World Health Organization (WHO)

As we mark the first African Medicines Agency (AMA) Week, I urge all remaining countries to ratify its treaty, and Member States and partners to provide sustained political and financial support. A strong AMA means faster access to safe, effective and quality-assured health products, and stronger African health security. @WHO remains committed to supporting AMA and building a healthier, safer and fairer Africa.

More than 10,000 people been infected and reported with #Ebola in the #DRC, and, sadly, close to half have died. In some families, more than one life has been lost. The devastation is immense. It remains clear that the government-led and partner supported response must continue to scale up and out across all affected areas as well as those at risk. But there are encouraging signs of progress: -Close to 2700 people have recovered so far and over 1000 are currently receiving clinical care; -Science, collaboration and communities are offering new vaccine and treatment candidates to prevent and treat Ebola caused by the Bundibugyo virus. @WHO is working with partners on several clinical trials currently underway; -Capacity to provide optimised clinical care to Ebola patients by protected health workers has expanded to over 2100 beds across 109 Ebola transit and treatment centres; -Engagement of private health service providers, traditional healers and community leaders into the response is opening up new opportunities to detect patients early; -With the outbreak spreading to hard to reach and conflict affected areas, we are expanding our operations through rapid response teams who can reach communities where they are. These efforts and progress give us more than hope, the outbreak can and will be brought under control and ended. We call for continued global solidarity and support to sustain the response. We will not let up.

My first mission as @WHO Director-General in 2017 was to #Yemen, where I said that the only solution was a political one. Nine years on, that remains the case in Yemen and in so many other trouble spots across the @WHOEMRO Eastern Mediterranean Region. There can be no health without peace.

My heartfelt condolences to everyone who lost a loved one in this tragedy. A heartbreaking day for #Spain. Out of respect and to focus on supporting the families of the victims, we have decided to cancel today’s events at the Global Obesity Summit in Madrid. nitter.gq/sanchezcastejon/status…