News Releases

Oropouche: Cases of mother-to-child transmission under investigation in Brazil

Oscar Reyes — 18 Jul 2024

Washington, DC, July 18, 2024 (PAHO) - The �Ӱɴ�ý (PAHO) has issued an epidemiological alert informing its Member States about the identification of possible cases of expectant m

PAHO & USAID celebrate 30 years of collaboration and recommit efforts to ensure the health of all people in the Americas

Oscar Reyes — 17 Jul 2024

Washington D.C. 17 July 2024 (PAHO) – As countries of the Americas continue to recover and rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic, experts from the �Ӱɴ�ý (PAHO) and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) convened to discuss global health security and recommit to ongoing collaboration to improve public health in the Americas.

Restricting access to pesticides and firearms could prevent more than 120,000 suicide deaths in the Americas over a decade

Oscar Reyes — 17 Jul 2024

Washington, 17 July 2024 (PAHO). - A recent study published in The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, reveals that implementing policies to restrict access to highly hazardous pesticides and firearms could prevent more than 120,000 deaths by suicide in the region of the Americas over a 10-year period.

Global childhood immunization levels stalled in 2023 leaving many without life-saving protection

Cristina Mitchell — 15 Jul 2024

New data reveal nearly 3 in 4 infants live in countries where low vaccine coverage driving measles outbreaks

15 July 2024 | Geneva/New York – Global childhood immunization coverage stalled in 2023, leaving 2.7 million additional children un- and under-vaccinated compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, according to data published today by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF.

PAHO supports emergency response following flooding in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Cristina Mitchell — 3 Jul 2024

Brasilia, June 17, 2024 – From the end of April to May this year, the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul was hit by heavy rains which caused widespread flooding, leaving 478 towns under water. Almost 3.4 million people were affected and 179 people died.

Since then, the �Ӱɴ�ý (PAHO) has worked alongside the Ministry of Health of Brazil, the Rio Grande do Sul State Health Secretariat, the National Civil Defense and the Rio Grande do Sul Civil Defense to support the country in meeting the health needs of affected populations.

WHO releases first-ever clinical treatment guideline for tobacco cessation in adults

Cristina Mitchell — 2 Jul 2024

Geneva, 2 July 2024 — The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a comprehensive set of tobacco cessation interventions, including behavioural support delivered by health-care providers, digital cessation interventions and pharmacological treatments in a first guideline on tobacco cessation.

PAHO and World Bank launch PROTECT project to strengthen pandemic response in South America

Cristina Mitchell — 1 Jul 2024

Washington, D.C., July 1, 2024 – The �Ӱɴ�ý (PAHO) and the World Bank today launched the PROTECT Project, an initiative to improve pandemic response in seven South American countries.

PAHO 174th session of the Executive Committee concludes with approval of resolutions to strengthen health in the Americas

Cristina Mitchell — 28 Jun 2024

Washington, D.C., June 28, 2024 (PAHO) - The 174th session of the Executive Committee of the �Ӱɴ�ý (PAHO) concluded yesterday after four days of deliberations, where representatives of the nine Member States that make up this governing body, and observers, addressed a critical agenda for public health in the region.

New PAHO report shows NCDs continue as main cause of death and disability in the Americas, warns countries to prepare health systems for rapidly aging population

Cristina Mitchell — 28 Jun 2024

Washington D.C. 28 June 2024 – A new report launched by the �Ӱɴ�ý (PAHO) reveals that while overall life expectancy has risen in the Americas, so has the number of people living with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Rapid population aging has led to an increase in ill health and disabilities caused by noncommunicable diseases and injuries. The report urges countries of the Americas to take action to address the challenges to health systems posed by the Region’s aging population.

Nearly 1.8 billion adults at risk of disease from not doing enough physical activity

Cristina Mitchell — 26 Jun 2024

26 June 2024 | Geneva — New data show that nearly one third (31%) of adults worldwide, approximately 1.8 billion people, did not meet the recommended levels of physical activity in 2022. The findings point to a worrying trend of physical inactivity among adults, which has increased by about 5 percentage points between 2010 and 2022.