Jarno Habicht has worked with WHO for the last 19 years and served as WHO Representative (WR) in Ukraine since 2018. He answers questions about WHO’s preparation for armed conflicts in the country and its health-related humanitarian response since the Russian military offensive and war began.What was your experience in Ukraine before the current Russian…
Taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) can help countries fight noncommunicable diseases and make people healthier – but this measure can be more effective if taxes are developed in collaboration between health and finance authorities.This is one of the findings from the new WHO report “Sugar-sweetened beverage taxes in the WHO European Region”, which examines the…
In normal times, Maria Bilovodska runs a successful fashion brand in Kyiv, Ukraine’s capital. These are not normal times. In the registration centre of Hungary’s Beregsurány border crossing point, Maria looks tired and pale after her long journey. Sitting in a low chair, surrounded by other exhausted-looking families, she is waiting for a bus that…
Press contacts: Bhanu Bhatnagar Press & Media Relations Officer WHO Regional Office for Europe Email: bbhatnagar@who.int Press office: WHO/Europe Press Office Email: eupress@who.int Istanbul, 18 March 2022Amid multiple ongoing humanitarian crises triggered by conflict, natural disasters, and climate change, 3 WHO regional offices brought together governments, civil society including refugee and migrant voices, and health…
As the war in Ukraine intensifies, hundreds of children with cancer have been forced to flee homes and hospital beds all over the country and undertake dangerous journeys in the hope of reconnecting with the treatments they need to survive.Undergoing chemotherapy treatment for a bladder tumour, 8-year-old Leonid was forced to leave a Kyiv hospital…
Countries of the WHO European Region need an effective policy framework to reduce alcohol consumption levels and the associated health harms. WHO is hosting 3 consultations on the draft of the “Framework to strengthen implementation of the WHO European Action Plan to Reduce the Harmful Use of Alcohol (EAPA), 2022–2025”. These consultations are with civil…
On 10 March, staff from WHO and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) visited the Serban Voda temporary emergency shelter in Bucharest, recently set up to provide accommodation and care for refugees fleeing from Ukraine.The shelter is run by the civil society organization Carusel Association, in collaboration with the Bucharest Mayoralty and the Faculty of…
Since the beginning of the pandemic national health authorities in North Macedonia have made efforts to unlock the full potential of available technologies to improve how services are provided and how the health system is managed. WHO and the United Nations (UN) in North Macedonia have supported these efforts as part of the joint programme…
During Salt Awareness Week, WHO is highlighting 5 simple recommendations that can help lower salt intake and blood pressure, significantly reducing the risk of stroke and heart disease. High salt intake is one of the leading causes of death in the WHO European Region.Often, we can consume large amounts of salt without even knowing it…
Further information: Tetiana Dolhova Communication Officer WHO Ukraine Tel.: + 380 63 800 77 35 Email: dolhovat@who.int Press office: WHO Regional Office for Europe Email: eupress@who.int 14 March 2022Since Russia’s military offensive began in Ukraine on 24 February, WHO has worked around the clock to ensure a constant flow of health supplies so that neighbouring…