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WHO says member states reach agreement to tackle future pandemics

WHO says member states reach agreement to tackle future pandemics

Members of the World Health Organization reached an agreement to prepare the world for future pandemics after more than three years of negotiations, the organisation said early on Wednesday.The legally binding pact is intended to shore up the world's defences against new pathogens after the COVID-19 pandemic killed millions of people in 2020-22.The proposal outlines measures to prevent future pandemics and strengthen global collaboration. This includes establishing a pathogen access and benefit sharing system and building geographically diverse research capacities among others.The agreement also proposes a global supply chain and logistics network while emphasising stronger health system resilience and preparedness."After more than three years of intensive negotiations, WHO member states took a major step forward in efforts to make the world safer from pandemics," the health body said in a statement.The agreement is widely seen as a victory for the global health agency, at a time when multilateral organisations like the WHO have been battered by sharp cuts in U.S. foreign funding.The United States, which was slow to join the early talks, left the discussions this year after new President Donald Trump issued an executive order in February withdrawing the U.S. from the WHO and the talks.The proposal will be considered at the World Health Assembly policy meeting in May, the WHO said."This is a historic moment and a show, that with or without the U.S., countries are committed to working together and to the power of multilateralism," Nina Schwalbe the founder of global health think tank Spark Street Advisors, told Reuters.

4/16/2025 11:12:00 AM

3 Ways to Meditate for Better Sleep

If you have trouble falling asleep at night, you’re not alone. About 35% to 50%Trusted Source of adults worldwide regularly experience insomnia symptoms.Meditation may help you sleep better. As a relaxation technique, it can quiet the mind and body while enhancing inner peace. When done before bedtime, meditation may help reduce insomnia and sleep troubles by promoting overall calmness.Read on to learn about the different types of meditation and how to meditate for improved sleep. We’ll also look at the benefits and possible risks.How to meditateMeditation is a simple practice that you can do anywhere, anytime. You don’t need special tools or equipment. In fact, the only thing you need is a few minutes.However, establishing a meditation routine takes practice. By making time for meditation, you’ll be more likely to enjoy its benefits.Here are the basic steps of meditation:- Find a quiet area. Sit or lie down, depending on what feels most comfortable. Lying down may be preferable at bedtime.- Close your eyes and breathe slowly. Inhale and exhale deeply. Focus on your breathing.- If a thought pops up, let it go and refocus on your breathing.As you try meditation for sleep, be patient with yourself. A meditation practice is just that — a practice. Start by meditating for 3 to 5 minutes before bed. Over time, slowly increase the time to 15 to 20 minutes. It’ll take time to learn how to quiet your mind.Let’s look at specific meditation techniques that tend to work well for sleep and how to do each one.1. Mindfulness meditationMindfulness meditation involves focusing on the present. It’s done by increasing your awareness of your consciousness, breathing, and body.If you notice a thought or emotion, simply observe it. Then let it pass without judging yourself.2. Guided meditationGuided meditation is when another person leads you through each step of meditation. They may instruct you to breathe or relax your body in a certain way. Or, they might have you visualize images or sounds. This technique is also known as guided imagery.At bedtime, you could listen to a recording of a guided meditation.3. Body scan meditationIn body scan meditation, you focus on each part of your body. The goal is to increase awareness of your physical sensations, including tension and pain. The act of focusing promotes relaxation, which can help you sleep.How can meditation help with sleep?When you meditate, a variety of physiological changes occur. These changes initiate sleep by influencing specific processes in your body.In a 2018 meta-analysisTrusted Source of 18 trials, the researchers found moderate evidence that mindfulness meditation interventions significantly improved sleep quality, even at 5- to 12-month follow-ups.According to the researchers, meditation has a calming effect on the body. It can decrease ruminative thoughts and emotional reactivity, which, when combined, may aid sleep.Meditation may also:- increase melatonin (the sleep hormone)- increase serotonin (precursor of melatonin)- reduce heart rate- decrease blood pressure- activate parts of the brain that control sleepYour body experiences similar changes in the early stages of sleep. As a result, meditation can promote sleep by initiating these changes.

