Publication
11 May 2020
Tobacco kills more than 8 million people globally every year. More than 7 million of these deaths are from direct tobacco use and around 1.2 million are due to non-smokers being exposed to second-hand smoke. Tobacco smoking is a known risk factor for many respiratory infections and increases the severity of respiratory diseases. A review of studies by public health experts convened by WHO on 29 Ap...
Article
08 May 2020
Concerns exists that angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) increase susceptibility to coronavirus SARS CoV-2 (the viral agent that causes the disease COVID-19) and the likelihood of severe COVID-19 illness. These concerns are based on considerations of biological plausibility, and the observation that there is an overrepresenta...
Briefs & Fact Sheets
06 May 2020
The global crisis of COVID-19 is deepening pre-existing inequalities, exposing the extent of exclusion and highlighting that work on disability inclusion is imperative. People with disabilities—one billion people— are one of the most excluded groups in our society and are among the hardest hit in this crisis in terms of fatalities.
Guide
04 May 2020
The interim guidance and FAQ reflect: i. the available evidence regarding transmission risks of COVID-19 through breastmilk; ii. the protective effects of breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact, and, iii. the harmful effects of inappropriate use of infant formula milk. The FAQ also draws on other WHO recommendations on Infant and Young Child Feeding and the Interagency Working Group Operational Gu...
Article
04 May 2020
Mothers and healthcare workers who support them have many questions and concerns about whether it is safe for mothers with confirmed or suspected COVID-19 to be close to and breastfeed their babies during the pandemic. To address their questions, WHO has released a list of Frequently asked questions: Breastfeeding and COVID-19.
Fact sheet
04 May 2020
A Q&A page on COVID-19 and breastfeeding.
01 May 2020
Concerns have been raised that NSAIDs may be associated with an increased risk of adverse effects when used in patients with acute viral respiratory infections, including COVID-19.1,2 This review aimed to assess the effects of prior and current use of NSAIDs in patients with acute viral respiratory infections on acute severe adverse events (including mortality, the acute respiratory distress syndr...
Briefs & Fact Sheets
30 Apr 2020
This policy brief examines the implementation of the WHO Package of Essential Non-Communicable Disease Interventions (PEN) across Myanmar’s 330 townships and identifies key operational challenges such as supply chain gaps, training limitations, low public awareness, and inconsistent service quality. Drawing on implementation experience and research, it puts forward targeted recommendations to ex...
Guide
29 Apr 2020
Stress management guide for coping with adversity. The guide aims to equip people with practical skills to help cope with stress. A few minutes each day are enough to practice the self-help techniques. The guide can be used alone or with the accompanying audio exercises.
Report
27 Apr 2020
The document updates WHO’s 2005 guidance on blood pressure measuring devices (BPMDs). It also responds to concern about the lack of accurate, good-quality devices, especially in low-and middle-income countries (LMIC) through technical consultation and expert review. The focus of the publication is on automated non-invasive BPMDs with cuff, including characteristics, regulatory requirements and s...
Guide
27 Apr 2020
This new HEARTS – D module on Diagnosis and management of type 2 diabetes complements and expands the diabetes section of the HEARTS Technical Package developed for use in primary health-care facilities to improve cardiovascular health. This module brings together WHO guidance on diagnosis, classification and management of type 2 diabetes in one document. It is aligned with the WHO Package of Es...
Guide
22 Apr 2020
People with underlying noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, chronic respiratory disease and cancer have a high risk for developing severe and even fatal COVID-19. It is important for them to strictly follow basic protective measures and make sure their chronic diseases are well managed. However, pandemics cripple health systems and compromise prov...
