WHO/UNICEF Progress Report on Sanitation & Drinking Water
Some 2.4 billion people will remain without access to improved sanitation in 2015, according to a new joint WHO/UNICEF report.According to the report, the world remains off track to meet the Millennium Development goal (MDg) sanitation target.
Key findings
Among the key findings from the latest 2011 data, the report highlights:
- Almost two-thirds (64%) of the world’s population had access to improved sanitation facilities, an increase of almost 1.9 billion people since 1990.
- Approximately 2.5 billion people lacked access to an improved sanitation facility. Of these, 761 million use public or shared sanitation facilities and 693 million use facilities that do not meet minimum standards of hygiene.
- In 2011, one billion people still defecated in the open. 90% of all open defecation takes place in rural areas.
- By the end of 2011, 89% of the world population used an improved drinking-water source, and 55% had a piped supply on premises. This left an estimated 768 million people without improved sources for drinking water, of whom 185 million relied on surface water for their daily needs.
- There continues to be a striking disparity between those living in rural areas and those who live in cities. Urban dwellers make up three-quarters of those with access to piped water supplies at home. Rural communities comprise 83% of the global population without access to improved drinking water source and 71 per cent of those living without sanitation.
The report titled Progress on sanitation and drinking-water 2013 update is available here in english.
Resources
World Malaria Day, 25 April, 2013
On World Malaria Day, 25 April, the World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes significant accomplishments in preventing and controlling malaria, including in high-burden countries in sub-Saharan Africa, but highlights the threat of antimalarial drug resistance in south-east Asia’s Greater Mekong subregion, where an emergency response is now being launched.
In sub-Saharan Africa, Malaria kills an estimated 660,000 people worldwide, mainly children under five years of age, according WHO.
World Malaria Day was instituted by WHO Member States in 2007. It is an occasion to highlight the need for continued investment and sustained political commitment for malaria prevention and control. It is also an opportunity for new donors to join the global malaria partnership, and for research and academic institutions to showcase their scientific work.
Online Resources
Global health in 2012: key health issues
28 December 2012 — Key public health milestones were reached in 2012, including the end of polio transmission in India and meeting the Millennium Development Goal target on drinking water ahead of schedule. This photo feature presents a selection of some of the major health issues confronted in 2012.
The U.S. Role in Global Polio Eradication
This paper provides an overview of the global polio eradication effort, emphasizing the U.S. role. The purpose is to explain how the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) came to where it is today and discuss plans for moving forward. The focus on the United States is not meant to detract from the enormous international investments or essential contributions of individuals from other countries. But by highlighting American involvement, the paper aims to help U.S. policymakers understand the costs, benefits, and challenges of polio eradication and plans to complete eradication and transition GPEI methods and resources into other programs.
This paper Highlights the impressive role that the U.S., U.K. and U.N., along with many other significant donors, have had in reducing worldwide cases of polio from 350,000 in 1988 to 213 in 2012 - that is more than a 99% decrease. The future difficulties that will be encountered in eradicating the final 1% is also discussed. The paper states that the GPEI must continue to be innovative, connect with local communities and improve medical services worldwide.
Related UN Resources:
- The World Health Organization (WHO) HomePage
- Polio Eradication Initiative: Country Activities
- Polio Eradication in the Eastern Mediterranean Region: Progress Report
- Global Action Plan for laboratory containment of wild polio: WHO Report
- Polio Infected Countries: Fact Sheets
10 October: World Mental Health Day
World Mental Health Day raises public awareness about mental health issues. The day promotes open discussion of mental disorders, and investments in prevention, promotion and treatment services. This year the theme for the day is “Depression: A Global Crisis”.
World Rabies Day
Friday 28 September is World Rabies Day which this year is highlighting dog vaccination programmes as the most effective way to reduce the risk of this disease that kills around 50,000 people every year.
More information from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Alliance site.
Born Too Soon: The Global Action Report on Preterm Birth
A new report, Born Too Soon: The Global Action Report on Preterm Birth, shows the extent of the rise of preterm birth in most countries—15 million babies are born too soon, over 1 million die each year. Providing the first-ever national, regional and global estimates of preterm birth, Born Too Soon addresses preterm birth—now the second leading cause of death globally for children under five, after pneumonia—as an urgent priority for reaching Millennium Development Goal 4, which calls for the reduction of child deaths by two-thirds by 2015. Proposing actions for policy, programs and research by all partners, the report shows that rapid change is possible and identifies priority actions for everyone.
The report is a joint effort of almost 50 international, regional and national organizations, led by the March of Dimes, The Partnership for Maternal, Newborn & Child Health, Save the Children and the World Health Organization in support of the Every Woman Every Child effort, led by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Born Too Soon: The Global Action Report on Preterm Birth (Full Report)
Resources:
Photo: Malnourished Newborn at Maternity Hospital in Kutum, Sudan. UN Photo/Albert Gonzalez Farran.
WHO: Bugs, drugs and smoke
The World Health Organization has published the book Bugs, drugs and smoke, a book for young people interested in working in public health.The book explains in plain language techniques developed to protect the health of communities during the years.
