Health

The impact of wildfire smoke on children is profound and unsettling. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has been found to be up to 10 times more harmful to children’s respiratory health compared to PM2.5 from other sources, and particularly so to children between 0 and 5 years. Wildfire smoke has been extensively linked to increased morbidity issues…

Nurse preparing a vaccine UNICEF/U.S. CDC/UNI408803/Hiller Whenever Dynnhyfer de Souza helps to protect the health of a child, it has a profound impact on her. “I get emotional when people line up to be vaccinated by me,” says the nursing technician who lives in the Brazilian city of Baturité, Ceará. “They say I have a light hand, which is very…, On average, across different routine vaccines, Brazil is bouncing back and recovering, The situation in Brazil reflects some of the trends that we’re seeing globally when it comes to making sure that children are protected from potentially deadly diseases with the routine immunizations they need to live healthy lives.   New data from UNICEF and WHO reveals that after the largest sustained decline in routine immunization in a…, Reaching children in the city that’s the gateway to the Amazon rainforest, The latest global data reveals that during 2022 there were some positive trends, including a 2.5 million reduction in the number of zero-dose children worldwide. A zero-dose child is one that has not received a single dose of a diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis vaccine. But the reality is that about one in five children are still zero-dose or under-…, Hard-to-reach riverside communities in Abaetetuba are getting access to essential health care services, The Active Vaccination Search initiative has also been operating in the municipality of Abaetetuba, in northern Brazil, which is formed by 72 islands.  A ferry boat full of passengers on the river. UN0846719, The team is carrying out a 16-day mission serving the medical and vaccination needs of people living in riverine communities., UNICEF/U.S. CDC/ UN0846719/Hiller Community Health Agent Dene Maria Rodrigues André, a resident of the community of Caripetuba River, arrives by boat at the Basic River Health Unit to support the vaccination of the population in Abaetetuba, Pará state, Brazil. UN0846706, The region is made up of 72 islands and is among the four municipalities UNICEF Brazil is carrying out the pilot programme., UNICEF/U.S. CDC/UN0846706/Hiller nurse holding up a sleeve of syringes UN0846672, To provide healthcare to the riverside populations in Abaetetuba, the municipality has a Basic River Health Unit, which visits each community. Nursing Technician Rosimary Bailão da Costa inspects a sleeve of syringes onboard the Basic River Health Unit., UNICEF/U.S. CDC/UN0846672/Hiller Three health workers carrying cooler boxes with vaccines. UN0846708, Community members receive vaccines and have access to doctors, dentists, and nurses every two months, when the Basic River Health Unit health workers visit., UNICEF/U.S. CDC/ UN0846708/Hiller Community health workers traveling by boat to reach families. UN0846680, Through this project, a significant amount of focus is placed on locating children under 5 years of age who are either behind on their vaccination schedule or are zero-dose. Here, Community Health Agent Dene Maria Rodrigues André (second row, right) accompanies the Pinheiro family from their home to the Basic River Health Unit barge for…, UNICEF/U.S. CDC/ UN0846680/Hiller A young girl receives a vaccination in her arm. UN0846695, Deisiane Pinheiro, 8, receives a vaccine on the Basic River Health Unit barge in the community of Caripetuba River in Abaetetuba., UNICEF/U.S. CDC/UN0846695/Hiller A ferry boat full of passengers on the river. Community Health Agent Dene Maria Rodrigues André, a resident of the community of Caripetuba River, arrives by boat at the Basic River Health Unit to support the vaccination of the population in Abaetetuba, Pará state, Brazil. nurse holding up a sleeve of syringes Three…, Childhood immunization is starting to recover and this is what needs to happen next, A young girl looks down at her arm while receiving a vaccination. Rosinaldo, 6, is held by her mother, Ivana Rodrigues Cordeiro, while being vaccinated by Nursing Technician Rosimary Bailão da Costa during a vaccination clinic in the community of Caripetuba River in Abaetetuba, Pará state, Brazil. Immunization initiatives like the Active…

THIMPHU, Bhutan, 26 APRIL 2024 – “UNICEF congratulates the Royal Government of Bhutan for vaccinating almost all eligible children in the country to protect them from deadly diseases. “According to data released by the Ministry of Health, in 2023, Bhutan vaccinated 99.6 per cent of children under one year with three doses of the pentavalent…

