Health leaders from around the world are calling on the leaders of the G7 countries to help create a rapid response unit to deal with outbreaks of deadly infections. The World Health Organization (WHO) was not well prepared for the outbreak of Ebola in West Africa.

The rapid response unit that is envisioned would be a part of WHO, but would be able to respond within days to an outbreak of serious infectious disease, said Jeremy Farrar, director of the health charity Wellcome Trust. "With Ebola, it's taken too long," he said. "It's nonsense to say: 'Isn't it great? We've done in a year what normally takes four or five years'. We've got to get into a mindset that says these infectious diseases can emerge in days and weeks, so we need to respond to that, not to some fanciful notion of an ideal world."

The leaders of the G7 member states, the seven most advanced economies in the world plus the European Union, are meeting at Schloss Elmau, Germany this weekend. The meeting includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Angela Merkel, the chancellor of Germany and host for the meeting, met in advance of this meeting with health specialists in May to discuss international health reforms. UK Prime Minister David Cameron has said he will support the idea of a rapid response unit.

The rapid response unit would include epidemiologists and specialists in viruses and other infectious diseases. The unit would include perhaps about 100 people from a reserve of up to 1,000 experts. Farrar has stated that it would cost up to $100 million in U.S. dollars to keep the unit ready, but that this amount pales in comparison to the direct and indirect costs of a large outbreak. The Ebola outbreak in West Africa may have cost that region up to $500 million, and it is still not over as yet in Guinea and Sierra Leone.

source: http://www.youthhealthmag.com/

JAKARTA, Indonesia, June 5, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being released by Open Society Foundations:

In an open letter to Indonesian President Joko Widodo, published in the leading health journal The Lancet, a group of prominent Indonesian academics and experts have called on the government to commit to proven public health approaches to address drug use, and to urgently discontinue strategies which have been found counterproductive such as involuntary rehabilitation and the death penalty.

"The Indonesian government has shown increased commitment to addressing drug use and guaranteeing the well-being of its citizens, but in order to achieve this it must choose public health and harm reduction strategies. The current drug war approach has been a proven failure around the globe, even causing more harm than good," said Professor Dr Irwanto of the HIV and AIDS Research Centre at Atma Jaya University and veteran drug and HIV researcher in the country.

"We know what works: we already have the evidence and have been implementing health focused programmes that work in Indonesia since the early 2000s. We have an ethical obligation to provide our citizens with options that save lives, such as needle syringe programmes, opioid substitution therapy and community-based, voluntary drug treatment. But despite the proven success of these interventions, political commitment and funds are lacking, and current punitive strategies in Indonesia do not provide enough space for meaningful health programs. Our limited funds are instead being used to bolster fear-based approaches, which effectively drive people in need further away from health programs," said Dr Ignatius Praptoraharjo, Researcher at the Center for Health Policy and Management in the Faculty of Medicine at Gadjah Mada University.

The group of experts question the validity of the estimates of drug use frequently used to suggest Indonesia is in the grip of a national drug emergency requiring a large-scale drug war, and call on the President to invest in more accurate data collection. The group are concerned that the government has used the estimates as the basis for national policies without providing sufficient opportunity for independent peer review.

"Obtaining valid estimates of drug use is not an easy, straight-forward process, yet we need to make sure that national policies are based on evidence that is thoroughly peer-reviewed and transparent. Each human life matters. Productive human lives may be compromised by misguided policies", stated Prof. Dr. Irwanto.

People who use drugs face increasing stigma, discrimination and human rights violations as punitive drug control measures increasingly trump public health.

"HIV infections will continue to rise as long as drug users continue to live in fear of arrest or placement in involuntary rehabilitation," said Dr. Kemal Siregar, Secretary General of the National AIDS Commission.

Signatories to the open letter argue in favour of establishing an independent, multi-sectoral committee on drug use comprising relevant government agencies, national ministries, researchers, service providers and community leaders tasked with reviewing available drug related data, setting priorities, recommending evidence-informed actions and monitoring progress.

