Good morning, good afternoon and good evening,
First to a conflict that has been dragging on for many months, with tens of thousands killed, millions displaced and health services severely disrupted.
I’m not talking about Gaza. I’m talking about Sudan – the war the world has either forgotten or ignored.
Sudan is the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, with 12 million people displaced: 10 million internally, while 2 million have fled to neighbouring countries.
More than 70% of hospitals in conflict-affected states, and 45% of health facilities in another five states are not working, and the remaining ones are overwhelmed with people seeking care.
People are dying from a lack of access to essential health services and medicines, while there is a very real risk of mass starvation in some regions.
Critical services, including maternal and child health care, the management of severe acute malnutrition, and the treatment of patients with chronic conditions, have been discontinued in many areas.
Disruptions to telecommunications are affecting disease surveillance and reporting, as well as our ability to verify attacks on health.
We call for a swift restoration of telecommunication access across all of Sudan.
As the situation in Sudan continues to decline, WHO is on the ground supporting lifesaving interventions and outbreak response.
We provide expert advice, training and oversight to health operations, management of malnutrition, disease surveillance and outbreak response.
WHO also continues to distribute urgently needed medicines and medical supplies using all available avenues, including cross-border and crossline operations, to reach previously unreachable areas in Darfur and Kordofan, where the needs are greatest.
With “breakthrough” deliveries, some areas that had not been reached this year have been reached.
However, insecurity and operational hurdles continue to pose a challenge in the timely delivery of supplies and services.
We ask you, the world’s media, to continue drawing attention to Sudan, and not to allow our world to forget it.
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Now to Gaza.
WHO welcomes the UN Security Council resolution adopted on Monday, which calls for a full and immediate ceasefire, the unconditional release of all hostages, a permanent end to hostilities, and the reconstruction of Gaza.
We urge all parties to take steps to implement the resolution immediately, and bring a permanent end to the suffering of millions of people.
We also welcome this week’s conference in Amman, Jordan, which aims to intensify humanitarian aid for Gaza.
A significant proportion of Gaza’s population is now facing catastrophic hunger and famine-like conditions.
Despite reports of increased delivery of food, there is currently no evidence that those who need it most are receiving sufficient quantity and quality of food.
WHO and our partners have scaled up nutrition services.
Over 8,000 children under 5 years old have been diagnosed and treated for acute malnutrition, including 1,600 children with severe acute malnutrition.
However, due to insecurity and lack of access, only two stabilization centres for severely malnourished patients can operate.
Our inability to provide health services safely, combined with the lack of clean water and sanitation, significantly increase the risks for malnourished children.
There have already been 32 deaths attributed to malnutrition, including 28 among children under 5 years old.
While the world’s focus has been on Gaza, there is also an escalating health crisis in the West Bank, where attacks on health care and restrictions on movement of people are obstructing access to health services.
Since the war in Gaza started, 508 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, including 124 children. More than 5,000 have been injured, including about 800 children.
WHO has documented 480 attacks on health care in the West Bank since the 7th of October last year, resulting in 16 deaths and 95 injuries.
In most areas of the West Bank, clinics are only operating two days a week, and hospitals are operating at about 70% capacity.
Illegal settlements have expanded in the occupied West Bank, impacting the population’s access to health services.
WHO is supporting the Ministry of Health through buying essential medicines, and providing technical assistance on policies and procedures.
We have also pre-positioned supplies at key hospitals across the West Bank, including in East Jerusalem, and conducted trauma management training for first aid responders in affected communities.
In the West Bank, as in Gaza, the only solution is peace.
Once again, we urge all sides to implement the Security Council resolution immediately.
Again, the best medicine is peace.
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Now to the United States, and the outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza among dairy cattle.
Since our last update five weeks ago, the number of affected dairy herds has almost tripled to 92 in 12 states, the number of human cases has increased from 1 to 3, and the number of people being monitored has more than doubled to 500.
Since 2003, there have been 893 reported infections of H5N1 in humans, including 11 so far this year: five in Cambodia, three in the U.S., and one each in Australia, China and Viet Nam.
In that time, the virus has not shown signs of having acquired the ability to spread easily among humans.
That remains the case, which is why, at this time, WHO continues to assess the risk to public health as low.
In recent years, H5N1 has spread widely among wild birds, poultry, land and marine mammals on several continents.
WHO recommends that anyone working with any infected animals, in any country, should have access to, and use, personal protective equipment.
Follow-up, testing and care of people exposed to the virus should continue systematically.
Early medical care and support, and thorough and timely investigation of every human infection is essential to evaluate and interrupt potential onward transmission between humans.
WHO is monitoring multiple avian flu viruses in humans through the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System.
Surveillance of flu viruses among animals globally must also be intensified to rapidly detect any changes to the virus that could pose a greater threat to humans.
These systems are only as good as the timely detection and the sharing of viruses and information.
Collaboration, communication and information sharing between the animal and human health sectors is essential in all countries. This is the meaning of One Health.
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Finally, a brief word to a colleague who is well known to many of you in the media, Gregory Härtl.
Gregory joined WHO in 1997, and has been a key part of WHO’s communications ever since, doing thousands of interviews and briefings with journalists, and answering their questions. Many of you have interacted with Gregory in one way or another.
Today is Gregory’s last day with us.
Gregory, thank you for your service to WHO, and for everything you have done to communicate the work of WHO to the world.
We will miss you, but you will always be part of the WHO family. As we say, once WHO, always WHO.
Thank you so much for your service and commitment.
Fadéla, back to you.