1/2/2025 6:26:59 PM

One Dead from Nipah Virus in India's Kerala State

Authorities in southern India's Kerala state are taking preventive steps after the death of a 14-year-old boy from the Nipah virus and the identification of 60 persons in the high-risk category, the state's health minister said on Sunday.Parts of Kerala are among those most at risk globally for outbreaks of the virus, a Reuters investigation showed last year. Nipah, which comes from fruit bats and animals such as pigs, can cause a lethal, brain-swelling fever in humans.Nipah is classified as a priority pathogen by the World Health Organization, opens new tab (WHO) because of its potential to trigger an epidemic. There is no vaccine to prevent infection and no treatment to cure it."The infected boy died on Sunday after a cardiac arrest," Veena George, the state health minister told local TV reporters, speaking in the Malayalam language.Earlier, in a statement on Saturday, she said as part of Nipah control, the government has issued orders to set up 25 committees to identify and isolate affected people.Dr. Anoop Kumar, director of critical care medicine at Aster MIMS Hospital in Calicut, said one positive case of Nipah had been diagnosed in a school-going boy and persons who had been in contact with him were being watched."There is a minimum chance of an outbreak of Nipah virus at this stage," he said, adding that the situation would be monitored for the next 7-10 days.There are 214 people on the primary contact list of the boy, the statement said. Among them, 60 are in the high-risk category, it said, and isolation wards have been set up at health institutions to treat patients.Family members of the affected patient were kept at a local hospital for observation, after a case of Nipah virus was confirmed in Malappuram, a town about 350 km (220 miles) from Kerala's capital Thiruvananthapuram, local media reports said. Other people who might be at risk were asked to isolate at home.The state government said it is working to trace any affected people to contain the spread of the virus. Nipah has been linked to the deaths of dozens of people in Kerala since its first appearance in the state in 2018.The virus was first identified 25 years ago in Malaysia and has led to outbreaks in Bangladesh, India and Singapore.

7/21/2024 1:47:00 PM

Rising conflicts globally slowed childhood vaccination rate in 2023, UN says

More children were left out of critical vaccination drives for diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough last year as a rise in conflicts across the globe hindered the supply of life-saving shots mostly in strife-torn regions, the United Nations said on Monday.About 14.5 million children failed to get vaccinated in 2023, compared with 13.9 million a year earlier, according to U.N. estimates. The number, however, was lower than during the COVID-19 pandemic, when about 18 million children missed out on vaccination.The U.N. also said that an additional 6.5 million children failed to receive more than a single dose, meaning they were not fully protected.The estimates are based on how many children received either the first dose or all three doses of the DTP vaccine, a staple shot that protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, also known as whooping cough.In total, 84% of infants globally received their full course last year, below the necessary level to prevent disease outbreaks.War-hit countries in particular saw a big jump in the number of children who were not immunized in 2023, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) said at a press conference last week, ahead of releasing the data.The biggest fall in vaccination coverage globally was in Sudan, which has been decimated by 15 months of civil war. It saw coverage rates fall to 57% in 2023 from 75% in 2022.That meant nearly 701,000 children in Sudan were not vaccinated at all against killer diseases such as measles and diphtheria.The number of children who failed to get immunized in the occupied Palestinian territories rose to 17,000 for the nine months last year based on data available until September from 1,000 in 2021, the agencies said.Sudan, Yemen and Afghanistan were all new entrants on the list of the 20 countries with the most unvaccinated, or "zero-dose," children in 2023.More than half of the world's unvaccinated children live in countries with fragile, conflict-affected or vulnerable settings, although these nations only make up 28% of the global birth cohort, the UNICEF said.There were some positives in the U.N. report. For example, there were around 600,000 fewer "zero dose" children across the African region in 2023 than in 2022, and coverage of the HPV vaccine, which protects against cervical cancer, also improved globally. Ukraine also saw an improvement despite its war with Russia.

7/15/2024 9:28:32 AM

Use these guidelines for sun protection

Excessive exposure to sunlight can cause damage to the skin, including dryness, dark spots, and wrinkles, and it increases the risk of skin cancer, the most common type worldwide, according to the American Cancer Society.To protect your skin at the beach, it is recommended to use sunscreen that is "broad-spectrum," as indicated on the label, with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher. According to Temple Health, wearing a hat with a brim of more than 5 cm can also help protect the facial skin.Wearing sunglasses is important to protect the eyes and the delicate skin around them, ensuring they provide UV protection.Between 10 AM and 4 PM, the sun's rays are strongest, so it is crucial to take protective measures and reduce sun exposure during this period. Avoiding prolonged sun exposure without seeking shade is advised, as well as reapplying sunscreen every two hours or as directed on the product label. Staying hydrated by drinking water is also essential for maintaining skin moisture in hot weather.

