COMMUNICABLE DISEASES

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Innovation, greater collaboration and more effective use of funding have resulted in an increasing array of interventions and tools, some of which are low-cost options that can be delivered at the primary care level.

key achievements

In high-burden countries where the pace of progress has stalled, WHO launched special initiatives such as the “FIND. TREAT. ALL. #ENDTB” initiative and the measles, rubella and polio campaigns to expand access and scale up the response with partners and countries.

With neglected tropical diseases, mass treatment was delivered through integrated packages of medicines. The Health Product Profile Directory, created to improve the efficiency of efforts to develop new products, was launched.

New recommendations on HIV testing services have been developed, and during the biennium, three Asian nations - Malaysia, Maldives and Sri Lanka - achieved the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV.

The first-ever United Nations General Assembly high-level meeting on the fight against tuberculosis generated increased political commitment to end the epidemic. Sustaining national political commitment and resources to ensure that disease targets and universal health coverage are achieved remains a key challenge.

The new “high burden to high impact” approach, a redoubling of efforts to combat malaria driven by the 11 most affected countries, relies on four key elements: political will, strategic information, better guidance and strategies, and a coordinated national response.

IMMUNIZATION CONTINUES TO SAVE MILLIONS OF LIVES

We now have vaccines to prevent more than 20 life-threatening diseases, helping people of all ages live longer, healthier lives. In 2018, 116 million children completed vaccination with a basic set of vaccines, up from 90 million children in 2000.

TRIPARTITE “ONE HEALTH” COLLABORATION IN FULL GEAR

Strong intersectoral collaboration is critical to coordinate human, animal, plant and environmental policies to prevent antimicrobial resistance. WHO worked with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) in a tripartite arrangement to revamp action at country level for the implementation of the Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance. Research and innovation will be critical in the fight against drug resistance.