PARIS, 26 APRIL 2024 – Global leaders highlight the need to defeat meningitis – a leading cause of disability – at a high-level meeting co-hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Government of France, under the High Patronage of Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic. The event is taking place on 26-27 April 2024 at the…

GENEVA/NEW YORK/SEATTLE, 24 April 2024 – A major landmark study to be published by The Lancet reveals that global immunization efforts have saved an estimated 154 million lives – or the equivalent of 6 lives every minute of every year – over the past 50 years. The vast majority of lives saved – 101 million – were those of infants. The study, led…

GENEVA/NEW YORK, 18 April 2024 – Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and UNICEF welcome the news that a new oral cholera vaccine (OCV), Euvichol-S, has now received WHO prequalification and can be made available to countries around the world. The prequalification of this new product will help EuBiologics, the manufacturer, produce more volumes of vaccine,…

Every two minutes, a woman dies from cervical cancer. Around the world, new cases of cervical cancer are rising at an alarming rate.   Yet routine vaccination against human papillomavirus (HPV), the leading cause of cervical cancer, can prevent the vast majority of cases. When combined with cervical cancer screening and treatment, HPV vaccines…, 1. Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide. , In 2022, around 350,000 women died from cervical cancer and around 660,000 new cases arose. These preventable deaths and infections have tragic and long-felt impacts on children, families and communities.  Sub-Saharan Africa, Central America and South-East Asia have the highest rates of cervical cancer deaths.   ,   2. Almost all cervical cancer cases are linked to HPV. , More than 95 per cent of cervical cancer cases are caused by the human papillomavirus.   HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world. There are over 200 types of HPV and most have no symptoms. However, high-risk types of HPV can lead to chronic infections and pre-cancerous growths, which is why prevention and screening are…, 3. HPV vaccines can protect against up to 90 per cent of cervical cancer cases. , Being vaccinated is the most effective way to avoid HPV infection and can protect against the HPV strains that cause up to 90 per cent of cervical cancer cases.    Many countries have introduced the HPV vaccine into their routine immunization programmes, primarily targeting girls 9 to 14 years of age. But more is needed.   As of 2022,  fewer than…, 4. Cervical cancer screening and treatment are effective and necessary. , Routine screening tests are an effective way to detect and diagnose cervical cancer. If diagnosed early, cervical cancer can often be cured by surgery alone.   Cost-effective and evidence-based tools for screening and treatment are available, but too many women and girls simply don’t have access to these interventions through their local health…, 5. Women and girls in the world’s poorest countries are most at risk. , Cervical cancer has an overwhelmingly disproportionate impact on the health and well-being of women and girls in low- and middle-income countries, reflecting deep global inequities. Of the estimated cervical cancer deaths in 2022, over 90 per cent took place in low- and middle-income countries.  Increasing access to affordable vaccination,…, How UNICEF is helping, UNICEF, in collaboration with donors and partners, is working to increase access to the prevention, screening and treatment necessary to realize the elimination of cervical cancer by:  Providing countries with HPV vaccines and diagnostic tests that are affordable, timely and reliable.   Strengthening health systems to ensure they can effectively…

GENEVA/NEW YORK, 5 April 2024 – The arrival of rapid diagnostic test (RDT) kits for cholera in Malawi today signals the start of a global programme that will see more than 1.2 million tests distributed to 14 countries at high risk for cholera over the next several months. Countries that will receive kits in the coming weeks in this largest-ever…

GENEVA/NEW YORK, 20 March 2024 – Immediate action is needed to stem an unprecedented multi-year upsurge in cholera cases worldwide, according to the International Coordinating Group (ICG) on Vaccine Provision. Actions include investing in access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene, testing and detecting outbreaks quickly, improving quality of…

GENEVA/NEW YORK/WASHINGTON, 13 March 2024 – The number of children who died before their fifth birthday has reached a historic low, dropping to 4.9 million in 2022, according to the latest estimates released today by the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME). “Behind these numbers lie the stories of midwives…

In recent years the number, scale, duration, and complexity of health crises and public health emergencies have escalated dramatically. Public health emergencies have a direct and profound impact on the health and well-being of girls and boys, disrupt the socio-economic status of families, and foster uncertainty within communities. UNICEF’s vision…

CARTAGENA DE INDIAS, COLOMBIA, 5 March 2024 – Governments, donors, multilateral institutions, and partners today announced major new policy, programmatic and financial commitments, including nearly US$600 million in new funding, to eliminate cervical cancer. If these ambitions to expand vaccine coverage and strengthen screening and treatment…