World Health Organization

December 20, 2024 3:14 PM

Global Unity through Inner Peace: UN has declared 21st December as World Meditation Day

The United Nations has declared 21st December as World Meditation Day. It is going to be an annual event observed to promote the importance of mental and emotional well-being through meditation. The meditational practice helps people connect with their inner selves, manage emotions, and develop greater awareness. It is a simple yet powerful tool, offering profound benefits for both individual and collective health. 2024 Theme: "Meditation for Global Peace and Harmony" This year's theme emphas...

November 27, 2024 3:34 PM

WHO launches 16 days of activism to end violence against women

The World Health Organization (WHO) South-East Asia Regional Director, Saima Wazed, has launched a campaign aimed at ending gender-based violence. The 16 Days of Activism, which began on November 25, coinciding with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, will run until December 10, concluding on International Human Rights Day. This year’s campaign is of particular significance, given the upcoming 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Actio...

November 24, 2024 11:39 AM

M-Pox remains public health emergency: WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) has reaffirmed that M-Pox will continue to be classified as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) amid a sharp rise in cases and the virus's expanding geographic spread. The high-alert status, initially declared in August, was extended following a meeting of the WHO Emergency Committee. The decision reflects the escalating concerns over the outbreak, particularly the spread of the clade Ib variant, which has moved beyond its origin in the...

October 23, 2024 5:22 PM

Twenty reported killed in Gaza as Israel intensifies siege of north

Israeli strikes across Gaza killed 20 people on Wednesday as Israeli forces intensified a siege of northern parts of the Palestinian enclave, surrounding hospitals and refugee shelters, and ordering residents to head south, medics and residents said. The Gaza health ministry and the World Health Organization said they would be unable to start a polio vaccination campaign in northern Gaza as planned because of the intense bombardments, mass displacements and lack of access. Israeli forces began...

September 16, 2024 4:28 PM

Jal Jeevan Mission Brings Tap Water to Over 15 Crore Rural Households

The Government of India, in partnership with the states, is implementing the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) – Har Ghar Jal to provide potable tap water to every rural household in the country. According to the latest data, as of August 5, 2024, more than 15.04 crore (77.87%) out of 19.32 crore rural households in the country now have tap water supply in their homes. This is a significant achievement, as at the start of the Jal Jeevan Mission in August 2019, only 3.23 crore (16.8%) rural households ...

July 16, 2024 3:24 PM

Gambia parliament rejects bill to end ban on female genital mutilation

Gambia's parliament on Monday rejected a bill that would have ended a ban on female genital mutilation, after lawmakers voted down all the clauses in the proposed law. "The ban on FGM is still firmly maintained in the Gambia," the Ministry of Information said in a statement after the vote. "Government stands firm in its resolve to eliminate this harmful practice." The bill to overturn the ban sparked a public debate about female genital mutilation for the first time in the West African nation ...

July 3, 2024 4:24 PM

Israel conducts new strikes in Gaza, families seek shelter after evacuation order

Many Palestinians were seeking shelter on Wednesday after fleeing their homes in southern Gaza and complained of water shortages as Israel pressed on with its military offensive in the densely populated enclave. Israeli forces carried out new military strikes in the southern city of Rafah amid fierce fighting with Palestinian militants overnight, residents said. At least 12 people were killed in new strikes in central and northern Gaza, health officials said. Israel's leaders have said they ar...