News for 'Director-General of the World Health Organisation'

Be prepared for fresh Covid waves, warns WHO's Soumya Swaminathan

Be prepared for fresh Covid waves, warns WHO's Soumya Swaminathan

Rediff.com15 Jul 2022

There is mounting evidence that suggests that Omicron subvariants -BA.4 and BA.5 - are infecting people who have been vaccinated.

China announces additional $30 million grant for WHO

China announces additional $30 million grant for WHO

Rediff.com23 Apr 2020

The grant will be in addition to the $20 million provided by China, the world's second largest economy, earlier to the WHO.

Use of masks declining amid Omicron concerns, warns govt

Use of masks declining amid Omicron concerns, warns govt

Rediff.com10 Dec 2021

The government on Friday warned about the declining compliance to mask usage in the country amid concerns over the Omicron variant of the coronavirus and urged people to follow COVID-appropriate behaviour and get vaccinated to prevent surge in cases.

Quality Control Orders: What does this mean for domestic industry?

Quality Control Orders: What does this mean for domestic industry?

Rediff.com25 Apr 2024

From toys, footwear and furniture to insulated flasks, smart meters, and air coolers - the Central government over the last decade has mandated higher standards for production and imports of such items. Sample this: Till 2014, there were 14 Quality Control Orders (QCOs) covering 106 products. By the latest count, there are 156 QCOs on 672 products.

Zika virus: Centre issues guidelines; warns against travel to affected areas

Zika virus: Centre issues guidelines; warns against travel to affected areas

Rediff.com2 Feb 2016

A day after the WHO declared emergency over the "explosive" spread of the mosquito-borne Zika virus, the Centre on Tuesday issued detailed guidelines for combating the disease, including a travel advisory that asks pregnant women to either defer or cancel their travel to the affected areas.

G7 leaders discuss Wuhan lab leak theory behind Covid

G7 leaders discuss Wuhan lab leak theory behind Covid

Rediff.com13 Jun 2021

World leaders gathered at the G7 Summit in Cornwall discussed the possibility that a laboratory leak in central China's Wuhan city may have a connection with the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, with the World Health Organisation (WHO) chief saying all hypotheses behind the origins of the deadly disease remain in play.

India's COVID-19 figures worrying: WHO chief scientist

India's COVID-19 figures worrying: WHO chief scientist

Rediff.com11 May 2021

Soumya Swaminathan called on governments to boost exercises on reporting actual numbers.

Air quality worsens, dense fog disrupts flights, trains in Delhi

Air quality worsens, dense fog disrupts flights, trains in Delhi

Rediff.com18 Jan 2019

The official data maintained by the Centre-run System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research put the condition at severely polluted. The Particulate Matter 2.5 level was recorded at 146 while the PM 10 was at 233 in New Delhi.

India hosts grand G20 Summit: What's on agenda

India hosts grand G20 Summit: What's on agenda

Rediff.com9 Sep 2023

The summit is being attended by more than 30 heads of state and top officials from the European Union and invited guest countries and 14 heads of international organisations.

Scientists believe Covid nearing its end, but also advise caution

Scientists believe Covid nearing its end, but also advise caution

Rediff.com23 Sep 2022

The pandemic will be over but Covid will be here to stay, the scientists said as Covid numbers begin to ebb in several parts of the world, including India.

British intel report says Covid may have leaked from Chinese lab

British intel report says Covid may have leaked from Chinese lab

Rediff.com31 May 2021

British intelligence agencies now believe it is 'feasible' that the COVID-19 pandemic began with a coronavirus leak from a Chinese bio laboratory, a media report said here on Sunday, prompting Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi to demand that the World Health Organisation (WHO) must fully investigate the origins of the deadly virus.

25% of Indians have received 2 vax doses, 69% at least one jab

25% of Indians have received 2 vax doses, 69% at least one jab

Rediff.com30 Sep 2021

Thirty districts in the country, including 13 in Kerala, eight in Mizoram, four in Meghalaya, three each in Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh, two in Sikkim and one in Meghalaya are reporting a weekly positivity rate of over 10 per cent.

Soumya Swaminathan: Just what the doctor ordered

Soumya Swaminathan: Just what the doctor ordered

Rediff.com14 Oct 2017

Her appointment as World Health Organisation's deputy director offers an opportunity to push for improving the medical research environment in India.

111 Omicron cases in India now after highest single-day rise

111 Omicron cases in India now after highest single-day rise

Rediff.com17 Dec 2021

People must also avoid mass gatherings, and new year celebrations need to be at low intensity, the government said.