"As people who use drugs, we have seen and experienced for ourselves that repressive and punitive approaches have exacerbated drug-related deaths and harms such as HIV and hepatitis C transmission," adds Edo Agustian, National Coordinator of the Indonesian Drug Users Network. "We urge the government to work together with drug-using communities, academics and other stakeholders to build a more effective response before any more lives are lost."

Signatories:

Prof. Dr. Irwanto, PhD, Researcher and Senior Observer, Atma Jaya HIV-AIDS Research Center;

Prof. Dr. Sulistyowati Irianto, University of Indonesia's Faculty of Law;

Dr. Siti Musdah Mulia, Muslim scholar and Chairperson of the Indonesian Conference on Religion for Peace Professor;

Professor Dr. D.N. Wirawan, Head of the Public Health Postgraduate Program at Udayana University;

Dr Ignatius Praptoraharjo, Researcher at the Center for Health Policy and Management in the Faculty of Medicine at Gadjah Mada University;

Dr. Robet Robertus, Senior Lecturer in the Sociology Department at Negeri University Jakarta;

Edo Agustian, National Coordinator of the Indonesian Drug Users Network;

Haris Azhar, Coordinator of Kontras (Commission for "the Disappeared" and Victims of Violence);

Dr A Setyo Wibowo, Lecturer and Head of Philosophy at Driyarkara Philosophy Institute;

Rafendi Djamin, Indonesian Representative to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission along with other signatories.

source: http://www.prnewswire.com

Adi, 34, a chain smoker, died from coronary artery disease four months ago, leaving behind a wife and a small child who still need financial support. The civil servant smoked one pack of cigarettes a day, a habit he had maintained since his marriage 10 years ago.

Another smoker, Sunarto, 48, suffered from a stroke that cost him his job as a farmer and his role as the breadwinner for this family of three.

Both Adi and Sunarto are portraits of victims of tobacco products, who die young and deprive their families of income, increase the cost of healthcare and hinder economic development.

Indonesia has the world's third-largest smoking population with 57 million or 36 percent of its population smoking. This condition has been exacerbated by the illicit trade in tobacco.

The WHO estimates that one in 10 cigarettes in the market is illegal. According to Duke University and South East Asia Tobacco Control Alliance research in 2004, the operation of many small-scale producers, supported by favorable tax rates imposed on their products, had led to the illicit trade of tobacco products.

The WHO dedicates this year's No Tobacco Day to global efforts to stop the illicit trade in tobacco products.

Given that almost all countries in the world are subject to the illicit trade, in November 2012 the international community adopted the Protocol to Eliminate the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, the first protocol to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which Indonesia has not ratified.

The WHO campaign is aimed at increasing people's alertness to the hazard of illicit tobacco products to health. The world body highlights youth and low-income groups, which are prone to buying illegal cigarettes because of low prices.

The illegal products also misinform buyers by not displaying health warnings. Worse, the sales of illegal cigarettes involve children.

A national survey in 2007 revealed that the number of child smokers had jumped six fold from 426,000 in 1995. It is no wonder that Arist Merdeka Sirait of the National Commission on Children Protection says smoking habits among children have reached an alarming level.

The illicit tobacco trade takes tax revenue away from the state, which could have otherwise been spent on health care. According to the Health Ministry, health expenditure on smoking-associated diseases hit Rp 231 trillion (US$17.77 billion) in 2010 alone, more than four times state revenue from the cigarette tax.

Policymakers must be aware that the illicit tobacco trade elevates the global tobacco epidemic and its related health consequences.

It also has security implications because according to the WHO, some organized crime networks are involved.

The ratification of the Protocol to Eliminate the Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products in the FCTC is imperative to respond to the financial, legal and health impacts of the illicit trade of tobacco products.

After a successful breakthrough in 2012, when warnings on the health-related effects of smoking should comprise 40 percent of cigarette box packaging, Indonesia needs a new advanced regulation on tobacco control especially to stop the illegal tobacco trade.