The chapters address specific challenges humanity faced, like AIDS, Tuberculosis and Smallpox. Each subject includes interviews to public health figures showing how individuals, communities, institutions and countries can improve people’s health when they work together.
Source: who.int
Trends in Maternal Mortality
“I am very pleased to see that the number of women dying in pregnancy and childbirth continues to decline. This shows that the enhanced effort of countries, supported by UNFPA and other development partners, is paying off. But we can’t stop here. Our work must continue to make every pregnancy wanted and every childbirth safe.”
Dr. Babatunde Osotimehin, Executive Director of UNFPA
Released by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Trends in Maternal Mortality: 1990 to 2010 confirms that the number of women dying in pregnancy and childbirth is declining. From 1990 to 2010, the annual number of maternal deaths dropped from more than 543,000 to 287,000 – a decline of 47 per cent.
The report also highlights:
- In 2010, the global maternal mortality ratio was 210 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. Sub-Saharan Africa had the highest maternal mortality ratio at 500 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births.
- In sub-Saharan Africa, a woman faces a 1 in 39 lifetime risk of dying due to pregnancy or childbirth-related complications. In South-eastern Asia the risk is 1 in 290 and in developed countries, it is 1 in 3,800.
- Ten countries have 60 per cent of the global maternal deaths: India (56,000), Nigeria (40,000), Democratic Republic of the Congo (15,000), Pakistan (12,000), Sudan (10,000), Indonesia (9,600), Ethiopia (9,000), United Republic of Tanzania (8,500), Bangladesh (7,200) and Afghanistan (6,400).
- Ten countries have already reached the MDG target of a 75 per cent reduction in maternal death: Belarus, Bhutan, Equatorial Guinea, Estonia, Iran, Lithuania, Maldives, Nepal, Romania and Viet Nam.
Resources:
- Millennium Development Goal 5 : Improve maternal health
- UNFPA Trends in Maternal Mortality: 1990-2008
- UNFPA Maternal Mortality in 1995 - 2002 - 2004 - 2005 - 2006
- UNFPA publications on safe motherhood
- World Health Organization publications on maternal health and new born health
- UN reports on maternal mortality
WHO report on Mortality Attributable to Tobacco
The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) that came into force in 2005 requires parties to restrict tobacco advertising, sponsorship and promotion, set new labelling and clean indoor air controls and strengthen laws against tobacco smuggling.
The new report by the UN World Health Organization (WHO), entitled “Mortality Attributable to Tobacco,” shows that five per cent of all deaths from communicable diseases worldwide and 14 per cent of deaths resulting from non-communicable illnesses among adults aged 30 and above were attributable to tobacco use.
Progress on drinking water and sanitation 2012
MDG drinking-water target was met in 2010, five years ahead of schedule!
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) reports every two years on progress towards the drinking-water and sanitation target under Millennium Development Goal 7.
Progress on Drinking Water and Sanitation reveals that, at the end of 2010, 89 per cent of the world’s population used improved drinking water sources, meeting the target. By 2015, an estimated 92 per cent of the global population will have access to improved drinking water.
However, serious challenge remain. The report also indicates that the world is far from meeting the MDG target for sanitation – and is unlikely to do so by 2015.
Documents:
Levels & Trends in Child Mortality 2011
The number of young children who die each day has plunged over the past two decades, new United Nations figures show, but the world is still lagging far behind in efforts to achieve its target for reducing child mortality.
The latest estimates, issued by the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the UN World Health Organization (WHO), indicate that the number of children under the age of five who perish each year fell from more than 12 million in 1990 to about 7.6 million last year.
Other UN Resources
Noncommunicable diseases country profiles 2011
WHO global report
Publication details
Editors: World Health Organization
Number of pages: 209
Publication date: September 2011
Languages: English
ISBN: 9789241502283
Downloads
Overview
The report features information about the noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) situation in 193 countries. This includes details of what proportion of each country’s deaths are due to diseases such as cancer, heart and lung diseases, and diabetes.
Using graphs, on a page-per country presentation format, the report provides information on prevalence, trends in metabolic risk factors (cholesterol, blood pressure, body mass index and blood sugar) alongside data on the country’s capacity to address the challenges posed by NCDs. Countries will be able to benchmark progress to date and determine where more efforts are needed.
Related links
Report of Secretary-General transmitting latest WHO Report on the 2001-2010: Decade to Roll Back Malaria
Pursuant to Assembly resolution A/RES/65/273, the latest report of the World Health Organization entitled “Consolidating gains and accelerating efforts to control and eliminate malaria in developing countries, particularly in Africa, by 2015” was transmitted to the General Assembly by the UN Secretary-General and is now available online: A/66/169.
More UN Resources on Malaria
- Roll Back Malaria Partnership - launched in 1998 by WHO, UNICEF, UNDP and the World Bank
- World Health Organization Global Malaria Programme
- Millennium Development Goal 6: Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria and Other Diseases
Photo by S. Hollyman, copyright WHO
