Global efforts to curb viral hepatitis are reducing infections and deaths, but progress is too slow to meet 2030 targets, a new World Health Organization (WHO) warns. Hepatitis B and C, which cause 95% of hepatitis deaths, killed 1.34 million people in 2024, while 1.8 million new infections occurred. Since 2015, new hepatitis B infections fell 32% and hepatitis C deaths 12%, and child hepatitis B prevalence dropped to 0.6%. Yet 287 million people live with chronic infection, most untreated, and transmission persists due to low vaccination, unsafe injections and limited harm reduction. WHO urges faster scale-up of prevention, testing and treatment efforts worldwide.
WHO
Every life saved. Every disease prevented. Every child who grows up healthy. It all starts with science. On , WHO celebrates the discoveries, the public health research network, and the communities — all standing behind the evidence that protects us all. Because when we stand together, science gives us something no one can take away: a future we can believe in.
Overweight and obesity, characterized by excessive fat accumulation posing risks to health, are on the rise worldwide. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2019 an estimated 5 million deaths from noncommunicable diseases were linked to overweight and obesity. Obesity represents one side of the “double burden of malnutrition”, with more obese people than underweight in every region except South-East Asia. Once largely confined to high‑income countries, obesity has now become a major public health concern in many middle‑income nations, as well. Let's act on obesity to ensure a healthy life for all.
The creates learner-centered, culturally and contextually adapted courses that equip health and care workers, especially in low- and middle-income countries, with the skills and knowledge they need to meet evolving healthcare challenges.
Healthy food in schools is crucial for children’s lifelong dietary habits. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) , and with childhood obesity rising and undernutrition persisting, schools play a key role in addressing this double burden. In 2025, 188 million school-aged children were living with obesity. WHO recommends setting standards to promote healthy foods while limiting unhealthy options and implementing nudging interventions to encourage better choices. Effective policies and enforcement are essential, yet only 48 countries have restrictions on marketing unhealthy foods. Prioritizing nutrition in schools is vital for future health and well-being.
PAHO are supporting Guyana’s Ministry of Health to eliminate leprosy by 2030 by strengthening early detection, contact tracing, treatment and stigma reduction, while addressing ongoing transmission highlighted by new pediatric cases through training, surveillance and technical support aligned with the .
In PAHO’s virtual reality laboratory, you can explore every room from sample reception to, and interact with the equipment posters and key bio safety elements that represent a .
Did you know that you can save three lives in just ten minutes with the gift of your blood? What do countries need to do to have safe blood donation systems ? WHO’s all you need to know to in .
Leaders from around the world meeting at the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly have adopted a through a fully integrated approach. The document is the first such declaration addressing NCDs and mental health together, and marks a unique opportunity to accelerate global progress with a set of specific global targets for 2030. Mental health is increasingly recognized as a universal human right and an essential foundation of human development. Learn more about mental health and how to sustain it.
Resilient communities are fundamental to preventing, and responding to, epidemics and pandemics. Our best defense lies not only in science, but also in strong local health systems, well-supported frontline health workers, and local leaders who are prepared to guide their communities through crisis. This International Day of Epidemic Preparedness (27 December) let’s help all communities build a strong foundation for both prevention and recovery. Let’s stop epidemics in their tracks.
Since 2000, nations have advanced toward universal health coverage, more care, and less financial strain. Yet billions still lack essential services, and millions are pushed deeper into poverty by out-of-pocket costs, largely for medicines. A new from the World Health Organization-World Bank warns: without bold investment, by 2030 many will still face hardship. Health is a right, but for too many, it remains a distant promise.
(AMR) makes infections harder to treat, and , held every November 18–24, raises global awareness and drives action to combat this growing health threat.
A worm that can cause epilepsy? Meet Taenia solium — the pig tapeworm that travels from gut to brain, causing seizures and preventable epilepsy in millions. In this , Dr Bernadette Abela explains how this parasite spreads when pigs eat human feces and humans consume contaminated food or water — and what we can do to stop it. Learn how cooking meat properly, improving hygiene, and vaccinating pigs can break the cycle.
In 2025, after a decades-long fight against malaria, Suriname was certified as malaria-free by the World Health Organization. Hear the voices from the front lines.
Crises like disasters, conflicts, and health emergencies cause emotional distress, with one in five individuals experiencing a mental health condition. Supporting the mental well-being of individuals during such crises is not just important – it saves lives, gives people the strength to cope, the space to heal and to recover and rebuild not only as individuals but as communities. (10 October) reminds us: there is no health without mental health. This year’s campaign highlights the urgent need to support mental health and psychosocial needs in humanitarian emergencies.