The first step is to ratify the FCTC. The next challenging step is forging collaboration between the Customs Office, the National Police, the Trade Ministry and the Health Ministry to cut illegal tobacco production, distribution and selling chains.

A stricter regulation is needed to provide a deterrent effect. Our regulation usually fails to stipulate any punishment or hefty fine for people or cigarette companies who defy the regulation.

The use of effective tax stamps, effective licensing and monitoring of the production and reduction of tax advantages accorded to small producers can target both illicit consumption and production. The other concrete action should be on a major awareness campaign of tobacco's adverse effects.

Finally, Indonesia's regulation on illegal tobacco control remains lenient and does not protect people. Such a regulation, however, is just a start on a long and winding road to changing Indonesia's reputation as a haven for smokers and the illegal tobacco industry.

The government should honor World No Tobacco Day by taking concrete action on tobacco control.

See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/

CAIRO: On World No Tobacco Day, May 31, the World Health Organisation, WHO, Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean is calling on countries to stop the illicit trade of tobacco products, by committing to, and becoming party to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products.

"Ratifying, accepting, approving or acceding to the Protocol is the starting point to saving lives lost to tobacco," says WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Dr Ala Alwan.

Tobacco use kills nearly six million people every year, including the 600, 000 who are killed by the effects of exposure to second-hand smoke. Tobacco use is one of the main risk factors for a number of chronic diseases, including cancer, lung diseases and cardiovascular diseases. Negative health impacts are associated with the use of all types of tobacco, including cigarettes, waterpipes and smokeless tobacco. The adverse health effects of tobacco use are also experienced by non-smokers exposed to second-hand smoke. Long-term exposure to second-hand smoke increases the risk of lung cancer, coronary heart disease and respiratory problems, a statement issued by the WHO said.

"Tobacco use in many countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region is very high," adds Dr Alwan, "with up to 36 per cent of adolescents (13-15 years) and 32 per cent of adults (15 years and older) using tobacco. The illicit trade of tobacco products increases tobacco use among youth and other age groups".

Every year, governments lose US$40.5 billion in revenue from the illicit trade of tobacco products. In some countries, illicit trade can reach as high as 40-50% of the overall tobacco market.

"Our countries are at risk," says Dr Alwan, "as the illicit tobacco trade is more prominent in low- and middle-income countries than in high-income countries".

While cigarettes remain by far the most frequent illicit tobacco products, in just one year, the amount of smuggled smokeless tobacco seized has risen from eight to 38 tonnes. Shisha tobacco seizures rose from 69 to 75 tonnes - unprecedented increases from 2012 to 2013.

Eliminating the illicit trade would gain governments at least US$31.3 billion every year, and from 2030 onwards more than 164 000 premature deaths every year would be avoided, the vast majority in middle- and low-income countries.

Analyses have shown that high levels of illicit tobacco products are linked more closely to corruption and tolerance of contraband sales.

The global trade in illicit tobacco products occurs in low tax as well as high tax jurisdictions, results from a lack of control on cigarette manufacturing and the movement of cigarettes across international borders, and is run by criminal organizations with sophisticated systems for distributing smuggled cigarettes. Illicit trade is more common in low-income than in high-income countries.

This Protocol to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control is the first international legal instrument that provides countries with guidance on political, technical and international collaboration, needed to eliminate the illicit trade in tobacco products.

"Eliminating the illicit trade of tobacco products," explains WHO Regional Director Dr Alwan, "will increase tobacco product prices, lower consumption, reduce premature deaths, and increase government revenues. Ratification, acceptance, approval or accession to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products is the starting point.''

source: http://gulftoday.ae/

The World Health Assembly meeting ended today after key decisions like establishing a USD 100 million contingency fund for public health emergencies, setting up of an emergency workforce and adoption of an action plan for combating anti-microbial resistance, were taken.

Critical resolutions on anti-microbial resistance (AMR), poliomyelitis, health impacts of air pollution, WHO reform for better response to health emergencies, global vaccine action plan, Global Strategy and Plan of Action on Public Health Innovation and Intellectual Property (GSPOA) among others, were adopted at the 68th World Health Assembly (WHA).

