency: immediate measures and longer-term shifts”, provides a suite of policy options for countries to cope with the sudden financing shocks, and bolster efforts to mobilize and implement sufficient and sustainable financing for national health systems.

External health aid is projected to drop by 30% to 40% in 2025 compared with 2023, causing immediate and severe disruption to health services in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). WHO survey data from 108 LMICs collected in March 2025 indicate that funding cuts have reduced critical services – including maternal care, vaccination, health emergency preparedness and response, and disease surveillance – by up to 70% in some countries. More than 50 countries have reported job losses among health and care workers, along with major disruptions to health worker training programmes.

“Sudden and unplanned cuts to aid have hit many countries hard, costing lives and jeopardizing hard-won health gains,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “But in the crisis lies an opportunity for countries to transition away from aid dependency towards sustainable self-reliance, based on domestic resources. WHO’s new guidance will help countries to better mobilize, allocate, prioritize and use funds to support the delivery of health services that protect the most vulnerable.”

This year’s funding cuts have compounded years of persistent health financing challenges for countries, including rising debt burdens, inflation, economic uncertainty, high out-of-pocket spending, systemic budget underfunding and heavy reliance on external aid.

Swift action guided by efficiency and equity   

WHO’s new guidance urges policy-makers to make health a political and fiscal priority in government budgets even during times of crisis, seeing health spending as not merely a cost to be contained, but an investment in social stability, human dignity, and economic resilience. 

The guidance emphasizes the need for countries to cushion the immediate impact of reductions in foreign assistance for health, and to adapt to a new era of reduced assistance. Key policy recommendations include:

• prioritize the health services accessed by the poorest;
• protect health budgets and essential health services;
• improve efficiency through better procurement, reduced overheads and strategic purchasing;
• integrate externally-funded or disease-specific services into comprehensive PHC-based delivery models; and
• use health technology assessments to prioritize services and products that have the greatest health impact per dollar spent.

Country leadership and global solidarity are critical

Several countries have already taken decisive action to strengthen their health systems and protect essential health services:

• Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa have allocated additional budget funds to health, or are awaiting parliamentary approval for increases;
• Nigeria increased its health budget by US$ 200 million to offset aid shortfalls, with increased allocations for immunization, epidemic response, and priority programmes;
• Ghana lifted the cap on excise tax earmarked for its national health insurance agency, resulting in a 60% budget increase. The country also launched “the Accra Reset”, a bold framework to reimagine global governance, financing and partnerships in health and development; and
• Uganda has outlined a clear policy agenda for integration of health services and programmes, aiming to improve efficiency and sustain service delivery.

WHO calls for a new era of strategic urban health action with global guide to unlock healthy, prosperous and resilient societies

With the new guide for decision-makers launched today, WHO provides concrete ideas to usher in a new era of urban health action. The Guide responds to the growing demand for integrated solutions that address health challenges and promote health more broadly in urban settings.

WHO condemns killings of patients and civilians amid escalating violence in El Fasher, Sudan

Climate inaction is claiming millions of lives every year, warns new Lancet Countdown report

“We already have the solutions at hand to avoid a climate catastrophe – and communities and local governments around the world are proving that progress is possible. From clean energy growth to city adaptation, action is underway and delivering real health benefits – but we must keep up the momentum,” said Dr Marina Romanello, Executive Director of the Lancet Countdown at University College London. “Rapidly phasing out fossil fuels in favour of clean renewable energy and efficient energy use remains the most powerful lever to slow climate change and protect lives. At the same time, shifting to healthier, climate-friendly diets and more sustainable agricultural systems would massively cut pollution, greenhouse gases and deforestation, potentially saving over ten million lives a year.”

While some governments have slowed their climate commitments, the report shows that cities, communities and the health sector are leading the way. Nearly all reporting cities (834 of 858) have completed or plan to complete climate risk assessments. The energy transition is delivering cleaner air, healthier jobs, measurable economic growth and inward investment.

Data submitted by WHO show that a growing number of health systems are assessing risks and preparing for the dangerous future that's coming. Fifty-eight per cent of Member States have completed a health Vulnerability and Adaptation assessment and 60% have completed a Health National Adaptation Plan. 

