WHO

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has taken his Make America Healthy Again campaign to Brussels, aligning with EU Health Commissioner Olivér Várhelyi to spotlight ultra‑processed foods (UPFs). Várhelyi, who met Kennedy at the USA‑EU Transatlantic Business Summit, praised the #eatrealfood push and noted that the U.S. and EU share a goal of reducing unhealthy diets. The debate now centers on how to define UPFs and whether to regulate them. The World Health Organization is preparing a global guidance tool and a food‑profiling system, while a 2024 WHO report accused the UPF industry of tactics similar to tobacco. The European Commission, awaiting a March 2027 study on UPF health risks, remains cautious, rejecting outright dietary mandates but considering financial incentives to encourage reformulation. Meanwhile, the U.S. is moving toward its own definition of ultra‑processed food.

The World Health Organization's São Tomé and Príncipe Newsletter for the third quarter of 2026 highlights key achievements in disease elimination, immunization, health surveillance, and health service delivery. The Government, WHO, and development partners have sustained their commitment to strengthening the national health system. The newsletter marks the conclusion of WHO Representative Dr. Abdoulaye Diarra's two-year mission in the country. The collective efforts featured in the newsletter underscore the progress made towards a more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable health system in São Tomé and Príncipe. The newsletter showcases partnerships and capacity-building of health professionals, reflecting the country's journey towards a stronger health system. The Government and WHO continue to work together to advance the country's health goals.

In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, health authorities and the World Health Organization (WHO) are relying on community leaders to combat the Ebola outbreak caused by the Bundibugyo virus. A recent community sensitization meeting in Alimbongo, Nord-Kivu, brought together hundreds of community members, religious leaders, and health officials to discuss the importance of prevention and early detection. The meeting aimed to reduce rumors, fears, and resistance to seeking medical care, and to encourage community members to report suspected cases and adopt preventive measures. Community leaders, who are respected figures in the community, have pledged to combat misinformation and promote cooperation with health officials. The WHO and local health authorities are working together to strengthen community capacities and ensure that each village becomes an active actor in the response to the outbreak. The goal is to make every community member aware of the signs of the disease and to encourage them to take action to prevent its spread.

The World Health Organization has announced it is aiding the Ugandan government in eliminating mercury‑containing devices from the health sector. Central to this effort is the creation of a suite of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials designed to raise awareness, foster advocacy, and encourage the adoption of mercury‑free alternatives. The package includes a mercury phase‑out information note, a community factsheet, a FAQ for health workers, and a health facility factsheet. These resources aim to inform healthcare workers, facility managers, policymakers, and the public about the dangers of mercury, proper handling of legacy devices, and the advantages of mercury‑free technologies. By equipping stakeholders with clear guidance, the initiative seeks to streamline the transition away from mercury and promote safer practices across Ugandan health facilities.

The World Health Organization’s Ghana office released its third‑quarter 2026 newsletter, outlining key achievements that are reshaping the country’s health landscape. The publication reports measurable progress in health systems strengthening, clinical research, mental health services, digital health innovation, and emergency preparedness. It also documents ongoing efforts to broaden access to quality health services across the nation. These developments are presented as part of a coordinated strategy to improve health outcomes and service delivery. The newsletter serves as a record for stakeholders, providing evidence of progress that can inform future policy and program planning. By documenting these milestones, WHO Ghana offers a transparent view of the sector’s trajectory and the steps taken to enhance health care for all Ghanaians.

Cyprus’ Junior Eurovision entrant Harry Georgiou completed his first technical rehearsal in Malta on Sunday, delivering three performances of his entry “WHO I CAN BE.” The rehearsal gave Georgiou a chance to experience the stage and work closely with the production team, while the delegation kept the full stage presentation details under wraps. Early images reveal a staging concept that blends lightning, graphics and a carefully designed visual setting to support the song’s message. The Cyprus team will return for a second rehearsal on Tuesday, where additional details are expected to emerge. Junior Eurovision 2026 will take place in Malta on Saturday, October 24, 2026.

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) finished a five‑day supervision mission in Khartoum from 4‑8 October 2026 to assess progress on the US$55 million Sudan Health Emergency and Infrastructure Project (SHEIP). The project, financed through the African Development Fund and implemented by the World Health Organization, aims to improve primary health care, emergency services and public‑health preparedness, especially for women and children. AfDB and WHO teams reviewed performance, operational challenges, monitoring arrangements and coordination mechanisms. They agreed on an action plan to accelerate procurement of equipment and supplies, front‑load solar energy installations and rehabilitation works. The mission occurred amid a health system severely disrupted by conflict, with nearly 40 % of facilities non‑functional nationwide and 70‑80 % in conflict‑affected areas.

Since 2003, the World Health Organization’s Maternal and Newborn Death Surveillance and Response (MNDSR) system has trained more than 900 health workers and managers in Afghanistan. In 50 hospitals, teams have reviewed maternal and newborn deaths to identify gaps such as haemorrhage, eclampsia, sepsis, prematurity, birth asphyxia and neonatal sepsis. The reviews, supported by the Asian Development Bank and WHO technical assistance, have led to strengthened referral systems, improved clinical practices and enhanced support for high‑risk mothers and newborns. In 2025, MNDSR implementation expanded to 22 hospitals in 10 provinces and to 28 facilities across seven additional provinces. Midwife Farzana of Nangarhar provincial hospital notes that reviewing each case “helps us assess what needs to be improved.” WHO Representative Dr. Edwin Ceniza Salvador emphasizes that “every review is an opportunity to learn and act.”