More than 1 million affected by Ebola outbreak: WHO

More than 1 million affected by Ebola outbreak: WHO

Rediff.com14 Aug 2014

With more than one million people affected by the current Ebola outbreak in West Africa, the World Health Organisation has warned that there is "no early end in sight" to the severe health crisis and called for "extraordinary measures" to stop the transmission of the disease.

2 cases of Omicron found in Karnataka, says govt

2 cases of Omicron found in Karnataka, says govt

Rediff.com2 Dec 2021

Two cases of the new Omicron variant of coronavirus have been detected in Karnataka, the Union government said on Thursday while asking people not to panic but follow Covid-appropriate behaviour and get vaccinated without delay.

Key mantra for India's pharma sector in 2023

Key mantra for India's pharma sector in 2023

Rediff.com21 Dec 2022

Reinvent and innovate will be the key mantra for the Indian pharma industry in the New Year as the 'pharmacy of the world' looks to move from volume to value leadership, amid emerging challenges of inflation and pricing pressures in the global markets. While R&D investment, market competitiveness, regulatory scrutiny, and domestic price regulations are expected to shape the growth of generics and injectable products, concerns such as price control and customs duties on medical equipment will continue to bother the healthcare industry in 2023. The industry believes that in view of India's G20 Presidency, digital health innovation, achieving universal health coverage, improving healthcare infrastructure and delivery will continue to be the key driving factors in 2023.

New Omicron sub-variant detected in countries like India: WHO

New Omicron sub-variant detected in countries like India: WHO

Rediff.com7 Jul 2022

A new sub-lineage BA.2.75 of the Omicron variant of the coronavirus has been detected in countries like India and the World Health Organisation is following this, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

WHO stops trial of anti-malarial drug for COVID-19 treatment

WHO stops trial of anti-malarial drug for COVID-19 treatment

Rediff.com26 May 2020

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that in view of a paper published last week in the Lancet medical journal, that showed people taking hydroxychloroquine were at higher risk of death and heart problems than those that were not.

Omicron: 200 Million Indians Yet To Be Vaccinated

Omicron: 200 Million Indians Yet To Be Vaccinated

Rediff.com24 Dec 2021

We need to give a booster shot to all our frontline workers first as if they fall victim to Omicron, the health system will collapse, points out Ramesh Menon.

'Confident of sending record 125 athletes to Tokyo Olympics'

'Confident of sending record 125 athletes to Tokyo Olympics'

Rediff.com23 Jun 2020

'Olympics is once in four years, and athletes have only one shot at glory, and it's important to have a holistic approach, use science, use medicine, use technology and engineering in training and that will make a difference'

China virus toll rises to 1,770; cases up to 70,500

China virus toll rises to 1,770; cases up to 70,500

Rediff.com17 Feb 2020

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said international experts were now on the ground in China to understand the outbreak and inform the next steps in the global response.

Here's what India is doing to prevent China-like Covid surge

Here's what India is doing to prevent China-like Covid surge

Rediff.com22 Dec 2022

The government on Thursday took a series of measures in view of the rising number of COVID-19 cases in several parts of the world, including China.

US intel says Covid not a bio-weapon, unsure about its origins

US intel says Covid not a bio-weapon, unsure about its origins

Rediff.com28 Aug 2021

The United States intelligence community has failed to reach any firm conclusion on the exact origin of COVID-19 and is split on whether it leaked from a lab in China or emerged in nature, even though it does not believe the virus was developed as a biological weapon, according to results of a detailed review ordered by President Joe Biden.

China to build more bio labs amidst row over Wuhan lab

China to build more bio labs amidst row over Wuhan lab

Rediff.com16 Apr 2021

China will carry out major scientific research to enhance its biosecurity science and technological capacity against future infectious diseases, state-run Global Times quoted Xiang as saying.

China's coronavirus death toll crosses 2300, WHO team to visit Wuhan

China's coronavirus death toll crosses 2300, WHO team to visit Wuhan

Rediff.com22 Feb 2020

Besides controlling the spread of the virus, a major task of the WHO team along with their Chinese counterparts was to come up with a standard medicine to cure the disease.

Coronavirus death toll soars to 908; WHO sends team to China

Coronavirus death toll soars to 908; WHO sends team to China

Rediff.com10 Feb 2020

The head of the World Health Organisation said on Saturday that the UN health agency would send an international mission to China as it received a response from Beijing.

Will Zika virus keep athletes away from Rio Olympics?