6/23/2024 11:50:34 AM

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WHO says member states reach agreement to tackle future pandemics

Members of the World Health Organization reached an agreement to prepare the world for future pandemics after more than three years of negotiations, the organisation said early on Wednesday.The legally binding pact is intended to shore up the world's defences against new pathogens after the COVID-19 pandemic killed millions of people in 2020-22.The proposal outlines measures to prevent future pandemics and strengthen global collaboration. This includes establishing a pathogen access and benefit sharing system and building geographically diverse research capacities among others.The agreement also proposes a global supply chain and logistics network while emphasising stronger health system resilience and preparedness."After more than three years of intensive negotiations, WHO member states took a major step forward in efforts to make the world safer from pandemics," the health body said in a statement.The agreement is widely seen as a victory for the global health agency, at a time when multilateral organisations like the WHO have been battered by sharp cuts in U.S. foreign funding.The United States, which was slow to join the early talks, left the discussions this year after new President Donald Trump issued an executive order in February withdrawing the U.S. from the WHO and the talks.The proposal will be considered at the World Health Assembly policy meeting in May, the WHO said."This is a historic moment and a show, that with or without the U.S., countries are committed to working together and to the power of multilateralism," Nina Schwalbe the founder of global health think tank Spark Street Advisors, told Reuters.

4/16/2025 11:12:00 AM

3 Ways to Meditate for Better Sleep

If you have trouble falling asleep at night, you’re not alone. About 35% to 50%Trusted Source of adults worldwide regularly experience insomnia symptoms.Meditation may help you sleep better. As a relaxation technique, it can quiet the mind and body while enhancing inner peace. When done before bedtime, meditation may help reduce insomnia and sleep troubles by promoting overall calmness.Read on to learn about the different types of meditation and how to meditate for improved sleep. We’ll also look at the benefits and possible risks.How to meditateMeditation is a simple practice that you can do anywhere, anytime. You don’t need special tools or equipment. In fact, the only thing you need is a few minutes.However, establishing a meditation routine takes practice. By making time for meditation, you’ll be more likely to enjoy its benefits.Here are the basic steps of meditation:- Find a quiet area. Sit or lie down, depending on what feels most comfortable. Lying down may be preferable at bedtime.- Close your eyes and breathe slowly. Inhale and exhale deeply. Focus on your breathing.- If a thought pops up, let it go and refocus on your breathing.As you try meditation for sleep, be patient with yourself. A meditation practice is just that — a practice. Start by meditating for 3 to 5 minutes before bed. Over time, slowly increase the time to 15 to 20 minutes. It’ll take time to learn how to quiet your mind.Let’s look at specific meditation techniques that tend to work well for sleep and how to do each one.1. Mindfulness meditationMindfulness meditation involves focusing on the present. It’s done by increasing your awareness of your consciousness, breathing, and body.If you notice a thought or emotion, simply observe it. Then let it pass without judging yourself.2. Guided meditationGuided meditation is when another person leads you through each step of meditation. They may instruct you to breathe or relax your body in a certain way. Or, they might have you visualize images or sounds. This technique is also known as guided imagery.At bedtime, you could listen to a recording of a guided meditation.3. Body scan meditationIn body scan meditation, you focus on each part of your body. The goal is to increase awareness of your physical sensations, including tension and pain. The act of focusing promotes relaxation, which can help you sleep.How can meditation help with sleep?When you meditate, a variety of physiological changes occur. These changes initiate sleep by influencing specific processes in your body.In a 2018 meta-analysisTrusted Source of 18 trials, the researchers found moderate evidence that mindfulness meditation interventions significantly improved sleep quality, even at 5- to 12-month follow-ups.According to the researchers, meditation has a calming effect on the body. It can decrease ruminative thoughts and emotional reactivity, which, when combined, may aid sleep.Meditation may also:- increase melatonin (the sleep hormone)- increase serotonin (precursor of melatonin)- reduce heart rate- decrease blood pressure- activate parts of the brain that control sleepYour body experiences similar changes in the early stages of sleep. As a result, meditation can promote sleep by initiating these changes.

