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Friday 11.12.21 | Issue 133
© WHO
Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) updates
A virtual press briefing with simultaneous translation in all UN languages with the participation of the WHO Director-General is planned for next week. Media advisories with Zoom links/dial-in details will be emailed in advance. For the latest news from WHO on COVID-19 and other breaking health stories, read WHO's news updates.
13-18 November
Codex Alimentarius Commission continues (virtual)
The 44th session of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC44) will continue online through 18 November with members of the international food standards-setting body expected to approve a series of standards, guidelines and codes of practice. Sessions will be held on 13 and 15 November (12:00-15:00 CET), with the adoption of the report scheduled for 17-18 November. Real-time summaries of key decisions made by the Codex Alimentarius Commission will be published on the FAO and WHO websites as they happen.
The meeting will be broadcast live in six official UN languages on Codex YouTube channels: English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and Russian. Resources: All Codex CAC44 documents, About Codex, FAO portal and WHO portal.
Sunday, 14 November
World Diabetes Day
On World Diabetes Day 2021, join WHO experts and guests to discuss access to diabetes medicines and care on Twitter Spaces.
- 13:00-14:00 CET: in French
- 15:00-16:00 CET: in English
To join the conversation, follow @WHO or set a reminder.
Also, earlier today, WHO launched the report Keeping the 100-year old promise – making insulin access universal. The report, released in the year of the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin, describes the global picture of access to insulin, a life-saving medicine for many people with diabetes; examines the barriers to access and their causes; and suggests courses of action to increase the availability of insulin to all who need it. More here.
15-17 November
WHO Global Evidence-to-Policy Summit 2021
At the WHO Global Evidence-to-Policy (E2P) Summit, global experts and stakeholders from research, policy-making, the health sector, civil society and the media will meet to build on the key lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, spark new collaborations for evidence-to-policy translation across different sectors and disciplines, and gauge ways to accelerate progress towards achieving WHO's triple billion targets and the Sustainable Development Goals. For more information and registration, go here.
15-18 November
WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Meeting of the Parties (MOP2)
The 182 Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) will gather online for the second session of the Meeting of the Parties (MOP2) to the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products, from 15–18 November. More here.
Tuesday, 16 November
Fourth WHO Global Tobacco Trends Report
The fourth WHO global tobacco trends report will be released Tuesday. The report will provide the latest number of tobacco users globally, and urge countries to accelerate implementation of the measures outlined in the WHO FCTC in an effort to further reduce the number of people at risk of becoming ill and dying from a tobacco-related disease. Also, a new WHO Global Investment Case for Tobacco Cessation will be available. Embargoed materials available upon request.
Wednesday, 17 November
Global Day of Action for Cervical Cancer Elimination
At a special commemorative press conference hosted by the WHO Director-General on Wednesday at 15:00 CET, WHO will join cancer survivors and advocates, First Ladies, celebrities, and health and community organizations from around the world to commemorate a landmark ‘Day of Action’ for Cervical Cancer Elimination, helping raise awareness of this devastating disease that affects women around the world.
The day marks one year since the launch of the global strategy to eliminate cervical cancer – the first time ever in history that world leaders committed to eliminate a cancer. Despite being preventable through vaccination and largely treatable if caught early, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women globally, and causes over 300,000 deaths each year.
Several announcements will be made to advance cervical cancer prevention and control along with special guests, including Angélique Kidjo and the Guinness-Book-of-World-Record-holder cancer survivors of the Sea of Change Choir. More information about the event, Cervical Cancer Elimination initiative and factsheet on HPV and cervical cancer.
World Prematurity Day
Together with Johns Hopkins University and UNICEF, researchers from WHO will publish new data on the leading causes of deaths of children under 5 years of age – which will highlight the alarming, and growing, contribution of preterm births to deaths in children under -5 years worldwide.
Around the world the number of preterm births (babies born before 37 weeks of pregnancy) is rising - causing many deaths and serious long-term health complications. Three-quarters of these deaths could be prevented with current, cost-effective interventions.
The new data will be published in the journal, Lancet Child and Adolescent Health on World Prematurity Day at 00:30 CET. Embargoed information available on request. Factsheet on preterm birth and more on kangaroo mother care.
18-24 November
World Antimicrobial Awareness Week 2021
World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) is celebrated from 18-24 November every year. The 2021 theme, Spread Awareness, Stop Resistance, calls on One Health stakeholders, policymakers, health care providers, and the general public to be Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Awareness champions. Information about WAAW activities, the new Go Blue for AMR campaign, stories and resources is available here.
Friday, 19 November
World Toilet Day
Next Friday is World Toilet Day (WTD). This year's theme is valuing toilets. Dig deeper on what needs to be done to accelerate sanitation and transform health, economies and the environment by 2030 with:
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