Will Zika virus keep athletes away from Rio Olympics?

Rediff.com2 Feb 2016

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach has welcomed measures being taken to tackle the mosquito-borne Zika virus and believes the spread of the virus across South America will not adversely affect the Rio de Janeiro Games in August.

Phase-I trials of 2 Indian Covid vaccines reveal 'excellent safety': Govt

Phase-I trials of 2 Indian Covid vaccines reveal 'excellent safety': Govt

Rediff.com15 Sep 2020

Phase-I clinical trials have revealed "excellent safety" of the two candidate vaccines indigenously developed by Bharat Biotech in collaboration with Indian Council of Medical Research and Cadila Healthcare Ltd and their immunogenicity testing is now in progress, minister of state for health Ashwini Choubey informed the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

Lockdown, containment measures successful: ICMR sero-survey

Lockdown, containment measures successful: ICMR sero-survey

Rediff.com12 Jun 2020

The first part of the study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) revealed that 0.73 per cent of the population surveyed showed evidence of past exposure to SARS-CoV-2, and that urban slum population was the most vulnerable to the infection, ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava said at a press conference.

Coronavirus kills over 800 in China, exceeds SARS deaths

Coronavirus kills over 800 in China, exceeds SARS deaths

Rediff.com9 Feb 2020

Eighty-nine deaths were reported on Saturday -- the highest single-day death toll -- and there were 2,656 new confirmed cases of the deadly infection, China's National Health Commission said in its daily report on Sunday.

ICMR revises advisory on use of hydroxychloroquine

ICMR revises advisory on use of hydroxychloroquine

Rediff.com23 May 2020

Three new categories -- all asymptomatic healthcare workers working in non-COVID hospitals/areas of COVID hospitals/blocks, asymptomatic frontline workers such as surveillance workers deployed in containment zones and paramilitary/police personnel involved in COVID-19 related activities -- have now been included.

India definitely not in community transmission stage: Govt

India definitely not in community transmission stage: Govt

Rediff.com11 Jun 2020

"Lockdown and containment (measures) have been successful in keeping it low and preventing rapid spread," ICMR Director General Balram Bhargava said, citing the sero-survey on COVID-19 spread.

UN: Disgraceful Dereliction of Duty

UN: Disgraceful Dereliction of Duty

Rediff.com10 Apr 2020

'Instead of fighting over whatever will be left of the present world, the permanent members of the UN security council should have raised a little finger to arrest the death and devastation around us,' notes Ambassador T P Sreenivasan.

Experts welcome WHO's decision to resume HCQ clinical trial

Experts welcome WHO's decision to resume HCQ clinical trial

Rediff.com4 Jun 2020

The global heath body had earlier suspended the hydroxychloroquine arm of the clinical trials of experimental COVID-19 drugs over safety concerns.

India administers over 100 crore anti-Covid jabs

India administers over 100 crore anti-Covid jabs

Rediff.com21 Oct 2021

The prime minister also visited the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi after the milestone was achieved and interacted with hospital officials.

Xi says China battling 'demon' as coronavirus death toll rises to 106

Xi says China battling 'demon' as coronavirus death toll rises to 106

Rediff.com28 Jan 2020

An outbreak of a pneumonia-like illness that started in the city of Wuhan in China has put health authorities on high alert around the world. The new coronavirus-named 2019-nCoV-is thought to have originated in the food market of the central China metropolis and has since infected more than 4,000 people worldwide.

Covaxin safe, shows 77.8% efficacy against symptomatic Covid: Lancet

Covaxin safe, shows 77.8% efficacy against symptomatic Covid: Lancet

Rediff.com12 Nov 2021

The phase 3 trial findings indicate that Covaxin induces a robust antibody response with no severe vaccine-related adverse events or deaths reported among the trial participants, the authors of the study said.

Toxic air killed over 1 lakh children in India in 2016: WHO

Toxic air killed over 1 lakh children in India in 2016: WHO

Rediff.com29 Oct 2018

The green body's report said three of the world's largest nitrogen oxide air pollution emission hotspots that contribute to formation of PM2.5 and ozone are in India with one in the Delhi-NCR.

How civic body curbed COVID-19 spread in Dharavi

How civic body curbed COVID-19 spread in Dharavi

Rediff.com11 Jul 2020

Kiran Dighavkar, assistant commissioner of the G North ward of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said the civic body had to change its traditional approach of waiting for patients, contact tracing, isolation and home quarantine to begin proactive screening instead.