Good morning, good afternoon and good evening.
First, one issue that WHO works on that doesn’t often make the headlines is eye health.
Cataract is the most common cause of blindness globally, and a leading cause of vision impairment, affecting more than 94 million people.
In addition to impaired vision and blindness, cataract can contribute to reduced mobility, unemployment, social isolation, depression and anxiety.
Cataract is a major public health problem with a simple, cost-effective solution: it can be resolved with a 15-minute procedure, providing immediate and lasting restoration of sight.
Cataract surgery is life-transforming, giving the gift of sight to people who had lost it, and reopening a world that had closed.
In 2021, the World Health Assembly adopted a global target to increase access to effective cataract surgery by 30 percentage points by 2030.
Many countries have made impressive progress, including Bhutan, Cambodia, Nepal and Qatar.
But globally, half of all people who need cataract surgery still don’t have access to it, according to new research involving WHO published today in The Lancet Global Health.
In Africa, three-in-four people with cataract lack access, and in all regions, women are disproportionately affected.
The research estimates that coverage will increase by 8.4 percentage points by 2030 – less than one third of the pace needed to reach the 2030 target.
WHO urges governments, partners and donors to invest in this cost-effective and life-changing intervention, to prevent blindness and give people back the gift of sight.
The new research published today was led by the International Centre for Eye Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, which is in the process of becoming a WHO Collaborating Centre.
It’s an example of the valuable contribution that WHO’s network of over 800 collaborating centres can make to research and global health.
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Now some good news on cholera.
In 2013, WHO and a coalition of partners established a stockpile of cholera vaccines for two purposes: to conduct reactive vaccination campaigns in response to outbreaks; and preventive campaigns in areas at risk of outbreaks, to stop them before they happen.
Since 2021, the world has experienced a significant increase in cholera outbreaks, cases and deaths. Last year alone, more than 600 000 cases and 7600 deaths were reported from 33 countries.
This increase put heavy demand on the stockpile, which meant that preventive campaigns had to be stopped to ensure enough vaccines were available for reactive campaigns.
Following sustained efforts by manufacturers and partners, the annual global supply of oral cholera vaccine has now doubled, from 35 million doses in 2022 to nearly 70 million doses in 2025.
Thanks to this increase, we have now been able to resume preventive vaccination campaigns against cholera after more than three years.
This is important because it could help us to turn the tide on cholera, preventing outbreaks instead of only responding when they happen.
Last week, Mozambique became the first country to resume preventive vaccination, reaching 1.7 million people at risk of cholera, including in remote areas.
In parallel, Mozambique is also conducting reactive campaigns to control an outbreak that has been fuelled by recent floods.
Preventive vaccination campaigns are also due to start in Bangladesh and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
We thank EUBiologics, based in the Republic of Korea, which is currently the only manufacturer producing cholera vaccines at the scale needed for mass vaccination campaigns.
While vaccines are an important tool, the best investment in preventing cholera is in safe water and sanitation.
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Cholera is one of many examples of diseases that can be easily prevented with vaccines.
Since 2000, under-five mortality has dropped by more than half, thanks largely to the power of vaccines.
Today, WHO’s Regional Office for Europe published new data with encouraging news: the number of measles cases in the region dropped by 75% last year compared with 2024.
This is due to increased vaccine coverage, community outreach, outbreak response and more.
At the same time, five countries in the European Region lost their measles elimination status in 2024.
Misunderstanding and confusion about the safety of vaccines are fuelling outbreaks and costing lives in many countries.
We must listen carefully to people who have real concerns, and give them the information they need to make the best decisions.
At the same time, we must keep saying it: vaccines work. Vaccines are safe. Vaccines save lives.
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One rare but deadly disease for which we do not yet have a vaccine is Nipah virus.
In the past few weeks, three cases of Nipah – two in India and one in Bangladesh – made headlines and caused concern about a wider outbreak.
Over 230 contacts have been followed, but no further cases have been identified.
The two outbreaks are not related, although both occurred along the India–Bangladesh border, and share some of the same ecological and cultural conditions, as well as populations of the species of fruit bat that are known to be the natural reservoir of Nipah virus.
WHO is working with India and Bangladesh on risk assessment, follow up of contacts, risk communications and community engagement.
WHO assesses the risk of spread of Nipah virus regionally and globally as low.
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In Sudan, a situation that is already awful continues to deteriorate.
Last week, the International Phase Classification published a new alert, saying that famine indicators are worsening in the most vulnerable areas of Sudan.
The latest IPC alert shows that two new areas in North Darfur have surpassed thresholds for acute malnutrition – one of three key metrics to confirm famine.
Famine conditions were confirmed in two other cities in November last year. And we know that where hunger goes, disease follows.
Without sustained humanitarian access, the situation will continue to spiral, threatening the lives of millions.
An estimated 4.2 million cases of acute malnutrition are expected across Sudan in 2026, including more than 800,000 cases of severe acute malnutrition, marking a 14 percent increase from 2025.
Meanwhile, just when the population needs health care the most, it continues to come under attack.
Since the start of the conflict, WHO has verified 205 attacks on health care, leading to 1924 deaths and 529 injuries.
Today we are honoured to have our country representative with us, Dr Shible Sahbani, who can say more about the situation on the ground, and WHO’s response.
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Finally, last week, WHO’s Executive Board held the first of its two regular meetings for the year.
Among the issues it decided was tasking WHO with convening discussions about reforming the global health architecture. We are now starting that process.
It’s vital that all of us in global health work together to leverage our comparative advantage, avoid overlaps and duplication, and deliver value and results for the countries and people we serve.
The Board also considered proposals for reforming the governance of WHO, and the notification of withdrawal from WHO of Argentina and the United States of America, which the World Health Assembly will consider at its meeting in May.
Tarik, back to you.