As the world prepares for COP30 in Belém, Brazil, the findings of the 2025 Global Report of the Lancet Countdown provide a key evidence base for accelerating health-centered climate action. WHO will build on this momentum through the forthcoming COP30 Special Report on Climate Change and Health, a collaborative effort highlighting the policies and investments needed to protect health, equity, and deliver the Belém Action Plan that is the expected landmark outcome of COP30.

Fiji becomes the 26th country to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem

In a landmark public health achievement, Fiji has been validated by the World Health Organization (WHO) for eliminating trachoma as a public health problem. Trachoma, a neglected tropical disease (NTD) and the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness, no longer poses a public health threat in the country.

Trachoma is the first NTD to be eliminated in Fiji. Fiji is the 26th country to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem and the 58th country globally to eliminate at least one NTD.

“WHO congratulates Fiji and its network of global and local partners on reaching this milestone,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Future generations of Fijians have been given a precious gift in being set free from the suffering that trachoma has inflicted on their ancestors.”

Trachoma is caused by the bacterium Chlamydia trachomatis and spreads through personal contact, interactions with contaminated surfaces and on flies that have been in contact with eye or nose discharge of an infected person. Repeated infections can lead to scarring, in-turning of the eyelids, and ultimately blindness. Globally, the disease remains endemic in many vulnerable communities where access to clean water and sanitation is limited.

Fiji’s success story

“Fiji’s success in eliminating trachoma is a beacon of what’s possible when communities, governments, and partners unite behind a shared goal”, said Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific.  “This is a celebration of the power of Pacific leadership and the impact of sustained investment in health. WHO congratulates Fiji and is committed to supporting countries across the Region in advancing health for all so that no one is left behind.”

Trachoma was once a significant public health problem in Fiji, with medical reports from the 1930s and community-based surveys in the 1950s documenting widespread disease and risk of blindness. By the 1980s, the condition had declined markedly, with cataract and refractive error emerging as the main causes of vision loss.

Concern however was renewed in the 2000s, when rapid assessments suggested high levels of active trachoma in children, prompting the Ministry of Health and Medical Services to launch a comprehensive programme to better understand the situation and take necessary action.

Since 2012, Fiji has undertaken a series of robust, internationally supported surveys and studies, including population-based prevalence surveys and laboratory testing, to understand the local epidemiology of trachoma and distinguish it from other causes of eye disease. This sustained effort, integrated with school health, water and sanitation initiatives, and community awareness programmes, has confirmed that trachoma is no longer a public health problem in Fiji and that systems are in place to identify and manage future cases.

 “Fiji’s elimination of trachoma is a defining moment for health equity in the Pacific,” said Honourable Dr Ratu Atonio Rabici Lalabalavu, Minister of Health and Medical Services of Fiji.  “This achievement reflects years of coordinated action – across villages, health facilities and regional platforms – demonstrating unwavering commitment of our health- care workers, communities leading the change. As we celebrate this milestone, we call on our donors and partners in the Pacific and beyond to continue supporting accelerated action of neglected tropical diseases to address other diseases not only in Fiji, but across the Pacific”.  

Contribution to global progress

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a diverse group of diseases and conditions associated with devastating health, social and economic consequences. They are mainly prevalent mostly among impoverished communities in tropical areas. WHO estimates that NTDs affect more than 1 billion people.

The targets included in the Road map for neglected tropical diseases 2021–2030 cover the prevention, control, elimination and eradication of 20 diseases and disease groups by 2030.

Since 2016, 13 Member States in the Western Pacific Region, which covers 38 countries and areas, have been validated by WHO for eliminating at least one NTD. Of these, six (Cambodia, China, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and Viet Nam) have successfully eliminated trachoma as a public health problem. Trachoma elimination is part of broader progress on NTDs in Fiji and the rest of the Western Pacific Region.

WHO continues to support countries in their efforts to eliminate trachoma and other NTDs, ensuring healthier lives for all, particularly the most disadvantaged.