The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a new five-year strategy for its Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence. The goal is to equip every country with the capabilities to rapidly identify and understand emerging health threats within 24 hours of their appearance by 2030. The Hub's strategy aims to strengthen rapid detection, supporting countries in developing systems, capacities, and partnerships to prevent outbreaks from escalating into epidemics or pandemics. The WHO Hub has worked with 160 WHO Member States, 190 partner organizations, and thousands of scientists and policymakers since its creation in 2021.

The United Nations General Assembly adopted a Political Declaration on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response (PPPR) during its 2026 session, marking a renewed global commitment to strengthen health security. WHO Director‑General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus welcomed the decision, urging member states to complete negotiations on the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) annex so the WHO Pandemic Agreement can be signed, ratified and enter into force. The declaration builds on lessons from COVID‑19, calling for sustained investment, improved monitoring systems, and a holistic approach that links health, development, economic and security interests. It stresses the need to empower communities, expand local manufacturing and research capacity, and secure sustainable financing to ensure a coordinated, equitable response to future pandemics.

On 5 October, Project Voyager, a UNHCR partner, received the UNHCR “Hope Away from Home” award for its Jobs4Ukraine program at the 24th Civil Society Gala in Romania. The award, presented by a joint panel of IOM, UNHCR, UNICEF and WHO, recognizes projects that help refugees build new beginnings. Jobs4Ukraine connects Ukrainian refugees with employment opportunities through career counseling, training courses, workshops, recruitment events and direct employer links. Project Voyager also earned second prize in the Economic and Social Development category and the Social Impact award. The Gala, held annually since 2002 by The Institute, celebrates civic engagement and outstanding civil society initiatives across Romania.

Ghana’s Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Service and National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG‑Ghana) are conducting a Vaccine Prioritization and Optimization (VPOP) exercise with technical support from WHO and UNICEF. The process moves beyond individual vaccine proposals to evaluate the entire immunization portfolio, weighing public‑health benefits, costs, equity, feasibility, cold‑chain needs, health‑worker workload and long‑term financing. Candidates include the hepatitis B birth dose, rabies, typhoid conjugate, oral cholera and respiratory syncytial virus interventions, as well as schedule changes that could improve impact or simplify delivery. Structured Evidence‑to‑Decision frameworks guide recommendations, which will inform updates to Ghana’s National Immunization Strategy and the country’s application for Gavi support. The VPOP aims to secure sustainable, evidence‑based vaccine choices as external financing shifts.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has provided updates on several global health issues. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the number of confirmed Ebola cases has reached 8665, with 4178 confirmed deaths. The WHO has offered technical support related to plague and lab biosafety and biosecurity in response to a suspected case of pneumonic plague in a laboratory worker in the Russian Federation. The WHO has also released guidelines addressing the sharp rise in obesity among children and adolescents, recommending structured changes to diet, behaviour and physical activity. Additionally, the WHO has launched a new global roadmap on hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, including pre-eclampsia, to address the innovation gap between the scale of the problem and the availability of medicines. The WHO is also marking World Mental Health Day on October 10th, focusing on the lived experience of people with mental health conditions.

Zambia has begun a seven‑day training program for more than 60 health professionals, including staff from the Ministry of Health, the National Public Health Institute, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, and the military. Funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and supported by the World Health Organization, the course is part of the AVoHC‑SURGE initiative that blends the Africa CDC’s Volunteer Health Corps with WHO’s Strengthening and Utilizing Response Groups for Emergencies. The training equips multidisciplinary responders to assess threats, set priorities and organize operations, enabling deployment within 24 to 48 hours of an outbreak or other health emergency. It complements Zambia’s national SURGE roadmap, which prioritizes a roster of trained responders, stronger public health emergency operations centres, reliable supply chains and streamlined deployment processes. WHO, Africa CDC and partners will continue to test readiness through simulations to maintain operational capacity.

The World Health Organization is participating in the Pre‑COP31 summit in Fiji (5‑8 October) to advance health priorities for the upcoming COP31 in Antalya, Turkey. Health is one of ten focus areas for the COP31 Action Agenda, and a dedicated Health Day will be held on 9 November. WHO officials highlighted the Pacific’s acute climate risks—extreme heat, cyclones, floods, sea‑level rise—and the vulnerability of health facilities, with 62 % of hospitals in 14 island countries located within 500 m of the sea or a river. The organization will co‑convene sessions on climate resilience, adaptation, financing and implementation, stressing that climate finance must reach the most exposed communities. WHO also plans to support a Health Pavilion at COP31, aiming to embed health considerations in climate policies and investments worldwide.

At the United Nations General Assembly in New York, world leaders convened for the second High‑Level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response. They reaffirmed a commitment to strengthen global systems for detecting, preparing for and responding to pandemic threats, building on lessons from COVID‑19 and recent advances in international health cooperation. The meeting highlighted the WHO Pandemic Agreement and the pending Pathogen Access and Benefit‑Sharing annex, which would enable timely sharing of pathogens and equitable distribution of vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics. Leaders stressed that pandemic security requires a whole‑of‑government and whole‑of‑society approach, including a One Health perspective that links human, animal and environmental health. Sustained investment, equity and multilateral cooperation were called for to close financing gaps and build resilient health systems.