🎗️ *January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month* 🌍💔 Cervical cancer is largely preventable — yet it still affects 660,000 women and causes 350,000 deaths every year worldwide. Most of these deaths happen in low- and middle-income countries due to limited access to vaccines, screening and treatment. 💉🩺 The cause? HPV, a very common virus. The good news: HPV vaccination and regular screening can stop cervical cancer before it starts. 🚨 Women living with HIV are 6 times more likely to develop cervical cancer — making early care even more critical. *WHO calls on countries to reach the 90–70–90 targets by 2030:* ✅ 90% of girls vaccinated by age 15 ✅ 70% of women screened by ages 35 and 45 ✅ 90% treated if precancer or cancer is found *What you can do:* 💉 Vaccinate girls aged 9–14 🩺 Get screened regularly (even if vaccinated!) 🚭 Avoid smoking 📣 Share this message Learn more about cervical cancer ➡️ https://bit.ly/4bp0lHK

🥤🍺 *Sugary drinks and alcohol are getting cheaper — and that’s bad news for our health.* 💔 In many countries, weak taxes mean sugary drinks and alcohol cost less than they should, fueling obesity, diabetes, heart disease, cancers and injuries — especially among children and young people. WHO’s new global reports show that while these products generate billions in profits, governments collect only a small share in health taxes. For example: 📉 Sugary drink taxes often make up just ~2% of the price 🍺 Alcohol taxes remain low and don’t keep up with inflation 🍷 Wine isn’t taxed at all in 25 countries Meanwhile, health systems pay the price. 💪 *The good news?* Health taxes work. Higher taxes reduce harmful consumption and help fund health services. Most people actually support higher taxes on sugary drinks and alcohol. *What can you do?* ✅Choose water and low-sugar options ✅ Drink less alcohol ✅ Support policies that put health first 🌍💙 WHO’s *“3 by 35” goal* aims to make tobacco, alcohol and sugary drinks less affordable by 2035 — for healthier lives for all. Learn more ➡️ https://bit.ly/4aYTwwB

🌍 *WHO Statement on notification of withdrawal of the United States* The United States has notified the World Health Organization (WHO) of its decision to withdraw. WHO regrets this step — because global health threats don’t stop at borders, and cooperation saves lives. For over 75 years, the U.S. has helped WHO achieve major public health victories, including eradicating smallpox and fighting polio, HIV, Ebola, malaria, tuberculosis, influenza and more. These partnerships have made the world — including the U.S. — safer. During COVID-19, WHO shared information early and transparently, alerted the world in January 2020 when cases were still under 100 outside China, and provided evidence-based guidance to help countries protect their people. Decisions like lockdowns or mandates were always made by governments themselves. WHO is independent, impartial and guided by science, serving all 194 Member States equally. Countries continue working together through WHO, including on the new Pandemic Agreement, to prevent future crises. WHO remains committed to its mission: health as a human right for everyone, everywhere — and hopes the U.S. will one day rejoin this shared effort. Read the full statement here ➡️ https://bit.ly/45s8s2H

🤔 *Polio: 99.9% defeated. What will it take to end it for good?* 🧒🏽 This disease once paralyzed hundreds of thousands of children every year, striking fear into families across the world. 📉 Thanks to global vaccination efforts, cases have fallen by 99.9% since 1988. But polio is not gone yet. *In this episode of Science in 5, we speak with Dr Jamal Ahmad about:* ➡️ Why polio eradication still matters ➡️ How close the world truly is to ending this disease forever ➡️ What’s at stake if we don’t finish the job Polio spreads easily, respects no borders, and remains a threat as long as it exists anywhere. 💪🏾 With only a few cases left in two countries, the tools, knowledge, and partnerships are stronger than ever—but sustained political commitment and global cooperation are essential. Ending polio would mean no child is ever paralyzed by this disease again—and billions saved for health systems worldwide. ✅ Make sure you and your family are vaccinated ✅ Call on governments to keep supporting eradication ✅ Get involved through partners like Rotary Because eradication is all or nothing—and we are closer than ever. Listen to the podcast ➡️https://youtu.be/gFctXd-0X0w

👂World Hearing Day 2026 is coming — and it’s all about children! 💙 Did you know that many cases of childhood hearing loss are preventable — and that early detection can change a child’s life? ✨On 3 March each year, World Hearing Day puts hearing care in the spotlight as a global health priority. The 2026 theme is: 🎒 *“From communities to classrooms: hearing care for every child”* 🌍 To kick off the campaign, WHO is hosting a global webinar to introduce the theme, share new campaign tools, explain how to register events, and highlight small grants to support activities worldwide. 📅 *Tuesday, 13 January 2026* ⏰ *08:00–09:30 CET | 16:00–17:30 CET* 💻 *Online – two sessions for global access* *Take action:* ✅ Join the webinar ✅Plan activities in your community or school ✅Help ensure every child can hear, learn and thrive Register now ➡️ https://bit.ly/4pop16F

