This segment of the newsletter focuses on sharing the recent regulatory reforms and updates on Healthcare and Pharmaceutical domain from World Health Organization (WHO). This segment collates information periodically via conducting research and review of pharmaceutical updates from the WHO. Below are the highlights for the month of April 2020.
WHO and UNICEF collaborate on pandemic response through COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund1
On April 03, 2020, WHO and UNICEF announced an agreement to work together on COVID-19 response, through the historic COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund powered by the United Nations Foundation and Swiss Philanthropy Foundation. The COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund has been set up to facilitate an unprecedented global response by supporting the WHO Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan. As part of the agreement, an initial portion of the money from the fund – which currently stands at more than $127 million – will flow to UNICEF for its work with vulnerable children and communities all over the world.
WHO releases guidelines to help countries maintain essential health services during the COVID-19 pandemic2
The COVID-19 pandemic is straining health systems worldwide. The rapidly increasing demand on health facilities and health care workers threatens to leave some health systems overstretched and unable to operate effectively. Previous outbreaks have demonstrated that when health systems are overwhelmed, mortality from vaccinepreventable and other treatable conditions can also increase dramatically. During the 2014-2015 Ebola outbreak, there were increased number of deaths caused by measles, malaria, HIV/AIDS, and tuberculosis, all attributable to health system failures; the numbers exceeded deaths from Ebola.
New WHO recommendations to prevent tuberculosis aim to save millions of lives3
New World Health Organization (WHO) guidance will help countries accelerate efforts to stop people with tuberculosis (TB) infection becoming sick with TB by giving them preventive treatment. A quarter of the world's population is estimated to be infected with TB bacteria. These people are neither sick nor contagious. However, they are at greater risk of developing TB disease, especially those with weakened immunity. Offering them TB preventive treatment will not only protect them from becoming sick but also cut down on the risk of transmission in the community.
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