Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through the bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. It is preventable and curable. There are 5 parasite species that cause malaria in humans, and 2 of these species – Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax – pose the greatest threat. 

In response to the urgent need to address physical inactivity levels worldwide, WHO developed the Global action plan on physical activity 2018–2030 (GAPPA): more active people for a healthier world, and supports countries and stakeholders to implement these actions across the four key areas;

Physical inactivity is one of the leading risk factors for noncommunicable diseases (NCD) and death worldwide.  It increases the risk of cancer, heart disease, stroke and diabetes by 20–30%. It is estimated that four to five million deaths per year could be averted if the global population was more active.

Patient safety in health care is an urgent and serious global public health concern. Patient harm exerts a very high burden on all health care systems across the world. Every year, an inadmissible number of patients suffer injuries or die because of unsafe and poor quality health care. Most of these injuries are avoidable. The burden of unsafe care broadly highlights the magnitude and scale of the problem. 

Palliative care is a crucial part of integrated, people-centred health services (IPCHS). Nothing is more people-centred than relieving their suffering, be it physical, psychological, social, or spiritual. Thus, whether the cause of suffering is cancer or major organ failure, drug-resistant tuberculosis or severe burns, end-stage chronic illness or acute trauma, extreme birth prematurity or extreme frailty of old age, palliative care may be needed and integrated at all levels of care.
 

There are a number of factors that increase both the risk of road traffic crashes and the risk of death or injury they result in.

Road traffic crashes result in the deaths of approximately 1.35 million people around the world each year and leave between 20 and 50 million people with non-fatal injuries. More than half of all road traffic deaths and injuries involve vulnerable road users, such as pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists and their passengers.

Diagnosis 

Because the symptoms of Rift Valley fever (RVF) are varied and non-specific, clinical diagnosis is often difficult, especially early in the course of the disease. RVF is difficult to distinguish from other viral haemorrhagic fevers as well as from many other diseases that cause fever, including malaria and typhoid fever. As such, definitive diagnosis requires laboratory testing. 

Treatment 

Mild form of Rift Valley Fever in humans 

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a viral zoonosis that primarily affects animals but also has the capacity to infect humans. It is transmitted by mosquitoes and blood feeding flies. In humans, the disease ranges from a mild flu-like illness to severe haemorrhagic fever that can be lethal. When livestock are infected the disease can cause significant economic losses due to high mortality rates in young animals and waves of abortions in pregnant females. 

Rheumatic heart disease is the most commonly acquired heart disease in people under age 25, and mostly affects children and adolescents in low- and middle-income countries.

Rheumatic heart disease results from damage to heart valves caused by one or several episodes of rheumatic fever, an autoimmune inflammatory reaction to throat infection with group A streptococci (streptococcal pharyngitis or strep throat). It most commonly occurs in childhood, and can lead to death or life-long disability.  

High-quality research is essential to fulfilling WHO’s mandate for the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health. One of the Organization’s core functions is to set international norms, standards and guidelines, including setting international standards for research.

Under the “WHO strategy on research for health”, the Organization works to identify research priorities, and promote and conduct research with the following 4 goals:

Research is indispensable for resolving public health challenges – whether it be tackling diseases of poverty, responding to rise of chronic diseases,  or ensuring that mothers have access to safe delivery practices.

Likewise, shared vulnerability to global threats, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome, Ebola virus disease, Zika virus and avian influenza has mobilized global research efforts in support of enhancing capacity for preparedness and response. Research is strengthening surveillance, rapid diagnostics and development of vaccines and medicines.

In 2017 WHO launched the Rehabilitation 2030 initiative, which emphasizes the need for concerted and coordinated action by all stakeholders to strengthen the health system to provide quality and timely rehabilitation through actions such as: improving leadership and governance; developing a strong multidisciplinary rehabilitation workforce; expanding financing for rehabilitation; and improving data collection and research on rehabilitation.

The WHO Constitution states that everyone has the right to enjoy the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and ratified international human rights standards and conventions exist to protect the rights of refugees and migrants  including their right to health. The access of refugees and migrants to quality, essential health services is of paramount importance to rights-based health systems, global health security and to public efforts aimed at reducing health inequities and achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).