🧡 *World Leprosy Day | 25 January 2026* Leprosy is curable — but for millions, the real challenge is stigma. ✨This World Leprosy Day, we stand with people affected by leprosy to raise awareness, celebrate resilience, and call for an end to discrimination. 💊 *The facts:* Leprosy is cured with simple, free antibiotics. When treated early, people recover fully and transmission stops. 💔 *The reality:* Stigma causes people to lose jobs, leave their homes, be excluded from families, and keeps children out of school. Many hide their symptoms out of fear — delaying treatment and causing avoidable complications. 🗣️ As one person affected said: “This happens not because people are mean, but because they don’t understand.” 👉 *What you can do:* ✅ Learn and share the facts ✅ Challenge myths and misinformation ✅ Support dignity, inclusion and early treatment Find out more about leprosy ➡️ https://bit.ly/4aabQSr

🦠 India has reported two confirmed cases of Nipah virus (NiV) in West Bengal, both among health-care workers at the same hospital. 🏥One patient is receiving intensive care, the other is recovering. Importantly, over 190 contacts have been tested and all are negative, and no new cases have been detected so far. *What is Nipah virus?* 🦇 Nipah is a rare but serious disease that can spread from animals (especially fruit bats) to people, and sometimes between people through close contact. 🧠 Symptoms can range from fever and headaches to severe brain infection. There is no specific vaccine or treatment yet, but early supportive care saves lives. 📊 *WHO assesses the risk as moderate locally, and low nationally, regionally and globally.* *How to reduce risk:* ✅ Wash and peel fruits ✅ Avoid raw date palm sap ✅ Wash hands often ✅ Seek care early if symptoms appear WHO is working closely with Indian authorities to monitor the situation and keep communities safe. Learn more ➡️ https://bit.ly/4kg85P1

WHO’s top news of the week 🚨 UN agencies welcome news that famine has been pushed back in the Gaza Strip, but warn fragile gains could be reversed without increased and sustained support, read more ➡️ https://www.who.int/news/item/19-12-2025-un-agencies-welcome-news-that-famine-has-been-pushed-back-in-the-gaza-strip-but-warn-fragile-gains-could-be-reversed-without-increased-and-sustained-support Stronger together: milestones that mattered in 2025, read more ➡️ https://www.who.int/news-room/spotlight/stronger-together-milestones-that-mattered-in-2025 WHO Global Summit charts a bold future for traditional medicine, read more ➡️ https://www.who.int/news/item/22-12-2025-who-global-summit-charts-a-bold-future-for-traditional-medicine 1 in 3 injury deaths caused by alcohol: WHO/Europe reiterates the harms, read more ➡️ https://www.who.int/europe/news/item/24-12-2025-1-in-3-injury-deaths-caused-by-alcohol--who-europe-reiterates-the-harms

🍎 Healthy food at school = healthier futures 🏫 What children eat at school shapes their health for life. That’s why WHO has released a new global guideline to help countries create healthier school food environments — from the cafeteria to the classroom. *Why this matters:* 📊 In 2025, 1 in 10 school-aged children and adolescents (188 million) were living with obesity worldwide — more than the number who are underweight for the first time ever. At the same time, 466 million children receive school meals every day, yet many meals are still high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats. *WHO recommends a whole-school approach:* 🥦 Set clear standards so healthy food is the easy choice. 👀 Use simple “nudges” like better placement and pricing to encourage healthier options. 📣 Limit marketing of unhealthy foods to children. *What you can do:* ✅ Support healthy school meal policies ✅ Encourage nutritious lunches and snacks ✅ Speak up for healthier food in schools 💚 Healthy schools help children learn better today and live healthier tomorrow. Learn more ➡️ https://bit.ly/4bYewnr

🗓️ 30 January is World Neglected Tropical Diseases Day. 💡Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) still affect 1 billion people worldwide — mostly in vulnerable communities. The good news? They are preventable, treatable and can be eliminated. *Progress is real:* 📉 In 2024, 1.4 billion people needed NTD interventions — a 36% drop since 2010. 💪🏾By early 2026, 58 countries had eliminated at least one NTD, bringing the world closer to WHO’s goal of 100 countries by 2030. ⚠️ But progress is at risk. Funding cuts threaten to undo years of hard-won gains, even though low-cost solutions exist. Every $1 invested in NTD prevention delivers $25 in economic benefits. *On World NTD Day, let’s act:* ➡️ Support country-led solutions ➡️ Protect funding for NTD programmes ➡️ Champion innovation and partnerships Together, we can eliminate NTDs — one of the most achievable and equitable goals in global health. Learn more ➡️https://bit.ly/4rhQWqb