"A specific, replenishable contingency fund of USD 100 million has now been agreed upon. We need it to be funded by voluntary contributions and we need it to be used at the discretion of the DG for standing up for an initial response of three months and if necessary for six months in any kind of health related emergency," said Bruce Aylward, WHO Assistant Director-General for Emergencies, at a press conference.

India also committed USD 2.1 million voluntary contributions to the global health body towards the new WHO contingency fund for implementation of research and development demonstration projects and for the Member State mechanism on Substandard/spurious/falsely-labelled/falsified/ counterfeit medical products at the 68th WHA.

Ebola outbreak which "overwhelmed" the global health organisation, was a pivotal focus at this year's WHA with critical reforms being made like creating a single new programme for health emergencies and uniting all outbreak and emergency resources across the three levels of the organisation.

The WHA also approved the programme budget for 2016 and 2017.

Minister for Health and Family Welfare JP Nadda, who was the President of this year's Health Assembly, at the concluding session, said, "The 68th WHA will be remembered by posterity for these crucial decisions which will shape our collective efforts in the years to come."

WHO Director General Margaret Chan said, "You can be proud of the outcome of this Health Assembly. This Health Assembly has produced some landmark resolutions and decisions that are very important for global health and development for a long time to come. And of course, for the future of the WHO.

source: http://www.business-standard.com/

Half of the world's population is at risk of malaria. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around 198 million people contract malaria, and that over half a million die every year. If we take a step back and digest these numbers, we are looking at over 1,000 people dying every day, most of them children. In fact, the WHO says that every minute a child dies from malaria. How is this acceptable?

It's not. And the world is not indifferent to this global health risk. In Geneva we have the leading organizations that are operating at the global level to change this stark reality. The World Health Organization; UNICEF; the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; the Medicines for Malaria Venture; and Roll Back Malaria are some of the Geneva-based organizations and partnerships that focus on this deadly disease. At the same time, they form part of a broader global public health cluster that operates across Geneva serving the world. (See the infographic below.)

Between the year 2000 and 2013, the mortality rate of malaria dropped nearly by 50 percent. The collective measures for prevention and treatment are making a tangible difference. This radical reduction in mortality is a testament to how the international public health system can have direct impact by saving lives.

Still, many people remain at risk, and we can do better. Leaders in the health sector are well aware of this and have collectively committed to up their game. This week the World Health Assembly agreed on a new global malaria strategy that aims to reduce the disease by at least 90 percent and eliminate malaria altogether in in at least 35 countries by 2030. Malaria can be prevented and treated, but more resources are needed. The Global Fund estimates that USD$5.1 billion are needed every year, but only half of that is made available. This is an ambitious target. Let's make sure we don't let 3.2 billion people down.

source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/

German Chancellor Angela Merkel addressed delegates on the first morning of the Sixty-eighth World Health Assembly, Tuesday, the 19th of May. "The WHO is the only international organization that has universal political legitimacy on global health issues," she said.

Chancellor Merkel called for a new plan to deal with "catastrophes" like the recent outbreak of Ebola that wreaked havoc in Africa. The outbreak highlighted the critical need for urgent, collaborative action in emergencies, and the importance of having efficient structures in place to ensure timely and accurate responses to healthcare crises. Chancellor Merkel paid tribute to all those working to safeguard human health worldwide, urging them to "work together".

She pledged that under Germany's presidency, the G7 would focus on fighting antimicrobial resistance and neglected tropical diseases. She emphasized the need for all countries to have strong health systems and highlighted the key role of health in sustainable development.

NEW PROGRAMME FOR HEALTH EMERGENCIES

In the afternoon, WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan outlined her plans to create a single new WHO programme for health emergencies, uniting outbreak and emergency resources across the 3 levels of the Organization. "I have heard what the world expects from WHO," said Dr Chan. "And we will deliver."