1/2/2025 6:26:59 PM

One Dead from Nipah Virus in India's Kerala State

Authorities in southern India's Kerala state are taking preventive steps after the death of a 14-year-old boy from the Nipah virus and the identification of 60 persons in the high-risk category, the state's health minister said on Sunday.Parts of Kerala are among those most at risk globally for outbreaks of the virus, a Reuters investigation showed last year. Nipah, which comes from fruit bats and animals such as pigs, can cause a lethal, brain-swelling fever in humans.Nipah is classified as a priority pathogen by the World Health Organization, opens new tab (WHO) because of its potential to trigger an epidemic. There is no vaccine to prevent infection and no treatment to cure it."The infected boy died on Sunday after a cardiac arrest," Veena George, the state health minister told local TV reporters, speaking in the Malayalam language.Earlier, in a statement on Saturday, she said as part of Nipah control, the government has issued orders to set up 25 committees to identify and isolate affected people.Dr. Anoop Kumar, director of critical care medicine at Aster MIMS Hospital in Calicut, said one positive case of Nipah had been diagnosed in a school-going boy and persons who had been in contact with him were being watched."There is a minimum chance of an outbreak of Nipah virus at this stage," he said, adding that the situation would be monitored for the next 7-10 days.There are 214 people on the primary contact list of the boy, the statement said. Among them, 60 are in the high-risk category, it said, and isolation wards have been set up at health institutions to treat patients.Family members of the affected patient were kept at a local hospital for observation, after a case of Nipah virus was confirmed in Malappuram, a town about 350 km (220 miles) from Kerala's capital Thiruvananthapuram, local media reports said. Other people who might be at risk were asked to isolate at home.The state government said it is working to trace any affected people to contain the spread of the virus. Nipah has been linked to the deaths of dozens of people in Kerala since its first appearance in the state in 2018.The virus was first identified 25 years ago in Malaysia and has led to outbreaks in Bangladesh, India and Singapore.

7/21/2024 1:47:00 PM

Rising conflicts globally slowed childhood vaccination rate in 2023, UN says

More children were left out of critical vaccination drives for diseases such as diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough last year as a rise in conflicts across the globe hindered the supply of life-saving shots mostly in strife-torn regions, the United Nations said on Monday.About 14.5 million children failed to get vaccinated in 2023, compared with 13.9 million a year earlier, according to U.N. estimates. The number, however, was lower than during the COVID-19 pandemic, when about 18 million children missed out on vaccination.The U.N. also said that an additional 6.5 million children failed to receive more than a single dose, meaning they were not fully protected.The estimates are based on how many children received either the first dose or all three doses of the DTP vaccine, a staple shot that protects against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis, also known as whooping cough.In total, 84% of infants globally received their full course last year, below the necessary level to prevent disease outbreaks.War-hit countries in particular saw a big jump in the number of children who were not immunized in 2023, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) said at a press conference last week, ahead of releasing the data.The biggest fall in vaccination coverage globally was in Sudan, which has been decimated by 15 months of civil war. It saw coverage rates fall to 57% in 2023 from 75% in 2022.That meant nearly 701,000 children in Sudan were not vaccinated at all against killer diseases such as measles and diphtheria.The number of children who failed to get immunized in the occupied Palestinian territories rose to 17,000 for the nine months last year based on data available until September from 1,000 in 2021, the agencies said.Sudan, Yemen and Afghanistan were all new entrants on the list of the 20 countries with the most unvaccinated, or "zero-dose," children in 2023.More than half of the world's unvaccinated children live in countries with fragile, conflict-affected or vulnerable settings, although these nations only make up 28% of the global birth cohort, the UNICEF said.There were some positives in the U.N. report. For example, there were around 600,000 fewer "zero dose" children across the African region in 2023 than in 2022, and coverage of the HPV vaccine, which protects against cervical cancer, also improved globally. Ukraine also saw an improvement despite its war with Russia.

7/15/2024 9:28:32 AM

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