The new programme will be accountable to the Director-General, and will have its own business rules and operational platforms. It will have clear performance metrics, built on partnerships with other responders. It will set up a new global health emergency workforce, as well as strengthening its own core and surge capacity of trained emergency response staff. The Organization is calling for a new USD100 million contingency fund. The Director-General plans to complete these changes by the end of the year.

source: http://www.neurope.eu/article

18 MAY 2015 ¦ GENEVA - Angela Merkel, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany addressed delegates on the first morning of the Sixty-eighth World Health Assembly. "The WHO is the only international organization that has universal political legitimacy on global health issues," she said.

Chancellor Merkel called for a new plan to deal with "catastrophes" like the recent Ebola outbreak. The outbreak highlighted the critical need for urgent, collaborative action in emergencies, and the importance of having efficient structures in place. Chancellor Merkel paid tribute to all those working to safeguard human health worldwide, urging them to "work together".

She pledged that under Germany's presidency, the G7 would focus on fighting antimicrobial resistance and neglected tropical diseases. She emphasized the need for all countries to have strong health systems and highlighted the key role of health in sustainable development.

New programme for health emergencies

In the afternoon, WHO Director-General Dr Margaret Chan outlined her plans to create a single new WHO programme for health emergencies, uniting outbreak and emergency resources across the 3 levels of the Organization. "I have heard what the world expects from WHO," said Dr Chan. "And we will deliver."

The new programme will be accountable to the Director-General, and will have its own business rules and operational platforms. It will have clear performance metrics, built on partnerships with other responders. It will set up a new global health emergency workforce, as well as strengthening its own core and surge capacity of trained emergency response staff. The Organization is calling for a new USD100 million contingency fund. The Director-General plans to complete these changes by the end of the year.

Dr Chan reiterated Chancellor Merkel's points about the importance of building resilient health systems and defeating antimicrobial resistance, citing the "spectre of a post-antibiotic era in which common infections will once again kill," and urging delegates to adopt the draft global action plan on antimicrobial resistance on this year's Health Assembly agenda."

She also noted the need to ensure that the International Health Regulations, the world's legal instruments for outbreak preparedness and response, are effective. She urged delegates to ready themselves for the post-2015 development agenda and to ensure that health receives the attention, and the resources it needs: "The goals are ambitious. Financing plans must likewise be ambitious but credible."

Dr Chan also encouraged Member States to align in preparation for the Climate Conference in Paris at the end of the year, pointing out that health had remained on the side lines of this critical issue for too long.

New President of the World Health Assembly

Earlier in the day, the Health Assembly elected Dr Shri Jagat Prakash Nadda of India as its new President. Five vice-presidents were also appointed from Afghanistan, Barbados, China, San Marino, and Senegal, representing their respective regions. Addressing the Health Assembly, Dr Nadda announced a number of contributions to WHO from India, including a donation to the WHO contingency fund.

Topics covered during the 68th WHA

More than 3000 delegates from WHO's 194 Member States – including a large proportion of the world's health ministers - are expected to attend the Health Assembly, which ends on 26 May. They will discuss resolutions and decision points on antimicrobial resistance, Ebola, epilepsy, the International Health Regulations, malaria, nutrition, polio, public health, innovation, and intellectual property, substandard/spurious/falsely-labelled/falsified/counterfeit medical products, surgical care and anaesthesia.

Delegates will be asked to approve the Organization's planned budget and programme of work for 2016-2017. They will also review progress reports on a wide range of issues such as adolescent health, immunization, noncommunicable diseases, women and health, and WHO's response in severe, large-scale emergencies.

A series of daily technical briefings started today with a discussion about health in the post-2015 sustainable development goals. Subsequent sessions will address the Ebola outbreak, climate and health, preparations for the third UN High-level meeting on noncommunicable diseases in 2018, cancer prevention and control, and the development of global health sector strategies for HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections.

Notes to editors:

The World Health Assembly is attended by delegates from WHO Member States as well as representatives from many agencies, organizations, foundations and other groups that contribute to improving public health. Member States approve resolutions in committee before formally adopting them in the plenary session at the end of the Health Assembly.

source: http://www.who.int/